About Kari Herbert
In brief…
I am multi-passionate or, as some people would say, I wear a lot of hats. I am an author and artist, an accredited mindfulness teacher, a polar traveller, a public speaker, an EFT tapping practitioner, an essential oil guide, and a mum.
My first years were spent living with a remote tribe of Inuit in Northwest Greenland (my amazing dad was Sir Wally Herbert, a polar explorer). I have travelled a lot since then. I’ve spent months in the Himalayas, ventured into the Empty Quarter of the deserts of Oman, ridden through the Grand Canyon, worked with rock bands in Japan and experienced, briefly, what it is like to be a Geisha, and much more. Each year (when a pandemic doesn’t make travel more complicated), my husband Huw and I take adventurous folk to some wild and remote places, such as Antarctica, Greenland and the North Pole. Being in wild nature and connecting with good people feeds my soul.
I have had several books published in multiple languages and have had my writing, artworks and photography featured in magazines and newspapers all over the world. I have given talks at the Royal Geographical Society, The Explorers’ Club (New York), the British Library and the National Maritime Museum, amongst many other prestigious venues. I have lectured on ships sailing to the Arctic and Antarctica and have given a TEDx talk - A Pocket Full of Wonder. You can watch it here. I have also appeared on television and radio. Most recently I appeared on BBC2’s retrospective of Michael Palin Travels of a Lifetime.
Now, in addition to my own projects, I devote my time to leading creative mindfulness workshops, classes and retreats, and guiding people with essential oils. With these powerful tools, I help others to discover their unique creative voice, feel more connected with their true selves and explore new paths towards a deeper sense of purpose and well-being.
a bit more about
writing and art…
I first started travelling at the age of ten months when my dad, polar explorer Sir Wally Herbert, took my mum and me to live with a tribe of Polar Inuit for two years off the coast of Northwest Greenland. Years later, I went to art college then became a travel writer, writing for The Sunday Times, the Independent, the Guardian and Geographical and Traveller magazines among many others.
My first book, The Explorer’s Daughter, published by Penguin, was chosen was aired as Book of the Week for BBC Radio 4. The book tells of my return to the place of my early childhood and my quest to understand my connection to both the polar wilderness and its unique people. An excerpt from the book is currently being studied across the UK as part of the GCSE syllabus.
My other books include Heart of the Hero, which drew attention to the remarkable achievements of the wives of celebrated explorers, the bestselling Explorers’ Sketchbooks (co-written with my husband Huw Lewis-Jones), and most recently We Are Artists and We Are Explorers, which I both wrote and illustrated, celebrating the achievements of some remarkable women.
Now, alongside my own writing and art projects, I also help others to find their creative voice. You can find details of my forthcoming courses by clicking below, or contact me to learn more.
