Kuwait City, Kuwait – July, 2024 – Kuwaiti mountaineer and adventurer, Yousef AlRefaie, has just returned from an expedition across the Atacama Desert in Chile, the driest place on Earth. This ambitious journey, undertaken to find the driest inhabited place, culminated in the discovery of Quillagua, a tiny settlement that embodies resilience in the face of extreme environmental conditions.
“Embarking on my latest journey to discover the driest inhabited place on Earth, I set out with boundless enthusiasm and an insatiable curiosity about our natural world. This adventure, part of my ongoing documentary series ‘Earth’s Extremes,’ is set to be one of our most compelling explorations yet,” said Yousef AlRefaie.
The Atacama expedition, which spanned from April 11 to May 7, was full of challenges. Yousef and his team meticulously researched and analysed maps, often finding that many locations were either mere names or ruins of abandoned towns. Despite these difficulties, their determination led them to Quillagua, marking a significant milestone in Yousef’s adventure.
“Our recent expedition spanned 7,000 kilometers across harsh, unforgiving landscapes. From Caletas to remote mining regions and secluded communities, it was more than a climatic discovery; it was a profoundly human connection. Traversing these regions, I found that each encounter revealed the profound simplicity of human existence in extreme conditions,” said Yousef.
Yousef AlRefaie’s insatiable curiosity about Earth’s wonders drives him to explore the most extreme environments. His latest project, a documentary series titled “Earth’s Extremes,” aims to showcase these remarkable locations and the people who inhabit them. The series, which is currently in production, has already seen the completion of three episodes.
The episode on the wettest place on Earth was filmed in July 2023 in the rain-soaked landscapes of Mawsynram and Cherrapunji in India.
The episode on the hottest place was filmed in the Afar region of Ethiopia in December 2023, with additional scenes from Kuwait. In collaboration with the meteorology department, Yousef investigated the unprecedented heat experienced in Kuwait.
The episode on the driest places highlights his recent expedition in the Atacama region of Chile.
The final episode will take Yousef to Oymyakon in Siberia, the coldest inhabited place on the planet, scheduled for filming in December 2024.
Besides the documentary, Yousef plans to release an accompanying book and a photobook. All proceeds from the photobook sales will be donated to support the communities living in these extreme environments, showcasing their resilience and unique ways of coping with harsh conditions.
Yousef’s adventures do not stop here. With the documentary nearing completion, he is already gearing up for his next major challenge: the First Ascent China Expedition, scheduled for 2024. This ambitious endeavour will see Yousef and his team discovering, climbing, and measuring the heights of three “unknown” volcanoes in China.
A significant part of Yousef’s research involved collaborating with the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). Together, they studied life in extreme locations such as Dallol, Ethiopia, where there is ongoing debate about the existence of life in its sulfuric waters. “Our recent trip to the Atacama Desert was particularly enlightening as we learned about and worked with fog catchers. These innovative devices capture fog and convert it into usable water, providing crucial support to local communities facing severe water crises,” Yousef explained.
“Earth’s Extremes” has been more than a documentary series; it has been a testament to human resilience. Each location, whether wet, dry, hot, or cold, has revealed unique strategies of survival and adaptation. These stories are not just about enduring but thriving in the face of environmental extremities.
As “Earth’s Extremes” nears completion, Yousef expressed his excitement to share the documentary, which will soon be available on several TV and VOD platforms, chronicling the raw realities and compelling stories from his quests. Looking ahead, he invites audiences to stay tuned for more thrilling expeditions, including Oymyakon, the coldest inhabited place on Earth.
About Yousef AlRefaie
Yousef AlRefaie is a Kuwaiti mountaineer and adventurer known for his explorations of the world’s most extreme environments. His mission is to explore hard-to-reach places, often torn by conflict, closed off by restrictive orders, or extremely remote and requiring long treks. Grateful for his Kuwaiti heritage, Yousef draws inspiration from his desert homeland to uncover the secrets of deserts worldwide.
Driven by a hunger to explore global deserts, Yousef is on a quest to cross the largest desert on each of the seven continents. This mission is more than a physical and mental challenge; it aims to raise awareness about the global water crisis, particularly its impact on people in desert regions.
Yousef’s dedication to environmental awareness is a core message of his upcoming documentary “Earth’s Extremes”, documenting the hottest, driest, wettest and coldest places on Earth.
“What better way to uncover the secrets of our changing climate than by venturing into the heart of climatic extremes?”
In 2022, Yousef achieved a Guinness World Record as the youngest person to climb the seven volcanic summits, reaching the highest volcanoes on each of the seven continents at 24 years and 119 days. He also completed the volcanic seven summits challenge, becoming the 24th in the world to do so, and reached the highest point in every GCC country within six days, attempting a Guinness World Record in the process.