Expedition

Science and Nature Series / 1 Season

Head into the unknown with naturalist Steve Backshall as he journeys to the world’s last unexplored places and faces challenges around the globe, encountering extraordinary wildlife and meeting remarkable people along the way.

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Climbing Al-Khuribah

5m 16s

Steve and team climb the first two pinnacles of Al-Khuribah, the highest point of the ancient Dadan Kingdom. What lies at the top could hold the key to a 3000-year old mystery of why this ancient civilization disappeared. The rock is severely eroded, so expert climber Leo Houlding secures a route, and Steve and ropes expert Aldo Kane follow behind him.

Mexican Mob Squad

4m 26s

Steve and team use a drone to locate a huge squadron of Mobula Rays in the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. The rays cluster together and take turns launching themselves out of the water. Steve gets up close and personal with the Mobula as he free dives alongside them.

Attracting Sealife at Night

3m 24s

Steve places a light in the water to attract plankton to the area where his boat is. He suspects that the plankton will help draw the Mobula near. Instead, Steve ends up diving amidst a frenzy of fish with no Mobula in sight.

Gorilla Group Gentil

3m 56s

Steve and team visit a family of gorillas known as Group Gentil in Moukalaba Doudou National Park. After a year without any contact from humans, the gorillas react peacefully and curiously but with a watchful, territorial eye.

Diving Roca Partida

4m 27s

Steve and team dive Roca Partida, a sea mount that is part of the Revillagigedo Islands. They marvel at the abundant wildlife that the sea mount attracts and are thrilled to encounter a Whale Shark, our ocean's largest fish. Mauricio successfully inserts a tracker tag into the shark's dorsal fin.

Forest Creatures at Night

4m 10s

Alessandra sets camera traps in hopes of capturing chimpanzees. Steve, Ghislain and Roger explore the forest at night and encounter a wood mouse and an antelope, neither of whom show any fear at all. Alessandra's camera trap captures night vision footage of a large elephant.

Wildlife Clues

2m 21s

Steve discusses the importance of observing the behavior of other animals in the Djangart valley to inform his team's pursuit of snow leopards. He encounters a marmot, finds traces of a bear, and sees a herd of ibex.

Checking Camera Trackers

2m 42s

Steve and team check the footage from the camera trackers they placed in the Djangart Valley. They find footage of a new family of wolves, brown bears and finally, the team’s first two snow leopard sightings.

Lava Tube Artifacts

4m 55s

As Steve and his team of experts explore the lava tube, they stumble upon some ancient artifacts that suggest that both humans and animals once lived inside this underground tunnel. The unique conditions of the lava tube have naturally preserved these pieces of history, giving us a glimpse into ancient life.

Unexplored Bear Country

3m 5s

Steve and his team of fellow kayakers continue their first descent down the Kronotsky River into prime bear territory. They must secure all of their gear onto an inflatable raft to protect it from the wild rapids.

Navigating the Kronotsky River with a Drone

2m 8s

Steve and team use a drone to get a preview of the next round of rapids they will face down the river. Access to this modern technology allows them to determine that the best way forward is a somewhat unusual one.

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