Adventure Film: Journey Into The Empty Quarter With Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron

Last year at this time, adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron were in the midst of an epic journey across the Empty Quarter, a massive desert that stretches across parts of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and the United Arab Emirates. They were following in the footsteps of the British explorer Wilfred Thesiger, covering 1000 miles while dragging a cart full of water, food and other supplies behind them for most of the way. It was a difficult, massive undertaking that pushed the two men to their limits and tested their determination at every stage. Now, a year later, the film of that expedition is available, giving us a glimpse of what they went through for the first time.

I was given an preview copy of the film, which is entitled Into The Empty Quarter, and had a chance to watch it last night. Like all good adventure films, it shows both the highs and lows of the expedition, of which there were many of both. The 53-minute long movie opens with Alastair first reaching out to Leon via email to see if he would be interested in joining him on the expedition. Leon was keen to take on the journey himself, and the two men were soon in the planning stages.

Unable to afford camels to help carry their gear the way Thesiger did, the two men designed a cart that would serve that purpose instead. That cart would become a source of frustration at times, almost bringing the entire expedition to a halt before it could get started. Thankfully some last minute medications allowed them to move forward, although dragging 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of gear would never become an easy task.


The film takes us on a journey that begins on the busy streets of Salalah in Oman, than moves into the remote, desolate desert, before ending in the chaos that is Dubai. Along the way, Alastair and Leon met friendly, interesting people, witnessed stunning landscapes and endured hardships that surprised even them. This turned into a journey that was so much more than crossing an open desert while following in the footsteps of their hero. The spirit of the adventure is captured well in the film and gives you a sense that this was a difficult slog, while simultaneously inspiring viewers to want to do something similar themselves.

My favorite segment of Into The Empty Quarter was when the boys were moving out of the desert and yet still had 200 miles to go before they reached the finish line in Dubai. As they marched, many passing vehicles stopped to generously offer them water, fresh fruit, good food and even ice cream. This kindness shown to them by strangers clearly moved the two explorers, and as a viewer, it was impressive to witness as well.

The movie made its debut at the Royal Geographical Society back in November, and it is also being submitted to film festivals as we speak. I would be willing to bet that it will become a staple on the adventure film fest tour in 2014. It is an interesting, beautifully made film that inspires a sense of exploration and adventure from beginning to end, and I get the sense it'll be a fan favorite with those who watch. Watch the official website for announcements of future screenings, but if you simply can't wait, you can also purchase a copy of the movie as well.

For a sense of what it is all about, check out the video trailer below. It is definitely worth picking up and would make a great stocking stuffer heading into the holiday season.

Tales From The Empty Quarter

Yesterday I shared a video teaser for a documentary film coming out later this year called Into The Empty Quarter. The film follows adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron as they follow in the footsteps of the famous explorer Wilfred Thesiger on a 1000 mile (1600 km) journey across the Empty Quarter – a massive desert that stretches over parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. We'll have to wait until this fall for our opportunity to see the movie but we can learn more about that journey now thanks to a story written for The Clymb by Alastair himself. 

The article, which you'll find by clicking here, provides plenty of insight into what it is like to trek through one of the hottest and harshest environments on the planet. The two men were inspired to attempt their expedition due to tales of Thesiger's exploits in the region, and Alastair says he had been planning such a journey for more than 15 years. In truth, he was probably dreaming about the Empty Quarter since he was a child and he first learned of the British explorer's exploits. 

Alastair and Leon knew that in order to make the trek on foot they would need to get creative. So, they built a homemade cart that was capable of carrying all of their gear and supplies, and most importantly their water. When fully loaded, that cart weighed nearly 700 pounds (317 kg) and the two men spent just one day training with it before leaving for their start in Oman. 

Just a few hours into their epic journey Alastair and Leon discovered that their cart was practically useless. When loaded with all of their supplies, it was nearly impossible to steer. The entire adventure was in jeopardy before they even truly got underway. They spent three days looking for a fix and for someone that could help them implement it. When they did, they were able to launch the expedition in ernest and what followed was at time glorious and heartbreaking, exhilarating and exhausting and inspiring and frustrating all at the same time. 

Read Alastair's account to get the fully story and you'll have a greater appreciation for what they accomplished. It'll also get you more excited to see the documentary when it is released in a few months too. 

Video: Into The Empty Quarter HD Trailer

Last year, adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron set off on a journey to cross the Empty Quarter, a massive desert in Arabia that stretches throughout parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. It was a 1000-mile (1609 km) journey on foot into one of the most remote places on our planet as they followed in the footsteps of Wilfred Thesiger, a British explorer who famously traveled through the desert on his best known expeditions.

This fall, a documentary about Alastair and Leon's journey will be released. That film is entitled Into The Empty Quarter and it will give us, the viewers, an opportunity to witness their adventure first hand while catching a glimpse of the amazing desert that enthralled them and Thesiger. The trailer for that film can be found below and based on what is shown here, it looks like a movie we won't want to miss.