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Explorer and naturalist Steve Backshall explores some of the most remote locations on earth, venturing into the unknown, to discover fresh insights that could help to secure a future for the world's wildlife.
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00:06I'm Steve Backshall, a naturalist and explorer.
00:13I'm in Oman, a scorched desert land of vast mountains and even bigger canyons.
00:27Where survival depends on an increasingly scarce resource, water.
00:37This expedition will take me and a team of experts into the heart of the Al-Hajjar mountain
00:43range, through oasis villages and down colossal abseils.
00:55All in pursuit of our ultimate goal, to descend through a canyon that no human has explored
01:03before.
01:24Oman, one of the driest places on earth, but it's a landscape shaped by water.
01:34Torrents of rain have carved out deep canyons or wadis.
01:43Rainfall is infrequent yet intense, running off the land and surging through these canyons.
01:53But it doesn't last.
01:55Surface water is rare.
02:02And water could make or break this expedition.
02:19My team and I are in the Al-Hajjar mountains.
02:27We're here to attempt the first descent of an unexplored canyon.
02:33But we need to be prepared.
02:36So first, we're starting our mission 25 kilometers to the northwest.
02:43To take on the ultimate training run.
02:50This is Jebel Shams, Oman's highest mountain.
02:54Here the canyons are a kilometer deep.
03:04Well, we've done some big abseils together in the past, but that's out there, isn't it?
03:10Big ab.
03:10This is the biggest single drop abseil that we've done.
03:15Big doesn't do it justice.
03:18This is one of the longest single-drop abseils on the planet.
03:24At nearly 400 metres, it's four times the height of London's Big Ben.
03:31It's extreme, but we'll find out for sure whether we're ready to take on the unexplored canyon.
03:40We'll begin rope rigging early tomorrow.
03:45Tonight, we'll camp at the top.
03:49I got myself into the worst possible place on the trail.
03:52The donkey in front just keeps letting rip with the most unimaginable stink.
04:00And then the donkey behind, if I stop or slow down, bites me on the backside.
04:05Hey, hey, hey, hey!
04:12Annoyingly, I'm allergic to donkeys and horses.
04:16Not much. Just sort of look like I'm crying.
04:21My good friend and ex-Royal Marine, Aldo Cain, is a rope specialist and our medic.
04:28When temperatures like this, plus 35 degrees Celsius, it doesn't take long at all to run into dehydration and then
04:37into heat exhaustion.
04:38And then ultimately, heat stroke, heat stroke can and will kill.
04:45Only two people have ever made this 400-metre descent, and Khaled Abdul-Malak, renowned canyon explorer, is one of
04:54them.
04:55He would start on the cliff for around 20-25 metres.
05:01And then you are hanging like a spider.
05:04And the cliff keeps on going away from you.
05:08So you're practically flying.
05:13Rigging such a huge drop requires more than one rope specialist.
05:19Justin Halls has been abseiling in Amman for more than a decade.
05:23The first abseil we're going to commit to is just under 400 metres, which is pretty crazy,
05:31considering there isn't any descending equipment invented yet, really, that is designed to cope with that sort of drop.
05:42Look at that!
05:47An abandoned village.
05:49This will be our camp for the night.
05:53That's the first water I've seen above ground instantly.
05:57The second you get water, you get life.
06:01Hey, look at that!
06:04That is a little beauty!
06:08So this is a wadi racer.
06:12It's harmless to us as human beings.
06:14They have got fangs and a very, very mild venom.
06:16This one's hanging out in the wadi, hunting for things like tadpoles from Arabian toads.
06:21But you've got to be quite confident about snakes around here,
06:23because some of the most dangerous to human beings are found in this area.
06:30That's lovely.
06:36Before sundown, we get a closer look at what's in store for tomorrow.
06:43It's hard to believe that this is the practice run.
06:57Cancцен of these little girls get into lines.
06:57But, if you say as a crow...
07:05It's fine.
07:06And sometimes just what are the clue of the sagtra land,
07:06Where are the people hanging out?
07:07But, if you'd then try to do it.
07:07Not necessarily, you never know what do you want.
07:08The Frau coming out, disequired or her goose.
07:12The girl is located on the 양,
07:12but it's done on the way they want.
07:12Well, it's nasty to your lying you might get a lot in store for 10-yarders.
07:16So, what I've got to do this at this time.
07:19I think it's really important that we're rational today.
07:22My concern is for my team, for my crew.
07:25There may come a time when we need to just say,
07:29this is too full on, let's take a step back.
07:32We're going to make wise decisions today
07:34and we'll call things as is most safe.
07:39First thing in the morning,
07:41Aldo and Justin start securing 400 metres of rope to the rock wall.
