Explorers: Adventures of the Century Season 4 Episodes

Episode 1

Spitting Distance - The Descent Into a Raging Volcano

52 mins

A team of scientists and alpinists travel to the remote island of Ambrym in Vanuatu in the South Pacific. Their mission is to attempt a 500m descent into the crater of the active Benbow volcano, one of only seven volcanoes in the world displaying an active lava lake. On their way down the team is faced with the dangers of toxic gas emissions and brittle rock. To become the first humans to set foot on the third terrace inside the crater is no easy task considering the active volcano frequently spits lava bombs onto the third terrace. SPITTING DISTANCE is not only a journey to the inner core of the earth, but also a journey to the inner core of the explorers' selves. The documentary unveils the team's doubts and fears as well as passion and obsession for one of natures' most brutal forces.

Episode 2

Cape Verdean Kite Crossing

Mitu Monteiro, a Cape Verdean kite surfer and multi-time world champion, attempts the solo crossing of the twelve volcanic islands of his native archipelago, taking on more than 730km only by man - powered means.

Episode 3

Paddle SUP - Mission Amazon

52 mins

Mission Amazon (Subtitle) In 2015, Charlie Head will attempt the first ever standup paddle boarding of the main water source of the Amazon, the Rio Marañón in Peru. It's never been attempted before and will be the most arduous and longest SUP journey ever made. For two months, using just his physical and mental strength, Charlie will have to negotiate extreme terrain, trek around impassable river rock falls, survive freezing water, high altitude, swarms of insects and suspicious local tribes. But the hardships will be worth it if he can help shine some light on one of the planet's most endangered environments. Over 20 new dams are planned on the river's free-flowing stretches. If they are built, scientists believe that could alter the entire Amazon basin forever. So if Charlie doesn't do it now, he may never be able to.

Episode 4

Locked In - First Descent of the Beriman Gorge

24 mins

First Descent of the Beriman Gorge (Subtitle) Located just a few degrees south of the equator, Papua New Guinea is a tapestry of virgin rainforest, unique culture and expansive coastline. Pouring out of the Nakanai Plateau is the Beriman River. Stretching over 40km from source to sea, the river drops over 2,000m to the Solomon Sea. The towering canyon walls make it an unexplored mystery until now. Ben Stookesberry, Chris Korbulic, Ben Marr and Pedro Oliva set out to conquer these whitewater rapids, the likes of which no kayakers have navigated before. In a 13-day expedition from source to sea they push their skills and patience to the edge. Twelve distinct gorges chock full of class 5 rapids, inescapable vertical walls, rising water levels and dense, virgin jungle all stand in the way of them being able to achieve a successful first descent - one of the most significant undertakings in a kayak.

Episode 5

Dare to Soar - Flying with Condors

52 mins

With a wingspan of three meters, the Andean Condor is considered a master of flying in fierce mountain terrain. Using thermal winds alone, it covers distances stretching hundreds of kilometers a day and soars up to a height of nearly 5,000m above sea level. These capabilities make condors a fascinating subject not only to biologists but to thermal pilots as well. If a condor can climb in this way, can a paraglider as well? This is the question that Hernan Pitocco and Horacio Llorens, both long distance paragliding champions, seek to answer. The pilots have to find a suitable landform at the coast with upwinds to successfully navigate the route along a steep canyon high up into the Andes. An emergency landing halfway in the desert would be disastrous. But when Hernan and Horacio soar higher a late realization leads to near-fatal consequences.

Episode 6

My Own Private Monster

24 mins

Six years ago, Australian fishermen saw huge waves breaking at Pedra Branca, the Southern-most land of Australia's Continental shelf. Local surfers investigated and the pictures made the surfing world shudder. It's not just a rock. It's not a just a wave. It is a monster at the edge of the world. Only six people have surfed it ever since. The wave is so powerful that the last two people to surf it broke their legs and were knocked unconscious. Twenty-two sailors and scientists have died there. The area is a permanent seal colony patrolled by great white sharks. Now one man, Alastair McLeod, wants to windsurf to the white rock, ride the biggest waves of his life, and windsurf back home. If he makes it, he will be the first. But it's a long way and a lot can go wrong in one day at Pedra Branca.

Episode 7

Onekotan - The Lost Island

24 mins

"Onekotan" is a remote island with a collapsed volcano at its centre, off the coast of Kamchtachka, Russia. It is one of the most isolated places on earth. The weather is ferocious and unpredictable. The conditions are uninhabitable. For Matthias Haunholder, Phil Meier and Matthias Mayr it is the ultimate ski mountaineering expedition.

Episode 8

Citadel - Scaling the Alaskan Fortress

24 mins

Renowned filmmaker Alister Lee, follows two top UK alpinists on a first ascent attempt in a stunning and remote corner of Alaska.

Episode 9

Cerro Torre

24 mins

Set against the backdrop of breathtaking Patagonia, David Lama, climbing's wunderkind, sets out to climb the infamous south-east face of Cerro Torre, a Argentinian mountain once said to be the most difficult in the world.

Episode 10

Mission to the Edge of Space

24 mins

In Mission Stratos Felix Baumgartner ascended to 128,100 feet in a stratospheric balloon and made a freefall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground.