In turn inspirational and extraordinary, these profiles in female courage, determination, and adventure are illustrated with breathtaking photography from some of the most intriguing corners of the world.

The twenty women profiled in this collection are from a variety of backgrounds and cultures. One thing they all have in common is a deep desire for adventure. There’s Bele´n Castello´ who left the comfort of a high-profile job to explore the world on her bike; Gina Johansen who skied solo across the Arctic Finnmarksvidda plateau; Alienor Le Gouvello who horse trekked over 3,300 miles across Australia; Cal Major who SUPed the length of the UK to raise awareness of ocean plastic pollution; and other women, who tell of how they listened to their own inner voice, bucked tradition, and gave it everything they had.

Told in their own words, their fascinating stories are illustrated with jaw-dropping photographs of their adventures—on passes in the Swiss Alps; under the stars in Hawaii; through Iceland’s lava fields; deep in the Guyanese jungle; from Mexico’s underwater caves to the Sequoia forests of California.

From the ocean’s deepest canyons to the earth’s highest peaks, these extraordinary women offer readers the inspiration and encouragement they need to pursue their dreams—whatever they are, wherever they may be.