Jamie McGuinness

Living my dreams, following my passion

"Great to hear you're still at it! Am delighted you're still trying to get it "right". You have a sense about that, I now realize, that others don't."
- Dana Alford

I very much appreciated your loose "facilitator" style, (as opposed to "strong leader") which allows room for individual responsibility and decision making.
I suppose you can only do that with more experienced travelers. I can't imagine ever going on a heavily scripted and controlled, marching toe to heel, trip again.
- Bruce Utsey

Jamie is the founding owner of Project Himalaya and has been trekking in the Himalaya for 25 years [I started young!] and has written guide books including "Trekking in the Everest Region", speaks Nepali, was the first Kiwi (New Zealander) to climb Broad Peak in Pakistan and has climbed Everest six times. Jamie's photos have appeared in National Geographic, Geo magazine, books and newspapers around the world. Jamie is passionate and knowledgeable about development and politics in Nepal and wildlife conservation, and loves discussing philosophical questions around living life. And most of all, Jamie loves running exploratory treks!

Jamie says

Although I have enjoyed the challenge of organizing large expeditions what I really love is exploring. My first treks were all exploration for me, and I still love trekking new areas or exploring the nooks and crannies of familiar areas, for example our eight (!) 42 day Kanchenjunga treks.

Jamie, professional photographer

I love photography and the intrinsic challenge. My photo highlights are a shot in the National Geographic yellow border magazine, a 4 page double foldout panorama from the top of Everest in the German Geo Magazine, the cover of Action Asia and the cover of a German treks of the world coffee table book. I've had topical shots in major and minor newspapers of the world too.

I love documenting our trips, however at the end of the day, our trekkers are first and photography is second. Perhaps one day I will trek alone purely for photography and time lapses?

Virtually all the images on this site are mine and also see my Flickr sets. My style is to show our treks as they are, all photos are only lightly edited.

Meet Jamie

Long ago, I should have made a video introducing myself and our treks. I still haven't ... but Thom Pollard, a friend from our 2019 Everest expedition has a video with me discussing the 1924 Mallory and Irvine Everest mystery, and you might get a sense of who I am:

Everest

Once young and invincible, I knew that if others could climb Everest, I could. After six summits now I have more appreciation, am far more in awe. I see Everest from Base Camp, it is so huge, high and forbidding, and I gulp. Big expeditions require real teamwork and a detailed understanding of basically everything to do with an expedition, radio comms, working with the crews, oxygen systems, weather forecasting, dealing with the authorities. And this is what I did...

I'm most proud that we had zero deaths on any of my 25+ expeditions, and only the most minor injuries.

Check out a film of our 2019 Everest expedition, Renan Ozturk's incredible The Ghosts Above. Watch for free on YouTube courtesy Sony Alpha.

And if you have Disney+, you can watch the National Geographic version - search for "Lost on Everest".

I am honored and proud to have you as a friend. You have a remarkable way of dealing with people and of treating them with respect and kindness. The longer I know you, the more I respect all that you have accomplished. I admire that your real love rests in exploring and in taking people to new places. The road less traveled along with paths that produce some resistance tend to deliver the greatest rewards in life. The world today leaves little opportunity to tap unchartered waters yet you my friend have managed to do it.

It seems to me that it is rare to meet people that "do what they do" for all of the right reasons. If not careful our life gets created by default when we really need to take responsibility to design it. Some how you have managed to do so and in the process you have enriched the lives of so many from the locals you hire to the clients you guide. Those that have not discovered you yet will be amazed when then do.

Tonya Riggs Clement

2015: Esther and Jamie on the "summit" of Kang Yatze II

Memories

Recent previous treks | 2022 | 2019-21| 2018
2017 | 2016 |2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
2005 | 2004 | 2002-03 | 2000-01 | pre-2000

2011-2015 expeditions | 2000-2010 expeditions | 2004-2010 expedition dispatches

The 2023 Hampta Pass team: Esther, Jim and Jamie

2022 Mustang Magic
Gelu, Tai, Johnny, Esther, Bruce, Jim and Jamie - photo by Bali

2022 Markha & Dzo Jongo private
Tenzin, Esther, Sophie, Nick, Jan, Kunga and Jamie

2019 Upper Mustang-Dolpo Wild
L-R: Sanjay, Dorje, Tashi, Bali, Dawa, Jim, Bruce, David, Mary, Brad & Holly, Paul and Jamie
(missing: Ang Kami and Pasang and the horsemen)

2019 Custom Dolpo: Jo, Norbu, Jamie and Christian

2019 Markha & Dzo Jongo private: Esther, PY, Lavender, Doug, May, Elaine, Denvy, Antonia, Carina and Jamie

2019 Ladakh Peaks & Passes: Lobsang, Ahmed, Mike T, Laura, Jamie, Kat, Esther, Fred

2019 Zanskar Spring: Greg, Pete, Phil, Nick, Philippa, Karen, Esther and Mike

2018 Ganesh Himal GHT: The crew with Gaye

2018 Upper Mustang-Dolpo
The team and crew for the 35 day trek
L-R: Esther, Jamie, Lakpa, Clive C, Catherine, Wilma, Lisa, Jen, Nigel, Virginia, Kees, Dendi, Dawa, Bhim and angry
Squatting: young Pasang, Kaji, Bhim, Aiteram, Mingmar, Clive P, Gombu, Bire, Sona and Bali

