A ’blue marble’ covered in swathes of indigo, green, and gold, our precious planet is filled with amazing landscapes. Formed by the forces of nature, Earth’s unique environment includes rainforests so dense they can only be seen from above, sandy desert oases that have fostered the world’s oldest civilisations, and gorgeous water features that look as if they were designed by an artist. For many travellers, the natural world easily beats

In photographs shot from afar, Mount Everest seems like just a mountain. So why since the dawn of known humanity have so many been fascinated with and, in some cases, obsessed by this particular rock? For the brave it is arguably the toughest physical test—the apex. And while most people never try to conquer it, we all wonder what it would feel like to live the fantasy. On Earth, Everest is as big as it gets. The mountain is only the beginning