https://www.scmp.com/rss/329090/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A large ice chunk is blocking the climbing route to Everest’s summit, risking delays in the summit season at the world’s highest peak, according to officials. A team of highly skilled mountaineers, known in Nepal as “icefall doctors”, began fixing ropes and ladders on Mount Everest last month to prepare for the coming spring climbing season. But a dangerous serac – a block of glacial ice – above the already treacherous Khumbu icefall has disrupted their work for nearly two weeks. “We are waiting... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351530/everest-climbers-left-hanging-after-giant-ice-chunk-blocks-path-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351530/everest-climbers-left-hanging-after-giant-ice-chunk-blocks-path-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 06:05:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Englishman Ollie Jenks remembers when his friend first pitched the idea to him. “It was so ridiculous I couldn’t say no,” Jenks says. The proposal by his Canadian buddy Seth Scott, a fellow lover of cars and crazy adventures, was for them to drive a decades-old British-made Reliant Robin car from London to the southern tip of Africa – a 22,500km (14,000-mile) journey through 22 countries – to set a record for the longest trip in a three-wheeled vehicle. In March, they became the first people to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3351127/uk-south-africa-road-trip-3-wheeler-bags-duo-world-record-and-car-trouble-aplenty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3351127/uk-south-africa-road-trip-3-wheeler-bags-duo-world-record-and-car-trouble-aplenty?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:15:08 +0000 dpa dpa Early in the morning, shortly after five, the tension is mounting. Dawn is breaking, and the sea lies deep and dark as foam dances on the waves. Behind the window in the cabin, it is cosy. Barren rocky outcrops pass by in the distance. Can Captain Omar Galindo make it past Cape Horn so that we can cross over to land in the stable inflatable boats? The manoeuvres are tricky, and safety always comes first. The wind is allowed to blow at a maximum of 30 knots. This is not a regular cruise. We are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3338032/expedition-cruise-chiles-cape-horn-reveals-awesome-nature-end-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3338032/expedition-cruise-chiles-cape-horn-reveals-awesome-nature-end-world?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Dec 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari For years, Nepal’s government has faced pressure to reduce rubbish in the Himalayas, where decades of commercial mountaineering have left large amounts of discarded gear, human waste and other debris on some of the world’s tallest peaks. Last week, the authorities in Kathmandu finally took firm action. They approved a landmark five-year plan to clean up Nepal’s mountains, seeking to curb waste through stricter monitoring and limiting the number of climbers on Mount Everest, the world’s highest... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337378/nepal-clean-mount-everests-waste-limiting-climbers-flying-more-drones?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3337378/nepal-clean-mount-everests-waste-limiting-climbers-flying-more-drones?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 04:30:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Kanchha Sherpa, the only surviving member of the mountaineering expedition team that first conquered Mount Everest, died early Thursday, according to the Nepal Mountaineering Association. The association’s president, Phur Gelje Sherpa, confirmed that Kanchha died at age 92 at his home in Kathmandu. “He passed away peacefully at his residence,” Phur Gelje Sherpa said, adding that he had been unwell for some time. “A chapter of mountaineering history has vanished with him.” Last rites will be held... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329274/kanchha-sherpa-last-link-everests-first-summit-dies-92-history-vanished-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3329274/kanchha-sherpa-last-link-everests-first-summit-dies-92-history-vanished-him?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Oct 2025 11:48:49 +0000 Kylie Knott Kylie Knott Isaac Harvey’s passion for adrenaline-fuelled adventure started in 2015 when the Briton completed his first skydive. But his biggest challenge was not jumping out of a plane at 14,000ft (4,267 metres). It was the events leading up to it. Airfields across Britain told Harvey that skydiving was not possible because of his disability: he was born with limb/pelvis hypoplasia/aplasia (LPHA) syndrome. This rare genetic condition resulted in his being born with no arms, short legs, a weak pelvis and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3327315/how-disability-doesnt-stop-isaac-harvey-pursuing-his-passion-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3327315/how-disability-doesnt-stop-isaac-harvey-pursuing-his-passion-adventure?