Expeditions to the North and South Poles have a lot in common and it can be easy to assume that they are both pretty much the same - cold and white. However, they are very different in a number of ways. Below are some of them. [divide] [box type="note" bg="#ebebeb" color="#111" font="arial" fontsize="13" border="#a6a6a6" head="How To Get To The South Pole" headbg="#21417b" headcolor="#fff"]This is an edited ...

I like to think that there are three options for hauling large volumes of supplies across a deserts: cars, camels and carts. The former two methods are utilised frequently but examples of the latter, carts, are fewer and further between. Below are a few notable carts that have been used to cross deserts and there's a series of videos at the bottom too. [divide] [box type="note" bg="#ebebeb" color="#111"  fo ...

Walking and climbing on high mountains brings additional risks from the lack of oxygen in the air. Below I have given a very brief description of Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS) and some basic advice for acclimatisation. [divide] [box type="note" bg="#ebebeb" color="#111" font="arial" fontsize="13" border="#a6a6a6" head="How To Climb An Unclimbed Mountain" headbg="#21417b" headcolor="#fff"]This is an edite ...

While researching my book, I contacted lots of different explorers and adventurers and asked them to contribute a top tip in their given field. It was impossible to include all of them in the book however so I will publish some of the extra ones on this website. These ten tips come from Charlie Paton of Extreme Outdoor Adventures. Charlie is an ex-Royal Marine and ex-biathlete who was part of the first Brit ...

The North Pole does not lie on a land mass but in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. For the most part, it is frozen over and hence, at the right time of year, it is possible to travel there on foot, ski, dog sled or similar. The question of its location is slightly more complicated than you might assume as there are a total of four different North Poles. Their varying locations and the different means by whic ...

It may be surprising to learn that desert travellers often live for many weeks and months at a time, working hard in hot conditions with only a few litres of water each day. Conventional wisdom may dictate drinking many times more (up to ten litres in some instances) for that level of exertion in those temperatures but evidence from desert expeditions indicates that, if properly managed, you can safely oper ...

THIS ARTICLE: Is written by Mark Cooper who has spent 24 hours on a treadmill, set a record for running the length of Hadrian's Wall and run from Amsterdam to Barcelona. That last trip saw Mark run 1,300 miles in eight weeks. Here he shares some advice for anyone considering a long run... 1. Destination and motives are vital for success Make sure you have picked a destination and a reason to do it that mean ...

In addition to its obvious use for reading, there is one key feature of the Amazon Kindle that can make it an awesome supplement for expeditions and travel: unlimited free 3G roaming. They also have some other useful attributes for life on the road as well as some flaws. I have had my Kindle for a year or so now and used it whilst on a recce in the Russian Far East, exploring the Dhofar mountains of Oman, w ...

THIS ARTICLE: Details how to send updates home from the field. It covers how to update your blog, send Tweets or leave voicemail from remote places; what software and technology you might need; and why you might want to do any of this. There are also studies of recent expeditions. It follows my recent talk at Explore (slides here) and is best read in conjunction with my earlier article How To Set Up An Expe ...

THIS ARTICLE: Is written by Steve Dew-Jones, author of 'The Rule of Thumb', an account of a hitch-hiking journey from Salisbury to Malaysia with only two rules: Never pay for transport and never refuse an offer. Here is Steve's advice for anyone planning their first hitch-hiking trip... 1. Be prepared for some waiting around Unless you are supremely fortunate (or you are going only a very short distance), y ...

Humans have always been drawn to rivers writes Mark Kalch. Journeying by river, in my mind, is the pre-eminent way to explore our amazing planet. It allows us a glimpse into regions impossible to access practicably by any other means. Because rivers begin their journey high among the mountains and flow through continents all the way to the sea, they cross every environment on the planet: through mountains, ...

Below are a few things that I would advise to anyone seeking sponsorship for an expedition. Reading them may not help you get money in the short-term but it will be a step toward going about it in the right way. In the long-term, I believe that you will reap the benefits of your good conduct. And if you don't, at least you'll be a better person for it. Be honest. This shouldn't need writing down. With exped ...