07:47There's always something about just going over the edge for the first time,
07:50regardless of how many times you do it.
07:54Despite the dizzying feeling in the pit of your stomach
07:57every time you look over the edge,
07:59we're all set for something very, very special.
08:17Look at that.
08:18Rock fall.
08:20That's coming down there.
08:21Where?
08:23God, there's nothing more terrifying than being on the rope
08:26and hearing a rock fall that big.
08:29Just shows you how dangerous this place is.
08:35That wind's picking up.
08:40This might be one of the highest peaks on the Arabian Peninsula,
08:45but 90 million years ago,
08:47this rock was part of the seabed.
08:51The evidence is absolutely everywhere.
08:54So all the rocks are like this.
08:57You can see that that is the helical whirl
09:01of the shell of a marine snail.
09:03And all of these little white flecks in the rock,
09:08and there are millions of them,
09:10every single one is a fossil of the shell of a mussel
09:14or a clam or a whelk or a scallop,
09:15some of them are very recognisable.
09:17All of this was laid down on a shallow seabed,
09:21and we're now 2,000-odd metres above sea level
09:23in the hottest, driest place you could ever imagine.
09:28Rigging the ropes has taken Aldo and Justin eight hours.
09:34We'll now have to make our descent
09:36in the hottest part of the day.
09:38It's a brutal 40 degrees.
09:41You all right, Aldo? How you doing?
09:42It's, er, terrifying.
09:45Director Rosie Gloynes and her film crew
09:47are the least experienced abseilers among us.
09:50These conditions are just too extreme for them.
09:54Yeah, I would very definitely have my worries
09:58about chucking you guys off.
10:00Yeah, I mean, there's no point putting the whole team at risk
10:04for the sake of us going down there.
10:08Unable to make the huge drop,
10:10the film crew will drive around
10:12to meet us at the end of the canyon.
10:18Aldo, Justin, Khaled and I will continue.
10:21We need to test our kit and ourselves
10:24before the unexplored canyon in two days' time.
10:30These are specially made 400-metre lengths of rope.
10:37Anything more than 200 metres you have to have made specially.
10:43The rope is thinner than my finger,
10:45but strong enough to hold the weight of a family car.
10:52We're running.
10:53More than enough to take me and my 40-kilo kit bag.
10:59Going down.
11:07Whoa.
11:09Whoa.
11:09Yeah.
11:10This is immense.
11:12Whoa, that is a long way down.
11:14Yeah.
11:15Oh, mercy me.
11:20I've never said the expression, mercy me,
11:23in my entire life.
11:28At the edge of the overhang,
11:30Aldo helps me to attach myself securely
11:32to the huge, free-hanging descent rope.
11:36Yeah.
11:41Oh, I feel that wind.
11:42Yeah.
11:44All right, that's me.
11:46Ah.
11:51Whoa.
11:58Oh, my goodness.
12:00That is unbelievable.
12:05We're dropping pretty fast at the moment.
12:08I've got to be careful not to go too fast
12:10because obviously there's a real danger
12:12of heating up the equipment
12:14and burning through the ropes,
12:16which would be...
12:18Oh, I just have my first look down.
12:21Whoa.
12:27Okay.
12:31Oh, my God.
12:32I can smell the rope burning.
12:34It's really heating up.
12:36I can smell burning.
12:39Oh.
12:43Whoa, that's too fast.
12:45Too fast.
12:46I need to slow down.
12:48I need more friction.
12:50Putting loops in the rope will help.
13:00But the rope beneath me weighs around 30 kilos.
13:06A third of my own body weight.
13:19That's too quick.
13:21That's too quick.
13:24One more loop.
13:27Oh, get in there.
13:31Oh, yes.
13:32It takes over half an hour,
13:34but I make it to the bottom.
13:36Oh, yes.
13:38Oh, yes.
13:40Down.
13:42Alive.
13:43Safe.
13:44You beauty.
13:49With daylight running out,
13:52Aldo makes his descent.
13:54It gives me just as bad
13:56for her to go looking up
13:57as it did looking down.
13:59And he's going.
14:13One thing about
14:15when you're doing stuff like this,
14:17I can tell
14:19when I'm gripped
14:21with fear
14:23is
14:25talking to myself.
14:31I feel like
14:32I need more friction.
14:38Too little resistance
14:39on the rope
14:40would mean
14:41a dangerously rapid descent.
14:48To control his speed,
14:50Aldo has to lift
14:51the heavy rope
14:52and feed it
14:54through his descender.
14:58progress
14:58is slow.
15:02I'm probably only
15:05a third of the way down.
