Adventurer crosses world's largest continuous sand desert

The route through Saudi Arabia's Rub' al-Khali, also known as 'Empty Quarter', has raised money and awareness for efforts to bring clean water to vulnerable communities.

Gavin Booth, one of the bosses at Jersey property company Le Masurier, has completed a self-sufficient expedition on foot across the desert in Saudi Arabia with his friend Adam Wilton.

The adventurous pair covered covered almost 500 miles in just 22 days, crossing the desert from As Sulayyil to Haradh, via Ash Shalfa.

Gavin Booth and Adam Wilton

This is the first time the Rub’ aal-Khali has been crossed on foot, on a fully self-sufficient basis. They carried all their supplies and water, in self-built rickshaw-style carts weighing over 200kg each, increasing the expedition's physical challenge.

Gavin said: "It was a great physical challenge, we were covering on average 35km a day - which is almost a marathon - with 200kg in a cart, and over sand. 

"It was amazing and very interesting from a geographical and cultural point of view; we watched the sand colour change, the terrain change, and we met a lot of people.

"We met a lot of the Bedouin Community, which still have a foot in the past and are close to their heritage and the Bedouin heritage."

Khalid Al Rabiah, CEO of Mallah Al-Doroub for Travel and Tourism Company, who provided advice and logistics to the expedition, said: “The Empty Quarter desert is one of the harshest and most difficult environments with a variety of challenging terrain.

"It is amazing that Adam and Gavin managed to finish this journey on a completely self-sufficient basis. This is a unique achievement, and their persistence and planning paid off."

The route provided a window to both the human and physical geographical changes in the northern Rub’ al-Khali and depended on a critical stop at the Ash Shalfa oasis, in the centre of the desert, to replenish water reserves. 

In line with the expedition's reliance on water, the challenge raised funds for charity Frank Water.

The route relied on a stop at the Ash Shalfa Oasis, raising awareness of water charity Frank Water.

Frank Water works to improve access to clean water, to sustain livelihoods, protect health, conserve the environment and maintain peace and political stability.

The pair have so far raised more than £5,000.