Article Highlights:

  • The Travel Boldly Global Rescue photo and video contest celebrates fearless exploration, storytelling and creativity.
  • Nearly $10,000 in prizes include guided climbs, overland journeys and Rockies expeditions.
  • Prizes feature safety support with complimentary 14-day Global Rescue memberships.
  • Esteemed judges include acclaimed photographers, journalists and adventure storytellers.
  • Contest entries close October 2, with winners announced in November.

 

Global Rescue is wrapping up 2025 with a celebration of adventure, creativity and the stories travelers bring home from their journeys. This year, travel is defined by bold choices — summiting legendary peaks, venturing into remote landscapes, savoring unforgettable moments with loved ones and capturing the rhythm of life on the move.

The 2025 Global Rescue Photo and Video Contest is themed Travel Boldly — a tribute to the explorers, storytellers and dreamers who turn their travel into art. From spontaneous encounters to carefully planned expeditions, your images and videos showcase the fearless curiosity that connects us all through travel.

To match the spirit of bold travel, Global Rescue has partnered with extraordinary sponsors offering prizes that go far beyond the ordinary. Together, they’ve created opportunities that span from scaling iconic summits to navigating wild deserts and immersing in breathtaking mountain landscapes. Nearly $10,000 in prizes are waiting for winners, including guided expeditions, immersive adventure experiences and the peace of mind of a Global Rescue membership.

 

Contest Sponsors and Prizes

Altezza – Kilimanjaro Expedition
Altezza Travel has become one of the most trusted outfitters for adventurers tackling Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s tallest peak and one of the famed Seven Summits. Known for its highly experienced mountain guides, professional logistics and an emphasis on both safety and comfort, Altezza has helped thousands of climbers from around the world reach Uhuru Peak at 19,341 feet. Contest winners will receive a once-in-a-lifetime prize: a free Kilimanjaro expedition with Altezza, including all the essentials for a guided ascent. This journey is more than just a climb—it is an immersion into Tanzania’s landscapes, from rainforest to alpine desert to glaciers.

A deeply memorable moment during an expedition was when photographs captured 86-year-old Angela V. who successfully climbed Kilimanjaro. “After her trip, Altezza received many inquiries from people in their 60s who had doubts about their ability to undertake such adventures. However, several pictures of Angela at the Uhuru Peak summit completely changed their minds. A simple picture inspired many to overcome their fears and scale Kilimanjaro.”

To further ensure peace of mind, winners will also receive a complimentary 14-day Global Rescue membership, offering medical and security advisory and evacuation services should the unexpected arise. Together, Altezza and Global Rescue provide not only the opportunity to achieve a legendary summit but also the assurance of safety and support throughout the adventure.

 

Climbing The Seven Summits – Mount Baker Classic
Climbing The Seven Summits specializes in guiding ambitious adventurers on world-class climbs across the globe, from beginner-friendly peaks to legendary mountains. As a contest prize, the company is offering a coveted spot on its 3-Day Mount Baker Classic Climb in Washington State. Mount Baker, an active stratovolcano standing over 10,000 feet, offers the perfect balance of challenge, skill-building and reward. Participants learn essential mountaineering skills—including glacier travel, rope techniques and ice axe use—under the guidance of expert instructors. By the summit day, climbers will put these skills into practice while enjoying breathtaking views of the North Cascades.

What moments are most important for participants to capture in photos or videos during these trips? “Summit shots are meaningful, but some of the most powerful images come earlier in the expedition. The journey is so much more than just the summits, it is also the culture and the people along the trail. Clients often look back on these moments as deeply memorable because they capture both anticipation and the richness of the landscape and community.

The experience is designed to empower climbers to take on bigger objectives while providing an unforgettable introduction to alpine climbing. Along with the climb, winners will also be covered by a 14-day Global Rescue membership, ensuring access to world-class medical and security support throughout their expedition.

 

Fresh Adventures – Rockies Mountain Experience
Fresh Adventures is known for designing small-group, all-inclusive outdoor journeys across Canada that blend adventure with cultural exploration. Contest winners will earn a place on the company’s 7-Day Rockies Mountain Experience, an epic adventure through some of Canada’s most breathtaking landscapes. Guests can expect a week filled with hiking stunning alpine trails, exploring turquoise lakes, camping under the stars and discovering hidden corners of the Canadian Rockies with knowledgeable guides. The itinerary emphasizes both thrilling activities and moments of relaxation, such as enjoying campfire meals or visiting charming mountain towns.

Fresh Adventures prides itself on fostering camaraderie among participants, making the trip both a physical adventure and a chance to form lasting connections. To complement the prize, Global Rescue provides a 14-day membership, ensuring that travelers are protected with expert medical and security resources wherever their journey leads. This combination of world-class guiding and reliable emergency support creates a prize that embodies the true spirit of adventure travel.

