1 00:00:06,134 --> 00:00:07,670 Look at this place. 2 00:00:08,940 --> 00:00:10,980 Simply breath taking. 3 00:00:13,340 --> 00:00:15,210 Welcome to New Guinea 4 00:00:15,210 --> 00:00:17,940 the world's largest jungle island. 5 00:00:17,940 --> 00:00:21,790 One of the most remote and unexplored parts of our world. 6 00:00:22,940 --> 00:00:26,230 It's very intimidating, potentially very dangerous 7 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:30,230 but also one of the most exciting places on the planet. 8 00:00:31,550 --> 00:00:33,410 Running from it's mountainous heart, 9 00:00:33,410 --> 00:00:35,480 over 500 kilometers 10 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:38,510 through pristine wilderness, wild gorges, 11 00:00:38,510 --> 00:00:40,620 and tropical jungle out to the sea 12 00:00:43,060 --> 00:00:44,880 is the mighty Baliem River. 13 00:00:47,770 --> 00:00:50,100 I was expecting it to be big. 14 00:00:51,550 --> 00:00:52,950 But I wasn't expecting that. 15 00:00:54,850 --> 00:00:56,770 No one's ever traveled the full length 16 00:00:56,770 --> 00:00:58,970 of this untamed river before. 17 00:00:58,970 --> 00:01:02,810 We've managed to turn a simple side trip into 18 00:01:02,810 --> 00:01:04,220 an absolute epic. 19 00:01:05,620 --> 00:01:06,830 I'm Steve Backshall. 20 00:01:06,830 --> 00:01:09,220 I'm a naturalist and adventurer. 21 00:01:09,220 --> 00:01:12,050 It just looks like there should be dinosaurs everywhere. 22 00:01:12,050 --> 00:01:14,870 I want to explore the river and discover more about 23 00:01:14,870 --> 00:01:18,520 the remarkable variety of worlds through which it travels. 24 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:20,610 Ow, shoot. 25 00:01:22,220 --> 00:01:24,620 It's home to ancient tribes. 26 00:01:26,980 --> 00:01:28,540 I want to see how they're coping with 27 00:01:28,540 --> 00:01:30,270 the modern world. 28 00:01:30,270 --> 00:01:33,140 When they're in morning they will cut off their own fingers 29 00:01:33,140 --> 00:01:34,800 as a sign of grief. 30 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:37,580 I'll be searching for some of the worlds scariest animals. 31 00:01:37,580 --> 00:01:40,640 It was basically eating it's way through the village. 32 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:44,020 And exploring a vast, uncharted, underground world. 33 00:01:45,006 --> 00:01:47,240 That is impressive. 34 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:49,190 But the Baliem is so inaccessible 35 00:01:49,190 --> 00:01:51,520 that the only way to uncover it's secrets 36 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,600 is to travel it's length from source to sea. 37 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,240 We are committed now. 38 00:01:57,240 --> 00:01:59,230 By any means possible. 39 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,380 It could give us a unique insight into one 40 00:02:03,380 --> 00:02:06,300 of the last truly wild places on Earth. 41 00:02:06,300 --> 00:02:09,040 Where the hell are you taking us, Aldo? 42 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:13,170 Or it could be a journey too far. 43 00:02:14,508 --> 00:02:17,265 (shouting) 44 00:02:17,265 --> 00:02:19,932 (ominous music) 45 00:02:28,090 --> 00:02:30,060 Wow look at that. 46 00:02:31,384 --> 00:02:33,750 That is just gorgeous. 47 00:02:41,790 --> 00:02:42,650 It's the first day 48 00:02:42,650 --> 00:02:44,070 of our five week expedition 49 00:02:44,070 --> 00:02:46,980 in New Guinea to travel the length of the Baliem River. 50 00:02:52,290 --> 00:02:54,190 It's located in the province of Papua. 51 00:02:55,890 --> 00:02:58,140 The western half of the island of New Guinea. 52 00:02:59,730 --> 00:03:02,260 It was once a Dutch colony but now 53 00:03:02,260 --> 00:03:03,490 it's part of Indonesia. 54 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,600 Just knowing that there are huge areas here 55 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:10,750 that are still unexplored, undiscovered, even now 56 00:03:10,750 --> 00:03:12,730 in the 21st century. 57 00:03:12,730 --> 00:03:15,840 Just sets the hairs up on the back of my neck. 58 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:18,790 That kind of sense of expectation of what might be ahead. 59 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:22,810 Our journey begins three 60 00:03:22,810 --> 00:03:24,870 and a half thousand meters above sea level 61 00:03:24,870 --> 00:03:26,230 in the Central Highlands. 62 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,380 Running for over 1600 kilometers this mountain range 63 00:03:31,380 --> 00:03:34,240 is longer than the Alps and is one of 64 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,040 the wettest places on the planet. 65 00:03:38,855 --> 00:03:40,090 Ah, there it is! 66 00:03:42,410 --> 00:03:45,100 That's my first sight of Lake Habbema. 67 00:03:46,620 --> 00:03:48,610 This five kilometer long lake is where 68 00:03:48,610 --> 00:03:50,620 the Baliem River begins it's life. 69 00:03:55,470 --> 00:03:58,340 Our 500 kilometer journey will start 70 00:03:58,340 --> 00:04:02,460 in the wild Central Highlands and end at the Pacific Ocean. 71 00:04:03,950 --> 00:04:06,500 In this first part of the expedition we're aiming 72 00:04:06,500 --> 00:04:09,690 to kayak through deep, dark gorges, 73 00:04:09,690 --> 00:04:12,820 and explore giant caves before reaching 74 00:04:12,820 --> 00:04:14,060 the Baliem Grand Valley. 75 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:19,020 A land inhabited by the ancient Dani people. 76 00:04:19,020 --> 00:04:22,353 (whirring rotor blades) 77 00:04:27,535 --> 00:04:29,285 That's it, thank you. 78 00:04:40,330 --> 00:04:41,730 We've landed a few kilometers 79 00:04:41,730 --> 00:04:42,630 from Lake Habbema. 80 00:04:44,700 --> 00:04:47,510 Where the water's just deep enough to launch our kayaks. 81 00:04:48,450 --> 00:04:52,240 I don't think any of us expected it to be this special. 82 00:04:52,240 --> 00:04:54,300 It's beautiful, it's absolutely stunning. 83 00:04:54,300 --> 00:04:58,430 It's beautiful, it's pristine, the river is clear. 84 00:04:59,560 --> 00:05:02,480 But what lies ahead is unknown. 85 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:05,060 So there are no decent maps of where we are right now. 86 00:05:05,060 --> 00:05:07,790 All of the, sort of, research we've done about 87 00:05:07,790 --> 00:05:10,040 this area has been from satellite imagery. 88 00:05:10,890 --> 00:05:12,580 All of a sudden it's real. 89 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:15,620 All we do know is that 90 00:05:15,620 --> 00:05:17,460 for the next 15 kilometers 91 00:05:17,460 --> 00:05:18,670 we'll be heading into a series 92 00:05:18,670 --> 00:05:21,220 of uninhabited, steep sided gorges. 93 00:05:22,580 --> 00:05:25,800 Ex-marine commando, Aldo Kane is our safety expert. 94 00:05:26,708 --> 00:05:28,840 I think this gives a bit of a wrong impression 95 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:31,030 of what's probably going to be coming up as well 96 00:05:31,030 --> 00:05:32,970 with the amount of drop and descent 97 00:05:32,970 --> 00:05:35,610 that we've got between here and the bottom of that gorge. 98 00:05:36,500 --> 00:05:37,810 To stand a chance of pulling off 99 00:05:37,810 --> 00:05:40,640 this daring adventure I put together a team of some of 100 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,990 the world's top expedition kayakers and rafters. 