Episode Details

Edmund Hillary kept bees for a living and described himself as an average New Zealander with modest abilities. In 1953 he and Tenzing Norgay became the first confirmed climbers to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Hillary never said who stepped on top first, insisting it was a team effort, and spent the rest of his life building schools and hospitals in Nepal.

This episode traces Hillary from his beekeeping days through the Everest expedition, his humanitarian work with the Sherpa people, and his journey to the South Pole with Edmund Fuchs.

• He and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Everest on May 29, 1953
• He refused to say who stood on top first, always calling it a joint achievement
• He spent decades building schools, hospitals, and bridges in Nepal's Sherpa communities
• He was the first living New Zealander to appear on the country's banknote