2018 Nepal: Expedition Himalaya office staff and around half the guides

2018 Markha-Dzo Jongo Ri
L-R: Raj, Kungha, Pema, Ram Lal, Lobsang, Mandi, Kunsang, Stanzin, Bernard, Yuen, Dave, Kristina, Catie, Zoltan, Esther and Jamie

2017 Kanch satisfaction; myself and Bali atop the 5746m Kang La pass to Tibet above Yangma - Jamie

2017: Esther, Stacey, Fred, Kurt, Mike, James & Micheala and Jamie
atop the 5160m Pandang La - the Zanskar Spring trek team

2017: star crew: Lobsang, Sunoj, Tenzin, Jamie, Kunga, Tej and Raj - missing Ram Lal

2016: standing L-R: Jamie, Abhishek, Pasang, Sunoj, Lobsang, Ranjan, Tenzin Ram Kumar, Raju, Ram Lal, Balu and Tej Singh
Sitting: Piotr, Romany, Pete, Esther, Amanda, Melissa and Raj

2015: Alan Kerr, Marco Camozzi, Jamie McGuinness, Jim Robinson, Greg Danforth, Roger Nix and Celesta Fong

2014 Great Divide team atop the remote Pangpo La, a real achievement.
Lobsang, Luca, Tod (hidden) Demet, David, Arabella, Len, Helena, Jussi and Jamie

2013 GHT Tilman's
Second row: Dawa (porter cook), Esther Tan, Tom, John, Ole, Paul
Third row: Emma, Henning, Celesta, Aiteram, Samden, Pasang
Sitting: Dawa Gelje, a porter, Jamie, Mingma Lhakpa
Missing, minding the camp: Kami (cook), Dhirendra

L-R: Jamie, Sitar (Rithar), Lobsang, Sophie, Esther, Tenzin and our six horses plus the tough mule

2012 Aconcagua: Arabella, Peter and Jamie on the summit of Aconcagua

The 2012 Aconcagua team: Dan, Amy, Shane, Jamie, Markus, Wasfia and Michele at the park entrance - photo by Wasfia

2011 Zanskar Tribute for Joel
L-R: Lois, Jamie, Lobsang, Steve, Ram Lal, Peter Sih, Kunsang, Sonam, Sam Palsmeier, Punsok

The tough 2011 GHT team less one porter and the horse team

2011 Aconcagua team: Sam, Ben, Jamie, Matt, Demet, Miriam, Raffi, Ian, Esther and David in front - Photo © Kenneth Koh/Adventure Nomad

The 2010 Aconcagua team in Penitentes, L-R: Ken, Malcolm, Tom and Jamie - Jamie

Jamie sleeping out at Saipal Base Camp - photo by Jamie

Jamie on top of Everest 2008

Our 2006 Kanchen Gola Exploratory trek team at the end

Standing L-R: Clive, Humphrey (climbing independently), Ian, Ashraf, Hameed, Ibrahim, Tia, Jahan Beg, David, Jamie and Merhban
Squatting, L-R: Catherine, Mehdi, Adrian, Soren (front), Kees, Mehdi and Wolam Nabi - photo by Jamie

The K2 Concordia trekkers and the Gasherbrum II expedition members together at the beginning.
L-R top row: Captain Komal (Liaison Officer), Kees Terhell, Jane B, Jamie, Ian R, Adrian H, Catherine C, Clive C, Dave B, Humphrey M, Terje S
Lower: Pete P, Ornella C, Soren G, Tia T, Pik C, Raewyn M, Kay B

2005: Standing L-R: Bal Bahadur (porter naike), Pasang (sherpa-cook), Bir Bagh (sherpa), Dawa Gelje (sirdar), John SS, Da'Yula (sherpa-sirdar), Natasha, Niels, Alphonse, Dallas C, Jerry C.
Lower row: Pasang (kitchen), Namgyal (sirdar-leader), Zangbu (sherpa), Pik C, Gerardo, Rachel, Megan, John, Mike, Ornella, Jamie, Andrew

2005 L-R: yak driver, Samantha, Tashi. Toby, Dawa Norbu (another yak drivers' son),
Da'Nuru (front), unknown behind, Temba, Chris Klinke and Jamie

2006 L-R: Jamie, Thinleys (assistant guide), Netti, Nicole, Martin, Raewyn*
Nedup (guide), Miriam* and Anna. (Missing Robert)

2005 on Shishapangma

2004: Dawa, Andrew Lock and Jamie McGuinness

2004

2004 Cho Oyu memories: Dawa, Namgyal and Jamie on the summit of Cho Oyu

2004 Cho Oyu summit

2003 working as a climbing sherpa with David Sharp

2003

2001 (Oh, those days of no grey in the stubble!)

1999 Kanchenjunga Magic & Tengkoma
Standing L-R: ? ? ? Sam Palsmeier, ?, ? Haun, Dana Alford, ? ?, Didier
Squatting: Gary Koppelman, Phurba Pasang, Jamie, Martin, Ang Dami, Joel, Ram Kaji, ?, ?

1997 memories: Pasang, Reid Tiley, Andy Emms, Richard and Jamie

My favourite self-portrait, from the days of film so quite a few years ago

Recent previous treks | 2022 | 2019-21| 2018
2017 | 2016 |2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012
2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006
2005 | 2004 | 2002-03 | 2000-01 | pre-2000

2011-2015 expeditions | 2000-2010 expeditions | 2004-2010 expedition dispatches