| 2007 | Norman Hallendy, Nunavut Research Institute, Canada |
| 2006 | John Hare |
| 2005 | Professor Jean Malaurie |
| 2004 | Norma and Maurice Joseph |
| 2003 | John Simpson CBE, World Affairs Editor, BBC |
| 2002 | William Dalrymple |
| 2001 | Robin Hanbury-Tenison |
| 2000 | Colin Thubron |
| 1999 | Kate Adie |
| 1998 | Julian Pettifer, journalist and broadcaster |
| 1997 | Professor Chalmers M. Clapperton |
| 1996 | Mr. Michael Ashe |
| 1995 | Mr. Nigel Winser & Mrs Shane Winser, RGS |
| 1994 | Michael Buerk |
| 1993 | Professor David Sugden |
| 1992 | Nicholas Crane & Richard Crane |
| 1991 | Professor Andrew Goudie |
| 1990 | Charles Swithinbank |
| 1989 | Christina Dodwell |
| 1988 | Dr. John Hemming |
| 1987 | John Ridgway |
| 1981 | Professor Keith L. Miller |
| 1975 | Haroun Tazieff |
| 1969 | Dr. Hugh Simpson and Mrs. Myrtle Simpson |
| 1962 | C.G. Malcolm Slesser |
| 1961 | Miss Marjory Penham |
| 1955 | George Christopher Band |
| 1954 | Dr. Alain Bombard |
| 1953 | Count Eigil Knuth |
| 1952 | W.H. Murray |
| 1950 | Thor Heyerdahl |
| 1948 | F. Spencer Chapman |
| Mrs. Mary G. Henry, Pennsylvania, USA | |
| 1944 | Frank Fraser Darling |
| 1939 | Dr. E.B. Worthington MA PhD, for his share in the work of the African Research Survey |
| 1936 | Lawrence R. Wager MA FGS, Lecturer in Geology, University of Reading |
| 1935 | Miss Freya Stark |
| 1934 | Miss Isobel W. Hutchison FRSGS |
| 1931 | F.S. Smythe |
| 1930 | Captain Angus Buchanan |