Founder of Explorers Academy, Erik Gundersen is an expedition organizer and adventure tour operator. Recognized as one of the pioneers of modern adventure travel, Erik has escorted overland expeditions, exploratory, educational and theme travel in Africa, Asia and Europe for three decades, and lived in several countries in the process.

In 1973 Erik created the first and now largest overland company and adventure tour operator in Scandinavia. Elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1979, Erik devoted his energies throughout the 70's and 80's to developing new concepts in adventure travel and ecotourism. His pioneering spirit focused on use of the Internet in the 90s as he introduced award-winning international Internet companies and online tourism projects. The signature project is a collection of twelve stone homes owned and operated by Erik and his wife, Anette: Village Catalan, an adventure resort tucked away in the French Pyrenees. Marketed solely online, Village Catalan is living proof of the global reach attainable through the Internet.

Most comfortable at the forefront of developing trends, Erik's millennial contribution is the founding of Explorers Academy, an international online educational venue conceived to address the mandate challenging all would be and existing global travel industry professionals to optimum performance. "Unlike any classroom you've ever seen", Explorers Academy combines students of varying educational backgrounds with state-of-the-art technology applications, spirited international faculty, channeled curricula for the Travel Pro, Eco Expert or Entrepreneur in an online dialogue which culminates in a three-week on-site practicum in France.

Erik's first taste of adventure, arctic flight, 10 years old