Nick Yates Photos

Above Karakul Lake on the Karakoram Highway, Xinjiang Province, China. A fantastic day in stunning surroundings. The horses didn't quite make the summit which was reached on foot.

High camp on Chopicalqui looking at Huascaran (6768m) in the Cordillera Blanca. Huge temperature variations between night and day lead to changeable conditions. Snowbridges particularly scary in the afternoon.

Passing by St Lucia before sunset. Rum based cocktails to follow as Birthday celebrations ensue.

Chinstrap penguins on Deception Island with Livingston island in the background. Deception Island is an active volcano on the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Both Spain and Argentina have research bases there.

Midway through the trek we are treated to this view including all the main peaks that make up the Huayhuash range. They include Siula Grande (6344m), Yarupaja (6635m) and Jirishanca (6126m). Siula Grande is the mountain on which Joe Simpson and Simon Yates had their 1985 epic adventure recounted in Touching the Void.

Jamie admires the view as we make camp in the desert. Small hills at this location gave a great panoramic of the surrounding area. At dusk a large cloud of locusts passed overhead. Luckily the air was still warm enough allowing the locusts to remain airborne and land somewhere else.

Notre Dame Cathedral above the Seine. High water levels flood the pedestrian walkway. Extra water surges from passing pleasure boats made taking this picture all the more interesting.

Kaieteur Falls on the Potaro river Guyana. A single drop fall off 226m (741ft). Awesome power which fluctuates on a daily basis depending on the weather upstream.

Arriving on South Georgia's southern coast. This is the bay Shackleton and his crew on the James Caird arrived at on the 9th May 1916 after 16 days at sea. After making landfall here they then had to cross the bay before setting out on their famous traverse of South Georgia. After 36 hours in treacherous conditions they finally arrived into the safety of Stromness on May 20th.

Neil and I find a great camp on the beach after a days paddle. Just after diner we spot some passing fins. Jumping in our boats we paddle out and are rewarded by a pod of dolphins who are in a very playful mood. Watching them swim underneath us and flip in front of us was fantastic. Great end to a great day. 

Local transportation with onlookers. Every day occurrence for these boys. With the bush appearing fairly sparse here I was surprised to see giraffe this close to a fairly main road. Certainly confirmed we were in Africa.

Looking south from high on Chopicalqui in the Cordillera Blanca. Relieved to feel the warmth of the sun after a very cold night. looking south to the next massive we can see a peak we climbed the previous week.

Situated to the west of Mull this beautiful uninhabited Scottish island is home to the famous Fingal's Cave. The concert overture of the same name was written by Felix Mendelssohn in 1830 following a visit to the island.

Paris comes alive as night falls. The Eiffel Tower peaks above the Musee de Orsay as it lights up the low cloud. The Grand Palais sits in the distance as a couple enjoy a seat by the river.

Local goatherders along the Karakoram Highway, Xinjiang Province, China. A variety of sand colours contribute to this high desert scene on the north of the Karakoram mountains.

An Israeli girl hitches a lift with one of the pack horses as we approach a high col on the  Huayhuash circuit. A fantastic backdrop as we approach the snowline.

Early morning flight over an incredible sea of sand in the central Libyan desert. Shifting wind patterns made this flight even more memorable as we managed to land exactly where we took off.

Vehicle trouble with trusty Landcruiser in Algerian desert. Admirable patience displayed before assistance arrives. Despite this breakdown Landcruisers appear to be the vehicle of choice in this harsh environment.

Grazing horses on the plain with Jirishanca (6126m) towering high in the background. The horses add to the sense of scale in this magestic environment.

The Eiffel Tower illuminated with the Tricolore. Unfortunately this lightshow was in the aftermath of the terror attacks in Paris in November 2015 where 137 people lost their lives . Most notable among the attacks was at the Bataclan Theatre in which 89 people died.

A glacier sits on the beach of this volcanic island which is home to many chinstrap penguins. The last confirmed eruption of Deception Island volcano was 12th August 1970.

Our yacht crew welcome new arrivals to the island. A deserved break from cleaning and polishing as we enjoy the thrill of greeting KLM's flight from Amsterdam. A chilled Corona probably helped too.

