Benedict Allen is a renowned English writer, explorer, traveller, and filmmaker, best known for his regular appearances on several TV series on the BBC. Admired for his technique of immersion among indigenous people which has allowed him to acquire survival skills for hazardous journeys, Benedict’s professional knowledge and experience are truly unmatched throughout the industry. Also the author of ten popular books, including the Faber Book of Exploration, Benedict is now a popular choice for clients looking to inspire and educate audiences at their upcoming events.
Benedict’s first solo expedition took place alongside his master’s degree in Ecology at the University of Aberdeen, where he completed the first recorded crossing of the remote NE Amazon. Facing multiple challenges along the way, including being attacked by gold miners and contracting two varieties of malaria, he focused his efforts on learning from indigenous people about the forest that almost killed him. In 1992, Benedict began recording his journeys with a hand-held camera and allowed millions of views globally to experience the real-life ups and downs of an authentic adventure.
Becoming a fan-favourite with audiences globally, Benedict has been featured in numerous BBC series to date, including Last of the Medicine Man, Travellers’ Century, Expedition Africa, and Adventures For Boys: The Lost Worlds of Rider Haggard. Alongside this, he has also published ten informative books to date, including Mad White Giant, Through Jaguar Eyes: Crossing the Amazon Basin, The Edge of Blue Heaven, Into the Abyss, amongst many others. With his expertise spanning a wide range of areas, Benedict has become a must-see speaker for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
Benedict regularly discusses survival techniques in his role as a speaker, which he learnt from indigenous communities. At personally led seminars, he models his own interactions with global communities on the work of other legendary explorers, such as Laurens van der Post and naturalist Peter Matthiessen. Benedict observes the rituals and behaviour of each community he visits, and uses their existing knowledge to inform his explorations. This has given him a unique perception of the world, that he uses to enlighten audiences at events.
Books
Explorer: The Quest for Adventure and the Great Unknown
Into the Abyss
The Proving Grounds: Journey Through the Interior of New Guinea and Australia
Hunting the Gugu: In search of the lost ape-men of Sumatra
Mad White Giant: A Journey to the Heart of the Amazon Jungle
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"We were enthralled by Benedict's keynote presentation at the conference. Benedict scored by far the highest marks of all the presenters. He was described as inspirational, an excellent spirit lifter." - Progress Software Ltd
"..an insightful, entertaining and brilliantly executed talk." - Oracle Health Services Forum
"Meaningful and positive, something to take away and think about...excellent; everyone thoroughly enjoyed it, and it tied in nicely to the messages that we wanted to get across to our sales team." - Airwide Solutions
"A captivating motivational talk; we received very encouraging feedback from both CBRE representatives and guests alike - all 120 copies of his book were snapped up..." - CEO, CB Richard Ellis, Paris Conference
- 2023 - Completed a UK Book Tour for 'Explorer: The Quest for Adventure and the Great Unknown'
- 2022 - Published 'Explorer: The Quest for Adventure and the Great Unknown'
- 2015 - Co-Presented 'Two Men and a Mule' on BBC Radio 4
- 2010 - Trustee and Member of the Council of the Royal Geographical Society
- 2010 - Appeared on the BBC broadcast 'We Need Answers'
- 2009 - Hosted 'Expedition Africa'
- 2008 - Hosted 'Unbreakable'
- 2008 - Hosted 'Travellers' Century'
- 2007 - Appeared on 'Adventures For Boys: The Lost Worlds of Rider Haggard'
- 2006 - Published 'Into the Abyss'
- 2003 - Hosted 'Ice Dogs'
- 2002 - Editor of 'The Faber Book of Exploration: An Anthology of Worlds Revealed by Explorers Through the Ages'
- 1999 - Hosted 'Last of the Medicine Man'
- 1999 - Hosted 'The Bones of Colonel Fawcett'
- 1998 - Hosted ' The Edge of Blue Heaven'
- 1997 - Hosted 'The Skeleton Coast'
- Patron of the Environmental Justice Foundation, Tony Trust and Save the Rhino Trust
How to hire Benedict Allen
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Benedict Allen for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