15:12Jesus,
15:12that's a long way down still.
15:18Ah!
15:20Aldo's
15:20so, so experienced
15:23in ropes
15:23and the fact
15:24that he's having
15:25trouble on this.
15:26It was just
15:27the right call
15:28that
15:28we didn't go down.
15:30That is the tongue
15:31of someone
15:32who's been working
15:35all day
15:36on this face.
15:38Oh!
15:45cramp.
15:48I need
15:49a drink.
15:53Cramp
15:54is a sign
15:54of extreme
15:55dehydration
15:56which can lead
15:58to heat stroke.
15:59I'm knackled.
16:02here,
16:02that could be fatal.
16:05Cramp.
16:08Aldo needs
16:09to get down
16:10as quickly
16:10as the equipment
16:11and his body
16:12will let him.
16:14He's been
16:15on the ropes
16:16for over an hour.
16:17Cramp!
16:19You're almost down.
16:21Mate,
16:22I can't even...
16:24I've got it,
16:25I've got it,
16:25I've got it.
16:26I can't hold
16:27the rope.
16:29Ah!
16:30Everything's cramping,
16:32Nick.
16:35Um...
16:36Ah!
16:38I've got it.
16:39Ah!
16:45Aldo is now
16:46down and
16:47on the ground,
16:47over.
16:49OK, thanks, Steve.
16:50Is he OK?
16:52Very dehydrated
16:53and cramping
16:53and he had
16:54a bit of a nightmare
16:55on the way down.
16:58Well done.
16:58Glad to hear
16:59he's down.
17:00Over.
17:06As Justin
17:07and Khaled
17:07prepare for
17:08their descents,
17:12Aldo and I
17:12search for
17:13a safe place
17:14to sleep.
17:18I didn't want
17:19to run me
17:20through the options.
17:21So,
17:22the Wadi
17:22would be most
17:23comfortable,
17:23the stream bed,
17:24but if it rains
17:25we'd all die.
17:27Here
17:28would kind of
17:28be all right,
17:29but if anything
17:30falls off the top
17:31we'll all die.
17:32And up on the
17:33scree
17:35is
17:36scree,
17:36so if we tried
17:37to camp there
17:37we'd all die.
17:39Nice.
17:40We take our
17:41chances
17:41and make camp
17:42in the boulder
17:43field.
17:46Three hours
17:46later,
17:47Khaled and Justin
17:48make it to the
17:49bottom.
17:49You all right
17:50there, mate?
17:50Er, no,
17:52no done.
17:52This has tested
17:53us all to the
17:54limit.
17:55You're nearly there,
17:55but Justin,
17:56you're nearly there.
17:56I've lost all
17:57strength of my
17:58wrist, buddy.
17:59Oh, my God,
18:01you did a crazy
18:02job, man.
18:03Give me five.
18:05Not with that
18:05hand.
18:06No, slowly,
18:06slowly.
18:07It's been a long,
18:08long day,
18:09hasn't it?
18:09Yeah, it has,
18:10mate.
18:13Well, that was
18:14quite an evening
18:15and it's not done
18:16yet.
18:17We have a lot of
18:17canyon to go
18:18before we can get
18:19back out to meet
18:22the rest of the
18:22team.
18:23so I'm going
18:24to turn in.
18:36Oh, my God.
18:42Morning, mate.
18:44You sleep well?
18:46Er, yeah,
18:47not too bad.
18:48Morning, Khaled.
18:49Hey,
18:50how are you?
18:51How are you?
18:51Not too bad.
18:53Mr. Justin.
18:57Bonjour.
19:03There's one just
19:05on that.
19:06Without the camera
19:07crew, filming
19:08falls to us.
19:11Oh, mate,
19:12I've got a new
19:12career.
19:13Wildlife
19:14cameraman.
19:15Wildlife
19:15cameraman.
19:17Water from this
19:18slimy pool is
19:19enough to replenish
19:20our supplies.
19:24Rehydrated,
19:25drank about
19:25four litres of
19:27water
19:27between last
19:28night and this
19:29morning.
19:30Oral rehydration
19:31salts.
19:33And a good
19:33sleep and I'm
19:33back on form.
19:35Though we've done
19:36the big drop,
19:38training still
19:39continues.
19:42Ahead,
19:43there's another
19:43700 metres
19:44of descent.
19:47Down
19:47through the
19:48canyon,
19:48carrying
19:49everything that
19:49we might
19:50need.
19:50Rope,
19:51food,
19:52and camping
19:53gear.
20:02It's kind
20:03of like
20:03wandering
20:04down through
20:04these rocks
20:04with a
20:06fridge on
20:06your back.
