Charley Boorman's South African Adventure

New to Channel 5, Charley Boorman’s South African Adventure. Adventurer Boorman has once again teamed up with producer/director Russ Malkin to take on a stunning motorbike journey, starting around the southernmost coastline of the African continent and then moving inland, across the South African frontier with Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia, before heading back down the West coast of the continent to complete an entire circuit of the South Africa border – a journey of 6,200 miles – with many, many adventures along the way.

Charley and the team begin in Cape Town, where Charley sets the tone for the expedition by abseiling into the city from the peak of the iconic Table Mountain. From here, Charley travels by motorbike across the entire country, traversing the vast and varying landscapes of this diverse and beautiful nation. Along the way, he will experience the sights, sounds, smells, history and culture of the people, the places, the wildlife and the wilderness.

It’s a journey of extremes. In the north, Charley will learn to live off the parched land of the vast and remote Kalahari desert, among the bush tribesmen who survive there every day. Charley also gets to grips with the majestic yet incredibly precarious Sani Pass, where he has to navigate almost impassable roads to reach the icy peak. In the south, Charley rides the spectacular Garden Route along the coast, makes his way through the thick Kruger flora, and comes face to face with the awe-inspiring animals that roam the land, including wild elephants and rhinoceros.

Charley Boorman commented: "I've had the most amazing time travelling through South Africa over the past six weeks. I fell in love with SA the very first time I came here and I feel so lucky to have been able to really explore it further and get to spend lots of time with the fantastic people. There's also no better way to end a trip than with a massive convoy of bikes as we rode into Cape Town!"

Throughout his journey, Charley will experience the dangers, the wonders, the history and the life of South Africa. From detonating dynamite deep underground in a Barberton Gold Mine, cage diving with deadly Great White Sharks in the rough Atlantic seas and searching the ocean floor for the perfect diamond in the ship wreck strewn East Coast, Charley’s African adventure provides him with some of his greatest challenges yet.

Catch the second episode tonight on Channel 5 at 8pm

Image: Yvonne Hamilton