He is also the first person to completely cross Antarctica on foot, and the first to circumnavigate the world along its polar axis, which Guinness World Records lists as "the longest continuous expedition in the history of polar travel".
Fiennes has written or contributed to over 20 books, mainly about his expeditions and explorations. He has been awarded numerous awards for his achievements, including the Polar Medal, the Queen’s Polar Medal, the Livingstone Medal, and the Founders Medal of the Royal Geographical Society. He was knighted in 1993 for services to exploration, and appointed OBE in 1983 for polar travel and services to charity.
Fiennes has been married twice. His first marriage, to Ginny Pepper, ended when he was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1993. He met Louise Millington soon afterwards, and they were married in 2005. He has three children from his first marriage.