Arksen acquires travel firm and launches Arksen Adventures

British explorer and adventure yacht builder Arksen has acquired Kraken Travel, a marine adventure company. This acquisition leads to the launch of Arksen Adventures, an initiative that will offer various expeditions across land and sea.

Jasper Smith, founder and CEO of Arksen, says: “Starting life as a marine adventure company, Arksen has always had a passion for the ocean. The world was meant to be explored and the best way of promoting this is through shared experiences and stories. By joining forces with Kraken Travel, we are accelerating our ability to offer extraordinary adventures while maintaining our commitment to protecting the environments we cherish. We are inspired by true adventurers and our goal is to build an Arksen community that takes our products to the wildest parts of the planet and creates inspirational stories.”

Henry Burkitt, founder of Kraken Travel and CEO of Arksen Adventures, adds: “At Kraken, we seek to sustainably promote sailing in natural environments for everyone, and we believe that we are under an obligation to leave the world in a better state than when we found it. Joining forces with Arksen allows us to extend our reach and continue our mission of connecting people with the ocean in a responsible and meaningful way.”

Arksen says Kraken Travel’s operational expertise will play a key role in the launch of Arksen Adventures. The new venture will provide an end-to-end booking process designed to simplify adventure travel arrangements. Arksen Adventures will offer experiences for all levels of adventurers while maintaining the inclusive values of both companies.

Jay Morton, a military and expedition professional, will join as expedition director for both marine and land-based tours. Morton will lead Arksen’s expedition programme, focusing on remote environments and supporting scientific research and conservation efforts.

In addition to these developments, Arksen recently launched the Arksen 8, the first model in its Discovery Series, at the ongoing Southampton International Boat Show. The vessel, an eight-metre-long RIB (rigid inflatable boat), is designed for adventure-seeking families and can accommodate up to 12 passengers. It features a versatile, spacious interior and is engineered to handle cross-channel and inter-island voyages.

“We’re extremely excited to unveil the Arksen 8, the first model in our Discovery Series, at the Southampton Boat Show,” Smith said ahead of the launch last week. “As a proud British boatbuilder, there’s no better place for us to introduce our latest innovation than at the UK’s largest on-the-water exhibition. We look forward to welcoming visitors to our stand and igniting a new passion for adventure with the Arksen 8.”