20:07The slightest
20:08wobbling you'll
20:08go over.
20:10And a twisted
20:11ankle down
20:12here is
20:13unthinkable.
20:16The weight
20:17makes steep
20:18scrambles
20:19treacherous.
20:21Abseils are
20:21safer but
20:22slowest down.
20:33these dry
20:34falls are
20:35formed by
20:36the movement
20:36of water.
20:37There are
20:38still now
20:38flash floods
20:39that rip
20:39through here.
20:40There's a few
20:41hours of
20:42heavy rain
20:42and this
20:43would be a
20:43thundering
20:44morass of
20:45white water.
20:46You just can
20:47barely believe
20:47you're in the
20:47same place.
20:48It's like
20:48all of a sudden
20:49coming through
20:49a tropical
20:50rainforest.
20:51Look at
20:52that.
20:54The problem
20:54now is
20:55that my
20:56ropes
20:57are dropping
20:59into deep
21:00water.
21:01With this
21:01heavy bag
21:02it would
21:03definitely
21:03pull me
21:04under.
21:04So I
21:04have to
21:04try and
21:06get out
21:06to the
21:06side
21:08as much
21:08as possible.
21:09But the
21:09problem
21:09with that
21:10is
21:10if I
21:11lose
21:11my
21:11footing
21:12then I'll
21:13pendulum
21:13and swing.
21:22this is
21:23fine
21:23now
21:23but
21:23there's
21:24a
21:24little
21:24ledge
21:24here.
21:28Ow!
21:29Ow!
21:39Damn it!
21:44Yeah, yeah, I'm all right.
21:51A small slip
21:54but a stark reminder
21:56of the dangers
21:56we face.
22:12After 10 hours
22:14in the quiet
22:14of the canyon
22:15we hear a
22:16familiar sound.
22:18Ah, the drone
22:19is coming!
22:21Woohoo!
22:24Ha ha!
22:28Hello!
22:29Hello!
22:33Hello!
22:36Oh, no.
22:37Hello, mate.
22:38Thanks for waiting
22:39for us, Rosie.
22:40You're a legend.
22:44Let's go out, buddy.
22:45You've got a bit
22:46of a sweat on, man.
22:48Look at this.
22:50It's one.
22:52Well done, mate.
22:55Ha ha ha!
22:56Good job!
22:57Ah!
22:58You're doing good.
22:59Thank you, mate.
23:00Ah!
23:01Woo!
23:03Hey!
23:04Hey!
23:05Hey!
23:06Hey!
23:06How are you?
23:07Excellent!
23:08Hey, man.
23:09Nice one.
23:09Well done.
23:10Ah!
23:12Thanks.
23:12Well done.
23:13Yeah.
23:14It's, uh,
23:15interesting that that's
23:16the warm-up.
23:17Yeah.
23:20The training has been
23:22a wake-up call.
23:23Heavy bags slow us down
23:25and dehydration
23:26is a real danger.
23:30In the next canyon,
23:32finding water
23:33is far from guaranteed.
23:42Here in Amman,
23:44access to water
23:45is paramount,
23:46the difference
23:47between life
23:48and death.
23:57But somehow,
23:59people do manage
24:00to live
24:01in these mountains.
24:02humans.
24:05Hamid al-Shubnuti,
24:06our translator,
24:07takes us to learn
24:09the secret
24:09of their survival.
24:12Ten years ago,
24:13there used to be
24:14water all the time here.
24:16The kids from the village,
24:17they said to me
24:18that they used to
24:19learn swimming
24:20in this canyon.
24:21Really?
24:22When they were kids,
24:23yeah.
24:23But now,
24:24that's all
24:25what's left.
24:28Like,
24:29before,
24:30we used to have
24:30a lot of rain
24:31in the winter.
24:32Now,
24:33we don't have
24:34any rain
24:34in the winter.
24:35And in summer,
24:37we have rain
24:37for, like,
24:39one hour,
24:39two hours,
24:40and then
24:41the next day
24:42disappear
24:42because of the heat.
24:43so a hard life
24:45is getting harder.
24:46Yes.
24:52We emerge
24:53from the canyon
24:55into an oasis.
25:03Bilad Seyt,
25:04an ancient village
25:05hidden in the limestone peaks.
25:15Well,
25:16talk about
25:16the desert
25:16brought to life.
25:18Enormous amounts
25:19of palms.
25:20They have
25:20bomegranate,
25:21they have bananas.
25:24Well,
25:25all of which
25:25needs a lot of water.
25:27Yeah.
25:29But that's
25:30in short supply.
25:31And what little
25:32there is
25:33has to be shared
25:34out fairly
25:34amongst the villagers.
