Smithsonian Journeys Experts

Ben Saunders is a record-breaking polar explorer and acclaimed public speaker who has covered more than 4,500 miles on foot in the polar regions. Ben organized and led the longest human-powered polar journey in history: a 108-day, 1,800-mile journey to the South Pole on foot, while dragging 440 pounds of food and supplies in his sled. Ben is also the youngest person to ski solo to the North Pole, spending 72 days alone on the Arctic Ocean, and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton. He has also climbed in the Nepalese Himalayas, worked as an instructor at the John Ridgway School of Adventure, and continues to compete as a cyclist and marathon runner. Named a master storyteller by TED, his three main-stage appearances at the conference have been viewed more than five million times. Through his real-time journal entries, stunning visual content, and earnest reflection, he takes audiences into the unknown.

With intimate knowledge of both the wonder and the fragility of the natural world, Ben advocates for its future through the expeditions he leads, the stories he tells, and the future pioneers he mentors, as well as through his business, Kintanna Ventures—named after a remote Antarctic peak—which identifies, invests in, and accelerates innovative climate technology start-ups.