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EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL: Season 1

Steve Backshall looking out into the distance from helicopter.
Courtesy of True To Nature Ltd
Steve Backshall looking out into the distance from helicopter.

Sundays, March 6 - 27, 2022 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2 / All 10 episodes are available on demand now with KPBS Passport!

—Riveting and awe-inspiring series features Earth’s natural wonders and hidden gems—

The 10-episode series, EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL, reveals there are still parts of our planet yet to be discovered. Explorer and naturalist Steve Backshall pursues incredible journeys and world firsts — unclimbed peaks, unexplored cave systems and uncharted landscapes — setting foot where no human has been before.

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In this global series, adventurer and naturalist Steve Backshall ventures into undiscovered territory, endures extreme physical challenges, encounters extraordinary wildlife and teams up with remarkable people along the way.

From free-diving in underground river systems and descending deep into the caves of the Maya underworld, to kayaking Himalayan whitewater and scaling unclimbed Arctic peaks, these expeditions push Backshall and his expert crew to the limit.

“There are still countless expeditions to be conquered and world discoveries to be made, and I am honored to have had the ability to be among the first to set foot in these incredible places,” said Steve Backshall. “It is thrilling to not know what you will find next. That’s what exploration is all about.”

EPISODE GUIDE:

Episode 1: “Oman - Desert Canyon” Encore Sunday, March 6 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Follow Steve Backshall to Oman, where he plans to drop nearly 400 meters into the deepest canyon in Southern Arabia. In the scorching desert heat, Steve and his team will explore an area where no human has ever set foot.

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Episode 2: “Greenland - Frozen Frontier” Encore Sunday, March 13 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Accompany Steve Backshall to Greenland, where he aims to kayak across the world's largest fjord during the Arctic's most volatile and dangerous time of year - the spring melt - in an attempt to understand how rising temperatures impact the area.

Steve kayaking through sea ice in Scoresbysund, Greenland.
Courtesy of True to Nature Ltd.
Steve kayaking through sea ice in Scoresbysund, Greenland.

Episode 3: “Suriname – Lost World” ” airs Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Thursday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Travel to the Guiana Shield with Steve Backshall, whose mission is to discover its abundance of wildlife and natural wonders. He travels deep into the untouched jungle, finding animals that have never encountered humans.

Steve abseiling in Suriname.
Courtesy of True to Nature Ltd.
Steve abseiling in Suriname.

Episode 4: “Mexico - Flooded Caves” airs Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Thursday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Dive into a network of unexplored caves under the Yucatan Peninsula with Steve Backshall. After trekking through kilometers of scorpion-infested Mexican jungle to reach the caves, he faces the terror of being lost in an underwater silt cloud.

Steve swimming through Cenote in diving gear. Mexico.
©Gabriel Gasca Rubi / Courtesy of True To Nature Ltd
Steve swimming through Cenote in diving gear. Mexico.

Episode 5: “Borneo - Dark Shadow” airs Wednesday, Feb. 12 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Thursday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Follow Steve Backshall as he drops down a sinkhole to explore a series of underground Bornean caves threatened by deforestation and limestone quarrying. The journey may lead to the potential to explore other undiscovered subterranean worlds.

Newly discovered rock art with both negative and positive handprints, the first of their kind to be described in the Sangkulirangg Karst blocks. This remote cave is home to unique art that will ensure the protection of this area for generations to come. Borneo.
Courtesy of True To Nature Ltd
Newly discovered rock art with both negative and positive handprints, the first of their kind to be described in the Sangkulirangg Karst blocks. This remote cave is home to unique art that will ensure the protection of this area for generations to come. Borneo.

Episode 6: “Bhutan - White Water” airs Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Thursday, Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Join Steve Backshall in the foothills on the Himalaya, where he plans to kayak the last unrun river in Bhutan, which runs through the country's steepest gorge. Before his attempt, Steve seeks blessing from a local Buddhist monastery.

Steve and Sal Montgomery on the river. Bhutan.
Courtesy of Graham MacFarlane / True To Nature Ltd
Steve and Sal Montgomery on the river. Bhutan.

Episode 7: “Greenland - Ice Mountain” airs Sunday, May 10 at 10 p.m. and Monday, May 11 at 7 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Follow Steve Backshall as he tries to summit a remote and unclimbed mountain in Greenland's Stauning Alps. After facing quicksand, a river and a glacier to reach basecamp, the climb gives Steve a unique insight into a fast-changing environment.

The climbing team; Libby Peter, Steve Backshall, Aldo Kane and Tamsin Gay. Greenland's Stauning Alps.
Courtesy of True to Nature Ltd.
The climbing team; Libby Peter, Steve Backshall, Aldo Kane and Tamsin Gay. Greenland's Stauning Alps.

Episode 8: “Mexico - Maya Underworld” airs Wednesdays, May 6 & 13 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Sunday, May 17 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Return to Mexico, where Steve Backshall explores a honeycomb of subterranean Mexican caves that the ancient Maya believed were a portal to a terrifying underworld. In a dark and flooded cave, Steve finds incredible never-before-seen artifacts.

Steve and Guillermo studying a jaguar illustration on the cave wall. Mexico.
Courtesy of True to Nature Ltd.
Steve and Guillermo studying a jaguar illustration on the cave wall. Mexico.

Episode 9: “Suriname - Ghost River” airs Wednesday, May 20 at 10 p.m. & Sunday, May 24 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Friday, May 22 at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Join Steve Backshall in a region of Suriname that's so remote, it could conceal undiscovered natural wonders. He and his team travel deep into the jungle to kayak an unnamed river. The journey results in a surprise beyond their wildest dreams.

Steve rows his inflatable boat on the unnamed river. Suriname.
Courtesy of True to Nature Ltd.
Steve rows his inflatable boat on the unnamed river. Suriname.

Episode 10: “Oman - Desert Fortress” airs Wednesday, May 27 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV + Friday, May 29 at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m., & Sunday, May 31 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2 - Visit the remote and impenetrable Dhofar Mountains in Oman, where Steve Backshall hopes to become the first to climb unexplored cliffs. Along the way, he encounters one of the rarest animals on Earth.

Steve in the Dhofar Desert.
Courtesy of True to Nature Ltd.
Steve in the Dhofar Desert.

Watch On Your Schedule:

All 10 episodes are available on demand with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn more and activate your benefit now.

With the PBS Video App, you can watch your favorite and local station shows. Download it for free on your favorite device. The app allows you to catch up on recent episodes and discover award-winning shows.

The DVD is available for purchase at ShopPBS.org

Steve kayaking through rapids. Bhutan.
Courtesy of James Bebbington / True To Nature Ltd
Steve kayaking through rapids. Bhutan.

Join The Conversation:

PBS is on Facebook and Instagram. Follow @PBS on Twitter. #ExpeditionPBS

Steve Backshall is on Facebook and Instagram.

Credits:

A True to Nature production distributed by FremantleMedia International for PBS. Bill Margol is executive in charge for PBS. The series is executive produced by Wendy Darke. This series was commissioned by BBC and UKTV, with funding for the PBS presentation provided by public television viewers.