Season 2

The Image many of us have of Japan is congested and kinetic. But Japan has a wild side. In winter, beyond its crowded cities, the country delivers quiet, unexpected natural beauty. In the second season opener, Art Wolfe ventures north to the remote region of Hokkaido to view iconic red-crested cranes; south to the mountains to film the mischievous macaque snow monkey; and journeys on to the sacred temples of Mt. Fuji and Koyosan on a photographic pilgrimage.

Australia’s Northern Territory is an immense, untamed wilderness as brutal as it is beautiful. For the Aboriginal people, it’s the place of the “Dreamtime”, where land and story meet. In episode two, Art Wolfe captures images of rock art, intricately painted over thousands of years ago, discovers canyons carved by wind and water and witnesses an ancient aboriginal dance as he chronicles the connection between the region’s first people and the natural world.

It is a fabled land of sand, salt and nomads. But Mali is more than the Sahara; it is a place where the Niger River flows past some of Africa’s unique tribal and architectural wonders. In episode three, Art Wolfe follows the river road to the camouflaged villages of the cliff-dwelling Dogon people; floats downriver to Djenne’s fantastic mud mosque; heads into the desert with nomadic Tuaregs; and finally travels on to Timbuktu where he meets up with a camel caravan.

It is spring on the Antarctic Peninsula and the frozen wilderness is a veritable nursery for penguins, shore birds and seal pups. In episode four, Art Wolfe crosses the infamous Drake Passage – the treacherous body of water south of Cape Horn – to explore the Falkland Islands and the Antarctic coast in search of wildlife and landscapes emblematic of this pristine and unforgiving land.

Located in the heart of South America, the Pantanal is the worlds largest wetland and home to one of the densest concentrations of wildlife on the planet. It’s a unique place where human activity and wildlife coexist. Here Brazilian cowboys ride herd alongside toothy caimans, giant otters, capybaras, macaws and toucans. In episode five, Art Wolfe arrives just as the seasonal floods recede and discoverers both an ecological paradise and a vibrant cowboy culture.

West Africa is the birthplace of Voodoo; in Togo and Benin ancestors commingle with the living. Whether it’s vulture heads for sale at a fetish market or sacred bloodstained altars, Voodoo is always front and center. In episode six, Art Wolfe visits villages known for their vibrant inhabitants and intense ritual and discovers frenzied trances, powerful masked dances and an extraordinary fire-eating ceremony – all part of everyday life.

New Zealand’s extreme beauty is central to its identity. Here, indigenous Maori people see themselves as guardians of the land. In episode seven, Art Wolfe captures portraits of contemporary Maori artists who wear their stories on their faces in the form of sacred tattoos, and convey their sense of stewardship through their art. Then he heads off to the wild South Island to explore the natural history of this pristine and beautifully preserved island nation.

Beyond India and Nepal’s crowded cities lie precious remnants of wild Asia where tigers, rhino and bear still roam. In episode eight, Art Wolfe travels by elephant deep into Kipling country in search of the last of the planet’s Bengal tigers. Here, through the lens of his camera, he captures images of mahouts- handlers bound to the elephants they’ve cared for from childhood – as they bathe and tend to their animals. In Nepal, Art encounters exotic wildlife including rare Asian rhinos, elusive sloth bears and primeval gharials.

Both an ocean oasis and isolated desert, the northern part of the narrow Baja peninsula is home to a surprising variety of plant and animal life. In episode nine, after a voyage on the Sea of Cortez in search of migrating gray whales, Art Wolfe ventures inland through the unforgiving Catavina desert and discovers a photographer’s playground of light and magical landscapes.

Known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon, Bhutan has survived in isolation for more than a thousand years. As this enlightened Buddhist kingdom greets the 21st century, its greatest challenge is to preserve its soul. In episode ten, Art Wolfe finds a photographer’s nirvana of mountainside monasteries, sacred festivals and chanting monks in an environmentally and spiritually progressive nation.

Known for its arid steppes, skilled nomadic horsemen and Genghis Khan, a visit to Mongolia feels like a trip back in time. At the annual Naadam Festival, contestants vie to be the victor in the centuries-old pursuits of wrestling, archery and horse-racing. In episode twelve, Art Wolfe pursues prehistoric wild horses as they roam the steppe, rides in the mountains with a Kazakh tribesman who hunts with golden eagles and catches up with nomadic reindeer herders at their summer camp near the Siberian border.

Iceland is a land of geysers, glaciers, volcanoes and rough hewn coastlines. Nowhere else on Earth do the four elements collide in such dramatic fashion as in Iceland. Art captures dramatic expressions of the planet’s geomorphology using composition, pattern and light to create a striking portrait of a volatile and dynamic landscape.

Ever wondered what it would be like to travel the world with a renowned photographer? In episode eleven, take a behind-the scenes peek and go along on one of Art Wolfe’s adventures. Meet the small, intrepid crew as they venture through the remote Kingdom of Bhutan and Nepal’s lowland wilderness. Follow along on their perilous drive over a high mountain pass; track unpredictable sloth bears; and keep pace with Art at a frenetic Buddhist festival. It is all in a day’s work as the crew works to capture Art’s quest for the perfect shots.