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press German biathlon champion Laura Dahlmeier has died on a mountain in northern Pakistan after a climbing accident at a remote site that rescuers struggled to reach because of bad weather, a local government spokesman said on Wednesday. Dahlmeier, an Olympic gold medallist, was ascending Laila Peak in the Karakoram mountain range on Monday when she was struck by falling rocks while climbing with a partner who survived. Rescuers were able to confirm Dahlmeier’s death on Wednesday but could not... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320206/german-biathlete-confirmed-dead-pakistan-climbing-accident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3320206/german-biathlete-confirmed-dead-pakistan-climbing-accident?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Jul 2025 01:26:20 +0000 dpa dpa Wildly gesticulating, a cyclist swerves to avoid a group of tourists. “Ah, ces touristes” – these tourists – he mutters as he passes them. But he has a point. The coastal cycling path south of Les Sables d’Olonne in western France can get crowded. Cyclists here often find themselves stopping and starting frequently. The photo opportunities are simply too numerous. The sea view is stunning, and seabirds flit about. Some visitors are also drawn to a fortification perched on a rocky cliff with the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3317367/bike-tour-along-frances-atlantic-coast-reveals-its-beauty-and-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3317367/bike-tour-along-frances-atlantic-coast-reveals-its-beauty-and-history?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 08:20:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk The death of a Brazilian woman who fell while climbing a volcano in Indonesia has renewed scrutiny of safety standards at the country’s adventure tourism hotspots, amid a string of recent accidents involving foreign visitors. Juliana Marins, 26, fell some 600 metres (1,968 feet) while attempting to summit Mount Rinjani, a volcano on Lombok island, on Saturday. Her body was only recovered four days later after rescue efforts were hampered by dense fog, steep cliffs and unstable terrain. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315976/mount-rinjani-tragedy-puts-spotlight-indonesias-adventure-tourism-safety?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3315976/mount-rinjani-tragedy-puts-spotlight-indonesias-adventure-tourism-safety?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 12:40:31 +0000 dpa dpa A British veteran who lost both legs and his left arm serving in Afghanistan has made history after becoming the world’s first triple amputee to sail solo, non-stop and unsupported across the Pacific. Craig Wood, from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, was 18 years old when he suffered life-changing injuries from a roadside bomb in Sangin, southern Afghanistan, in 2009. Wood, now 33, has sailed 7,506 nautical miles (13,900 kilometres) across the Pacific Ocean in 90 days to raise funds for the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3315761/uk-man-becomes-first-triple-amputee-sail-solo-and-unsupported-across-pacific-ocean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3315761/uk-man-becomes-first-triple-amputee-sail-solo-and-unsupported-across-pacific-ocean?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jun 2025 07:12:59 +0000 Tim Pile Tim Pile Wingsuit flying Sometimes described as the closest humans come to true flight, Wingsuit flying is not for the faint-hearted, and to enrol in a training course a novice must already be an accomplished skydiver. Wearing fabric wings stretched between their arms and legs, these thrill-seekers steer with subtle shifts in body position like dive-bombing flying squirrels. One of the most dramatic locations in which the activity takes place is Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park, in Zhangjiajie,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314795/wingsuit-flying-kitesurfing-and-other-daring-adventures-asia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314795/wingsuit-flying-kitesurfing-and-other-daring-adventures-asia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Jun 2025 12:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nepal will issue Everest permits only to climbers with experience of scaling at least one of the Himalayan nation’s 7,000-metre (22,965ft) peaks, according to the draft of a new law aimed at reducing overcrowding and improving safety. Nepal, which is heavily reliant on climbing, trekking and tourism for foreign exchange, has faced criticism for permitting too many climbers, including inexperienced ones, to try to ascend the 8,849-metre (29,032ft) peak. This often results in long queues of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3308309/nepal-demand-experience-everest-climbers-new-safety-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3308309/nepal-demand-experience-everest-climbers-new-safety-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:22:34 +0000 One of the greatest mountain guides will attempt to scale the world’s highest peak for the 31st time – and possibly the 32nd time as well – and break his own record. Kami Rita, 55, flew to Mount Everest on Sunday from Kathmandu to lead a group of climbers who will try to reach the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) summit during the spring climbing season. “I am mentally, emotionally and physically prepared to climb the mountain,” Kami Rita said at Kathmandu’s airport. “I am in my top physical condition... