Richard Bangs has been called the father of modern adventure travel, and the pioneer of travel with a purpose. Richard will be discussing his new book “The Art Of Living Dangerously: True Stories From A Life On The Edge” which reflects on stories from over 50 years of travel and adventure.
“The Art Of Living Dangerously” can be found at all major booksellers.
In 1973, Richard Bangs founded Sobek Expeditions, the original and now the largest adventure travel company in the world, with over a million clients 
guided since its beginning. But this is not just a story of an unusual company, one that profoundly transformed the way we travel and experience the world. It presents true stories, both perilous and awe-inspiring, from the full array of adventure travel: trekking, climbing, sailing, diving, adventure cruising, kayaking, back-country skiing, mountaineering, biking, cultural immersions, canyoneering, and more. Sobek pioneered scores of adventures, from trekking in the Himalayas, to cruising the Galapagos and Antarctica, to first descents of some eighty rivers around the world. The author personally led thirty-five first river descents, capsizing on six continents (a unique, albeit dubious, distinction), and organized and led the first trips into North Korea, Libya, Yemen, Djibouti, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, New Guinea, Iran, and even China back in 1978. Sobek clients have included Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Mick Jagger, Barry Diller, and Daryl Hannah. It is the shadow company behind National Geographic Adventures, New York Times Active Journeys, and Smithsonian Expeditions. This book traces fifty years of adventure travel and how it has evolved through times of war and peace, terrorism, the rise of the internet, the pandemic, and the first virtual expeditions.” Amazon.com
Richard Bangs is an American travel writer, explorer, and filmmaker. He has written over 1000 magazine articles, 19 books, and produced a score of documentaries. He has lectured at the Smithsonian, the National Geographic Society, and the Explorers Club.
Bangs is known for his exploration of remote and often dangerous places. He has led first descents of 35 rivers around the world, including the Yangtze in China and the Zambezi in Southern Africa. He has written about his travels in books such as The Lost River: A Memoir of Life, Death and the Transformation of Wild Water and Quest for the Sublime.
Bangs is a recipient of the Lowell Thomas Award, the Mark Dubois Lifetime Achievement Conservation Award, and the CINE Golden Eagle Award. He is also the co-founder of Steller, a travel storytelling platform.