25:37An important role
25:38that falls
25:39to the wakil,
25:40or responsible one.
25:48Distribution
25:49is via
25:50a network
25:50of canals
25:53called
25:53a fallage system.
25:57He's channeling
25:58the fallage
25:59to go to history.
26:02This is how
26:03they block
26:03the fallage.
26:04So all it is
26:05is simply
26:05two or three boulders
26:07and some rags
26:08tucked in beside it
26:09to block the gaps
26:10and the water
26:11hits it
26:11and then
26:12is diverted.
26:13Pretty genius.
26:16Rainwater
26:17collects
26:18in natural reservoirs
26:19hidden deep
26:20within the mountains
26:21themselves.
26:23From there
26:24it's channeled
26:25down to the village.
26:29This ingenious
26:30irrigation system
26:31powered by
26:33gravity alone
26:34provides a vital
26:35source of water
26:36to an arid land.
26:47It feels like a sanctuary
26:50but all of this
26:52is only possible
26:52when you have
26:53that intricate
26:54balance
26:55of how the water
26:56is meted out
26:57and if any of that
26:58changes
26:59you get more people
27:00or you get
27:01less water
27:02then this whole
27:03thing is going
27:04to collapse
27:04and right now
27:06they have both
27:07those things
27:07more people
27:08and a lot
27:09less water.
27:12it's a really
27:13frightening thought
27:14that all of this
27:15is on
27:16a knife edge
27:17effectively.
27:19The people that
27:20live here
27:21are eking out
27:22what water
27:22they do have
27:23with precision.
27:26We will have to
27:27do the same.
27:29We leave
27:30Biladzayt
27:31and head for our
27:32ultimate goal
27:34the unexplored
27:35canyon.
27:3725 kilometers
27:39southeast of
27:40Jebel Shams
27:40is an abandoned
27:42village.
27:43It marks the start
27:45of our canyon.
27:48The end point
27:49is where it joins
27:50another canyon.
27:52Already mapped
27:53Wadi Hijri
27:54will be our next
27:55and only guaranteed
27:56source of water.
28:04We got in quite
28:05late last night
28:06it was dark
28:07I've woken up
28:08this morning
28:08to our first
28:10glimpse
28:12of what we're
28:13taking on.
28:14We're higher
28:15than I thought
28:15we're over
28:172,000 meters
28:18here which means
28:19that we've got
28:21about
28:2211,000
28:231,200 meters
28:24of descent
28:25to get down
28:26and out of this
28:26thing.
28:29So it's going
28:30to be big.
28:32Khaled
28:33our canyon
28:33expert
28:34has been
28:35exploring
28:35these mountains
28:36for years.
28:38This one
28:39is really
28:39for me
28:40I would say
28:42totally unknown
28:43because the
28:44other ones
28:44I used to
28:45study them
28:45coming upstream
28:47to study
28:48the canyon
28:49and going
28:50downstream
28:50to study
28:51the upper
28:51part of the
28:52canyon
28:53but this
28:54one
28:54both ends
28:55are unknown
28:56so for me
28:59it will be
28:59a first.
29:01We know
29:02that it's
29:025 kilometers
29:03long
29:03but that's
29:05all we know.
29:11No one
29:12has ever
29:12descended
29:13this canyon
29:14and it's
29:15too narrow
29:16to plan
29:16a route
29:16using
29:17satellite
29:17images.
29:19There's
29:20no way
29:20that this
29:21first bit
29:21is unexplored
29:22but I guess
29:22as we go
29:23on further
29:24eventually
29:24we're going
29:25to hit
29:25a drop
29:26a big
29:27drop off
29:27and beyond
29:28that big
29:29drop
29:30who knows
29:33this is
29:34proper
29:35exploration
29:38and this
29:38time
29:39we need
29:39the film
29:40crew
29:42they'll be
29:43pushed to
29:43their limits
29:44if we come
29:45to any
29:45really big
29:46drops
29:51but right
29:51now
29:52it's the
29:53heat
29:53that's
29:54worrying
29:54us.
29:55You saw
29:55how quickly
29:56I went
29:57into
29:57the stages
29:58of heat
29:58exhaustion
29:59the other
29:59day
29:59and that
29:59was just
30:00being out
30:01in the sun
30:01for a few
30:02hours rigging
30:02so once
30:03we get
30:03inside
30:04these
30:04canyons
30:04they're
30:05like
30:05fun
30:05so just
30:07be aware
30:08of that.
30:09We need
30:10to drink
30:10around a
30:11litre of
30:11water
30:11every hour
30:13water's
30:13heavy
30:14so we
30:14can barely
30:15carry enough
30:15for even
30:16half a
30:16day.