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3307214/famed-sherpa-kami-rita-attempt-31st-mount-everest-climb-break-own-record?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3307214/famed-sherpa-kami-rita-attempt-31st-mount-everest-climb-break-own-record?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Apr 2025 08:25:52 +0000 In March 2009, American Scott Parazynski – a veteran of five Nasa space shuttle missions, including seven spacewalks, who had racked up more than 23 million miles (37 million km) – hung up his spacesuit. “I could have flown once, maybe twice more, but I was keen to stretch my wings as an inventor and entrepreneur,” says the 63-year-old. A couple of months after retiring from the US space agency, Parazynski attempted to summit Mount Everest but, at 7,470 metres (24,500 feet), was forced to turn... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3305922/ex-nasa-astronaut-scott-parazynski-shares-his-journey-space-top-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3305922/ex-nasa-astronaut-scott-parazynski-shares-his-journey-space-top-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 12 Apr 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Climbers believe they have found the partial remains of a British mountaineer who might – or might not – have been one of the first two people to climb Mount Everest, a century after their attempt on the world’s highest peak, according to an expedition led by National Geographic. Ahead of the release of a documentary film, the television channel said on Friday that the expedition found a foot encased in a sock embroidered with “AC Irvine” and a boot that could be that of Andrew “Sandy” Irvine,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3282083/uk-everest-explorers-remains-believed-found-100-years-after-disappearance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3282083/uk-everest-explorers-remains-believed-found-100-years-after-disappearance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Oct 2024 17:00:03 +0000 It was mid-autumn on the high seas, and we were halfway across the Taiwan Strait, beating into a northeasterly wind. It could have been a much kinder southwesterly, had we sailed a week earlier, but we were starting a new life, a sailing adventure, and saying goodbye to Hong Kong had taken a lot longer than we thought it would. I winched our reefed mainsail in just a little tighter, and tried to point a degree higher, as we clawed our way upwind into a cold grey rain towards Taiwan. The... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3272907/couple-who-left-hong-kong-sail-high-seas-islanding-hopping-taiwan-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3272907/couple-who-left-hong-kong-sail-high-seas-islanding-hopping-taiwan-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Aug 2024 00:45:10 +0000 Iris Jiang Iris Jiang China’s first woman Arctic crab fisher, who works 12 hours a day on a “prison” ship for 130,000 yuan (US$18,000) a month, has been praised online for her resilience in the face of harsh conditions. Liu Yifan, 30, from Guizhou province in southwestern China, left a secure job at a state-owned Chinese enterprise three years ago to join her husband in Tromsø, a port city in northern Norway. She initially took up a hotel job but in January through the introduction of local friends, she decided to... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3266540/defiant-woman-becomes-chinas-first-female-arctic-crab-fisher-earns-us18000-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/gender-diversity/article/3266540/defiant-woman-becomes-chinas-first-female-arctic-crab-fisher-earns-us18000-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 10:01:14 +0000 Ryan Leung Chun-hay is aiming to become the first Hongkonger to swim a 34.5km-long strait between Northern Ireland and Scotland, considered the most difficult leg in a renowned series of open-water challenges. The 35-year-old, who works in the property development sector, will face rough seas, unpredictable weather and hundreds of jellyfish. “The challenge is not easy, but I believe my training has prepared me for the road ahead. I hope I can inspire others to take the leap to follow their... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3267686/trailblazing-hongkonger-ready-rough-seas-jellyfish-34km-oceans-seven-swim?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3267686/trailblazing-hongkonger-ready-rough-seas-jellyfish-34km-oceans-seven-swim?