101 00:05:43,990 --> 00:05:46,650 Lead by New Zealander, Jordy Searle. 102 00:05:47,776 --> 00:05:48,920 It is gonna be a challenge. 103 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,140 You know, anywhere that's never been charted before 104 00:05:52,140 --> 00:05:55,270 and that we know nothing about there's always challenges. 105 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:57,273 The film crew 106 00:05:57,273 --> 00:05:58,880 and support team are following 107 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:00,840 in an inflatable raft. 108 00:06:00,840 --> 00:06:02,990 I do believe in my heart that this is one 109 00:06:02,990 --> 00:06:04,900 of the greatest expeditions there 110 00:06:04,900 --> 00:06:07,410 is left to do on the planet. 111 00:06:07,410 --> 00:06:08,810 You know, it has everything. 112 00:06:10,361 --> 00:06:12,861 (light music) 113 00:06:14,590 --> 00:06:16,750 Finally, we're on the Baliem River. 114 00:06:19,787 --> 00:06:21,620 Yeah boys. 115 00:06:22,660 --> 00:06:24,210 Heading down stream 116 00:06:28,870 --> 00:06:30,780 500 kilometers to the sea. 117 00:06:36,700 --> 00:06:38,380 Around us the plants and trees 118 00:06:38,380 --> 00:06:40,080 are adapted to living at altitude. 119 00:06:43,650 --> 00:06:46,490 And for the moment it's just running nice 120 00:06:46,490 --> 00:06:48,720 and easy, nice and gentle. 121 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,400 Just a lovely way to get started. 122 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:54,706 Oops. 123 00:06:54,706 --> 00:06:57,196 (soft music) 124 00:06:57,196 --> 00:07:00,029 (light splashing) 125 00:07:14,570 --> 00:07:16,400 It's just silent. 126 00:07:18,150 --> 00:07:20,690 But ahead of us we're just starting 127 00:07:20,690 --> 00:07:23,460 to get the landscape steepening. 128 00:07:24,300 --> 00:07:27,500 This could well be the beginning of that gorge. 129 00:07:32,310 --> 00:07:34,880 This upper section of the river winds 130 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:36,870 it's way over glacial deposits. 131 00:07:38,330 --> 00:07:40,710 But when it hits the limestone bedrock 132 00:07:40,710 --> 00:07:42,450 it changes character abruptly. 133 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:48,590 Over millions of years water has percolated 134 00:07:48,590 --> 00:07:50,610 through cracks in the limestone. 135 00:07:50,610 --> 00:07:52,280 Forming caves and passages. 136 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,740 When these collapse they leave behind debris strewn gorges. 137 00:07:57,740 --> 00:07:58,850 Like this one. 138 00:07:58,850 --> 00:07:59,683 Wow. 139 00:08:01,020 --> 00:08:02,960 We're kayaking through what could once 140 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,620 have been an underground cave system. 141 00:08:05,620 --> 00:08:10,380 So we're in the gorge and it is utterly spectacular. 142 00:08:11,470 --> 00:08:13,040 Very, very steep sided. 143 00:08:14,240 --> 00:08:16,414 We are committed now. 144 00:08:16,414 --> 00:08:19,081 (ominous music) 145 00:08:22,110 --> 00:08:23,960 As the river enters the gorge 146 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:25,810 the narrowing of the cliff walls forces 147 00:08:25,810 --> 00:08:27,450 the water to flow faster. 148 00:08:28,340 --> 00:08:30,723 And we hit our first rapid. 149 00:08:30,723 --> 00:08:33,390 (rushing water) 150 00:08:37,588 --> 00:08:39,260 I started kayaking when I was 12 151 00:08:40,790 --> 00:08:42,730 and I've paddled some big rivers 152 00:08:42,730 --> 00:08:45,230 but this will push me to my limits. 153 00:08:45,230 --> 00:08:48,057 Sharp rocks for the underside of the raft, you know. 154 00:08:48,057 --> 00:08:49,474 Yeah. 155 00:08:51,252 --> 00:08:53,610 The erosion is ongoing 156 00:08:53,610 --> 00:08:55,810 so fresh rock falls keep filling the riverbed 157 00:08:55,810 --> 00:08:57,440 with more jagged rocks. 158 00:08:58,590 --> 00:08:59,730 Just stay here. 159 00:08:59,730 --> 00:09:02,054 It's bad news for us. 160 00:09:02,054 --> 00:09:03,240 This is our first big rapids. 161 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,200 Especially our boats. 162 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,060 Boys gonna go ahead and scout and then see 163 00:09:08,060 --> 00:09:09,560 if we can bring the raft down. 164 00:09:11,400 --> 00:09:13,010 Our plan for running rapids 165 00:09:13,010 --> 00:09:15,740 is to send safety kayaker Barney Young ahead 166 00:09:15,740 --> 00:09:18,090 so he can scout a line through the white water. 167 00:09:19,860 --> 00:09:22,330 Then I'll follow with Jordy and David Bane. 168 00:09:24,141 --> 00:09:26,255 Okay, Steve, go. 169 00:09:26,255 --> 00:09:27,121 Hang on. 170 00:09:27,121 --> 00:09:29,179 Paddles in. 171 00:09:29,179 --> 00:09:31,929 (dramatic music) 172 00:09:34,080 --> 00:09:34,913 I've got to try and follow 173 00:09:34,913 --> 00:09:37,160 the fast flow line down the left hand side. 174 00:09:40,570 --> 00:09:41,770 But it's taking me close to 175 00:09:41,770 --> 00:09:46,450 the jagged limestone cliff, too close. 176 00:09:56,520 --> 00:09:59,036 Nice rowing, up. 177 00:09:59,036 --> 00:10:03,203 I've nearly torn the bottom out my boat already. 178 00:10:06,131 --> 00:10:07,773 Switch sides. 179 00:10:07,773 --> 00:10:10,523 (dramatic music) 180 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:16,397 Up, up, up here. 181 00:10:16,397 --> 00:10:17,330 Good, up, up, up. 182 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:19,673 Nice one. 183 00:10:22,107 --> 00:10:23,860 We're through our first rapid. 184 00:10:26,380 --> 00:10:28,210 But there's a lot worse to come. 185 00:10:28,210 --> 00:10:30,350 Yeah bro, that's good paddling. 186 00:10:30,350 --> 00:10:31,259 Thank you. 187 00:10:31,259 --> 00:10:32,570 And you know that compliment's real 188 00:10:32,570 --> 00:10:34,630 cause I don't compliment pawns easily. 189 00:10:34,630 --> 00:10:36,910 (laughing) 190 00:10:36,910 --> 00:10:37,743 Now it's the turn 191 00:10:37,743 --> 00:10:39,710 of the support crew in the raft. 192 00:10:39,710 --> 00:10:42,580 Lads, one, two, three. 193 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:44,673 Our worry is that 194 00:10:44,673 --> 00:10:47,190 the sharp rocks could damage the inflatable raft. 195 00:10:48,540 --> 00:10:50,360 So the boat has to be guided down. 196 00:10:52,170 --> 00:10:55,790 The rock is impossibly spiky. 197 00:10:55,790 --> 00:10:59,550 It's like daggers and that could, well 198 00:10:59,550 --> 00:11:01,160 it could pretty much rip the boat, 199 00:11:01,160 --> 00:11:03,860 the bottom out of our high impact plastic boat. 200 00:11:03,860 --> 00:11:08,180 The raft is, well, very, very vulnerable. 201 00:11:09,350 --> 00:11:10,650 I mean this is the first set of rapids 202 00:11:10,650 --> 00:11:12,950 and they're nothing really in comparison 203 00:11:12,950 --> 00:11:15,650 to what we think is going to be further down 204 00:11:15,650 --> 00:11:17,750 and it's already hard work. 205 00:11:17,750 --> 00:11:19,090 With the raft over the worst 206 00:11:19,090 --> 00:11:20,910 of the sharp limestone. 207 00:11:20,910 --> 00:11:22,100 I'm ready. 208 00:11:22,100 --> 00:11:25,210 Three, two, one, go. 209 00:11:25,210 --> 00:11:26,550 We all head on. 210 00:11:27,835 --> 00:11:30,252 (soft music) 211 00:11:42,295 --> 00:11:43,295 Nice, Steve. 