Alastair Rogers
Alastair has had over 25 year’s experience of leading expeditions. His passion for travel and discovery has taken him to many out-of-the-way places – the remoter the better.
One of his earliest ventures made the first ascent of the highest peak in Belize – a country to which he subsequently returned each year for 12 years, leading a series of major Joint Services Scientific Expeditions in conjunction with the Natural History Museum.
These multi-disciplinary expeditions explored the uninhabited headwaters of the Upper Raspaculo River, filling in a ‘blank in the map’ by, for example, making the first descent of the river and charting previously unknown Maya ruins. The extensive research and discoveries made on these expeditions inspired the establishment of a permanent Field Research Station at Las Cuevas. For this work Alastair was honoured by the Royal Geographical Society, receiving their Ness Award for his organisation and leadership of expeditions.
The Belize expeditions culminated in a New Millennium Expedition in 2000 which was filmed for ITV. The team made a spectacular first–descent, by 600 foot abseil, into Nohoch Chen sinkhole where they discovered caves containing undisturbed ancient Maya artefacts.
Apart exploring in Belize, Alastair has travelled widely in Central and Eastern Africa. In 1992 he led a team down the Great Zog River in Iraq. Whilst in the Royal Marines he completed commando training and subsequently helicopter pilot training; he also spent 3 years in the Arctic, qualifying as an instructor in survival and cross-country skiing. In 2004 he was an advisor to a film made about the Northwest Passage and in 2006 was part of a team that sailed across the Atlantic.
Alastair is the Managing Director of Explorers World. He lives in Devon, near the moors and sea, with his wife and 3 children. Apart from time with the family, he most enjoys sitting around a campfire at night - after an exhilarating day’s travel - listening to the tall stories and bad jokes of fellow explorers!