This May, renowned mountain climber Ed Viesturs will make what is likely his final attempt at mountaineering history when he sets off for the summit of Mount Annapurna in Nepal. If successful, Viesturs will be the first American to summit all 14 8,000-meter peaks in the world without the use of oxygen -- an incredible feat that has taken him nearly 20 years. MSN® Travel will be right there, allowing viewers to experience this bit of American mountaineering history as it unfolds.

As part of its groundbreaking travel series "First and Best," MSN Travel will follow Viesturs as he makes his third attempt to conquer Mount Annapurna. "First and Best" host and author-adventurer Richard Bangs will lead a crew to the Annapurna base camp, where they will monitor and report on Viesturs' progress.

"This type of compelling coverage will be among the many new features that will be available at MSN Travel," said Stephen Cvengros, general manager of MSN Channels for Microsoft Corp. "We are committed to providing unparalleled multimedia coverage of the most engaging, diverse travel stories around the globe. With our top-notch travel journalism team, we will provide a genuine, in-depth look at this awe-inspiring trek to the top of the world."

The initiative is part of a revamping of the MSN Travel site. MSN Travel will include services and content to provide users with a complete travel experience -- whether they are seeking information for business, for pleasure or in preparation for real-world outings of their own. New features will include personal itinerary planning, destination guides, increased editorial content and customized content delivery.