212 00:11:43,295 --> 00:11:44,212 Gorgeous! 213 00:11:46,890 --> 00:11:49,030 No kayaker has ever entered 214 00:11:49,030 --> 00:11:51,350 this impenetrable highland gorge before. 215 00:11:54,850 --> 00:11:56,420 It's even possible we could be 216 00:11:56,420 --> 00:11:58,400 the first people ever to come here. 217 00:11:59,346 --> 00:12:01,513 On your right! 218 00:12:05,270 --> 00:12:07,190 So all we need now is for 219 00:12:07,190 --> 00:12:09,380 the perfect campsite to open up for us. 220 00:12:11,930 --> 00:12:13,180 Good luck, bro. 221 00:12:15,060 --> 00:12:16,380 Finally we emerge from 222 00:12:16,380 --> 00:12:17,880 the steep sided gorge. 223 00:12:20,382 --> 00:12:24,560 [Steve] Oh chaps, I think we've got something. 224 00:12:25,720 --> 00:12:29,170 Ahead, a small grassy island 225 00:12:29,170 --> 00:12:31,764 in the middle of the Baliem. 226 00:12:31,764 --> 00:12:32,681 You beauty! 227 00:12:35,956 --> 00:12:37,420 Fair for side, mate. 228 00:12:38,770 --> 00:12:39,603 It's a pleasure. 229 00:12:53,991 --> 00:12:55,800 Well we cut it pretty thin 230 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:57,200 but we have found paradise. 231 00:12:57,200 --> 00:12:59,570 We've go the most extraordinary campsite here. 232 00:12:59,570 --> 00:13:04,570 It's a raised, sandy island in the middle of the river. 233 00:13:04,930 --> 00:13:06,680 That's gonna be perfect to camp on. 234 00:13:08,450 --> 00:13:10,950 (light music) 235 00:13:18,556 --> 00:13:19,537 You know this is what I wanted 236 00:13:19,537 --> 00:13:22,470 to do when I was knee high but I never thought 237 00:13:22,470 --> 00:13:23,720 it would actually happen. 238 00:13:25,060 --> 00:13:29,670 And you know, moments like this are unbelievably precious. 239 00:13:35,010 --> 00:13:37,210 I've got some good tinder and kindling here. 240 00:13:43,270 --> 00:13:45,040 The force of not knowing what's ahead 241 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,790 and being the first people to see something 242 00:13:47,790 --> 00:13:49,040 is a really powerful one. 243 00:13:53,523 --> 00:13:55,573 I don't take it for granted for a second. 244 00:14:05,190 --> 00:14:07,240 It's day two, yesterday 245 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:10,050 was a terrific start but we didn't get very far. 246 00:14:10,910 --> 00:14:13,490 Today we're hoping to make up for lost ground. 247 00:14:13,490 --> 00:14:15,400 Kayak through the next gorge 248 00:14:15,400 --> 00:14:17,170 and get within striking distance 249 00:14:17,170 --> 00:14:18,670 of the Baliem Grand Valley. 250 00:14:20,300 --> 00:14:22,760 I was just checking out my boat this morning 251 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:25,080 which is brand new, never been paddled before 252 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:31,190 and look at all these gouges in the bottom of it. 253 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:38,520 So these are all from those really sharp limestone rocks. 254 00:14:38,630 --> 00:14:40,850 Now this isn't gonna make much difference to me. 255 00:14:40,850 --> 00:14:42,780 I mean, you'd have to be really going some 256 00:14:42,780 --> 00:14:44,810 to tear through the bottom of one of these boats. 257 00:14:44,810 --> 00:14:46,980 But the problem is the raft. 258 00:14:46,980 --> 00:14:48,680 It's just gonna tear it apart. 259 00:14:49,579 --> 00:14:51,160 And if we couldn't fix it then 260 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,210 the expedition would effectively be over. 261 00:14:58,352 --> 00:14:59,185 With the worry of 262 00:14:59,185 --> 00:15:01,230 the jagged rocks fresh in our minds. 263 00:15:01,230 --> 00:15:02,940 Steven behind me row. 264 00:15:02,940 --> 00:15:04,290 We head off. 265 00:15:05,910 --> 00:15:07,340 I can feel some good gouges 266 00:15:07,340 --> 00:15:08,943 in the bottom of my boat. 267 00:15:08,943 --> 00:15:10,880 Mate, there's some big ones in mine too. 268 00:15:12,140 --> 00:15:14,290 Couldn't be much more calm, though, beautiful. 269 00:15:14,290 --> 00:15:16,310 No, it's incredible it's just silent. 270 00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:18,840 We paddle on hoping 271 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:20,390 to cover some good distance. 272 00:15:22,340 --> 00:15:24,970 But then the river starts to narrow again. 273 00:15:26,300 --> 00:15:29,234 Oh here we go, going back into it again. 274 00:15:29,234 --> 00:15:31,440 (dramatic music) 275 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,790 You can hear the white water already. 276 00:15:34,830 --> 00:15:35,840 As we're the first people 277 00:15:35,840 --> 00:15:39,750 to kayak this river we just don't know what lies ahead. 278 00:15:39,750 --> 00:15:42,450 It could be easy, it could be impossible. 279 00:15:43,709 --> 00:15:46,559 [Steve] What do you think, should we get out to the left? 280 00:15:47,759 --> 00:15:50,509 (dramatic music) 281 00:15:52,990 --> 00:15:55,320 After only two kilometers we come across 282 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:56,290 a major obstacle. 283 00:16:03,060 --> 00:16:04,040 [Steve] Holy shit. 284 00:16:06,820 --> 00:16:09,520 This is gonna be difficult with the rafts. 285 00:16:10,909 --> 00:16:14,492 Yeah, basically none of this is runnable. 286 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:18,690 It's a big drop 287 00:16:18,690 --> 00:16:20,060 with churning white water. 288 00:16:21,930 --> 00:16:26,270 Log jams and yet more jagged limestone boulders. 289 00:16:27,200 --> 00:16:30,620 It could shred the raft and trap and drown anyone of us. 290 00:16:33,090 --> 00:16:35,040 Our first instinct is to portage, 291 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:37,010 or carry the kit over the obstacle. 292 00:16:38,012 --> 00:16:39,740 Maybe the raft could head to one portage 293 00:16:39,740 --> 00:16:41,410 on this sorta stuff but if this 294 00:16:41,410 --> 00:16:42,630 is gonna indicate what's downstream 295 00:16:42,630 --> 00:16:46,470 that's something we need to consider very seriously. 296 00:16:46,470 --> 00:16:48,600 We have two other options. 297 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:50,620 One is to carry on without the raft, 298 00:16:50,620 --> 00:16:52,810 leaving the crew behind meeting up 299 00:16:52,810 --> 00:16:54,920 with them further downstream. 300 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:56,910 The other is to pull out. 301 00:16:57,900 --> 00:17:00,050 So we gotta think quite seriously about this. 302 00:17:00,050 --> 00:17:02,520 Very seriously, this could be something else 303 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,140 if we get locked into a gorge, you know. 304 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:07,310 Jordy's concerned that 305 00:17:07,310 --> 00:17:11,330 if we commit to the gorge we'll be trapped or locked in. 306 00:17:11,330 --> 00:17:13,640 No joke, it is very dangerous. 307 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:17,900 I for one, definitely don't want 308 00:17:17,900 --> 00:17:19,310 to call for helicopter help. 309 00:17:21,860 --> 00:17:25,620 Obviously to be thinking about leaving 310 00:17:25,620 --> 00:17:29,970 the river this soon would be fairly crushing. 311 00:17:29,970 --> 00:17:31,747 You know, we wanted to be doing 312 00:17:31,747 --> 00:17:34,497 a lot of white water before we had to take that option. 