Benedict Allen's Official Website

Benedict Allen, author, explorer, TV filmmaker-presenter and international motivational speaker, is best known for his arduous expeditions to remote corners of the globe, journeys famously achieved not with a satellite phone, GPS or any of the usual “backup” but by undertaking a testing journey after a period of training alone with a remote indigenous community. These and other ventures are depicted in his ten books - including two best sellers - and six BBC television series.

Benedict Allen while filming
The Skeleton Coast series for BBC 2
© Adrian Arbib

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Already established as one of Britain's most prominent explorers, Benedict Allen went on to pioneer the filming of authentic journeys for television. By not using a film-crew, he has allowed millions of people around the world to witness for the first time adventures unfolding genuinely in inhospitable terrain. Few people alive have been so long isolated and alone in so many different potentially hostile environments.

In 2010 Benedict became a Trustee and member of council of the Royal Geographical Society.

BENEDICT IN ACTION
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LIFE OF AN EXPLORER
– answering your questions.

Welcome

‘Hello and welcome to my website. I hope you’ll find something of interest here – whether you’re a seasoned adventurer, an aspiring explorer, or simply an armchair traveller who shares my passion for finding out more about the least understood corners of this planet.

To introduce myself: sometimes I’m described as an “explorer” other times an “adventurer” or “writer,” or just as a “cat who’s used up six of his nine lives.” As I see it, though, I’m just the son of a test pilot who shares his dad’s desire to get out there on a challenging mission, then report back. But I believe that we all, in our own way, share this explorer instinct to investigate the unknown. It’s what makes us human.

So I also hope that this site in some way encourages you if you are facing challenges nearer at hand, whether at work, school or home. Nowadays we tend to think that our planet is fully explored, but of course we understand very little about the world even at our doorstep.’

"To me exploration isn't about conquering natural obstacles, planting flags... It's not about going where no one's gone before in order to leave your mark, but about the opposite of that - about making yourself vulnerable, opening yourself up to whatever's there and letting the place leave its mark on you."

Benedict Allen, quoted in Nature's Connections: an exploration of Natural History, The Natural History Museum, London, 2000

Benedict Allen’s approach is best exemplified by his decision aged 24 to undergo a harrowing “crocodile” male initiation ceremony in Papua New Guinea in order to understand something of the forest world of the Niowra. He and indigenous initiates were locked away, force-fed, extensively scarified over their chest and back and beaten everyday (often four times a day) in the traditional manner for six weeks.

His belief in not using the usual back-up systems might seem to make his expeditions precarious – but they also help him tune into the resources available locally in “hostile” or unfamiliar terrain. Likewise, his technique of not using a camera-crew to record his journeys has meant he’s achieved unrivalled authenticity; he’s probably the only adventurer that viewers ever see in such genuine isolation and jeopardy.

According to a Radio Times cover feature "television's most fearless man," Benedict Allen happily admits that actually he’s often afraid – indeed, fear is healthy, he says. He’s more proud of having immersed himself quietly and for many months at time among indigenous people to learn from them.

“Allen is the best guide to the world’s wilder and weirder cultures.”  
Radio Times, August 2005

“In an age of false television and celebrity culture, it’s a relief to encounter the real thing.”
Time Out Magazine

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