Mike Horn

In April 1997, Mike launched his first big expedition: the six-month solo traverse of the South American continent. He left on foot from the Pacific Ocean and climbed to the source of the Amazon River high in the Peruvian Andes. From here he descended the 7,000 km of the Amazon River on a hydrospeed, until he reached the Atlantic Ocean. It took him six months, solo and without assistance.[9]

Mike hunted, fished and survived off his environment. His finish point was the Atlantic Ocean where he finally tasted saltwater.[10]

In 1999, Mike set off on an 18-month voyage to circle the equator on foot and by sailing.

He left Gabon and crossed the Atlantic to Brazil on a Corsair F-28 trimaran. He then crossed Brazil and Ecuador on bike, canoe and on foot. After that he crossed the Pacific Ocean reaching Indonesia via the Galápagos Islands and crossed Borneo and Sumatra on foot, before crossing the Indian Ocean. To finish the expedition, he crossed the African continent on foot through the Congo and Gabon.[11]

This was the first solo circumnavigation of the world around the Equator – unaided and with no engine-driven support.

In 2002–04, Mike went around the world on the Arctic Circle solo in an expedition dubbed "Arktos". It was a solitary voyage of two years and three months without motorised transport (boat, kayak, ski kite and on foot) on a 20,000 kilometres (12,000 mi) odyssey. Mike left North Cape in Norway and went through Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Bering Strait and Russian Siberia before he reached North Cape.[12]

Mike spent time with the local people who had courageously adapted to the unforgiving environment.[13]

In 2005 Mike published his account of this expedition in Conquérant de l'impossible (published in English in 2007 as Conquering the Impossible by St Martin's Press).

In a world first, Mike set off on a 60-day voyage on skis without dogs or motorised transportation during the Arctic night with Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland in 2006. From February to March, they dragged pulkas from Cape Artichesky in Russia to the North Pole. For two months the pair walked in total darkness, and often on paper-thin ice.[14]

In 2008, Mike and his team launched the Young Explorers Program. This program consisted of recruiting and then inviting young adults between the ages of 15 and 20 years old, from all over the world – to explore the Earth's continents and travel across the planet's oceans with the PANGAEA expedition-sailing vessel. Close to 100 Young Explorers accompanied him to 12 hot spots around the world where they implemented ecological and social projects – following the motto "explore – learn – act". Although this project ended in 2012, the Young Explorers – now young world ambassadors – continue to set in motion different types of projects around the globe.

In May 2015, Mike Horn set off on the "Driven To Explore" expedition, sponsored by Mercedes-Benz. Leaving from Switzerland, Horn drove through 13 countries, reaching Pakistan where he attempted to summit K2 (8611 m) in the Karakoram mountain range.

In 2016, Horn set off on his latest expedition "Pole2Pole", a two-year circumnavigation of the globe via the South and North Poles. On 8 May 2016, Mike left from his point of departure, The Yacht Club of Monaco with the support of H.S.H Prince Albert of Monaco II. Sponsored by Mercedes-Benz and Panerai Mike's Pole2Pole adventure took him across land and sea. Equipped with his exploration sailing vessel, Pangaea, Mike circumnavigated the globe from Africa to Antarctica, Oceania, Asia, the Arctic, and back to Europe. The Pole2Pole expedition ended in December 2019 following the completion of Mike's Arctic crossing which brought him back to Europe, his starting point over three years after leaving the Yacht Club of Monaco in May 2016. This Pole2Pole expedition fell perfectly under three main themes: Adventure, Environment, and Sharing.

On 7 February 2017, at 22:50 UT, Mike Horn completed the longest ever solo, unsupported north-to-south traverse of Antarctica from the Princess Astrid Coast (lat -70.1015 lon 9.8249) to the Dumont D'urville Station (lat -66.6833 lon 139.9167) via the South Pole. He arrived at the pole on 9 January 2017. A total distance of 5100 km was covered by utilising kites and skis in 57 days.

On 7 December 2019, just before midnight, Mike Horn and Børge Ousland completed the first ever full crossing of the Arctic Ocean via the North Pole. The pair left from Nome, Alaska on 28 August 2019, on Mike Horn's exploration sailing vessel Pangaea captained by famous Swiss sailor Bernard Stamm and a small crew.

The goal was to sail as far north as possible towards the North Pole until solid ice prevented them from navigating any further. This position was reached on 11 September and would be Mike and Børge's departure point for their #NorthPoleCrossing expedition. (Coincidentally, Pangaea ended up being the furthest north a sailing vessel has ever ventured to.) The two explorers disembarked Pangaea and began their trek across the frozen Arctic Ocean on 12 September 2019, pulling two sledges each weighing over 180 kg.

Their journey lasted 87 days, 57 of which were spent in total darkness due to the winter season. The main difficulties faced during this adventure were the fragility of the ice due to the seasonal climate and strong negative drifts pushing the duo away from their goal. Due to these challenges and the significant delays they caused, Mike and Børge had to finish their expedition differently than originally anticipated. The initial plan was to be picked up by Mike's boat Pangaea on the Norwegian side, where the solid ice broke into the open water. However due to food shortage, a larger boat capable of making its way further north into the ice was sent to pick up the two adventurers instead.

Today, the success of this ambitious endeavour is marked as a history-writing moment in the world of polar exploration.

In 2007, Mike, Jean Troillet, Fred Roux and Olivier Roduit reached the summit of Gasherbrum 1 (8035 m) and Gasherbrum 2 (8068 m) without oxygen. The original plan was to climb four Himalayan summits of 8000 metres, but their luck turned with weather which made them turn back.[15]

In 2010, Mike and Swiss mountain guide/alpinist Köbi Reichen reach the summit of Broad Peak (8047 m) without the use of additional oxygen in the Karakoram mountain range in Pakistan.

In 2014, Mike and Fred Roux summited the majestic peak of Makalu (8,463 m) in alpine style, without high altitude porters or the use of additional oxygen.

In May 2015, Mike Horn set off on the "Driven To Explore" expedition with the loyal support of his main sponsor Mercedes-Benz. Leaving from Switzerland, Horn drove through 13 countries at the wheels of two Mercedes-Benz G-Class SUVs to finally reach Pakistan where he attempted to summit K2 (8611 m) in the Karakoram mountain range. Accompanied by his climbing partners, Fred Roux and Köbi Reichen, the team unfortunately did not make it to the summit due to unfavourable weather.

Since 2015, Horn has been participating in M6's French television show "The Island: Seuls au monde" season 1, 2 and 3 as the show's survival expert, where he shares his deep knowledge of survival with the show's participants in order for them to survive on a tropical island without food or assistance over the period of one month.

Between 2016 and 2018, Horn participated in M6's French version of the American television show: Running Wild with Bear Grylls, named: À L'État Sauvage. In each episode, Horn brings a different celebrity along on his adventures. The following six French celebrities embarked on an adventure with Horn: Michael Youn, Matt Pokora, Laure Manaudou, Christophe Dechavanne, Shy'm and Adriana Karembeu. Each episode took place in different countries around the world: Namibia, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Venezuela and Nepal.

After 6 episodes of "À L'État Sauvage", Horn starts his own format of the show: "Cap Horn". So far, two episodes of this new show have aired in 2018, featuring celebrities Arnaud Ducret and Bernard de La Villardière, whom he embarked on adventures with in the Philippines.