About
About Nineteen Fifty Three
We exist to discover people’s passion for adventure and connect them with meaningful experiences in unimaginable places within nature.
On the 29th of May 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay made history as the first to summit Everest, the world’s tallest mountain. More than the feat of two great men, it was an astonishing achievement shared by many, borne of extraordinary planning, teamwork, and dedication. It is this spirit of adventure, and drive to accomplish the unimaginable, that inspires us to offer a never-before-seen experience of travel.
We exist to provide uncharted experiences that enrich the mind and invigorate the spirit. To help the adventurous discover places beyond belief, and to find joy in the journey. We deliver elevated, distinctive travel in the world’s most unique and arresting destinations. Experiences connected to the natural world, with the dedication and expertise to exceed every expectation.
Our Intrepid itineraries offer uncharted adventure—journeys into the unknown that reveal the world’s wild places. Our Conservation itineraries offer insightful, impactful exploration to help understand and protect our cherished ecosystems. And our Culinary itineraries share the joy of sensory discovery, breaking bread with the world’s epicurean storytellers.
Travel is better shared. We bring the spirit of adventure to travellers of all ages and abilities, creating completely bespoke journeys with comfort, safety, and enjoyment at the heart. Our guests write their own stories of adventure and share them in our extraordinary natural world. Conscious experiences, uncharted destinations, and unforgettable excellence, shared. This is Meaningful Exploration. This is 1953.
Meet the team
WILLIAM SIDDELEY
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXPLORATION OFFICER
Over the past decade, William has been pursuing his passion for exploration, leading him to work for Bear Grylls and notable high-end adventure travel companies. William’s love of adventure started while living in South Africa, and his experiences there have inspired him to create wildlife and helicopter safaris in Tanzania, Kenya and Botswana, as well as diving trips in Mozambique. He has planned submersible diving experiences in the Solomon Islands, Fiji and French Polynesia, where he has dived with hundreds of sharks and swam with humpback whales; experiences that have fueled his and 1953’s passion for ocean conservation. Past visits to the Amazon jungle and the Galapagos Islands have also allowed him to experience some of nature’s greatest spectacles and retreats.
William loves to create stories through adventure, leading him to form 1953 and combine his two passions; travel and conservation, which are matched only by his care and attention to trip planning.
ALLISON BALNIEL
CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Allison leads 1953’s strategy, operations, and marketing. A Harvard Business School graduate with a previous career in PR and communications, Allison is passionate about providing an elevated and distinct client experience. Her adventurous pursuits began during her childhood in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and have since taken her to every continent on the planet, including her favourite destination, Antarctica, where her love of wildlife viewing deepened. During her travels, Allison circumnavigated the South Island of New Zealand in an RV, embarked on a 1,000-mile road trip from Santiago into Chile’s Atacama Desert, and successfully climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Sharing her co-founder William’s love of adventure, exploration, and hospitality, Allison’s knowledge of the world’s wild places ensures extraordinary travel experiences for 1953’s clients.
OLIVER BAYLISS
EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL CONSULTANT
Oliver’s love for adventure started on the water, having grown up sailing competitively, before going on to pursue the sport professionally after graduating university. This took him across Europe, the Caribbean, Australia and the Middle East, racing high-performance yachts both offshore and inshore. His adventurous spirit doesn’t stop there. Beyond sailing, Oliver is driven by exploration, whether it be trekking in Nepal, riding motorbikes across Vietnam, or cycling across the Australia bush, he has embraced it all. Today, this same mindset fuels his love of endurance sports, if it’s racing his gravel bike or trail running up mountains, he’s up for the challenge. It’s this love for adventure that helps him create expeditions across the world with 1953.