313 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:37,180 To add to our problems two 314 00:17:37,180 --> 00:17:40,230 of the river crew, David Bane and Nate Klemmer 315 00:17:40,230 --> 00:17:41,780 are both feeling ill. 316 00:17:41,780 --> 00:17:42,730 Are you hanging? 317 00:17:42,730 --> 00:17:43,563 My heart rate's not 318 00:17:43,563 --> 00:17:45,490 so hot, just climbing down there 319 00:17:46,370 --> 00:17:47,380 Is that fever? 320 00:17:47,380 --> 00:17:48,680 I don't know 321 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:49,513 Nate's rough. 322 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:52,040 They're both suffering with severe 323 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:55,890 headaches, high temperatures, and racing pulses. 324 00:17:55,890 --> 00:17:59,550 Last night got some pretty bad fever chills. 325 00:17:59,550 --> 00:18:04,260 Definitely not 100% if it got much worse, think I'd 326 00:18:04,260 --> 00:18:05,093 be struggling. 327 00:18:06,030 --> 00:18:07,750 I've started coughing a little bit more 328 00:18:07,750 --> 00:18:09,400 and I'm feeling a little bit hot. 329 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:12,260 So I'm just concerned that if dropping into the gorge 330 00:18:12,260 --> 00:18:14,220 in this state, if it did get worse, 331 00:18:14,220 --> 00:18:16,690 it might lead us into a little bit of trouble. 332 00:18:16,690 --> 00:18:18,290 As lead kayaker 333 00:18:18,290 --> 00:18:21,200 it's Jordy's decision whether or not to push on. 334 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,390 With a depleted and debilitated team. 335 00:18:24,670 --> 00:18:28,330 Come out of options but just the exposure 336 00:18:28,330 --> 00:18:30,490 of Steven here, you know? 337 00:18:30,490 --> 00:18:32,740 If Steve loses a boat, if Steve gets injured. 338 00:18:33,660 --> 00:18:36,150 When shit gets real, Steve may not be able 339 00:18:36,150 --> 00:18:38,960 to contribute as much as someone like, Nate 340 00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:40,448 or Adrian, or David. 341 00:18:40,448 --> 00:18:42,910 And you know, we can't really kid down 342 00:18:42,910 --> 00:18:45,200 the stream with just Steve, me, and Barney. 343 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:55,190 Jordy thinks its too risky. 344 00:18:55,190 --> 00:18:56,550 So after only two days on 345 00:18:56,550 --> 00:18:59,000 the river he's called in the helicopter. 346 00:19:07,220 --> 00:19:08,980 I'm absolutely furious. 347 00:19:10,340 --> 00:19:12,540 It feels like he's giving up way too easily. 348 00:19:13,490 --> 00:19:14,752 So I was just taking myself away just 349 00:19:14,752 --> 00:19:17,722 to have a little bit of a think. 350 00:19:17,722 --> 00:19:19,810 It's a real shame. 351 00:19:20,770 --> 00:19:23,450 I know that I'm kinda capable of taking 352 00:19:23,450 --> 00:19:25,380 on the stuff that's downstream of here. 353 00:19:26,540 --> 00:19:31,380 And that is really, really frustrating. 354 00:19:35,790 --> 00:19:37,700 Not loving life right now. 355 00:19:37,700 --> 00:19:40,860 (whirring rotor blades) 356 00:19:40,860 --> 00:19:42,130 Once they've recovered, 357 00:19:42,130 --> 00:19:44,530 the river crew will seek out the next place we can put 358 00:19:44,530 --> 00:19:46,950 back onto the river to continue our journey. 359 00:19:51,730 --> 00:19:54,770 But for me this expedition isn't just about the first 360 00:19:54,770 --> 00:19:56,290 descent of the Baliem. 361 00:19:56,290 --> 00:19:59,110 Its also about exploring the extraordinary worlds 362 00:19:59,110 --> 00:20:00,720 the river has created. 363 00:20:02,970 --> 00:20:05,670 I'm flying east over the Highlands to a tributary 364 00:20:05,670 --> 00:20:07,440 of the Baliem called the Wollo 365 00:20:08,330 --> 00:20:11,710 because the rivers here aren't just on the surface. 366 00:20:11,710 --> 00:20:14,100 They also run underground. 367 00:20:14,100 --> 00:20:16,430 I'm keen to get into that subterranean world 368 00:20:16,430 --> 00:20:18,640 to see how it's been shaped by the waters 369 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:19,690 of the Baliem Valley. 370 00:20:20,810 --> 00:20:23,500 The mountains that form the central spike 371 00:20:23,500 --> 00:20:26,400 of New Guinea are composed of limestone 372 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:30,160 which originally was created on the bed of a shallow sea. 373 00:20:31,568 --> 00:20:34,010 But as the Pacific and Australian plates 374 00:20:34,010 --> 00:20:36,840 have come together they've squeezed the land up 375 00:20:36,840 --> 00:20:39,440 into these huge towering mountains. 376 00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:41,640 As the rock was pushed up over 377 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:43,710 the past five million years 378 00:20:43,710 --> 00:20:46,860 so rivers carved out this stunning landscape. 379 00:20:46,860 --> 00:20:48,990 But the water also started to seep through 380 00:20:48,990 --> 00:20:52,160 the rock and create a whole new underground world. 381 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,040 Almost all of which is totally unexplored. 382 00:20:57,478 --> 00:21:01,190 And this is exactly what we're looking for. 383 00:21:02,570 --> 00:21:06,070 It's a gigantic sink hole or doline. 384 00:21:06,070 --> 00:21:08,690 So originally that would have been a massive cave 385 00:21:08,690 --> 00:21:13,100 and the roof's collapsed leaving this enormous, open hole. 386 00:21:16,670 --> 00:21:19,380 Look at this cliff, that's insane. 387 00:21:22,540 --> 00:21:25,111 It must be 250 meters high. 388 00:21:25,111 --> 00:21:27,194 Completely vertical drop. 389 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,160 The caves we're hoping to explore 390 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:34,410 are owned by several local villages. 391 00:21:38,521 --> 00:21:41,370 (foreign language) 392 00:21:41,370 --> 00:21:44,100 Our plan is to abseil down this precipace 393 00:21:44,100 --> 00:21:46,750 and to explore the caves that we hope lead off it. 394 00:21:47,869 --> 00:21:50,860 Because of the contours of the rock. 395 00:21:50,860 --> 00:21:53,240 For that I need a caving team. 396 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,100 We're gonna have to have a few belays 397 00:21:55,100 --> 00:21:56,930 in different positions. 398 00:21:56,930 --> 00:21:58,690 Cave leader Steve Jones 399 00:21:58,690 --> 00:22:02,970 and his team of experts are rigging hundreds 400 00:22:02,970 --> 00:22:05,740 of meters of rope for us to descend into the cavern. 401 00:22:06,830 --> 00:22:08,910 Careful now edging to your left. 402 00:22:08,910 --> 00:22:10,250 According to the locals 403 00:22:10,250 --> 00:22:12,430 no one's ever been down this way before. 404 00:22:14,350 --> 00:22:18,750 We're abseiling into a 200 meter sinkhole from 405 00:22:18,750 --> 00:22:22,670 the jungle, rigged off trees, in the middle of Papua. 406 00:22:23,830 --> 00:22:26,580 I don't think it gets anymore epic than this. 407 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:31,560 While the caving team carry on 408 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:33,790 I found something which is just as exciting 409 00:22:33,790 --> 00:22:35,300 for me as a naturalist. 410 00:22:37,610 --> 00:22:39,410 Somewhere in this small stand of trees 411 00:22:39,410 --> 00:22:42,330 in front of me is a very special bird, indeed. 