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jun 2024 03:20:11 +0000 For Taiwanese sailor Andy Kuo Lee, the 2019 purchase of Our Rose, a 44-foot (13-metre) sailing catamaran, was a dream come true. Having taken early retirement from his career as an actuary, Lee and his wife, Jennifer Chen, were looking for adventure. They found it living aboard their new boat, spending four years cruising through Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. They enjoyed being afloat in the azure waters of Southeast Asia, anchored in quiet bays and being immersed in the culture of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3264352/yacht-trip-goes-very-wrong-taiwanese-retiree-who-cant-swim-when-boat-punctured-rough-seas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3264352/yacht-trip-goes-very-wrong-taiwanese-retiree-who-cant-swim-when-boat-punctured-rough-seas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 May 2024 23:15:08 +0000 An Indian climber rescued from Everest has died in hospital, a Nepali tourism official said on Tuesday, taking the number of fatalities this season on the world’s highest mountain to eight. Banshi Lal, 46, was plucked from the mountain last week and taken to a hospital in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu. “He died at the hospital yesterday,” Rakesh Gurung of the tourism department said. Three people – a British climber and two Nepali guides – among the eight are listed as missing but presumed dead. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3264434/indian-climber-dies-after-everest-bid-eighth-death-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3264434/indian-climber-dies-after-everest-bid-eighth-death-season?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 12:00:09 +0000 A 54-year-old Nepali climber known as “Everest man” reached the peak of the world’s highest mountain for a record 30th time on Wednesday, three decades after his first summit. Kami Rita Sherpa, who broke his own record after climbing the 8,849m (29,032ft) peak for the 29th time earlier this month, has previously said he was “just working” and did not plan on setting records. “Kami Rita reached the summit this morning. Now he has made a new record with 30 summits of Everest,” Mingma Sherpa of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3263700/nepals-everest-man-reaches-peak-record-30th-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3263700/nepals-everest-man-reaches-peak-record-30th-time?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2024 15:24:51 +0000 Days before reaching the summit of Mount Everest last May, Nepali mountaineer Tenzi Sherpa captured a video – not showing the striking views of the snow-capped Himalayas, but the vast heaps of garbage left behind by climbers. The footage from Camp 4, located around 8,000 metres above sea level and known as the “death zone” due to its unforgiving conditions, showed discarded tents, oxygen cylinders and utensils frozen in time. “[It’s the] dirtiest camp I have ever seen,” Sherpa wrote on Instagram... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3263153/everest-dirty-trash-strewn-mess-it-too-late-nepal-fix-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3263153/everest-dirty-trash-strewn-mess-it-too-late-nepal-fix-it?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 May 2024 10:00:24 +0000 If it wasn’t for desire and gumption, Rency Thomas would have led an ordinary existence. Instead, the 37-year-old has just completed a human-powered expedition the length of the river Ganges. Twenty years ago, doctors asked Rency to adapt to a conservative lifestyle after diagnosing chronic arthritis. He simply stopped visiting them and embraced a life of adventure. It laid the groundwork for his biggest undertaking yet, navigating the Ganges under his own steam. The challenges were... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/hiking/article/3253345/gaumukh-bay-bengal-one-mans-voyage-discovery-takes-him-length-ganges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/hiking/article/3253345/gaumukh-bay-bengal-one-mans-voyage-discovery-takes-him-length-ganges?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Feb 2024 06:10:51 +0000 “Six Spaniards who plan to sail a Hongkong junk back to Barcelona on Christmas Day arrived here by Air France from Paris yesterday. The leader is Jose Maria Tey, 39-year-old Barcelona merchant,” reported the South China Morning Post on December 8, 1958. “Others are Joachim del Molino, 28, industrial engineer; Oriol Regas, 23, student; Luis Maynard, 39, former aviator, soldier and diplomat; Jose de Luis Madoz, 30, industrial photographer, and Mauricio Cuesta, 30, industrialist. “A seventh member... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3248783/when-spaniards-sailed-junk-boat-hong-kong-barcelona-trip-would-take-8-months?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/3248783/when-spaniards-sailed-junk-boat-hong-kong-barcelona-trip-would-take-8-months?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Jan 2024 03:15:15 +0000 From a tour of the Chinese city of Shenzhen, a popular day-trip destination for Hong Kong people, to a look at things travellers don’t get told by tourism boards, we look back at our most popular travel and leisure stories of 2023. 1. Morbid art gets star treatment In May, we looked at how an Alien special effects designer’s works are the star of two Swiss medieval towns that offer an unlikely mix of idyllic backdrops and morbid art. H. R. Giger was born in the Swiss city of Chur, where his... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3246495/most-read-2023-airbnb-crackdown-penang-swiss-towns-morbid-art-alien-movie-effects-designer-7-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3246495/most-read-2023-airbnb-crackdown-penang-swiss-towns-morbid-art-alien-movie-effects-designer-7-world?