George Kourounis
Canadian Geographic|May/June 2018

The famed adventurer and new Royal Canadian Geographical Society Explorer-in-Residence on his exploits

Alexandra Pope
George Kourounis

“It wasn’t a pretty, Wizard of Oz-looking elephant trunk coming down from the sky,” says George Kourounis of the first tornado he ever chased, near Medford, Okla., in 1998. “It was a dusty, nasty, unphotogenic thing. It was coming straight for me, and I had to get the hell out of its way.” That adrenaline rush was enough to convince the former sound engineer to pursue a life of adventure, documenting nature’s extremes. Twenty years, 65 countries, a successful television series and countless close calls later, Kourounis shows no sign of slowing down. Earlier this year, he was named an Explorer-in-Residence of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. He hopes the new role will help him further share his passion for the planet and inspire a new generation of adventurers.

On fulfilling a childhood dream

This story is from the May/June 2018 edition of Canadian Geographic.

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This story is from the May/June 2018 edition of Canadian Geographic.

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