412 00:22:43,260 --> 00:22:45,120 It's a bird with a very big voice 413 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:48,910 and every once in a while it's kind of letting rip, 414 00:22:48,910 --> 00:22:52,073 the male, with a sound that kind of goes, 415 00:22:52,073 --> 00:22:54,964 (imitating bird) 416 00:22:54,964 --> 00:22:57,186 (bird calls) 417 00:22:57,186 --> 00:23:00,990 That's the call, that's the call there. 418 00:23:00,990 --> 00:23:03,580 There's one nearby, let's go, let's go this way. 419 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:07,770 It's the sound of the superb, 420 00:23:07,770 --> 00:23:10,610 Bird of Paradise and these Central Highlands 421 00:23:10,610 --> 00:23:13,410 are the only place on Earth that you'll find them. 422 00:23:13,410 --> 00:23:16,620 It's as unique to this part of the world as the Baliem is. 423 00:23:18,422 --> 00:23:21,671 He's there, in the tree just ahead of us. 424 00:23:21,671 --> 00:23:24,338 (bird chirping) 425 00:23:32,015 --> 00:23:33,932 Absolutely magnificent. 426 00:23:35,140 --> 00:23:39,410 It's the most incredible glossy black color except 427 00:23:39,410 --> 00:23:44,410 for the that just ridiculous patch of blue over the breast. 428 00:23:47,226 --> 00:23:50,457 (bird calls) 429 00:23:50,457 --> 00:23:53,461 He really is screaming to all the females around here 430 00:23:53,461 --> 00:23:56,810 to say I am the biggest most beautiful boy on the block. 431 00:23:58,090 --> 00:23:59,620 He is gorgeous. 432 00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:05,992 Our plan is to camp 433 00:24:05,992 --> 00:24:08,160 the night at the bottom of the sinkhole. 434 00:24:08,160 --> 00:24:10,860 But then we get word that there's more trouble. 435 00:24:11,820 --> 00:24:14,322 Bro, we have very real problems up top. 436 00:24:14,322 --> 00:24:15,400 What? 437 00:24:15,400 --> 00:24:18,650 A person turned up and pretty much 438 00:24:18,650 --> 00:24:20,150 just like said get outta here. 439 00:24:21,710 --> 00:24:22,830 Jordy's been hauling kit 440 00:24:22,830 --> 00:24:25,250 from the nearby road but this time instead 441 00:24:25,250 --> 00:24:27,330 of rope he's brought bad news. 442 00:24:28,530 --> 00:24:30,870 We don't have the permissions. 443 00:24:31,831 --> 00:24:34,720 Basically, they're like, you cannot stay here. 444 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:35,900 It turns out that not all 445 00:24:35,900 --> 00:24:38,260 the villages who claim ownership of the caves 446 00:24:38,260 --> 00:24:39,780 are happy with our plans. 447 00:24:41,510 --> 00:24:44,400 One of the real challenges of this part of the world 448 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:47,580 and one of the reasons why it's still so unexplored 449 00:24:47,580 --> 00:24:52,230 is that the people they are distrustful 450 00:24:52,230 --> 00:24:57,230 of outsiders, they have the deep pride in their land 451 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,560 and the belief that many parts of it are sacred. 452 00:25:01,670 --> 00:25:06,670 And they have little or no value of money. 453 00:25:06,810 --> 00:25:10,520 So you can't necessarily bargain for things. 454 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:11,600 This is very frustrating. 455 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:13,810 Let's get back up there now. 456 00:25:13,810 --> 00:25:16,160 Our only option is to put 457 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,410 the caving on hold while we negotiate with 458 00:25:18,410 --> 00:25:20,590 the other village chiefs. 459 00:25:20,590 --> 00:25:23,507 (foreign language) 460 00:25:27,680 --> 00:25:30,870 The cave sits on the border of several villages. 461 00:25:30,870 --> 00:25:32,310 And while some of them are delighted 462 00:25:32,310 --> 00:25:35,913 to welcome us, others aren't. 463 00:25:35,913 --> 00:25:38,830 (foreign language) 464 00:25:41,640 --> 00:25:44,210 I've been coming to this part of the world for 20 years 465 00:25:44,210 --> 00:25:45,230 so at least I can try 466 00:25:45,230 --> 00:25:47,638 and persuade them in their own language. 467 00:25:47,638 --> 00:25:50,555 (foreign language) 468 00:25:58,574 --> 00:25:59,520 But it's not looking good. 469 00:26:06,170 --> 00:26:07,566 What was promise again? 470 00:26:07,566 --> 00:26:10,483 (foreign language) 471 00:26:48,376 --> 00:26:49,209 Yeah. 472 00:26:52,890 --> 00:26:56,330 So we're done, we're finished. 473 00:26:58,540 --> 00:27:00,930 I just don't every want to come to a place 474 00:27:00,930 --> 00:27:02,973 and leave bad feeling behind. 475 00:27:02,973 --> 00:27:04,000 (foreign language) 476 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:08,470 I'd be lying as well if I didn't say that I'm devastated 477 00:27:09,780 --> 00:27:12,040 not to be dropping down into that cave. 478 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:14,650 I stood on the lip and looked down into 479 00:27:14,650 --> 00:27:18,194 that cavern and I could taste it. 480 00:27:18,194 --> 00:27:20,944 (dramatic music) 481 00:27:25,075 --> 00:27:26,570 After several days of searching 482 00:27:26,570 --> 00:27:28,450 we finally find another cave. 483 00:27:29,690 --> 00:27:32,370 This time the permissions are all in place. 484 00:27:34,190 --> 00:27:35,220 We have a hole. 485 00:27:35,220 --> 00:27:37,410 And big spiderwebs. 486 00:27:37,410 --> 00:27:39,560 Just as well you're going first then, Steve. 487 00:27:42,060 --> 00:27:43,330 We're hoping to push beyond 488 00:27:43,330 --> 00:27:45,200 the known portions of the cave 489 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,270 to find new passages and uncharted caverns. 490 00:27:51,270 --> 00:27:53,980 Ah, feels good to be underground. 491 00:27:54,870 --> 00:27:55,730 I'm keen to find out 492 00:27:55,730 --> 00:27:57,330 how these caves have been formed 493 00:27:59,010 --> 00:28:01,830 to understand just how vast and extensive they are. 494 00:28:10,030 --> 00:28:12,030 The constant temperature and protection 495 00:28:12,030 --> 00:28:14,510 from the elements mean that the early sections 496 00:28:14,510 --> 00:28:17,250 of these caves are the perfect hideaway for wildlife. 497 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,530 These shapes are swifts or swiftlets. 498 00:28:24,530 --> 00:28:27,550 They hunt outside during the daylight 499 00:28:27,550 --> 00:28:30,620 and then come in here to roost here at night. 500 00:28:30,620 --> 00:28:32,190 But the most incredible thing 501 00:28:32,190 --> 00:28:36,120 is the sound they're making, like that, 502 00:28:36,120 --> 00:28:38,520 that little burst of clicks there. 503 00:28:38,520 --> 00:28:41,030 So the swifts can't see in total darkness 504 00:28:41,030 --> 00:28:43,560 instead what they're doing is a kind of echo locating. 505 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:45,880 They're making these sounds (imitates clicking) 506 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:48,100 and it bounces back off the cave walls 507 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:51,260 and they hear it and they can perceive in three dimensions. 508 00:28:51,260 --> 00:28:54,340 They're flying blind, but they can still find their way 509 00:28:54,340 --> 00:28:57,740 into these caves where they're safe to roost. 510 00:28:57,740 --> 00:28:59,190 As they're doing up above me. 511 00:29:00,370 --> 00:29:01,203 Amazing. 