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Dec 2023 08:17:08 +0000 Wanderlust is part of my family inheritance – many of my forebears went to India and other foreign parts – but I was born in not terribly exotic Macclesfield, just south of Manchester, in England, in 1960. My father was a test pilot involved in the development of the Royal Air Force’s Vulcan bomber. By the time I was 10, I was focused on discovering what was going on in the wider world. I was not so interested in toys per se, but I loved hunting for fossils on family holidays along the Jurassic... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3238473/i-had-eat-dog-explorer-benedict-allen-his-adventures-scars-his-chest-and-being-lost-jungle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3238473/i-had-eat-dog-explorer-benedict-allen-his-adventures-scars-his-chest-and-being-lost-jungle?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Oct 2023 08:00:10 +0000 It comes as a shock to discover that the floating log is actually alive. My heart skips a beat before I realise it’s a freshwater crocodile, or “freshie”. These prehistoric reptiles are considered harmless unless harassed, but their bigger cousins, the saltwater crocodiles, demand a different level of respect. At 423,000 sq km (163,000 square miles) – more than twice the size of China’s Guangdong province or nearly 385 times the size of Hong Kong – the Kimberley, the northwestern corner of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3233711/greatest-road-adventure-australia-rock-art-nature-and-wild-swimming-along-kimberleys-gibb-river-road?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3233711/greatest-road-adventure-australia-rock-art-nature-and-wild-swimming-along-kimberleys-gibb-river-road?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 Sep 2023 05:15:20 +0000 White-throated kingfishers, fireworms and lion’s mane jellyfish are creatures that might seem exotic to Hong Kong city dwellers. Yet all three, and many more wondrous animals and plants, can be found in the city’s backyard, on Lantau Island – called by some the “green jewel” of Hong Kong. For Charmian Woodhouse and Cathy Cole, two long-term Lantau residents, the island and its biodiversity have always been a source of adventure and curiosity. So, as friends who were already experienced... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3232963/how-coasteering-around-hong-kongs-incredible-lantau-island-reveals-its-biodiversity-and-natural?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3232963/how-coasteering-around-hong-kongs-incredible-lantau-island-reveals-its-biodiversity-and-natural?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 31 Aug 2023 23:15:54 +0000 When Roland Sharman sees a cliff, he likes to jump off it or scale it, which is unusual behaviour considering he’s scared of heights. But facing his fear was the best way to conquer it. “That fear is what introduced me to ‘vertical adventure’,” says Sharman, referring to rock climbing, canyoning and mountaineering – “activities that focus on climbing up, or abseiling down from, a height”. “I realised that to find a path of empowerment, I would have to face my fear head on.” Sharman is founder of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3232118/fear-essential-what-makes-adrenaline-junkie-and-why-sensation-seekers-are-always-looking-new-thrill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3232118/fear-essential-what-makes-adrenaline-junkie-and-why-sensation-seekers-are-always-looking-new-thrill?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Aug 2023 23:15:11 +0000 A Japanese climber died and a fellow mountaineer was injured when an apparent rock fragment hit them while trying to scale one of the highest peaks in northern Pakistan, a mountaineering official and the injured climber said on Tuesday. The two mountaineers from Japan were taking part in a climbing expedition organised by a local tour operator, said Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. He said the purpose of the expedition was to summit a never-before scaled peak in the Andaq... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3231229/japan-climber-dies-scaling-never-conquered-pakistan-peak-fall-18000-feet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3231229/japan-climber-dies-scaling-never-conquered-pakistan-peak-fall-18000-feet?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Aug 2023 04:03:08 +0000 A woman from China who almost died while climbing Mount Everest has allegedly refused to pay the Sherpa guide who saved her life a US$10,000 rescue fee, prompting a backlash on mainland social media. Two other Chinese mountain climbers who helped rescue the woman found unconscious at 8,500 metres above sea level ended up paying the fee, news site cqcb.com reported. According to Chinese media reports, the 50-year-old woman from central China’s Hunan province, identified by the surname Liu, was... