Alastair Humphreys And Leon McCarron Announces Expedition Through The Empty Quarter

Adventurers Alastair Humphreys and Leon McCarron have announced that they are joining forces to take on a new expedition that will be as demanding and difficult as anything they've ever done. The two men plan to follow in the footsteps of one of Britain's greatest adventurers, Wilfred Thesiger, as they trek 1000 miles (1600 km) across the Rub' al Khali, better known as the Empty Quarter.

Stretching across parts of Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, the Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert in the world. Its reach is vast, covering an estimated 251,000 square miles (650,000 sq km) with not much more than sand dunes, sometimes towering hundreds of feet in the air, in all directions.

Al and Leon set out on their adventure next week. They intend to walk through Oman and the UAE in much the same style as Thesiger. But while he had camel trains and a series of wells to help him find his way, our two intrepid explorers will instead pull specially designed carts, containing all of their supplies and gear, behind them. Their intention is to make a short documentary about Thesiger, the man who has inspired them in so many ways.

The video below was released to serve as a teaser for the upcoming expedition. After the jump, you'll find another video that gives us a glimpse at what they can expect while in the desert. Amazing stuff all around.


Empty Quarter Expedition Teaser from Alastair Humphreys on Vimeo.

And here's a look at the Empty Quarter itself.

Empty Quarter - George Steinmetz from George Steinmetz on Vimeo.