512 00:29:04,530 --> 00:29:05,430 Papua is one of 513 00:29:05,430 --> 00:29:07,360 the wettest parts of the world. 514 00:29:07,360 --> 00:29:09,300 With an average 12 meters of rainfall 515 00:29:09,300 --> 00:29:10,890 a year up in the highlands. 516 00:29:10,890 --> 00:29:13,300 Compared to just one meter in the UK. 517 00:29:15,680 --> 00:29:17,760 Over the past five million years, 518 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:20,670 as these mountains have been lifted up outta the sea 519 00:29:20,670 --> 00:29:22,620 so the endless rain has percolated 520 00:29:22,620 --> 00:29:24,190 into the limestone bedrock. 521 00:29:25,540 --> 00:29:28,750 That helps explain how these caves are forming. 522 00:29:28,750 --> 00:29:31,290 Rain water, which is very slightly acidic, 523 00:29:31,290 --> 00:29:33,640 seeps through thin cracks. 524 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,920 It slowly dissolves the rock, eventually creating passages 525 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:38,120 and caves like this one. 526 00:29:44,220 --> 00:29:48,770 Wet mud underfoot suggests another process is also at work. 527 00:29:48,770 --> 00:29:50,670 It shows that water often flows 528 00:29:50,670 --> 00:29:52,780 through these passages, eroding them 529 00:29:52,780 --> 00:29:54,510 like a river erodes it's channel. 530 00:29:59,860 --> 00:30:01,050 [Steve] So careful of this edge here 531 00:30:01,050 --> 00:30:02,610 cause that's a big drop off. 532 00:30:05,010 --> 00:30:06,560 And it seems to carry on going. 533 00:30:07,530 --> 00:30:10,670 Well, I'm gonna scramble down and see what I can see. 534 00:30:16,010 --> 00:30:17,300 We're over three kilometers 535 00:30:17,300 --> 00:30:18,940 into the cave system. 536 00:30:18,940 --> 00:30:20,930 It's taken four hours to get this far. 537 00:30:20,930 --> 00:30:21,880 Whoa! 538 00:30:21,880 --> 00:30:22,713 What was that? 539 00:30:22,713 --> 00:30:24,010 A bit of stalac, it's alright. 540 00:30:26,870 --> 00:30:27,703 Are we all good? 541 00:30:27,703 --> 00:30:29,100 Yup. 542 00:30:29,100 --> 00:30:31,450 You have to be careful not to touch anything. 543 00:30:33,180 --> 00:30:35,080 But it's been worth it. 544 00:30:35,080 --> 00:30:37,520 Now that is impressive. 545 00:30:41,110 --> 00:30:42,160 That is incredible. 546 00:30:43,570 --> 00:30:46,230 In front of us is a vast cavern. 547 00:30:46,230 --> 00:30:49,510 Measuring over 100 thousand cubic meters. 548 00:30:49,510 --> 00:30:51,480 Rather bigger than the Albert Hall. 549 00:30:53,030 --> 00:30:55,870 There must be very, very little air movement 550 00:30:55,870 --> 00:30:58,620 in this cave to allow all of this to form. 551 00:31:01,640 --> 00:31:03,150 And it's big as well, woo! 552 00:31:06,395 --> 00:31:07,445 Echo goes on forever. 553 00:31:09,247 --> 00:31:12,747 That is a spectacular chamber. 554 00:31:14,140 --> 00:31:16,600 You can see where the bedding planes 555 00:31:16,600 --> 00:31:20,590 and the cracks are, the water's seeped through, 556 00:31:20,590 --> 00:31:23,590 and that's where all those straws 557 00:31:23,590 --> 00:31:25,380 and stalactites form in lines. 558 00:31:27,470 --> 00:31:29,130 Over the millennia, 559 00:31:29,130 --> 00:31:31,930 as mineral laden water seeps through the limestone, 560 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,900 the steady drips create stalagmites, stalactites, 561 00:31:40,430 --> 00:31:43,330 and curtains cascading down the walls. 562 00:31:47,380 --> 00:31:51,360 It's incredible that there are hidden places. 563 00:31:52,700 --> 00:31:56,440 Darkness that, you know, has never been illuminated before. 564 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,560 And then it can be so intensely beautiful. 565 00:32:04,830 --> 00:32:06,837 Some of these formations 566 00:32:06,837 --> 00:32:08,987 are thousands if not millions of years old. 567 00:32:11,540 --> 00:32:13,640 This truly is a lost world. 568 00:32:20,180 --> 00:32:23,000 The thing that totally blows my mind 569 00:32:23,000 --> 00:32:26,750 is that all those miles and miles of mountains 570 00:32:26,750 --> 00:32:29,340 that we've flown over have all got 571 00:32:29,340 --> 00:32:30,670 this kind of thing below them, haven't they? 572 00:32:30,670 --> 00:32:34,670 And there are so many infinite miles 573 00:32:34,670 --> 00:32:39,250 of caverns like this that have definitely never been seen 574 00:32:39,250 --> 00:32:40,850 and possibly never will be seen. 575 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:46,270 Possibly never, but I would put a big bet 576 00:32:46,270 --> 00:32:51,010 on Papua having more unexplored cave 577 00:32:51,010 --> 00:32:52,610 than anywhere else in the world. 578 00:32:53,660 --> 00:32:56,090 Water has created a whole new landscape 579 00:32:56,090 --> 00:32:57,720 inside these mountains. 580 00:33:00,730 --> 00:33:02,720 And with the challenges we faced 581 00:33:02,720 --> 00:33:04,920 it's likely these subterranean wonders 582 00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:07,220 will remain hidden for generations. 583 00:33:08,532 --> 00:33:11,456 (bird chirping) 584 00:33:11,456 --> 00:33:14,373 (foreign language) 585 00:33:17,316 --> 00:33:19,983 (rushing water) 586 00:33:21,053 --> 00:33:22,650 The river team are recovered 587 00:33:22,650 --> 00:33:24,960 and we're relaunching our Baliem descent at 588 00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:26,980 the first available place downstream. 589 00:33:29,870 --> 00:33:32,010 We're rejoining the river 10 kilometers 590 00:33:32,010 --> 00:33:34,350 as the crow flies from where we left it. 591 00:33:34,350 --> 00:33:37,220 To start off the next phase of our journey. 592 00:33:37,220 --> 00:33:39,440 Heading down to the Baliem Grand Valley. 593 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:43,687 Our plan is to kayak over 80 kilometers downstream. 594 00:33:43,687 --> 00:33:46,680 Through what we expect to be extreme white water 595 00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:48,790 til we reach the end of the Grand Valley. 596 00:33:50,788 --> 00:33:53,220 (shouting) 597 00:33:53,220 --> 00:33:56,010 This is a land of small settlements and cultivation. 598 00:33:58,180 --> 00:34:00,640 The main tribe are known as the Dani. 599 00:34:01,540 --> 00:34:03,490 I'm hoping to find out more about them. 600 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:06,100 Their relationship with the river, 601 00:34:07,717 --> 00:34:09,480 and to see what impact the modern world 602 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:11,430 is having on their ancient way of life. 603 00:34:14,450 --> 00:34:18,060 The base of this gigantic cliff face we have here 604 00:34:18,060 --> 00:34:21,580 there are two tributaries coming together in a fork. 605 00:34:21,580 --> 00:34:23,900 So that means there's a lot more water here 606 00:34:23,900 --> 00:34:27,800 and we're gonna have much less problems 607 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,430 with sharp rocks tearing the bottoms out of our boats. 608 00:34:31,760 --> 00:34:36,735 So hopefully the paddling is about the begin, finally. 609 00:34:36,735 --> 00:34:38,330 (rushing water) 610 00:34:38,330 --> 00:34:39,930 The river's increased flow 611 00:34:39,930 --> 00:34:42,490 means we're less likely to tear the raft 612 00:34:42,490 --> 00:34:44,810 but makes it faster and more dangerous. 