bbc travel show south america

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Simon Reeve's South America

• TV Mini Series

Adventurer Simon Reeve travels the length of South America, an astonishing adventure through some of the most beautiful, fascinating and remote places on earth. Adventurer Simon Reeve travels the length of South America, an astonishing adventure through some of the most beautiful, fascinating and remote places on earth. Adventurer Simon Reeve travels the length of South America, an astonishing adventure through some of the most beautiful, fascinating and remote places on earth.

• Simon Reeve
• 1 User review

• Self - Presenter
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

More like this

User reviews 1

• paul2001sw-1
• Oct 10, 2022
• September 11, 2022 (United Kingdom)
• United Kingdom
• The Garden Productions
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

Related news, contribute to this page.

• See more gaps
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

Simon Reeve's South America — episode guide, air dates, destinations and all about his travel series

Simon Reeve's South America on BBC2 sees Simon faces all sorts of dangers while on his travels around the continent.

His latest BBC2 series, Simon Reeve's South America , was initially cut short thanks to the pandemic. But now the TV adventurer and author returns to the continent to complete his epic 4000-mile trip from Peru to Paraguay with five new episodes.

As usual Simon Reeve takes on a journey that isn’t for the fainthearted, however, as he delves deep into what really makes the continent tick, meeting warlords, forgotten tribes and conservationist fighting to preserve endangered species.

So here's everything you need to know about BBC2 series Simon Reeve's South America...

Simon Reeve's South America release date

Simon Reeve's South America is a five-part series that begins on BBC2 on Sunday, September 11 at 9pm. All five episodes will also become available on BBCiPlayer from that air date. 

We'll update if we hear of an international or US release date.

Episode guide — what happens in Simon Reeve's South America?

Here's our episode guide for South America With Simon Reeve which we'll be updating on a weekly basis so do check back...

Episode 1 Guiana: Sunday September 11 Simon starts in the Guiana Shield, an area of pristine rainforest that spreads through much of southern Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, which is being ravaged by the illegal gold mining trade. Not only does he visit a remote Wild West-style mining town in Guyana where everything is paid for in pieces of gold, but he also joins a rebel fighter-turned-politician at his gold mining concession deep in the jungle of Suriname. But he’s left shocked by the scale of the devastation the mining has had on the once lush forest. "It’s an apocalyptic hellhole frankly, it’s a total disaster zone," says Simon Reeve. "Illegal gold mining is now thought to be an even more lucrative business than the cocaine trade, so scenes like this are replicated across the Guiana Shield and into the vast Amazon basin, as men women and children tear into the earth of the lustrous yellow metal. But it’s also the only work in the area so people do whatever they can, whatever they have to." With mining destroying the habitat of endangered sloths, Reeve also meets a woman who has dedicated her life to rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing more than a thousand sloths over the last decade. Meanwhile, in French Guiana he joins the French Foreign Legion on one of their dangerous missions to tackle the scourge illegal gold mining.  But although they come across fresh footprints and a hurriedly discarded bag of gold, and even raid a newly built mine shaft, it’s soon clear the miners have managed to make their escape. "It’s thought more than 400 million pounds worth of illegally mined gold is extracted from French Guiana each year," says Simon. "There are also now so many illegal gold mining operations throughout South America that in some areas they’ve become a greater cause of deforestation than logging and farming.  The cumulative damage is astonishing, but although the Guiana Shield faces many threats, it’s still a vast, glorious green wilderness. Almost a fifth of the world’s tropical rainforest is in the Guiana Shield, along with a staggering 20 percent of the world’s fresh water. Hopefully, there’s still time to protect it from the ravages of deforestation.’"

