Wilco van Rooijen is a professional adventurer, accomplished mountaineer, and polar explorer. He is the only Dutchman to have climbed the Seven Summit, the highest mountain on each continent, under his own power and without supplementary oxygen. He was also the first Dutchman to reach the three “poles” under his own power: the geographic North and South Poles and the highest “pole,” Mount Everest. In 2008, Wilco also reached the summit of the legendary K2. He was appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau.
Sustainability
As a mountaineer, Wilco has visited many of the world’s most beautiful places, which is why he is deeply committed to sustainability and respecting our planet. His latest mission is called #Clean2Antarctica, the cleanest expedition ever. Using the self-built Solar Voyager, made from recycled plastic waste, Wilco travelled to the South Pole from December 2017 through January 2018 to deliver a message to the world: To inspire – to engage – to sustain. Wilco also wrote the (international) bestseller Surviving K2 (OVERLEVEN OP DE K2), which has been published in several languages.