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3223173/chinese-woman-saved-after-falling-unconscious-mount-everest-refuses-pay-sherpa-guide-us10000-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3223173/chinese-woman-saved-after-falling-unconscious-mount-everest-refuses-pay-sherpa-guide-us10000-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jun 2023 10:00:18 +0000 A Malaysian climber rescued from certain death on Mount Everest has been accused on social media of being ungrateful to the Sherpa who saved his life. Ravichandran Tharumalingam was on death’s door when he was found on May 18 by mountain guide Gelje Sherpa and his Chinese client, who were on their way up to the top of Everest. Ravichandran was stuck in the mountain’s infamous “death zone”, where oxygen is limited, and temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 22 degrees... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3223158/malaysian-climber-slammed-not-thanking-sherpa-who-rescued-him-everest-death-zone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3223158/malaysian-climber-slammed-not-thanking-sherpa-who-rescued-him-everest-death-zone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jun 2023 12:02:10 +0000 There is growing concern over the possibility of an accident on the flanks of Mount Fuji as the July 1 opening of climbing season for the most famous peak in Japan draws closer. The mayor of one town at the base of the 3,776-metre-tall mountain has proposed limiting the number of people who attempt overnight ascents of the peak in an effort to safeguard hikers and not overwhelm facilities on the trek, while the owner of one mountain hut has told This Week in Asia that he has stopped taking... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3222768/bit-scary-hikers-flock-japans-mount-fuji-fears-climbing-accidents-grow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3222768/bit-scary-hikers-flock-japans-mount-fuji-fears-climbing-accidents-grow?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jun 2023 06:00:19 +0000 The search and rescue team looking for the missing Singaporean climber on Mount Everest were unable to locate him “despite their best efforts”, said his wife on social media on Saturday. In an Instagram post, the wife of Shrinivas Sainis Dattatraya wrote a tribute to the 39-year-old climber who went missing after reaching the summit on May 19. Shrinivas had left Singapore on April 1, aiming to summit Mount Everest and then Mount Lhotse in a single expedition, said Sushma Soma. “He would have... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3222079/wife-singapore-man-missing-mount-everest-says-crews-unable-find-him?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3222079/wife-singapore-man-missing-mount-everest-says-crews-unable-find-him?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2023 05:00:11 +0000 A former Gurkha soldier in the British army who lost both his legs in Afghanistan has reached the top of Mount Everest, making mountaineering history. Hari Budha Magar, 43, has become the first double above-the-knee amputee to summit the world’s tallest mountain. The veteran arrived at Everest in Nepal on April 17, exactly 13 years since his legs were destroyed by an IED in Afghanistan in 2010. But he had to wait until May 19 to reach the summit and he was forced to spend 18 days waiting at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3221340/double-amputee-climber-makes-history-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3221340/double-amputee-climber-makes-history-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 May 2023 20:44:12 +0000 Hong Kong resident Chamelia Suhra outlasted the competition during the city’s version of the backyard ultra, going non-stop for 29 hours to win the toughest race there is. The 44-year-old went for an hour more than rival Alice McLeod, racking up 194km (120.5 miles) along a 6.7km loop of Bowen Road. With an hour to complete each loop before she needed to be back at the start line, Suhra said every moment of her time on the course “was good fun”. “I very much enjoyed the camaraderie between... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3217704/hong-kongs-race-nowhere-resident-chamelia-suhra-has-fun-running-194km-without-stopping?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3217704/hong-kongs-race-nowhere-resident-chamelia-suhra-has-fun-running-194km-without-stopping?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Apr 2023 07:32:08 +0000 A 50-year-old Spanish extreme athlete who spent 500 days living 70-metres (230 feet) deep in a cave outside Granada with no contact with the outside world has told how the time flew by and she did not want to come out. Beatriz Flamini, an elite sportswoman and mountaineer, is said by her support team to have broken a world record for the longest time spent in a cave in an experiment closely monitored by scientists seeking to learn more about the capacities of the human mind and circadian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3217117/extreme-athlete-emerges-after-500-days-living-cave-spain-i-didnt-want-come-out-she-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3217117/extreme-athlete-emerges-after-500-days-living-cave-spain-i-didnt-want-come-out-she-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Apr 2023 11:56:15 +0000 Vivian Ying Cai is preparing to climb Everest next month, and is looking forward to the simplicity of life in the mountains, and the suffering. A relative newcomer to the sport, the 33-year-old has already battled severe altitude sickness, but that only spurred her on to reach greater heights. What started out as a trip in 2019 with outdoor brand Arc’teryx to experience ice and rock climbing, progressed to tackling bigger mountains in Sichuan Province, and is now a full-blown obsession which has... