After garnering nearly 72,000 votes, National Geographic have reached the verdict—Nepali duo Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa are the 2012 People’s Choice Adventurers of the Year.

NatGeo, for the past seven years, has been searching across the globe to find outstanding individuals who have made remarkable achievements in exploration, conservation, and adventure sports. And this year has been Sunuwar and Sherpa’s moment to shine.

Their Ultimate Descent expedition to climb Everest, paraglide down, and paddle to the sea truly embodies the spirit of adventure. With borrowed gear and a bare-bones budget, there were no corporate sponsors nor social media campaigns, just the essentials for adventure—vision, creativity, and friendship.