Bio
“Who the bloody hell is Mark Kalch? Never heard of him!”* Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Explorer and adventurer Penning your own bio is no easy task. You come across as either pretty darn boring or trying a little too hard to be cool. With that in mind, please excuse the below. I have spent the last 12 or so years of my life working towards becoming a professional adventurer and explorer. I hope never to become complacent and believe I have reached an end point on this wonderful journey. Expeditions have taken me from Everest to North Africa, from Ethiopia’s Omo Valley to the mighty Amazon and from Australia’s outback to the forests of South-East Asia. I have run rivers in Southern Africa and trekked for weeks on end in the Andes of Peru, forged trails through dense jungles in East Africa and explored deserted tropical islands off the coast of Australia by sea-kayak. Crossing the Islamic Republic of Iran was a real highlight in my career.
About Mark
I believe that what pulls me out from a crowd is my ability to share these journeys with others as a writer and speaker. My enthusiasm for these places and their peoples takes any audience there with me. I get so caught up in my love of adventure and exploration that it takes me right back there every time as well.
IN 2010, my most recent expedition saw me walk solo, over 60 days and 1700km across the entire Islamic Republic of Iran from its northern border on the Caspian Sea to its southerly border in the Persian Gulf. Beginning in the coastal city of Chalus, I crossed the Alborz Mountains heading south to the capital Tehran, before continuing south-west to Qom, Esfahan, through the Zagros Mountains, and onto the Persian Gulf at Bushehr. I trekked and climbed through subtropical forest, 5000m+ mountains, high plateau and desert landscapes. The aim? To reveal a country much misunderstood and misrepresented in the West.
In February 2008 I completed a successful, human powered, source to sea journey of the Amazon River. Our team spent 153 days covering 6800km by trekking, paddling and rowing from the source of the Amazon in the Andes of Peru to the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brasil. We became just the 4th team and persons 7 and 8, to achieve this feat.
A completely independent expedition, planned and carried out by just our small team (with the help of some brilliant equipment sponsors). No support team, camera crew or local fixers to smooth our path. We started the journey proper with a team of 3, but, with some 4500km still to cover, our team medic was struck down with a mystery virus and forced to return home to South Africa. This left my remaining team mate and I to row, at times, 24 hours a day, in alternating 6 hour shifts to reach our goal. Among other trials, we suffered acute mountain sickness, dysentery, were shot at by both the military and narco-terroristas, survived a month of nightmarish whitewater and battled a tidal river that became in the final month more than 30km wide.
It is difficult to condense into short text the experience of this endeavour. The changing geography, from 5000m+ mountain ranges, inescapable deep gorge whitewater, desert canyons, cloud forest and finally the Amazon Basin itself, complete with jungle cities of 2 million plus people. The amazing people who inhabit these changing lands, the Quechuan, the Achuar, the frontiersmen, loggers, miners, fisherman, farmers and more, made the journey all the more memorable.
I live in the French Pyrenees close to Biarritz on the Atlantic coast. I commute often to London and work hard planning new expeditions, writing magazine articles and speaking all over the United Kingdom and Europe. I train hard with the Gracie Garcia Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academia which keeps me fit and strong of mind and body (not to mention snagging a European Super-heavyweight title). Getting outside is sometimes tough in the middle of the big city but is tempered by the excitement of the next journey into the unknown…
I am fortunate to be sponsored by some amazing companies whose values are aligned with mine – Rab, Suunto, Meindl, Zeal Optics and Sony.
*Possible quote by Ran when asked about me!
