African Plains
Premieres Fri, Aug. 31, at 9 p.m. ET/PT
The plains of South Africa conjure up images of beauty — and danger. In this episode, Les Stroud lands here for an arid adventure that would make even the most seasoned safari traveler sweat. And not just because of the heat.
It’s a sweltering 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade. But for Les Stroud, the ultimate Survivorman, it is where he will survive for one week with only a few tools, his wits, 50 pounds of camera gear and his imagination. Not to mention his ability to keep cool, especially when faced with some of the most deadly animals on the planet.
Coming in by hot-air balloon gives Les a bird’s-eye view of the majestic beauty of the landscape, where giraffes run with their young, and herds of zebra graze under a big sky. But when Les gets dropped, he must contend with other kinds of wildlife: hungry lions and leopards and dangerous hippos. Not to mention venomous snakes and scorpions. Appreciating wildlife takes on a whole new meaning.
It's the rainy season in this part of Africa, and Les soon experiences it firsthand. When he's not dealing with the suffocating heat on the plains, he's tackling with downpour after downpour. At least the latter is a source of water. The wicker basket from the hot-air balloon makes for a great shelter, but it doesn’t keep away the mosquitoes.
Every day Les moves to a new location, each with its dangers. One area is filled with black mambas, the largest venomous snake in Africa. Packs of lions roam another. By the second day, he’s run out of water. Staying hydrated in this heat is essential, and Les manages to find a small creek, with a bonus: cattails to munch on.