Yak train preparing for another day en route to Advanced Base Camp on the north side of Everest. A slightly more traditional approach to camping than those offered to Himalayan Experience clients.

Abseiling hundreds of feet into a rainbow in an effort to access the base of the waterfall. Too much wind created by the falls makes this impossible. It was a brave effort but strong turbulence led to excessive swinging on the ropes.

Sailing into the sunset. The teak foredeck glistens after a recent scrub down. The crew increasingly rely on their instruments as nightfall approaches.

Colourful buckets are used as ladies collect water for their village in southern Niger. A mixture of trepidation and amusement greeted us as we appeared in our Landcruiser out of nowhere. Well worn grooves in the pieces of hardwood is testimount to the amount of water drawn from this well.

Singapore readies itself for another Grand Prix weekend. An impressive skyline fronts a city that for me appears slightly sterile. Despite a street circuit that does not lend itself to overtaking Singapore has now established itself on the F1 calendar.

Rope access work on the Atomium as the city below rests under an inversion. Thanks to Bob who posed so well for this shot before abseiling to work.

View from above Grytviken on South Georgia. A day spent scrambling on the hills around the harbour led to some spectacular vistas. An abundance of loose rock gave rise to a few tricky moments on very exposed terrain.

Local Uyghur sharpening knives in Xinjiang Province, China. Traditional craftmanship still very obvious in this part of rural China.

Local Indian boat drivers help boat through rapids on the Burro Burro river in Guyana. Years of experience allow the route of least resistance to be found.

Night scene on the banks of the river Douro in Porto. Situated in northern Portugal Porto is famous for its port wine. Many of the large port storage houses sit on the far bank. The old town with its World Heritage status nestles on this side of the river. The lights of the city reflect nicely in this famous river.

A stiff breeze blows as Hayle Beach is illuminated by a full moon. This gorgeous expanse of sand sits on Cornwall's north coast and not suprisingly was deserted for this shot taken around midnight.

King penguins and their chicks huddle together at St Andrews bay during a snow flurry. Compared to the harsh mid winter this light spring shower is probably refreshing and welcomed. 

Mount Everest sits on the distant horizon high above the Tibetan Plateau. This arid landscape is impressive in its own right before you take in the beauty of the high Himalayan backdrop.

Beautiful but cold sunrise in Ushuaia on the southern tip of Argentina.

King Penguins wander along the beach at St Andrew's Bay South Georgia. Tens of thousands of penguins live here amidst large numbers of elephant seals, Norwegian reindeer and a variety of birdlife.

Local Guide Kumbi points to our campsite below during a crossing of the Mbarika Mountains in southern Tanzania. Climbing this hill involved a steep rocky ascent with some tricky moves. Kumbi aided his ascent by wedging his spear in any availble cracks. Luckily an easier descent route was available.

Clouds over Paris after sunset with Notre Dame Cathedral in the centre and The Pantheon to the right. The city lives up to its reputation of the 'City of Light'. 

The Potala Palace sits proudly above Lhasa as it has done since the sixteen hundreds. The large boulevard constructed by the Han Chinese has not been around for quite as long.

Mellon Udrigle beach in Wester Ross displays a beautiful expanse of white sand. Typical Scottish day with heavy blustery showers passing through on a regular basis.

The Bank of China's iconic building on Hong Kong Island. The city is still a hive of activity even at this late stage of the evening when I took this shot.

Great weather greets us having crossed the Drake Passage from Cape Horn. Overwhelmingly beautiful it is difficult to know which way to look. Arriving early in the season just after a weather front has cleared we are treated to pristine views in every direction. 

Camels grazing in the desert in southern Algeria. A very thin layer of grass is available after some recent rain. I am sure the camels were making the most of it.

Chilling out after a another good sail. This lovely yacht displays ample amounts of teak deck. The gentle motion of the boat adds to this relaxing time.

Russell Bryce's Himalayan Experience runs a slick operation. A calm morning before yak trains arrive to assist in getting the expedition further up the mountain. Yaks take two days transporting gear to advance base camp at 6500m. Later this day Interim Camp is found amidst a snow shower as we stop for the night before continuing to ABC the following day.

