Expeditions Unlimited blog

We've climbed them all... thanks to you! In our interview with Eric Bonnem, founder of Secret Planet, we take a look back at the legendary Seven Summits challenge: the characteristics of the expeditions that made it up, those that are no longer accessible and its extension to the poles.

Conceived by Dick Bass and Franck Wells in 1985, the Seven Summits challenge involves climbing the highest peak on each of the seven continents: Everest (8848 m), Aconcagua (6962 m), Mount Denali (6190 m), Kilimanjaro (5895 m), Elbrus (5646 m), Mount Vinson (4892 m) and Carstensz Pyramid (4884 m).

Michel and Valentin, guided by Dawa and our local team, attempt the ascent of Baruntse at 7129 meters, between Everest and Makalu, an isolated summit with difficult access.

In the forest to the north-east of the Republic of Congo lies Lake Télé, a little-known lake to which hardly anyone has ever travelled. For some, it is a mythical lake because it is the source of legends, and can only be visited after an expedition lasting several days in the forest, which is as demanding as it is memorable.

Slim and Dawa set out to climb Manaslu, the planet's 8th highest peak at 8163 metres. Although not very technical, it remains a difficult peak at very high altitude.

Having climbed Peak Lenin three times, this year we tackled the second Snow Leopard Challenge peak in (theoretical) order of difficulty: Peak Korjenevskaya. Read the diary of our expedition to Peak Korjenevskaya in Tajikistan in August 2023.

Guided by Serge Bazin, our six mountaineers set off to climb Korjenevskaya Peak, the summit of the Snow Leopard challenge and a difficult expedition.

Journalist, writer and mountaineer, Jean-Michel is a man of the mountains and of the pen. He has made five attempts to climb Everest, including his first in 1989. In this interview, he recalls the history of mountaineering on the world's highest peak.

Last February, our colleague Renaud Fulconis decided to take on the polar environment. He set himself a goal: to cross Mongolia's Lake Khövgöl in winter, independently, with his partner Aliénor.