World Expeditions - 40 Years On

The past 40 years have seen some incredible changes in adventure travel, so to have survived and thrived is very humbling to us here at World Expeditions.

Sue Badyari

When I first joined the company in 1986, which was then Australian Himalayan Expeditions, Garry Weare was one of the first people I met—an enthusiastic Englishman who lived on a houseboat in Kashmir, leading many of our trekking trips in the region. Mr Meraj Din had been operating our treks in Kashmir, but with the breakout of the civil war in Srinagar in the late 80s he relocated to Nepal where his expertise and enthusiasm for trekking has helped shape our program ever since. On the other side of the world in Peru, the industry’s most experienced Andes specialist, Andreas Holland, has used his vast knowledge of his country to offer our remote treks in Peru for more than three decades. These are just three of the people who for decades have enriched World Expeditions with their vast knowledge and thirst for adventure.

Since those early days, World Expeditions has gone on to achieve many milestones and it’s been the passion and innovation of a lot of different people—including our loyal travellers—that has created those opportunities for us. Collectively, they’ve defined our brand personality and ensured we’ve stayed at the cutting edge, which is particularly relevant today when much of our industry is abandoning innovative adventure travel in place of ‘what sells’.

That’s never been our style, as true adventure is harnessed best when it’s not on the tried and tested path. That’s why we love our Huayhuash Circuit, a rugged yet exquisite walk in Northern Peru; our Dolpo Traverse, where it is hard to find a more well preserved ancient Tibetan culture; or the Remote Northern Circuit for a sublime ascent of Kilimanjaro without the crowds. It’s why we pioneered the Great Himalayan Trail and why we still offer expeditions style trips to destinations we haven’t been before. It’s this willingness to explore that sets World Expeditions apart. When Tim Macartney Snape & Soren Kruse Ledet bring their enthusiasm and creative energy to the table, pouring over maps, plotting and planning some of the best exploratory treks and climbing routes, I know that adventure travel is alive and well.

Our heritage is as much about the people of the past as it is about the here and now. The late Sue Fear proved that mountaineering was not just the domain of men and triggered a pathway for novice female adventurers to come along and have a go. Far from the mountains, in our great red centre, Charlie Holmes had a gift for spying a brilliant new trek, and that’s precisely how our Larapinta Trail operations were borne. We will never forget our friends and those who have shaped the company. We thank our loyal clients, many of whom have travelled with World Expeditions regularly over many years. It is our commitment to our travellers to continue to bring you opportunities to aspire to the world beyond, to experience its environments and cultures and to enjoy the exhilaration of a real adventure into nature.

Sue Badyari - CEO