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3216878/hong-kong-resident-has-everest-her-sights-north-and-south-poles-next-she-kind-enjoys-suffering?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3216878/hong-kong-resident-has-everest-her-sights-north-and-south-poles-next-she-kind-enjoys-suffering?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:00:32 +0000 The beaches of Hong Kong are stunning. But after running a half marathon back and forth along the same stretch of sand, they lose their appeal. That’s exactly what two of the city’s residents, Duncan Swanson and George Darling, are doing in preparation for the Marathon des Sables (MDS), the infamous desert race that is as much a mental challenge as a physical one. Competitors must tackle 250km over six days, with the longest leg needing runners to do 86km in one day, mix that in with blazing hot... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3214821/marathon-des-sables-hong-kong-pair-prepare-desert-race-42-laps-repulse-bay-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3214821/marathon-des-sables-hong-kong-pair-prepare-desert-race-42-laps-repulse-bay-work?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Mar 2023 04:30:16 +0000 Two rowers are preparing to embark on a mammoth journey from China to America, hoping to show that Chinese explorers could have reached the US long before the Vikings or Christopher Columbus. Sun Haibin, 47, and Christian Havrehed, 53, met in China more than 20 years ago and crossed the Atlantic together in 2001, becoming the first from their respective countries, China and Denmark, to do so. Now, they have a more ambitious aim. In May, they will depart from Ningbo, in Zhejiang Province, row... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3213985/did-chinese-explorers-reach-america-first-pair-out-recreate-mythical-journeys-show-trip-was-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3213985/did-chinese-explorers-reach-america-first-pair-out-recreate-mythical-journeys-show-trip-was-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Mar 2023 04:00:27 +0000 “Be patient, slow down,” I reminded myself as we neared the summit of the Col de la Colombiere in the French Alps, a climb that’s been ridden 23 times in the Tour de France. And, trust me, they don’t include it so regularly in the world’s most famous cycling race because it’s easy. The Colombiere is a 17.6km (10.9-mile) challenge with an average gradient of 6.5 per cent. (There’s a sign every that lets you know the gradient for the upcoming kilometre.) I’m not a professional cyclist and was... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3197853/where-go-cycling-france-alps-was-my-first-choice-post-covid-and-it-was-experience-i-wont-forget?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3197853/where-go-cycling-france-alps-was-my-first-choice-post-covid-and-it-was-experience-i-wont-forget?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Oct 2022 11:15:09 +0000 Luxury travel planners say their clients are seeking more extreme experiences than pre-pandemic times, with hard-to-access places like the Arctic Circle and Galapagos Islands topping bucket-list travel hotspots. This pent-up demand and newly acquired wealth are pushing some travellers to go all out, even as the economy sours. The pandemic was a boon for the already well-off, with the top one per cent of Americans adding around US$4 trillion to their wealth in 2020. It’s no wonder, then, that... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3197449/why-ultra-rich-travellers-are-splurging-extreme-experiences-exotic-trips-arctic-circle-or-african?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3197449/why-ultra-rich-travellers-are-splurging-extreme-experiences-exotic-trips-arctic-circle-or-african?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:01:04 +0000 Despite Covid-19 entry rules easing for international arrivals, Hongkongers are still finding it difficult to leave the city. As a result, finding alternatives to activities usually enjoyed overseas has become something of a coping mechanism for many over the past three years. If you feel as if you have checked all the hiking trails and islands off your list of places to explore, these other adrenaline-filled outdoor activities might be worth considering for the tail end of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3192472/5-outdoor-activities-do-hong-kong-winter-comes-surfing-big?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3192472/5-outdoor-activities-do-hong-kong-winter-comes-surfing-big?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Sep 2022 04:45:13 +0000 In recent years ultra-cycling races of all kinds have thrived around the world, although they are still few and far between in Asia. Comparatively new to the traditional world of competitive cycling, the ultra version has no set definition in terms of format or duration, making for some great and diverse options that are open to everyone. From the remote gravel roads of Kyrgyzstan to the high-rise trails of the Rockies and the classic road climbs of the Alps, here are five of the biggest ultra... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3187002/get-your-bike-and-ride-top-5-ultra-cycling-races-amateurs-mountains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3187002/get-your-bike-and-ride-top-5-ultra-cycling-races-amateurs-mountains?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Jul 2022 00:30:20 +0000 Stuck for a film to watch and sick of scrolling endlessly? There is a never ending list of films on YouTube following athletes and adventurers in the mountains. Here are just a few you can check out. Touching The Void This is an absolute classic mountaineering documentary, a bestselling book and now also a play. If it was made up, it would seem too far fetched to be entertaining. But it is true and that is what makes it so gripping. Joe Simpson and Simon Yates venture into the Andes to scale... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3185536/best-mountain-running-and-climbing-films-free-youtube?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/trail-running/article/3185536/best-mountain-running-and-climbing-films-free-youtube?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Jul 2022 23:45:24 +0000 Sailor Xu Jingkun has made a habit of defying expectations ever since he lost part of his left arm as a 12-year-old. The Chinese Paralympian has been breaking barriers on land and sea ever since and just two years after completing a mammoth round-the-world journey, he’s now preparing for his greatest challenge yet. In November Xu will become the first Chinese athlete to compete in the Route du Rhum in the IMOCA class between Saint Malo in France and Pointe-à-Pitre in the Caribbean. Route du Rhum... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3179059/chinese-paralympian-aims-become-countrys-first-sailor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3179059/chinese-paralympian-aims-become-countrys-first-sailor?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 May 2022 04:32:00 +0000 After two long years and counting of restricted movement across much of Asia, the borders are finally reopening and travel is becoming more feasible by the week. Many people will be looking to make the most of any opportunity to get out and explore again, and to take on an adventure of a lifetime. Luckily, Asia is just the place for serious expeditions, as well as less intense jaunts. From the high peaks of the Himalaya, through the deserts of the “stans” to the tropical jungles of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3175300/5-fantastic-asian-bike-adventures-gear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/article/3175300/5-fantastic-asian-bike-adventures-gear?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Apr 2022 03:00:29 +0000 Briton Victoria Evans set the women’s world record for rowing across the Atlantic solo, with near constant focus and adrenaline in high winds. “I’d done a lot of training and I’d taken the boat to Portugal for two months in the summer, so I was very well prepared. But the weather was so intense for the time I was out there. The wind basically didn’t let up the whole time,” Evans, 35, said. “There was a time in week three and four, when I had 30 knots of wind. You cannot switch off when it’s like... https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3172315/solo-womens-atlantic-rowing-world-record-set-self?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/outdoor/extreme-sports/article/3172315/solo-womens-atlantic-rowing-world-record-set-self?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Mar 2022 00:30:13 +0000 The body of the French adventurer trying to row across the Atlantic has not been recovered, the Portuguese navy said on Sunday, a day after his support team said he had been found dead in his boat. “The search ended at the end of the day yesterday (Saturday) without it being possible to find the victim,” said a statement from the navy on the search for 75-year-old Jean-Jacques Savin. Questioned by Agence France-Presse, a navy spokesman said that during the rescue operation, the team had had... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3164467/french-rowers-body-not-recovered-day-after-he-had-been-found-dead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3164467/french-rowers-body-not-recovered-day-after-he-had-been-found-dead?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jan 2022 22:01:29 +0000 A 75-year-old Frenchman attempting to row across the Atlantic “to laugh at old age” was found dead in his cabin at sea on Saturday, his support team said. Portugal’s coastguard found Jean-Jacques Savin’s overturned boat off the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores on Friday. They were able to send a diver down on Saturday to search it, his team added. The former paratrooper’s body “was found lifeless inside the cabin”, they said. The avid triathlete set off from mainland Portugal’s southern tip... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3164400/french-adventurer-75-dies-during-solo-attempt-row-across-atlantic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3164400/french-adventurer-75-dies-during-solo-attempt-row-across-atlantic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Jan 2022 19:16:47 +0000