613 00:34:48,040 --> 00:34:51,200 Final checks done, we're off. 614 00:34:55,070 --> 00:34:57,476 [Steve] It looks epic from here, doesn't it? 615 00:34:57,476 --> 00:34:59,920 It feels so good just to be on the water. 616 00:35:08,423 --> 00:35:09,256 Although many 617 00:35:09,256 --> 00:35:11,477 of the Dani now wear modern clothes, 618 00:35:11,477 --> 00:35:13,460 (foreign language) 619 00:35:13,460 --> 00:35:15,350 some of the older generation still use 620 00:35:15,350 --> 00:35:17,510 the traditional penis gourd. 621 00:35:17,510 --> 00:35:19,810 With maybe a woolen beanie as the only concession 622 00:35:19,810 --> 00:35:21,210 to the 21st century. 623 00:35:22,650 --> 00:35:25,360 People have been farming here in the Baliem Valley 624 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:26,750 for a very long time. 625 00:35:27,590 --> 00:35:31,120 Some suggest 32 thousand years 626 00:35:31,120 --> 00:35:33,193 which would make it the longest consistent 627 00:35:33,193 --> 00:35:35,670 communities found anywhere on Earth. 628 00:35:38,833 --> 00:35:41,083 (shouting) 629 00:35:42,050 --> 00:35:43,650 Evidence shows the Dani, 630 00:35:43,650 --> 00:35:48,410 and many of the other 311 Papuan tribes share genetic links 631 00:35:48,410 --> 00:35:50,180 to the aboriginals of Australia. 632 00:35:51,381 --> 00:35:53,714 (splashing) 633 00:36:04,148 --> 00:36:05,098 [Steve] Come, come. 634 00:36:08,162 --> 00:36:10,412 (shouting) 635 00:36:16,583 --> 00:36:17,530 [Steve Voiceover] Until now the river 636 00:36:17,530 --> 00:36:18,900 has been quite manageable. 637 00:36:20,210 --> 00:36:22,660 But we know it's bound to speed up. 638 00:36:22,660 --> 00:36:26,660 So Steve, it's starting to get a bit steeper now 639 00:36:26,660 --> 00:36:29,100 and we wanna catch that inny where Barney is. 640 00:36:29,100 --> 00:36:30,210 See where Barney is down the stream? 641 00:36:30,210 --> 00:36:31,474 Yep. 642 00:36:31,474 --> 00:36:33,210 Sweet. 643 00:36:33,210 --> 00:36:34,130 Suddenly the river drops into 644 00:36:34,130 --> 00:36:37,840 a kilometer long rapid that's bigger 645 00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:40,040 than anything I've tackled before. 646 00:36:40,040 --> 00:36:41,390 Aldo's scouting ahead. 647 00:36:42,530 --> 00:36:43,960 His massive problem here is that 648 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:45,370 if he's not powerful enough coming 649 00:36:45,370 --> 00:36:48,100 through here, he's gonna get sucked into that hole. 650 00:36:49,040 --> 00:36:51,790 If he ends up in that hole he's pretty much on his own. 651 00:36:53,581 --> 00:36:54,780 Scary stuff. 652 00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:59,780 This may sound funny, but you can paddle this rapid. 653 00:36:59,780 --> 00:37:01,420 Okay, you can paddle it. 654 00:37:02,398 --> 00:37:05,190 (dramatic music) 655 00:37:05,190 --> 00:37:06,950 I need to prove to the team 656 00:37:07,850 --> 00:37:09,470 and to myself that I'm up to it. 657 00:37:10,405 --> 00:37:13,238 (dramatic music) 658 00:37:22,668 --> 00:37:24,918 (shouting) 659 00:37:27,210 --> 00:37:29,190 I only just miss hitting the rocks. 660 00:37:30,540 --> 00:37:31,850 But it's not over yet. 661 00:37:35,194 --> 00:37:38,194 Good, good, follow Dave. 662 00:37:39,065 --> 00:37:41,339 (splashing) 663 00:37:41,339 --> 00:37:44,006 (ominous music) 664 00:37:54,290 --> 00:37:57,140 I'm getting sucked into the whole Aldo was worried about. 665 00:38:04,885 --> 00:38:07,480 If I can't paddle my way out I'm in trouble. 666 00:38:08,774 --> 00:38:11,024 Paddle, paddle! 667 00:38:14,622 --> 00:38:15,789 Yes, yes, yes! 668 00:38:17,856 --> 00:38:20,165 (shouting) 669 00:38:20,165 --> 00:38:21,786 Yes! 670 00:38:21,786 --> 00:38:23,028 Yes! 671 00:38:23,028 --> 00:38:24,700 Good boy. 672 00:38:24,700 --> 00:38:26,393 Mate, that was amazing. 673 00:38:26,393 --> 00:38:27,243 That was amazing. 674 00:38:28,100 --> 00:38:30,040 Tenacity is the key, bro. 675 00:38:30,040 --> 00:38:31,423 Tenacity. 676 00:38:31,423 --> 00:38:34,730 Oh my god, I've just got the biggest adrenaline hit ever. 677 00:38:36,112 --> 00:38:37,730 It's gonna be hard work making you swim 678 00:38:37,730 --> 00:38:39,110 on this trip, mate. 679 00:38:40,636 --> 00:38:41,899 Wow. 680 00:38:41,899 --> 00:38:44,732 (uplifting music) 681 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:47,970 Feeling like I can conquer anything 682 00:38:47,970 --> 00:38:48,803 we paddle on. 683 00:38:50,324 --> 00:38:52,741 Oh look at this, sensational. 684 00:38:56,030 --> 00:38:56,863 Yeah! 685 00:39:00,568 --> 00:39:01,568 Beautiful. 686 00:39:03,340 --> 00:39:04,480 But then the river starts 687 00:39:04,480 --> 00:39:07,500 to build again as we hit yet another rapid. 688 00:39:13,450 --> 00:39:15,740 I'm sticking close to Jordy with Barney 689 00:39:15,740 --> 00:39:19,105 providing safety cover further downstream as usual. 690 00:39:19,105 --> 00:39:21,855 (dramatic music) 691 00:39:30,881 --> 00:39:32,870 But then out of no where my boat gets sucked 692 00:39:32,870 --> 00:39:34,100 into yet another hole. 693 00:39:35,540 --> 00:39:37,870 The waters being churned into a swirling back current 694 00:39:37,870 --> 00:39:39,180 and it spins me around. 695 00:39:43,020 --> 00:39:45,778 It's sucking me in rolling me over and over. 696 00:39:45,778 --> 00:39:48,445 (ominous music) 697 00:39:56,272 --> 00:39:57,770 And then 698 00:39:57,770 --> 00:40:00,520 (ominous music) 699 00:40:03,182 --> 00:40:05,530 (shouting) 700 00:40:05,530 --> 00:40:07,590 I'm out of my boat, on my own. 701 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:11,140 Being swept downstream by the river in full flood. 702 00:40:13,768 --> 00:40:16,005 (shouting) 703 00:40:16,005 --> 00:40:17,405 Swim, bro, swim! 704 00:40:18,270 --> 00:40:20,330 Barney throws me a safety line. 705 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:26,100 Which I just manage to grab. 706 00:40:35,130 --> 00:40:37,180 And I haul myself back into the bank. 707 00:40:39,010 --> 00:40:41,030 Steve, you alright? 708 00:40:41,030 --> 00:40:41,863 I'm good. 709 00:40:41,863 --> 00:40:43,660 Wait there, Steve. 710 00:40:43,660 --> 00:40:45,110 I'll come to you, wait there. 711 00:40:47,940 --> 00:40:50,390 Luckily, Jordy saved my boat. 712 00:40:51,510 --> 00:40:53,040 Did someone grab that? 713 00:40:53,040 --> 00:40:55,112 And Barney saved me. 714 00:40:55,112 --> 00:40:56,445 Thank you, mate. 715 00:40:58,146 --> 00:41:01,200 Well it had to happen, sooner or later. 716 00:41:05,192 --> 00:41:09,200 I got sucked into a hole and flipped. 717 00:41:12,100 --> 00:41:14,050 I don't know, maybe, five or six times. 718 00:41:16,050 --> 00:41:19,100 It was scary, I mean I knew the second I went 719 00:41:19,100 --> 00:41:22,330 into that hole I knew that I was history really. 720 00:41:22,330 --> 00:41:24,780 I kinda hit it wrong and it sucked me back in. 721 00:41:26,310 --> 00:41:30,330 And yeah, it was time to pull the rip cord. 722 00:41:32,910 --> 00:41:34,320 We paddle on. 723 00:41:35,840 --> 00:41:40,240 Playing it safe, taking it steady. 724 00:41:43,030 --> 00:41:46,220 As the river slows down and the valley broadens out. 725 00:41:51,919 --> 00:41:54,831 (shouting) 726 00:41:54,831 --> 00:41:57,248 (thundering) 727 00:42:00,040 --> 00:42:03,650 We're coming towards the end of a long day. 728 00:42:04,570 --> 00:42:07,800 At least 40 kilometers, possibly even 50 729 00:42:07,800 --> 00:42:10,140 and we're losing light and it's starting to rain. 730 00:42:10,140 --> 00:42:12,420 So it's time for us to try and find camp. 731 00:42:13,655 --> 00:42:16,330 (foreign language) 732 00:42:16,330 --> 00:42:17,530 There's a small settlement here. 733 00:42:17,530 --> 00:42:20,120 Just a few huts up beyond the river bank. 734 00:42:21,810 --> 00:42:24,710 And the youngsters certainly seem friendly. 