Team Ultimate Descent (Credit: National Geographic)
Congratulations to Nepali adventurers Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa, who by climbing Mount Everest, paragliding down, then kayaking the Ganges River all the way to the Indian Ocean earned the National Geographic 2012 People’s Choice Adventurers of the Year award.
The team began their expedition in April of 2011. According to National Geographic, “Babu, 28, had no climbing experience,” and “Lakpa, 39, had never kayaked and didn’t even know how to swim.” Not bad for a couple of first-timers!
The adventurers set a new world record for free flight at 8,865 meters, were robbed at knifepoint and had to live off fruit trees.
Their aptly named expedition, Ultimate Descent, operated on a bare-bones budget. They successfully reached their final destination on June 27.
“There were no social media campaigns, corporate sponsors, or expedition websites, just the essential ingredients for adventure—vision, creativity, and friendship,” Fitz Cahall of National Geographic writes.
Read all about their expedition here.
eric murtaugh 
OMG I love! And his name is Babu — so cutee. Lol.
Anyways, this is unreal. I mean, I love hearing about this stuff. It gets me so pumped. Inspired. Like I too can take over the world!! And I loved their interview, so interesting! Thanks for passing it on, Eric 🙂
What are friends for?
wow that sounds like a great trip! I’m jealous! I have thought about kayaking from the top of the cascades range to the Pacific Ocean. but from Everest to the Indian ocean!?! That’s just beyond epic! they definitely deserve it!
No doubt! They went pretty big with this one.
Speaking of epic, have you seen Danny MacAskill’s Industrial Revolutions yet? Check it: http://vimeo.com/30043673
yes that guy is awesome. I miss ridin bikes.
Too. Cool.
I can only aspire to their level.
The closest I could probably get is buying a hat like that guy.
I love that they did this with no social media campaigns, corporate sponsors, or expedition websites….all of which, in my opinion, really takes away from the entire purpose of adventure. It becomes less ‘adventure’, and more ‘reality TV’.
They did it cus they wanted to do it….which is probably the same reason he wears that hat.
I understand wanting to be properly funded for an expedition, but you’re totally right. These guys are rad because they basically said “hey, that looks like fun, let’s do it.”
I really want that hat.
Dude can’t even swim! I mean…shit! Maybe it’s like that saying….they did it cus no one told them they couldn’t do it.
Forget the hat…he OWNS it. No one could wear it quite like he does and he knows it…you can tell by the smile on his face. Hell, I can’t even look at either one of these guys without also smiling and wanting to give them a huge ass high five. I want that pic on my desktop for anytime I start to question what I can and can not do….and yeah, to look at the hat.
D*** they’re full-fledged daredevils/adventurers. I could just imagine what kind of struggles they had on their way to the “title” being the adventurers of the year. KUDOS to these guys!