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Intrepid Journeys is a New Zealand television series, which screens on TV ONE. Making its debut in 2003, the show focuses on New Zealand "celebrities" who travel over to exotic countries to see the country's history, culture and people. It is a multi-award-winning travel series. It is not a “Survivor” style manufactured “challenge” show. It is about meeting real challenges in the real world, travelling to lesser-known places and then getting around the way locals do… by foot, bus and camel. Aside from being physically challenging, Intrepid Journeys also acts as a conduit to other cultures and countries that may otherwise only be seen on the news when all hell is breaking loose. This series is a chance to get past stereotypes, myths and bad press, to get out into the real world and experience life challenging and changing travel. Across each hour-long episode, Intrepid Journeys follows a celebrity traveller for two weeks in a rough and ready destination. The appeal of the show is two-fold. Aside from seeing a personality rise to a real challenge, there is also the chance to gather real working knowledge and understanding of places, lives, events and happenings foreign to Western culture.
A serious foodie, Peta Mathias is asked to take one for the team in Bolivia, where the cuisine features 250 varieties of the potato and not much else. But the food isn't her only vacation hurdle. Peta also scales the heights, and at 5,000 m it's -21 C degrees! She gets to sample one unique Bolivian flavor- Bolivia's famous white powder salt from the country's salt plains.
Actress and former advice columnist Robyn Malcolm needed some advice of her own when she is sent to Vietnam. In heat reaching 36 degrees C and 90 percent humidity, she faced hardship and challenges, both emotionally and physically. But Robyn persevered, and this former luxury travel fan was won over to by the country and its spirited people.
Sacred cows beware, confirmed beeff eater Pio Terei is sent to India, where beef is strictly off the menu. But Pio adapts as a good comedian should, and goes vegetarian while rowing down the sacred Ganges. Traveling through Northern India, he is treated to such sights as dolphins and dead bodies. But he also gets the chance to see how the Maharajahs lived, and has a close encounter with a native. Unfortunately for him, that native happens to be a camel!
Talking your way out of a jam is second nature to politicians like Michael Laws, but he finds himself hampered in Ecuador since he doesn't speak the language. Michael takes a trip into another world as he floats down the Amazon River, beginning with sampling one of the local witch doctor's remedies. He later has the dubious pleasure of visiting a town that has been officially closed by the local government because it is in imminent danger from an erupting volcano nearby.
Craig may seem unflappable when he is playing the role of Dr Alistair Kingsley on Mercy Peak, but the trek into the foothills of the Himalayas has him hot and bothered. His trip requires him to carry his possessions on his back for seven days while hiking through the Nepalese hinterlands. He ascends higher than the height of New Zealand's own Mt Cook, but Sir Edmund Hilary mountaineering laurels are safely out of Craig's reach.
It takes something as spectacular as the pyramids of Egypt to take the words out of Marcus Lush's mouth, so that's where the first season finale of Intrepid Journeys sends him! He stops at all of the usual tourist attractions, but then strikes out on his own floating down the Nile in a felucca and also aboard one of the ships of the desert while traveling overland. Marcus has an adventure that he won't soon forget, and takes us along for the ride.
2007
Jeremy Wells leave his media lunch behind to taste camel in Libya. He explores Tripoli's ancient medina, dines in traditional Berber settlements, journeys through the Jebel Nafusa highlands, and rides an angry camel. He drives to the desert border of Algeria, wanders the ruins of Leptis Magna, and views the impressive theatre of Sabratha while embracing the Arab custom of 'hand-holding' between men.
Former Cabinet Minister John Tamihere flies into China and then travels to Pakistan.
Entrepreneur and television personality Suzanne Paul travels to Vietnam and China. While there she does some shopping, sees some ancient cliff paintings, and the rustic countryside of the two nations.
While travelling in Iran, Mary gains an insight into the lives of Silk Road traders, spends time at an Iranian wedding, gets dirty with Nomads and enters into the mysterious world of the Zoroastrians.
John Banks sees the stunning mountains, beautiful rainforests and idyllic beaches which form Madagascar's wonderful landscape. Home to an incredible numbers of endangered lemurs, he spent time in the national parks and reserves in search of these remarkable creatures. With time on Madagascar's magnificent Indian Ocean beaches, this is a wildlife adventure in paradise.
Fresh off the back of an All Black tour, Anton Oliver jets his way from the UK to trek through one of the most beautiful places on earth, Nepal.