735 00:42:25,653 --> 00:42:28,570 (foreign language) 736 00:42:49,230 --> 00:42:50,570 We've lucked out. 737 00:42:50,570 --> 00:42:52,940 These Dani villagers seem more than happy 738 00:42:52,940 --> 00:42:54,190 to let us stay the night. 739 00:42:57,788 --> 00:43:00,038 (laughing) 740 00:43:01,341 --> 00:43:03,180 It's also a wonderful opportunity 741 00:43:03,180 --> 00:43:05,570 to find out more about these remarkable people. 742 00:43:13,260 --> 00:43:14,400 This is great. 743 00:43:16,330 --> 00:43:18,950 So we have, there's one more modern building 744 00:43:18,950 --> 00:43:21,550 to the side here, which has an aluminum roof, 745 00:43:21,550 --> 00:43:23,160 but the rest of them are all 746 00:43:23,160 --> 00:43:26,970 old-fashioned beehive style huts. 747 00:43:26,970 --> 00:43:27,880 They're called Honai 748 00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:30,160 and are the traditional Dani homes. 749 00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:32,480 With thatched roofs and wooden walls. 750 00:43:35,140 --> 00:43:38,057 (foreign language) 751 00:43:51,960 --> 00:43:54,630 All the generations live in this compound together. 752 00:43:54,630 --> 00:43:58,220 Including the village elder, 70 year old Oo-ma-rekma-ma-bil 753 00:44:00,841 --> 00:44:03,758 (foreign language) 754 00:44:20,010 --> 00:44:23,400 40 year old chief, Eli Ma-bil and his brother Martin 755 00:44:23,400 --> 00:44:25,070 are the 11th generation to live 756 00:44:25,070 --> 00:44:27,060 in this small settlement of Poo-moe. 757 00:44:27,988 --> 00:44:30,905 (foreign language) 758 00:45:49,360 --> 00:45:51,830 Outside the extend family are cooking dinner. 759 00:45:52,810 --> 00:45:55,710 It's traditional for group meals or special occasions 760 00:45:55,710 --> 00:45:58,350 to be cooked in a big fire pit with hot stones 761 00:45:58,350 --> 00:46:00,370 to slow bake the food. 762 00:46:00,370 --> 00:46:02,180 Eli's mother is in charge. 763 00:46:04,450 --> 00:46:07,367 (foreign language) 764 00:46:18,674 --> 00:46:21,230 But it's a different tradition that's grabbed my attention. 765 00:46:21,230 --> 00:46:25,460 This is something that's practiced by the Dani women. 766 00:46:25,460 --> 00:46:27,800 When they lose someone, when they're in mourning, 767 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:31,175 they will cut off their own fingers as a sign of grief. 768 00:46:31,175 --> 00:46:34,092 (foreign language) 769 00:46:42,160 --> 00:46:45,530 Sometimes the only kind of anesthetic they'll have before 770 00:46:45,530 --> 00:46:47,920 these digits are removed, is that someone 771 00:46:47,920 --> 00:46:49,630 will punch them really hard in the arm 772 00:46:49,630 --> 00:46:52,730 and give them a dead arm and then, bam, off it comes 773 00:46:52,730 --> 00:46:54,344 with an ax believe it or not. 774 00:46:54,344 --> 00:46:57,261 (foreign language) 775 00:47:00,187 --> 00:47:02,300 It sits quite uncomfortably, I guess, 776 00:47:02,300 --> 00:47:05,840 with our whole western idea of equality between sexes 777 00:47:05,840 --> 00:47:08,790 but you see so much of that here in Papuan culture. 778 00:47:08,790 --> 00:47:11,840 You know, the women really do all the work, 779 00:47:11,840 --> 00:47:14,240 all the hard work and a lot of time guys 780 00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:16,700 just kind of sit around smoking and laughing. 781 00:47:18,890 --> 00:47:20,260 Come have a look. 782 00:47:21,370 --> 00:47:24,510 In the men's Honai, 783 00:47:24,510 --> 00:47:27,380 village chief Eli shows me a family heirloom. 784 00:47:30,940 --> 00:47:32,280 Oh, that is extraordinary. 785 00:47:33,240 --> 00:47:34,780 It was common place for the Dani 786 00:47:34,780 --> 00:47:37,880 to keep a respected ancestor as a mummy. 787 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:40,840 But as a practice, it's now in decline. 788 00:47:40,840 --> 00:47:42,890 The mummy's kept in the men's hut 789 00:47:42,890 --> 00:47:44,600 and it's considered an honor to sleep 790 00:47:44,600 --> 00:47:45,940 in the same space as him. 791 00:47:46,814 --> 00:47:49,731 (foreign language) 792 00:48:15,441 --> 00:48:18,690 He was killed in a battle with a nearby village 793 00:48:18,690 --> 00:48:21,260 and having him made into a mummy 794 00:48:22,250 --> 00:48:24,580 is a kind of way of honoring him. 795 00:48:25,770 --> 00:48:27,500 After he died his body 796 00:48:27,500 --> 00:48:30,480 was cleaned and prepared and he was then smoked over 797 00:48:30,480 --> 00:48:33,369 the fire in the men's hut for six months. 798 00:48:33,369 --> 00:48:36,286 (foreign language) 799 00:48:55,497 --> 00:48:58,466 He provides a powerful physical connection to their past. 800 00:48:58,466 --> 00:49:01,383 (foreign language) 801 00:49:12,581 --> 00:49:14,220 It is now two o'clock in the morning 802 00:49:14,220 --> 00:49:16,920 and the guys have finally stopped talking. 803 00:49:18,430 --> 00:49:21,910 It's kinda weird looking around and seeing behind me 804 00:49:23,612 --> 00:49:25,610 the one guy who kind of seems 805 00:49:25,610 --> 00:49:27,500 to be sat up in a weird position. 806 00:49:30,180 --> 00:49:33,080 I know it's a great honor and a privilege to sleep here 807 00:49:33,080 --> 00:49:37,660 in the men's house alongside this ancient mummy. 808 00:49:37,660 --> 00:49:40,670 They've told me that this will bring me prosperity 809 00:49:40,670 --> 00:49:42,870 and a blessing for the rest of my life. 810 00:49:42,870 --> 00:49:45,270 And I'll be able to have lots and lots of wives. 811 00:49:46,510 --> 00:49:48,460 Not sure what Helen will think of that. 812 00:49:52,581 --> 00:49:54,998 (soft music) 813 00:50:06,135 --> 00:50:08,802 (rushing water) 814 00:50:11,142 --> 00:50:14,059 (foreign language) 815 00:50:15,400 --> 00:50:17,279 It gives me great joy 816 00:50:17,279 --> 00:50:18,520 to find communities like this. 817 00:50:18,520 --> 00:50:21,310 Where the Dani's vibrant culture is still treasured. 818 00:50:26,770 --> 00:50:29,630 This is one of the world's most ancient cultures. 819 00:50:29,630 --> 00:50:31,730 It's a rare case of tradition surviving 820 00:50:31,730 --> 00:50:33,970 in a fast changing world. 821 00:50:33,970 --> 00:50:36,470 Young and old still value their heritage. 822 00:50:36,470 --> 00:50:38,780 What it means to be Dani. 823 00:50:38,780 --> 00:50:41,280 We were welcomed here like long lost friends 824 00:50:41,280 --> 00:50:43,460 and returned to the river full of optimism 825 00:50:43,460 --> 00:50:45,380 and hope for the rest of our journey. 826 00:50:51,191 --> 00:50:52,410 (dramatic music) 827 00:50:52,410 --> 00:50:53,243 Next time. 828 00:50:54,130 --> 00:50:56,770 This is the first settlement we've actually seen marked 829 00:50:56,770 --> 00:50:58,900 on a map for about 10 days. 830 00:50:59,830 --> 00:51:02,650 When it's in full flood it has the power 831 00:51:02,650 --> 00:51:05,920 to move along boulders that are the size of cars. 832 00:51:07,457 --> 00:51:10,160 Paddle, paddle, paddle. 833 00:51:11,059 --> 00:51:13,309 (shouting) 834 00:51:16,444 --> 00:51:18,944 (light music)