30:19We need
30:20to find
30:20a pool
30:21in this
30:21canyon.
30:26We set
30:26off at
30:276am
30:27to cover
30:28as much
30:28ground
30:29as we
30:29can
30:29before
30:30the
30:30suffocating
30:31heat
30:31of the
30:31midday
30:32sun.
30:48Our
30:49first
30:49obstacle
30:51a
30:5120m
30:52cliff.
30:57So we
30:57might
30:57be able
30:58to
30:58scrabble
30:58around
30:58this
31:00go up
31:00here
31:01high
31:01and
31:01then
31:01come
31:02round
31:03here
31:04definitely
31:05not
31:05this
31:05way.
31:08Abseils
31:08eat up
31:09tight
31:09so we
31:10scramble
31:10whenever
31:11we
31:11can.
31:21they
31:21were
31:21just
31:21taking
31:22on
31:22lots
31:22of
31:22water
31:22and
31:23hoping
31:23hoping
31:24that
31:24we're
31:24going to
31:24find
31:24water
31:25down
31:25there.
31:25If
31:26we
31:26don't
31:26we're
31:27absolutely
31:27stuffed.
31:38We
31:38reach a
31:38point
31:39where
31:39scrambling
31:39with
31:40heavy
31:40bags
31:40is
31:41too
31:41dangerous.
31:46We
31:46need
31:46to
31:47abseil.
31:50There's
31:50no
31:50water
31:51at
31:51the
31:51bottom
31:51of
31:51this
31:51drop
31:51here
31:52as
31:52far
31:52as
31:52we
31:52can
31:52see.
31:53Everyone's
31:54water
31:54is
31:54getting
31:54low
31:55and
31:56before
31:56we
31:56arrive
31:57this
31:57evening
31:57everyone's
31:58going
31:58to
31:58need
31:59water
31:59for
31:59sure.
32:00So
32:01now
32:01we
32:02need
32:02to
32:02start
32:02moving
32:03a bit
32:03more
32:03quickly.
32:13While
32:13the rest
32:13of the
32:14team
32:14make
32:14their
32:14way
32:14down
32:16Khaled
32:16and I
32:17push
32:17on
32:17to
32:17find
32:18water.
32:20So
32:20I've
32:21scrambled
32:21down
32:21a
32:21fair
32:22way
32:22and
32:23it's
32:24just
32:24nasty
32:25boulder
32:25descent.
32:26There
32:27is
32:27no
32:28sign
32:28of
32:28water.
32:29It's
32:29not
32:29looking
32:30great
32:30from
32:30where
32:30I
32:30am.
32:31I have
32:31to say
32:31over.
32:34So
32:35guys,
32:35just be
32:35prepared
32:36for a bit
32:36of a
32:36slog out.
32:38Try and
32:38conserve your
32:39water a
32:39little bit
32:40if you
32:40can.
32:41We don't
32:41know when
32:42the next
32:42bit will
32:42be.
32:43Everyone
32:44happy?
32:49in the
32:50exposed
32:50canyon
32:51there's
32:52no
32:52respite
32:53from
32:53the
32:54relentless
32:54heat.
33:05Yes,
33:06yes,
33:07that is
33:08water.
33:13water.
33:13It's
33:14a tiny
33:14stagnant
33:15pool,
33:16but it's
33:17a
33:17lifesaver.
33:22Everybody
33:23is out of
33:23water,
33:24so this
33:24is amazing.
33:26And we're
33:27not the
33:27only ones
33:28making use
33:28of it.
33:30This is
33:30called a
33:31water scorpion.
33:32They are
33:32a real
33:33weirdo of an
33:34animal.
33:35They breathe
33:36through this
33:36tube at the
33:37back end
33:37here.
33:37It's like a
33:38snorkel,
33:38and they
33:38leave that
33:39up at the
33:39surface.
33:40And these
33:41are predatory.
33:42They capture
33:43things like
33:44tadpoles with
33:45those predatory
33:46raptorial
33:47forearms at
33:48the front,
33:48and then they
33:48inject them
33:49with digestive
33:50enzymes and
33:51suck out the
33:52meat soup
33:53afterwards.
33:54Whoa!
33:56Oh,
33:56they're like
33:57little aliens.
33:59See,
33:59I'm quite glad
34:00I'm wearing
34:01my leather gloves
34:01because the
34:02bite is
34:03extremely
34:03painful.
34:22well,
34:23that's the
34:24end of the
34:24line for us
34:25today.
34:32We're facing
34:33our biggest
34:33challenge yet.
34:40this is
34:41what we've
34:42been training
34:42for.
