Erling Kagge

Erling Kagge is a Norwegian explorer, author, philosopher, lawyer, publisher, and art collector known for his achievements in polar exploration and adventure travel. Kagge is the first person to reach the North Pole, South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest on foot. Alongside Børge Ousland, Kagge completed the first unsupported journey to the North Pole, traveling approximately 800 kilometers from Ellesmere Island on skis while pulling supplies on sledges. He later completed the first unsupported and solo expedition to the South Pole, covering the 814-mile route in 50 days without radio or telephone contact, a feat featured on the cover of Time magazine. Kagge then summited Mount Everest, becoming the first person to complete the Three Poles Challenge.

Kagge’s explorations extend beyond physical endurance, incorporating philosophical inquiry. After reaching the three poles, Kagge studied philosophy at Cambridge University for three terms. His intellectual curiosity has driven further expeditions, including crossing the Vatnajökull ice cap in Iceland and becoming the first to cross White Island on skis in the Svalbard Archipelago. Kagge has also explored urban environments, descending into the sewers, subways, and water tunnels of New York City and walking the entire length of Los Angeles’ Sunset Boulevard.

Kagge is the author of eight books on exploration, philosophy, and art collecting, with works translated into 38 languages. His book, "Silence: In the Age of Noise," explores the concept of silence as experienced during his solo trek to the South Pole and its relevance to modern life. The book was broadcast as BBC Radio 4's Book of the Week, recognized by The Guardian, NPR, and the American Booksellers Association. Other notable titles include "Walking: One Step at a Time," "Philosophy for Polar Explorers," "Manhattan Underground," and "The North Pole: The History of an Obsession." The New York Times has described Kagge as "a fascinating man" and "a philosophical adventurer or perhaps an adventurous philosopher," while Financial Times identified him as "something of a Renaissance man."

Kagge founded the Oslo-based publishing house Kagge Forlag, which publishes approximately 120 new titles annually. He is also a leading collector of international contemporary art, with major European museums such as Astrup Fearnley Museum for Modern Art in Oslo, Fondacion van Gogh Arles in France, Sala Santander in Madrid, Museion in Bolzano, Italy, and KODE in Bergen, Norway, dedicating shows to his collection. Kagge’s expertise extends to space exploration, having provided independent assessments for the European Space Agency on the geopolitical, economic, and societal relevance of human and robotic space exploration in Europe. Kagge’s work spans the power of silence, the philosophy of endurance, and the art of exploration, offering a unique perspective grounded in both experience and intellectual engagement.