Thousands of King Penguins and their chicks vie for space on Salisbury Plain South Georgia. Apart from the obvious visual stimulation the clamour and smell are equally impressive.

A very calm evening at the Musee de Louvre Paris. Nice to experience this grandeur without the hussle of the day time tourist.

Climbing the coulior of the Brèche Puiseux ski tour in the Mont Blanc massive. A short abseil on the other side gives access to a great ski under the north face of the Grandes Jorasses. Mountain landscape similar to what you would expect from the greater ranges.

Meandering down the Burro Burro river in Guyana looking for a campsite. Hacking out a campsite and stringing up hammocks is all part of river life. The primeval screams of Howler monkeys adds to an already impressive jungle chorus. It really is an incredible sound to hear booming through the forest.

Flying directly over another balloon high above the Libyan desert. A real privilege to be a part of the first recorded ballon flights in the countries history. This was a very special flight.

Stunning views from the summit of Mount Tocilaraju (6034m) in the Cordillera Blanca. Huascaran can be seen in the distance on the left of this shot. An emotional moment as we take in the incredible panoramic on offer. I was extremely impressed and proud of Jessamy's efforts.

Diner under rock formations in the southern desert of Libya. Food cooked on an open fire in these surroundings tasted great. A bed under the stars only added to the experience.

Interim Camp en route to Advance Base Camp nestles under beautiful ice penitents. A fresh dusting of snow only increases the beauty of the scene.

Ballooning over the desert in Akakus southern Libya provides stunning views of an incredible landscape. As we approached a huge canyon the decision was made to make an emergency landing before we got to it. We hit the ground at a great speed and only stopped after some time. The pilot later admitted this was one of the heaviest landings he had experienced in a long career of ballooning. 

Travelling by boat in the Okavango Delta. Hard to believe this watery world only exists for four months a year. The Okavango River drains the summer (January–February) rainfall from the Angola highlands and the surge flows 1200 kilometres in approximately one month. The waters then spread over the 250 km by 150 km area of the delta over the next four months (March–June).

Early morning light hits the rolling lowland hills that surround these magnificent Tepuis that dominate the landscape in Western Guyana. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's novel The Lost World was inspired by Mount Roraima which sits just to the right of this shot. More recently Mount Roraima was the inspiration for Disney's cartoon Up.

The Star Ferry heading towards Hong Kong island at sunset. This skyline is constantly evolving and no doubt looks rather different today.

Dunescape near Ghadames Libya. Intricate and subtle changes occur constantly as the wind continues to sculpt.

A cracking anchorage heading south down the Peninsula. The ability to anchor in areas such as this is a privilige to the smaller yachts that make the effort to travel in these parts. We did however have to make a hasty retreat as a changeable wind started moving the icebergs towards us. Being blocked in at that point would have been the best case scenario.

Fantastic Roman ruins at Sabratha on Libya's northern coast. This was taken a fortnight before the troubles in Libya erupted. I only hope it is possible to take the same image today.

Abseiling 250 ft down the side of Kaieteur Falls surrounded by swifts who nest in behind the falls was a magical experience. Amazing calm given the proximity to such power. The person hanging on the rope not always obvious at first glance.

Heading towards Advanced Base Camp with Everest in the clouds above. On arrival at ABC teams continue their progress up the mountain establishing further camps. They must then wait for the Jetstream to rise enough to enable a summit attempt.

Arriving at the Bay of Penises on Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands after crossing from the Galapagos Islands. On arrival into this incredible bay after 22 days at sea we were accompanied by a school of spinner dolphins who put on a magical aerial display. A day to remember. A bottle of Fernet-Branca was then found which led to a night to remember. 

Bastille Day celebrations in Paris. Smoke from the abundance of fireworks only adds to this shot.

Lupins are just one of a variety of colourful flowers found in these alpine meadows high in the French alps.

Hit by a sudden squall in the Marquesas Islands. After a downwind crossing from the Galapagos it was interesting sailing as we navigated between the islands and the squalls.

Close proximity living in Hong Kong. Concrete appears to be the building material of choice. Limited land gives rise to this impressive urban landscape.