35:01A colossal,
35:03sheer draw.
35:14this is
35:15incredible.
35:17You know,
35:18this is not
35:18on any map,
35:20there's no
35:21guidebook,
35:23and we are
35:25the first team
35:26ever to be
35:28here.
35:31amazing.
35:32amazing.
35:33It is incredible
35:33that in this
35:34day and age,
35:35you can still
35:36find places
35:36like this.
35:42Tonight,
35:42we'll make
35:43camp where
35:44we can.
35:48do you know
35:49I like it when
35:49you're in these
35:49places is just
35:50making somewhere
35:52inhospitable
35:54your little
35:54like home for
35:55the night.
35:58This will do,
35:59it's comfy,
36:00flat.
36:05Home sweet home,
36:06look at that.
36:07That's genius,
36:08that is.
36:08That's like a
36:09four-poster bed.
36:11But without the
36:12posts and the
36:14mattress.
36:14Lovely.
36:15And the bed.
36:17We're breaking
36:17like all ten of the
36:19rules in the
36:19where to camp book
36:20at the top of a
36:2280-metre drop in a
36:24waddy where it
36:25could flash flood
36:25and in a place
36:26where it's overhanging
36:28on both sides.
36:29But apart from
36:30that,
36:32it's a fairly good
36:33place to camp.
36:35If we did have a
36:36flash flood,
36:37we'd want to
36:38scramble up here
36:39to that little
36:40ledge there.
36:41I mean,
36:42nowhere's
36:42perfect.
36:43There's, you know,
36:44no absolute way
36:45of getting out of
36:46it.
36:47The skies are
36:48clear.
36:50I think we're
36:51going to be okay.
37:05Yesterday, we got
37:06down through the
37:09wider, broader
37:09part of the
37:10canyon and last
37:11night found
37:12ourselves at the
37:12top of a
37:13substantial drop.
37:16From here, it's
37:18only two kilometres
37:19to our goal.
37:21The pools at the
37:23larger canyon,
37:24Wadi Hidri.
37:29But first, we
37:31have to tackle
37:32this drop.
37:33An enormous
37:35dry waterfall.
37:54Okay, chaps.
37:56I will see
37:57you below.
38:12This feels
38:13like I've just
38:14uncovered some
38:15extraordinary
38:16treasure.
38:19So, so
38:21exciting.
38:28I'm more used
38:29to going up
38:29trees at about
38:3030 metres in
38:31the jungle.
38:33So, like,
38:33big 80-metre
38:35rocky drops,
38:36so still a bit
38:37new to me.
38:39For the film
38:40crew, this is the
38:41biggest abseil
38:42they've ever
38:42faced.
38:50Yet, one by one,
38:52they successfully
38:53navigate the
38:54descent.
38:59whoo-hoo!
39:01That was amazing.
39:10A lot of people
39:12wonder why we put
39:13ourselves through
39:14all of the heat
39:15and the sweatiness
39:16and the fear and
39:17the danger and the
39:18pain, and it's
39:20for moments like
39:20this, and you
39:22know that yours are
39:24the first human
39:25eyes ever to look
39:27at it.
39:29And there's so much
39:30going on.
39:32These oleander bushes
39:34here have glorious
39:36pink flowers in them.
39:39Dozens of different
39:40kinds of wasps and
39:41butterflies and giant
39:42dragonflies.
39:43You know, this
39:44environment is so
39:46hard, it's so harsh,
39:47it's so challenging,
39:48but the rewards it
39:50gives you just makes
39:52extra, extra special.
39:56We need to replenish
39:57our supplies and get
39:59moving.
40:04There's trouble
40:05brewing overhead.
40:10Yeah, check the
40:11clouds out.
40:12It's the first time
40:13I've seen them
40:13actually, like,
40:14forming and moving
40:15like that.
40:23Let's just hope
40:24that it doesn't rain
40:24while we're in here
40:25because there's no
40:27way out.
40:28Flash flood through
40:29here right now
40:30would be curtains.
40:32So, uh, we just
40:33need to keep an eye
40:34on it, basically.
40:35Um, I've been
40:36watching them since
40:37the top of the last
40:38drop and it's
40:39starting to look a
40:40little bit heavy.
40:42Even rain further
40:43up the valley could
40:44surge through here
40:45in no time.
40:49Okay, right.
40:51See you in a sec.
40:53I go ahead to set up
40:54the next abseil with
40:55Khaled.
40:59But we're stopped
41:01in our tracks.
41:05Hey, carpet viper.
41:06No way, no way, no way.
41:08Come, come.
41:09It's hissing.
41:10It's hissing.
41:12Come, come.