Te Radar travels to Mali and the legendary Timbuktu, celebrating life and music at the 'Festival au Desert'. He treks to a Dogon community and spends time with some locals before he cruises along the Niger river and try's to escape the incessant dust. Te also makes a visit to lively Bamako, Mopti and the famous mud mosque at Djenne.
2005
Traveling from Casablanca to Marrakesh, Dave Dobbyn rides a camel through the Sahara and visits the Hassan II mosque.
Marcus Lush returns for a second Journey, but this time instead of camels in Egypt he is treated to a long, long train ride in Siberia. But whether inn Egypt or Russia there are plenty of people looking to make a dollar off of him with smiles on their faces.
Kim learns more she wants to learn about smuggling Cuban cigars; she visits a street festival and a 90 year old musician who was a session player at the Buena Vista Social Club.
Roger Hall goes on safari in Uganda to see the local wildlife, including gorillas, lions, baboons, and hippos. He goes canoeing, and sees the Murchison Falls. He finishes with some white water rafting.
New Zealand fashion designer Trelise Cooper tours the country, from the west, starting at Istanbul in Europe to Cappadocia in the east of Asia Minor. She hunts through bazaars, sees the ruins of Ephesus and the coast, and goes hot air ballooning over the cave houses of Cappadocia. She also climbs Mt Olympos and sees the Eternal Flame, and natural phenonmenon where escaping gases ignite in the air and burn like a torch.
Whale Rider star Rawiri Paratene visits some live volcanoes and rappels down a cliff to get to a remote lake.
Lisa's trip through Malaysia is filled with ups and downs as she treks through a jungle and hurts her back, but she loves the temples and the food.
Actress Miriama Smith travels to the Leaping Tiger Gorge and watches a woman's basketball game in Tibet.
Singer/writer Andrew gets a little too close for comfort with the local wildlife, climbs a volcano, and sits in on an impromptu concert while in Indonesia.
News reader Bernadine Oliver-Kerby bicycles around a Adriatic Sea island, dodges leftover landmines and samples the local cuisine, including goat.
Rugby sportscaster John McBeth travels to Venezuela, where he visits the Angel Falls, the jungles of the Orinoco River, and the beaches of Playa Colorado. Unfortunately, he is also stricken with a nasty gastric bug.
Rock & Roll star Chris Knox gets musical with the locals, shops the bazaars, goes boating on the Kerala backwaters and visits one of the sites of the Boxing Day tsunami.
Rugby and cricket star Jeff Wilson travels through Eastern Europe. He visits Vlad the Impaler's palace, which he thinks has been turned into quite the tourist trap, and the palace of another former bloodsucker, Dictator Nicholai Ceausescu. He also comes face to face with a wild bear roaming the streets of Brasov, Romania.
2004
Broadcaster Kerre Woodham suffers from claustrophobia and fear of heights as she goes through the ruins of Angkor Watt, Cambodia, as well as the Viet Cong tunnels of Cu Chi of Vietnam. But she finds new appreciation for the people of those countries, and visits a hospital of young boys who have all lost limbs to landmines.
Danielle Cormack was a little leery of traveling to the Middle East because of the area's unrest, but she fulfilled a life long dream of floating in the Dead Sea. She also visited the cliff side city of Petra, ancient Greek cities, and a crusader castle.
Mayor Shadbolt of Invercargill learns a new appreciation for New Zealand's building codes when he travels to Borneo and gives a helping hand to a local with a construction project. But eventually he takes on a much bigger task- climbing Mt Kinabalu, one of the highest mountains in Southeast Asia.
Comedian Ewen Gilmour travels to Peru, where he helps a family build a house out of reeds, visits an Incan cemetery and tours Machu Pichu. He also visits Incan city Machu Pichu and the battlefield of Ollatantambo, where the Spanish were defeated by the Incas.
Broadcaster Hugh Sundae goes native during his stay in Mongolia, but not voluntarily. Living in a ger and eating mutton cooked with yak butter was rough, but he is treated to a private concert of Mongolian throat singing which is right up his alley. He rides a Mongolian horse and helps his host family herd their livestock out on the tundra.
Broadcaster Paul Henry reached new heights when he visited Tibet- he spent the night in the Mt Everest base camp!
Karyn Hay visits the island nation of Timor, the world's newest independent country. While there she climbs Mt Ramelau.
