Ardito Desio (Palmanova , April 18, 1897‑December 12, 2001) was an Italian explorer, mountain climber, geologist, and cartographer. In 1926‑1940 he made a series of geological surveys in Libya, becoming one of those who first found oil in that country. In 1990 he established a scientific base on Mount Everest.
He led an Italian expedition that reached the summit of K2 on July 31, 1954. The two climbers who actually reached the top were Lino Lacedelli and Achille Compagnoni.