A fisherman readies himself in Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania. Local restaurants await his return so as to keep their tourist guests happy.

Landrovers framed perfectly by a rainbow as unusually stormy weather hits Namibia. Rain in this part of the world is not a common occurrence.

River crossing in southern Niger. Local skilfully navigates the river as the sun sets.

Feeding time for two young Gentoo chicks at Gold Harbour. This was the cute moment prior to regurgitation. Great to be able to get so close and observe this feeding ritual.

Weather approaches after a day in the hills above the Straits of Magellan. Fairly cold as this pond swithers between ice or water. Changeable weather is synonymous with this region.

Leaving camp on day one of a ten day crossing of the Mbarika mountains in southern Tanzania. Working for the BBC in remote parts of the world on these programmes was incredibly interesting. I wouldn't imagine there have been many children's television programmes with such ambitious projects. Sadly Anton Turner, one of our guides, was to lose his life in a rare elephant attack a week later.
 

Early evening after a gloomy day in Paris. The Eiffel Tower and the Hotel des Invalides feature brightly.

Graeme treads carefully as he crosses this stone bridge high above the desert of Wadi Rum in Southern Jordan. This incredible landscape was used to film the classic Lawrence of Arabia.

Local Uyghurs congregate outside their yurt beside Karakul Lake on the Karakoram Highway. Kongur mountain (7719m) features in the background. Jessamy hones her haggling skills as Uyghur wares become available. No doubt she had her eye on the horse.

Sailing in great weather through the Straits of Magellan. A diner of Centolla crabs was enjoyed by all after a successful day's fishing. Very satisfying to haul up pots that are not empty. Thanks for cooking them to perfection Roger.

An unusually quiet Great Wall of China at the end of the day. Very surprised to have this place to ourselves. Incredible feat of engineering.

With a drop of 750 feet this waterfall is one of the world's most impressive. Set in the lush forests of Guyana these falls are accessed by plane the majority of the time. Few people make the trek to the bottom of the falls due to thick undergrowth and complex route finding. 

Young boy plays with one of Africa's most recognised toys on the beach of Pemba Island in southern Tanzania. The simple things... Boabab trees stand proud across the bay.

Island hopping in the Marquesas during inclement weather. Nice light hits sailing yacht Mustang as the islands take the brunt of the weather.

Sailing in the channels of southern Chile. Not warm but aided by a hot mug of coffee. Relatively calm but subject to change instantaneously. The previous night had proved interesting as we sought shelter form a particularly strong wind. Anchor watch was required as we dragged on several occasions.

Internal flight in Tanzania causes great interest and amusement. We landed at this remote village to drop off some guides whilst en route to Dar es Salaam. Our pilot Soki has great fun orchestrating the crowd.

Rugged coastline and moderate seas on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Great part of the world. Wind is your friend here as it keeps the infamous Scottish midge at bay depending on what time of year you visit. During the summer months a face net is essential when camping.

Traditional food preparation in southern Niger. The inclusion of childcare cannot help an already difficult job.

Couple spinning silk from the worms in Hotan Xinjiang. Hotan is situated on the ancient Silk Road on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert. You can see the finished product glinting on the spool in the middle of the picture.

Unusually great November weather on the Cuillin Ridge on Skye in Scotland. The day before was warm enough that we were able to wear shorts on top of a nearby peak.

Another bank tops the skyline of Hong Kong. In the distance land is prepared as the urban sprawl continues above the bay.

Localised storms cause flash floods. Unusual in this part of the world making travel quite tricky. This was taken as the water level starts to fall from its recent peak. Another storm in the background awaits.

Oasis in Libyan desert. I would imagine this has been a welcome sight to many people over the years.

Speed increases on the Essequibo River. The fish eye lens gives a nice effect as we cruise up river having just negotiated a large set of rapids.

Route finding through Kodak Alley on the Antarctic Peninsula. Radio contact from the crow's nest assists the navigation. Looks interesting in the distance as the channel narrows.

Lone guy on the banks of the Seine close to Notre Dame. A recent rain shower adds to this night scene as the walkways glisten.