Actress Katie Wolfe finds the future merges with the past when she visits Shanghai. She also cruises down the Yangtse River.
Political satirist Jon Gadsby had to keep a low profile while traveling in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), but he still got to see some unusual sights. He visits a golden temple as well as the markets during his stay, but avoids state run hotels in favor of local guest houses.
Interior designer Donald Grant Sunderland trots up ancient Mayan pyramids despite suffering from the trots.
2008
Pam Corkery, prominent radio personality, talk-show host, Cabinet Minister and journalist, is asked to visit one of South America's most dangerous countries, Colombia. While there she tries spear-fishing in a piranha and anaconda infested rivers, and climbs a volcano.
Shane Cortese leaves his new family at home while he visits Sri Lanka. While there he dodges a territorial elephant, attends a party where he samples the local moonshine, and helped with the tea harvest.
Former Shortland Street actress Stephanie Tauevihi climbs in the Indian Himalayas, and experiences culture shock in Delhi.
Paul dodges Al-Qaeda to visit one of the world's most conservatively Muslim countries. But while there he is pleased to discover that the country's inhabitants have a strong tradition in hospitality, and gets an inside look at the life of the women of Yemen.
Former All Black Norm Hewitt's travels to Sarawak, home of Borneo's head-hunting tribes. While there he also views the local wildlife, including orangutans and proboscis monkeys.
Travel to the far reaches of the world is nothing new to Former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley, but the deserts of Namibia prove a challenge even for the fittest intrepid traveler.
Former All Black Glen Osbourne travels to two countries he never knew existed, and does some wrestling with a 80-year-old man, goes shopping for wives, tries eagle hunting, and watches some sheep fighting.
Streaming availability information not available
2012
Tonight, whilst attempting to climb a volcano, battle leeches and cope with recent back surgery, international supermodel Rachel Hunter has a tense moment with an angry orangutan, and is moved to tears by stories of loss in the Boxing Day tsunami when she visits Sumatra in her Intrepid Journey.
2011
Breakfast weatherman Tamati Coffey visits Oman in the Arabian Penninsula unconquered by the camels but bugged by the fierce insects plaguing its deserts.
Steve Price travels to Nepal where he takes on a 12-day hike, visits local villages and makes it to Kathmandu's highest point.
Singer Annie Crummer travels to Peru where she is forced to eat roast guinea pig, confront her fear of spiders, and take on a challenging three-day hike.
Comic actor and writer Oscar Kightley visits Burma/Myanmar where he goes on a five-hour hike, deals with chaotic road traffic and sleeps a night on a bumpy train ride.
Psychologist and author Pamela Stephenson-Connolly travels to Papua New Guinea where she wears traditional face paint, takes a long river journey in a dug-out canoe, and has a close encounter with a crocodile.
Former All Black Captain Buck Shelford struggles with a salsa instructor, visits the cigar capital of the world, and witnesses first-hand Fidel Castro's influence in Cuba.
Actor Renato Bartolomei samples vodka on the tundra of Mongolia, then nights sleeping in a traditional gers. While he's there Mongolia puts on a show for him, with the country's traditional wrestling and horsemanship at the Nadam Festival.
Lynda Topp, half of the comic singing duo the Topp Twins travels to Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains, where the local farmers are still using oxen to till their fields.
Celebrity chef Simon Gault goes on a cooking odyssey through Asia Minor. First, he attempts to put some of his own delight into a batch of Turkish Delight. Then he goes hunting for quail and caviar.
Actress Keisha Castle-Hughes finds camping while on animal safaris challenging as she takes a tour of three African nations.
Frank Bunce found himself in a bit of a scrum when his travels take him to Egypt during a spontaneous revolution. But he did manage to see a few tourists sights during his time in this ancient country.
2009
Kevin Milne visits Chernobyl, and celebrates the New Year Ukrainian style.
Star netballer Temepara George visits the subcontinent
Comic actor Rhys Darby visits Rwanda, and visits an animal preserve to see the local gorillas.
Rugby star Ruben visits Laos, including a place reputed to be the most bombed place on Earth.
Former newsreader Judy Bailey travels to South America and watches a spirited football match, works as a ranch-hand, and spends time in the slums of Rio de Janeiro.
Singer Anika Moa takes her act on the road to Central America, enjoys spending time celebrating with the locals during Easter, and at a wedding.
Brendan Cole, acerbic judge of Dancing With The Stars, goes native in Vanuatu.