Michael Horn (born 16 July 1966) is a South African-born Swiss professional explorer and adventurer. He studied Human Movement Science at Stellenbosch University in Western Cape, South Africa.

He spent most of his childhood outdoors climbing trees, cycling for miles and fishing with his three brothers and sisters. Both his parents were university teachers, and his father was also a successful amateur rugby player.

Mike says he first felt the call of the wild at 24 years old. He quit his comfortable sports science job, gave everything away and moved to Switzerland. From there, he embarked on a series of adventures, including descending by delta plane from a 22,000-foot mountain and riverboarding the world’s deepest canyon.

In April 1997, Mike launched his first big expedition: the six-month solo traverse of the South American continent. He left on foot from the Pacific Ocean and climbed to the source of the Amazon River high in the Peruvian Andes. From here he descended the 7,000 km of the Amazon River on a hydrospeed, until he reached the Atlantic Ocean. It took him six months, solo and without assistance.

Mike Horn became famous in 2001 after completing a one-year, 6-month solo journey around the equator without any motorized transport. He left Gabon and crossed the Atlantic to Brazil on a Corsair F-28 trimaran. He then crossed Brazil and Ecuador on bike, canoe and on foot. After that he crossed the Pacific Ocean reaching Indonesia via the Galápagos Islands and crossed Borneo and Sumatra on foot, before crossing the Indian Ocean. To finish the expedition, he crossed the African continent on foot through the Congo and Gabon.

After this expedition, Mike Horn also succeeded in completing many remarkable expeditions. His accomplishment not only cemented his place as a legendary explorer but also raised awareness about the environment and the diverse cultures along the equator.