41:13Okay, okay, okay.
41:14Don't go any closer.
41:16No, no, it's not,
41:16it's not moving.
41:19Thank God
41:21I didn't step on them.
41:25These are
41:26sore-scaled vipers.
41:28I spend most of my life
41:32trying to tell people
41:33that animals are not
41:34dangerous to us
41:34as human beings
41:35and we shouldn't be
41:35frightened of them.
41:36They mean us no harm.
41:38This is one of the few
41:39exceptions to the rule.
41:41The sore-scaled viper
41:42could be the most
41:44dangerous species of snake
41:45on the planet
41:46to us as human beings.
41:48Just see if I can
41:49get this out
41:50into the open.
41:52Just having a little
41:53snap at me there
41:54at the stick.
41:56So,
41:59there he is.
42:02There it is.
42:09The sore-scaled viper
42:10has hinged fangs
42:11that lie along
42:13the upper jaw
42:13and are stabbed
42:15into prey
42:16injecting a venom
42:17which affects the blood
42:18and the circulatory
42:19system
42:20and the muscles.
42:21It's fast acting,
42:23very, very powerful.
42:28This snake was right
42:30at the bottom of our rope
42:31so it would have been
42:31so easy for someone
42:32to step off the abs
42:33sail and step right
42:34on the sore-scaled viper
42:37and that would be,
42:39probably could be,
42:40the most dangerous
42:41thing you'd find
42:42in this canyon.
42:47OK, guys,
42:48right at the bottom
42:48of the ropes
42:49we have two snakes,
42:50two sore-scaled vipers
42:51so I need you
42:53to come down
42:54slowly and carefully
42:55and be very careful
42:56about where you
42:56put your feet.
42:57Over.
42:58Park out,
42:59get going up.
43:00Khaled steers everyone
43:02safely past the
43:03vipers.
43:05Go up a little bit,
43:06just a little bit,
43:07half a metre.
43:08Here you're fine,
43:09cross at this level.
43:11Just under the...
43:17Yeah.
43:19Sorry.
43:21There's big dark clouds
43:22gathering on the mountains
43:23over there.
43:24We need to get a new one.
43:41I just felt rain.
43:44Right, let's move
43:45fast.
43:53We're pretty much
43:54locked into this canyon
43:55there in quite a tight
43:57boulder choke.
43:59This is not the place
44:01to be trapped in.
44:11We're just entering a place
44:13that's super thin.
44:16If the rain came now,
44:18that would be really dangerous
44:20so we need to get through
44:21here quickly.
44:29We think there's probably
44:30a bit of rain coming
44:31and we thought we'd
44:31passed all the abseils
44:32but there's a
44:35kind of one of
44:36two or three metres
44:36that we just
44:37need to drop down
44:38but this is not
44:40the place
44:40that we want
44:41to be stuck.
44:44Steve,
44:44do I unload it?
44:47See how you're going.
44:49It's actually
44:50underhanging.
44:56Okay?
44:57Yeah.
44:58Yeah.
45:17We're literally
45:19only 500 metres,
45:21half a kilometre
45:22from the main canyon
45:23where we can at least
45:23get back up and out.
45:38Finally,
45:39we're out of the narrow
45:40section
45:43and should be
45:44out of danger.
45:49Then,
45:50we hear
45:51running water.
45:58These are the pools
45:59of Wadi Hidri.
46:01Look at this,
46:02look that way.
46:05Unbelievable.
46:07The end
46:08of the unexplored canyon.
46:09Look at this,
46:10it's running,
46:11there's a waterfall.
46:12We're back
46:13in known territory.
46:19That's amazing.
46:21That's amazing.
46:24That's amazing.
46:26And this is part
46:28of the known
46:30and mapped canyon.
46:33So we know that
46:35it's only about
46:36a five-hour walk out
46:38from here,
46:39which we'll do tomorrow.
46:48I don't mind admitting
46:49that was a
46:51hard day.
46:54I am broken.
46:56I am broken.
47:05It's been tough on all of us,
47:07but worth it.
47:09Revealing undiscovered wonders.
47:15Hidden away within these walls.
47:18The desert gives you a very special appreciation of water.
47:22And it makes you acutely aware
47:24of the challenges
47:25that people here are facing now
47:27and, more importantly,
47:28are going to face
47:29in the next couple of decades.
47:32There's an increasing population here.
47:34There is no water system
47:36in the world
47:37that is more stressed.
47:39Every single drop
47:40is gold dust.
47:42And it is
47:43evaporating away
47:45before our eyes.
47:49Expedition with Steve Backshaw
47:51is available on Amazon Prime Video.
48:16in the world