From daring climbers to hard-core ultramarathoners and inspiring photographers – these are the travellers who have been named ‘adventurers of the year’.
Each year National Geographic honours the achievements of people in the fields of exploration, adventure sports, conservation and humanitarianism through its Adventurers of the Year list.
And now it has announced its winners list for 2018 – and they have achieved, in some cases, the seemingly impossible, such as scaling the fearsome vertical face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without ropes and conquering Everest from the Base Camp in just 26 hours, without the use of supplemental oxygen.
Andrea Leitch, a senior director for National Geographic Travel and Adventure, said: ‘At National Geographic, our stories inspire people to pursue their own adventures and learn more about the world around them.
‘These Adventurers of the Year are constantly pushing boundaries and exemplify National Geographic’s spirit of exploration.
‘We’re thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments with this prestigious honor.’ Scroll down for the winners.
Alex Honnold
American rock climber Alex Honnold trains on the Freerider route for the first-ever rope-free ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He is the founder of the Honnold Foundation, a group that supports global clean energy initiatives
Mr Honnold stands atop El Capitan after completing the first free-solo climb (that’s without ropes or support) of the 3,000-foot granite wall in June 2017
Hilaree Nelson O’Neill
Hilaree Nelson O’Neill, from Washington State, is a climber and ski mountaineer. She’s been a professional adventure athlete for over 20 years and first caught sight of Papsura, or the Peak of Evil, in 1999. It seared a place in her mind and inspired years of training with the goal of reaching its peak. Despite failing to summit in 2013, her obsession with this perfect mountain drew her back for a second attempt, something she’d never done in the past. She finally reached the top and skied the route in 2017
Hilaree looks out from a makeshift camp at about 18,500 feet on the Casino Ridge of Alaskan mountain Denali. The day after this photograph was taken, she and her mountaineering partner Jim Morrison made the summit
Emi Koch
Surfer Emi Koch, from California, channels her love of the sport into her global nonprofit, Beyond the Surface International. The group works to empower local communities facing environmental threats through surfing lessons and storytelling workshops
Children link hands in a circle while participating in a Beyond the Surface International workshop in Morocco. The organisation works to empower local communities through lessons in surfing and visual storytelling
Rajesh Magar
Rajesh Magar, from Kathmandu, is at home on the trails in Nepal’s Lower Mustang Valley. He is a downhill mountain biker and competed in his first Nepali national championship race on a Frankenstein-style ride — a low-budget mountain bike he modified himself
Rajesh explores the Himalayas by mountain bike. As a professional racer, he also shares Nepal’s plentiful trails with visitors as a bike guide
Kilian Jornet
Spaniard Kilian Jornet pauses during his first ascent of Mount Everest in May 2017. Jornet, despite being slowed by a stomach bug that caused him to vomit and cramp while climbing, made his first ascent up Everest’s north face from the base camp near the Rongbuk monastery at 5,100 metres (16,732ft) in Tibet, crowning the 8,848-metre (29,028ft) summit around midnight of May 21 in 26 hours after one continued push. That was the fastest known time for the route without the use of supplemental oxygen, according to the International Skyrunning Federation, which governs high-altitude racing
Kilian passing through Camp 2 during his first ascent of Mount Everest. He is an ultrarunner and ski mountaineer who has set speed records on mountains around the world
Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier
Photographer and biologist Paul Nicklen, from Canada, smiles with rosy checks and icy eyelashes. He co-founded the nonprofit Sea Legacy in an effort to protect and create healthy oceans. Its aim is to do this by telling compelling visual stories. He works alongside Cristina Mittermeier
Photographer and marine scientist Cristina Mittermeier, from Mexico, looks out from a helicopter. In 2017, Cristina and Paul sparked a global conversation about polar conservation with their footage of a starving polar bear
Mirna Valerio
Mirna Valerio, from Brooklyn, is an ultramarathoner and wants to redefine what a runner should look like. She also describes herself as an author and educator
Mirna practices yoga on the top of North Carolina’s Whiteside Mountain. She competes in races around the United States and is dedicated to creating positive messaging around health and fitness. Facing racism, sexism, and body shaming, she has dedicated herself to challenging stereotypes around who is and is not an athlete