Charley Boorman's Extreme Frontiers South Africa

Charley begins in Cape Town and abseils from the summit of Table Mountain before crossing shark-infested waters to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was incarcerated for 18 years. At Gansbaai, he cage-dives while great white sharks are fed bait, then makes his way up the coast to the Shamwari Wildlife Reserve, where he is introduced to some of the lions and leopards rescued by the Born Free Foundation.

The intrepid traveller starts his second leg just south of Durban, where he tries his hand at surfing among some of the country's largest and fastest waves, before he and the team take a car up the treacherously steep and extremely icy Sani Pass, which connects Kwazulu-Natal and Lesotho. He then embarks on a challenging trek to the top of Tugela Falls - the world's second-highest waterfall - enduring biting winds before setting up camp on the summit.

Charley samples South African life from three differing perspectives – in the air, deep below ground and in the bush. He starts by taking to the skies as he learns how to parajet. Although delivering some of the most spectacular views of South Africa, this is an activity that requires great skill to master, as Charley finds out. He then heads underground in order to get to grips with one of South Africa’s oldest working gold mines, and tries his hand blasting for the precious metal himself. Charley rounds off the episode by visiting South Africa’s flagship Kruger National Park. Extending over 7,300 square miles, this is the country's largest game reserve. Charley is hoping to encounter rhinos, hippos, elephants, crocodiles and giraffes. On a ‘wilderness experience on wheels’, he spends three days traversing the Lebombo Eco-Trail, enjoying the sounds and scents of the bush, getting up close to Africa's greatest wild animals and enjoying traditional bushveld dinners around the campfire.

This week, Charley meets a research team who study scorpions and risks life and limb learning how to handle one of the world’s most venomous creatures. Heading into the centre of the country, Charley gets behind the wheel of some of the giant trucks and machines used in the open iron ore mines. Moving west, the team spends two nights learning the way of the nomad with the San tribe in the desolate Kgalagadi National Park, before reaching the western coast. Venturing into the ocean once more, Charley goes diving in the open waters for diamonds, before ending the episode, and the series, in true Boorman style – leading a convoy of over 300 bikers from the Meer lust Winery through the beautiful mountains and beaches of Cape Town, to Signal Hill, renowned for its spectacular views.

Charley and the team are underground blasting for gold in Barberton. The stunning Kruger National Park is next, as the team journeys north over several days, enjoying spectacular wildlife, sunsets and scenery as they try to reach the northern point of Crooks Corner. Back on the bikes, Charley and the team ride inland to explore Johannesburg, with the first stop a market with delicious local food. Charley calls in to a luxury hotel to learn how to cook a traditional South African meal, before learning about the history of Soweto, whilst on a bicycle. The episode closes with Charley behind the wheel of a 4x4, taking on some adventurous off-road trails.

Charley meets a Scorpion Expert who studies these venomous creatures and they go in search of them. Heading into the centre of the country Charley gets up close to the enormous machines used in the open iron ore mines and learns what it takes to live and work as a miner. Moving west the team spend two nights in the desolate Kgalagadi National Park with the San Tribe where Charley tracks lions on foot, before reaching the western coast and heading back out into the ocean once more to work on an authentic diamond mining boat. The episode, and the series, ends in true Boorman style as he leads a convoy of over 300 bikers from Meerlust Wine Estate, through the beautiful mountains and beaches of Cape Town, finishing on Signal Hill with spectacular views.