 

Four Points Adventures – Overland in Death Valley
Four Points Adventures specializes in off-the-grid expeditions that blend overlanding, camping and discovery of some of the wildest landscapes in North America. Contest winners will receive a spot on a 3-Day Overland Adventure in California’s Death Valley National Park, one of the most extreme and fascinating environments on Earth. Known for its otherworldly scenery—salt flats, sand dunes, colorful canyons and star-filled night skies—Death Valley is an explorer’s dream.

So, how does photography and video storytelling play a role in Four Points Adventures? “Photography plays an important role because it gives the viewer a sense of trust in where we will be taking them, what they will be seeing and doing. Photos, even in today’s world of AI, give the viewer a sense of truth where words alone can’t.”

The Four Points experience goes beyond sightseeing: it’s about self-sufficiency, navigation and immersing in the raw beauty of remote terrain. Participants will travel in capable vehicles, camp under the desert sky and learn practical overlanding skills from expert guides. The trip offers both challenge and reward, combining rugged exploration with the comforts of group camaraderie. To safeguard this journey, the prize also includes a 14-day Global Rescue membership, giving participants the confidence of knowing that emergency evacuation and medical advisory services are available even in one of the harshest environments on the planet.

 

Contest Deadline

Contest submissions are open until October 2. After that, our panel of judges will take on the challenge of selecting the very best from your outstanding photo and video entries — all while managing the travel envy your adventures are sure to inspire.

With your travel appetite sparked by these incredible prizes, it’s time to meet the judges who will carefully review your entries and select the very best examples of Traveling Boldly in each category. And remember — no matter how raw or refined your talent may be, these visual experts have an eye for spotting a sensational photograph and an unforgettable video.

 

The 2025 Judges Panel

Ben Horton: Photographer & Director | Environmental Storyteller

Ben Horton is an acclaimed photographer and director known for powerful environmental storytelling. From National Geographic expeditions to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, his work blends adventure, conservation and commercial artistry. He documents remote landscapes and cultural stories, especially in Baja, Mexico, with authenticity and striking visual impact.

 

Jen Murphy: Award-Winning Journalist

Jen Murphy is an award-winning freelance journalist covering adventure travel and fitness. Splitting her time between Colorado and Maui, she writes for The New York Times, Outside, Conde Nast Traveler and more. She loves off-the-grid adventures, snowboarding, surfing and exploring the world’s wildest places.

 

Arnie Weissman: Editor Travel Weekly

Arnie Weissmann is editor in chief of Travel Weekly and executive vice president/editorial director for its parent company, Northstar Travel Group. A nationally awarded writer and photographer, he appears on PBS’s The Travel Detective and has been featured in top media outlets including CNN, BBC, The New York Times and Conde Nast Traveler China.

 

Berne Broudy: Writer and Photographer

Berne Broudy is a Vermont-based outdoor journalist, photographer and filmmaker. With 25 years of experience, her work appears in Outside, Popular Science and National Geographic Adventure. She co-founded an adaptive mountain biking trail group and co-directed Best Day Ever, a film about inclusive outdoor recreation.

 

Geoffrey Morrison: The Inveterate Adventurer

Geoffrey Morrison is a travel writer, photographer and author of Budget Travel for Dummies. Known as the Bald Nomad, he’s visited 60 countries and all 50 US states. His work appears in CNET, Wirecutter and The New York Times. He also writes the Undersea sci-fi novel series.

 

Chelsea Bakos-Kallgren: The Graphic Designer with a Photographer’s Eye

Chelsea Bakos-Kallgren is Graphic Design Lead at Guidehouse and former Head of Design at Global Rescue. Her visual work spans clients like Simon Pearce and the National Park Service. A passionate traveler and hiker, she documents her journeys on film with her beloved FM2 camera.

 

Allie Savage: Video Editor | Candid Storyteller & Run-n-Gun Videographer

Allie Savage is Global Rescue’s video editor, creating social and TV content with a focus on candid, emotional storytelling. A ‘run-n-gun’ videographer, she captures live events and spontaneous moments. Based in New Hampshire, Allie loves travel, adventure and filming unscripted stories that connect with viewers.

About the Global Rescue Photo Contest

The Global Rescue photo contest began in 2013. Photo entries spotlight some of the amazing expeditions and journeys Global Rescue members undertake each year.

“Serving as the world’s leading rescue and evacuation provider for mountaineers, explorers, researchers, adventure, business and leisure travelers since 2004, Global Rescue provides peace of mind as they travel the world,” said Dan Richards, CEO at Global Rescue.

Click here for more contest details.