RCGS Ambassador – George Kourounis

Introducing George

George Kourounis is an RCGS explorer, renowned National Geographic explorer, filmmaker, photographer, TV personality, daredevil, and Chapter Chair of the Explorers Club. Whether it’s swapping travel and expedition stories from across the globe, learning about Kourounis’ thrilling adventures and expeditions, or gaining tips and training on photography techniques this epic adventurer will be there every step of the journey to share his expertise.

George shared with us some comments about Bolivia:

“Bolivia is a place that I’ve wanted to visit for years.

I’ve spent my entire career exploring the Earth’s most wild and extreme places, from the frozen wastelands of Siberia, to chasing storms in Tornado Alley, from exploring the most extreme caves, to climbing down inside active volcanoes. Wild landscapes and earth’s extremes are my specialty. If there’s a weird place on planet Earth, I’ve probably been there.

The landscapes of Bolivia are as beautiful as they are extreme. I’m particularly excited to spend three days in the Salar de Uyuni salt flats. These are the largest salt flats in the world, where the horizon stretches on seemingly forever. A place that doesn’t seem real. The almost impossible scale of the place is something that has to be experienced first hand to be fully appreciated. 

The fact that much of Bolivia’s landscapes have been created through volcanic forces is another huge draw for me. Combine the salt flats with the active geysers and thermal springs that are spouting hot water & steam high into the air, and you have a place that seems more at home in a fantasy novel than reality. I LOVE these kinds of places.

I’ll share with the group my experiences in similar locations. There will be plenty of time for storytelling, recounting my numerous expeditions to volcanic places that boast similar lunar landscapes, tales from harrowing expeditions to the ends of the Earth and back.

I’ll also help everyone get the best out of their cameras, whether it’s a fancy modern digital camera or just a mobile phone. There are ways to capture the beauty of these locations that may not seem obvious, plus I’ll share my own photos with the group to ensure that everyone has those memories captured that will last a lifetime.

But Bolivia has so much more than wild landscapes. I’m also excited to visit the cites, and experience the culture, food, music and people of Bolivia. From the dusty little towns, to the islands of Lake Titicaca, there’s so much to experience. I’ve been fortunate enough to have visited many places in South America (Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela), but Bolivia has eluded me so far… But not for long. I’m super-excited to not only visit there myself, but to also share the experiences with other travellers who are in search of a grand adventure”