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Crossing the Abode of Death

This is the tale of the recreation of the first ever crossing of the largest sand desert on earth—the Empty Quarter of Arabia. The journey of 1,300 km reached Doha in Qatar on January 27th 2016, after 49 days on foot and by camel through Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Until 2016, all requests to repeat the historic first crossing which took place in 1930/31 had been denied by the Saudi Arabian government. Thanks to high level patronage, Explorers Club Fellow Mark Evans was able to secure the support of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and by Royal Command was allowed to enter and cross Saudi Arabia at a remote border crossing, and so complete the first ever crossing of the largest sand desert on earth since the original expedition 85 years prior.

The original expedition, undertaken by British Explorer Bertram Thomas—who addressed the Explorers Club in February 1932 before being made an Honorary Member—described the central part of the Empty Quarter as an ‘Abode of Death’. In 2016, no rain had fallen for seven years, but thankfully the ancient wells remained full.

The 2016 expedition set off from Salalah in southern Oman on the same date, December 10th, as the original journey in 1931. Travelling on foot and by camel, the team spent 49 nights sleeping out under the desert stars, with no tents or shelter. Initially travelling through frankincense covered hills, after two weeks the journey reached the southern edge of the sands, where they met their camels, before entering the abode of death. The team survived sandstorms, rain and temperatures that dropped to zero degrees as they followed the wells used by Thomas and the 1931 expedition, chronicling a rapidly changing landscape and people as they went. Scientific research was undertaken for the archaeological Green Arabia project, and research was also undertaken into Extreme Environment Psychology.

Using satellite communication technology, the expedition used social media and traditional websites and blogs to communicate key values, and reconnect young people in Arabia to their rich culture and heritage. In doing so, an audience of more than 170 million people from 180 nations followed their progress across the sands.











When: Mon., Oct. 31, 2016 at 6:00 pm
Where: The Explorers Club
46 E. 70th St.
212-628-8383
Price: $25
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This is the tale of the recreation of the first ever crossing of the largest sand desert on earth—the Empty Quarter of Arabia. The journey of 1,300 km reached Doha in Qatar on January 27th 2016, after 49 days on foot and by camel through Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Until 2016, all requests to repeat the historic first crossing which took place in 1930/31 had been denied by the Saudi Arabian government. Thanks to high level patronage, Explorers Club Fellow Mark Evans was able to secure the support of King Salman of Saudi Arabia, and by Royal Command was allowed to enter and cross Saudi Arabia at a remote border crossing, and so complete the first ever crossing of the largest sand desert on earth since the original expedition 85 years prior.

The original expedition, undertaken by British Explorer Bertram Thomas—who addressed the Explorers Club in February 1932 before being made an Honorary Member—described the central part of the Empty Quarter as an ‘Abode of Death’. In 2016, no rain had fallen for seven years, but thankfully the ancient wells remained full.

The 2016 expedition set off from Salalah in southern Oman on the same date, December 10th, as the original journey in 1931. Travelling on foot and by camel, the team spent 49 nights sleeping out under the desert stars, with no tents or shelter. Initially travelling through frankincense covered hills, after two weeks the journey reached the southern edge of the sands, where they met their camels, before entering the abode of death. The team survived sandstorms, rain and temperatures that dropped to zero degrees as they followed the wells used by Thomas and the 1931 expedition, chronicling a rapidly changing landscape and people as they went. Scientific research was undertaken for the archaeological Green Arabia project, and research was also undertaken into Extreme Environment Psychology.

Using satellite communication technology, the expedition used social media and traditional websites and blogs to communicate key values, and reconnect young people in Arabia to their rich culture and heritage. In doing so, an audience of more than 170 million people from 180 nations followed their progress across the sands.

Buy tickets/get more info now