Climber approaches the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro (5895m) at sunrise. The colour gradient as the sun nears the horizon is magical. The sun is very welcome after a long cold night ascending the flanks of the mountain.

Flowers flourish at the base of Spitzkopf in the Namibian desert. Spitzkopf is known as the Matterhorn of the South West. There is a relatively straight forward route to the top with only a few pitches required just below the summit. Route finding to this piont is however the tricky part.

Cruising up the Caribbean chain towards Saint Maarten. Sailing - or motoring as we are here - at night can be really spectacular under the light of the moon. 

Typical camera store in Kowloon Hong Kong. A busy place as tourists from all over the world upgrade their camera gear.

Camp near Surama on the banks of the Burro Burro River. Preparations for the following days river trip continue into the night under a star laden sky. Trusty Landrover awaits as transport back to town for those not heading downstream. 

Beautiful rock formations in this cave system in a national park south of Hua Hin in Thailand. While running around trying to light various parts of this shot I fell in a hole leading to a smashed flashgun. Thankfully I managed to capture a few images before the incident.

Ariel view of Pemba village situated on a peninsula in southern Tanzania. Managed to sneak in this fly-by having completed some aerial filming that started on the island of Mafia earlier in the day. A fun day at work.

Frozen in at Vernadski Base on the Antarctica Peninsula. The engine's keel cooling system was not functioning due to anti-freeze issues. Three days later after a sail in the open ocean where the sea temperature was warm enough to thaw the frozen water in the keel everything was back to normal. Great little adventure solving this particular problem.

Camping during ten day crossing of Mbarika mountains in southern Tanzania. Having reached camp after an already long day Kumbu and I had then gone off to scout out a route for the following days climb. We were very pleased to find some hot food still on the go when we returned.

Trekking through the crater on Mount Kilimanjaro beneath a fast retreating glacier. Jessamy proves very strong despite a sprained ankle sustained a week earlier. I apologise for any part I may have played in that incident.

Temple carving at Angkor Wat in Cambodia. An abundance of temples litter the surrounding countryside makes it an amazing place to visit. Construction of these temples dates back to the early 12th century. The filming of Lara Croft - Tombraider in this area helped Angkor Wat gain notoriety. 

A large powder avalanche sweeps across the Col des Montets. This avalanche was detonated high above the col by a helicopter dropping a charge onto a loaded slope. Traffic was stopped as the snow swept across the main road to Switzerland.

Tourists boats plying their trade on the river Seine illuminate the river banks for their customers. A particularly pretty section of river as they pass La Louvre on the left of shot.

Young girl planting rice in Cambodia. Rice needs to be planted and replanted before being finally harvested. This young worker helps with that process.

A well earned break for Kumbi during a crossing of the Mbarika mountains in southern Tanzania. Rations provided by the film crew are welcome after another stint of breaking trail. 

This mature hollowed out example sits proudly in Tanzania's Taringiri Park. Also known as the 'tree of life' its trunk can hold up to 120,000 litres of water.

David Neilson and his wife Karen photographing this awesome landscape. This trip was the culmination of years gathering images for David's beautiful book - Southern Light.

Idillic beach on the East coast of Zanzibar. As I recall a massage on the beach only added to the experience. Local fisherman waded about the shallow reef in search of diner.

Village life on the river Niger in southern Niger. Stalls sit empty awaiting the next market day.

Chinstrap penguins defend their eggs from a great skua attack on Deception Island. Out of necessity the penguins remain on high alert due to this constant aerial threat.

Young boys paddle out to greet visitors on the edge of Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia. Not exactly sea worthy vessels but the promise of a few tourist dollars makes the trip worthwhile.

Fisherman at work on the reefs off Zanzibar. His skill and stealth combine to give him a succesfull outing in these shallow reefs. Beautifully clear water does not increase the fish's chances.

A tall ship sits proudly at anchor under a cracking sunset off Bequia. A night of sampling the local cocktails, my favourite of which was a mudslider, ensued leading to much fun. Bequia is part of the country of  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Chipstrap penguin takes a stroll on Deception Island. As can be seen from the background he is certainly not alone.

Buddhist monks in Phnom Penh Cambodia. Walking casually down one of the main streets they appear to be having a good day.