All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Drakensberg: Barrier of Spears

    • May 10, 2015
    • Smithsonian Channel

    The Drakensberg is a gargantuan range of pointy peaks that cuts across the South African plains, more than living up to its Zulu name Ukhahlamba - or 'Barrier of Spears.' Take an exhilarating journey among its massive sandstone buttresses, grass-covered slopes, and wealth of diverse wildlife.

  • S01E02 Gardens in the Clouds

    • May 18, 2015
    • Smithsonian Channel

    Journey high into the sky to a remote mountain world, swirling in silver mist. These are the Cloud Mountains of South Africa, a hidden enclave of indigenous "Afromontane" forests, packed with giant prehistoric plants and the native species that rely on them - a true window into an ancient era.

  • S01E03 Sandveld: Land of Contrasts

    • May 25, 2015
    • Smithsonian Channel

    For the wildlife of South Africa's rugged coastline, life is a constant balance of extremes. While some species have the luxury of choosing between the dangers of the Atlantic or the severity of the land, all of its inhabitants learn to cope with the area's unyielding, yet beautiful, landscape.

  • S01E04 Namaqualand: The Desert Bloom

    • June 7, 2015
    • Smithsonian Channel

    On the western coast of South Africa, a unique desert landscape experiences the contrasts of a punishing 10-month dry period, followed by a brief flurry of rain and floral bloom. Follow the speckled padloper, mole snake, and other species that call Namaqualand home, as they celebrate their reward for months of resilient survival.

  • S01E05 De Hoop: Place of Hope

    • June 14, 2015
    • Smithsonian Channel

    In the Western Cape province of South Africa, De Hoop Nature Reserve is bringing back countless endangered species from the brink of extinction. From the docile bontebok to gargantuan southern right whales, meet some of the world's most vulnerable creatures as they battle against overwhelming odds.

  • S01E06 Kogelberg: Mountains of Diversity

    • June 14, 2015
    • Smithsonian Channel

    Take a trip along the mountainous coast of South Africa's Western Cape, a botanical wonderland where rare plants are interspersed across a carpet of species-rich fynbos vegetation. On land and sea, life here is both intricate and spectacular.