Al-Shibani Joins The Explorers Club… A Journey from the Empty Quarter to Everest

Saudi entrepreneur and explorer Dr. Badr Al-Shibani has been elected as an international member of The Explorers Club, marking a milestone that reflects the growing presence of Saudi explorers on the global stage.

Founded in New York in 1904, The Explorers Club is one of the world’s most prestigious institutions dedicated to exploration and field research. Its members include leading scientists, explorers, and astronauts who have contributed to expanding humanity’s understanding of Earth and beyond.

Al-Shibani’s membership comes as the culmination of years of exploration across some of the world’s most extreme environments. He successfully completed the “Seven Summits” challenge, climbing the highest peak on each continent, including Mount Everest—the highest point on Earth—alongside expeditions in diverse terrains ranging from high-altitude mountains to polar and geological environments, including caves and active volcanoes.

His journeys also include crossing the Rub’ al Khali (Empty Quarter) desert on foot—one of the largest continuous sand deserts in the world—as well as undertaking a polar expedition on foot in Antarctica, one of the harshest environments on the planet, where he documented the environmental and human challenges of such conditions.

In addition to his field expeditions, Al-Shibani is actively producing documentary films inspired by his journeys, aiming to transform exploration experiences into educational visual narratives that promote environmental awareness and a culture of discovery.

Commenting on his acceptance, Al-Shibani described the milestone as a significant step in his journey, noting that exploration today is no longer limited to discovering places, but has evolved into understanding humanity and its relationship with the environment.

His membership comes at a time when Saudi Arabia is increasingly investing in eco-tourism and adventure experiences, in alignment with the goals of Vision 2030.