Episode 2 Brazil: Sunday 18 September Simon visits Brazil, the biggest country on the continent. He starts in one of the remotest regions of the Amazon, with the Waiãpi people, who cling on to their traditional way of life, which is under threat from logging and mining interests. The tribal leaders argue that preserving the forest is not only crucial to moderating the Earth’s climate; they are working with Brazilian scientists to show how the Amazon can be managed to produce valuable crops and lifesaving medicines, without destroying the environment. At this point, in early 2020, Simon’s journey was interrupted by the Covid pandemic, and he returns two years later to see how Brazil became one of the countries worst hit by the virus. In Manaus, the city at the heart of the Amazon, he visits a neglected indigenous neighbourhood and meets the nurse who was the only source of healthcare during the pandemic. On the outskirts of Manaus, where the Amazon jungle meets the city, he catches bats with a veterinary scientist who is hoping to identify potential future pandemics, before they enter the human population. Simon ends this leg of his journey on the west coast of Brazil, in the iconic city of Rio de Janeiro, a city under threat from climate change, vulnerable to flash floods and baking heat. The government has built a high-tech NASA-style control room to monitor all parts of the city for potential disasters. And in one favela, Simon meets the woman who has planted an urban forest to cool her neighbourhood, as well as to grow fresh food for many of the neglected children.

Episode 3 The Andes: Sunday September 25 Simon visits Peru and Bolivia, travelling through the Andes mountains. Simon starts his journey at the world-famous ruins of Machu Pichu, one of the glories of the ancient Inca civilization. But since the arrival of Europeans, the indigenous people of the Andes - the descendants of the Inca - have suffered horribly, and to this day they live in some of the poorest communities in the region. Simon visits a remote Peruvian valley called VRAEM where the mostly indigenous population farms coca leaves, the primary ingredient of cocaine. Simon meets the impoverished farmers and goes on a raid with the heavily armed Peruvian police to destroy a cocaine making facility. Further and higher into the Andes he visits the hellish informal mining town of La Rinconada. At over 5,000 metres, it’s one of the highest human settlements on Earth and Simon meets the indigenous women who chip away at the rocks in appalling conditions to look for tiny fragments of gold. Travelling across the border into Bolivia, Simon’s guide is one of the country’s famous “cholas” – indigenous women who wear traditional skirts and bowler hat. In the world’s highest capital city, La Paz, he discovers how the cholas have battled for increasing influence and representation in the county with the highest number of indigenous people in the whole continent.

Episode 4 Bolivia to Paraguay: Sunday October 2 On the fourth leg of his journey through South America, Simon travels through three of the world’s most extreme environments: the salt flats of Bolivia, the Brazilian Pantanal and Paraguay’s Chaco Forest. In Bolivia, Simon meets a family who make a living carving salt from the vast white expanse of the Uyuni salt flats, so huge it is said to be visible from the moon. He learns that beneath the salt could lie huge reserves of lithium, the metal so crucial for the batteries that will fuel the next generation of electric cars. Crossing into Brazil, Simon visits the world’s largest wetlands, the Pantanal, and has a close encounter with South America’s apex predator, the jaguar. Drought and fire threaten the Pantanal, but so too does excessive flooding, and Simon meets a farmer who has spent years building dams to hold back the rising waters and save his family farm. The last leg of this journey takes Simon into the little-visited Paraguay, where he meets a unique community which, despite their small numbers, as had a huge impact on the economy and environment of the country. Mennonites originally hail from Europe but they have spread throughout the world. In Paraguay many live in ultra-conservative communities and eschew many of the trappings of the modern world. They drive around in horses and carts and speak their own language, known as low German. Simon visits a school where traditionally clothed children are drilled in bible texts and there are no smart phones to be seen. But the Mennonites have been hugely successful farmers, embracing modern methods where necessary to found vast cattle ranches and soy farms. They have chopped and burned huge areas of the Chaco, the unique dry spiney forest, which is twice the size of Spain and dominates the centre of the South American continent. Perhaps inevitably, this economic miracle, which has turned Paraguay into a major player in the global food market, has had its victims and Simon ends this leg of his journey with the Ayoreo people. Following a history of persecution and having lost much of their land, the Ayoreo now mount armed patrols to defend what remains. Others have given up the modern world altogether and returned to the hunter gatherer lifestyle of their parents and grandparents, living in the harsh dry forests of the Chaco. 

Episode 5 Chile: Sunday October 9 Simon Reeve heads to the driest desert on Earth. The Atacama Desert in Chile is 40,000 square miles of sand, red rock and arid mountains. But it also hides a horrible secret. Close to the city of Iquique is an enormous landfill site packed with tens of thousands of tonnes of clothes, including some items with their labels still attached. "It’s basically a mountain of used clothes dumped illegally, creating a huge landfill," explains Simon. "Traders import bales of recycled clothes from Europe and the US. They then resell them across the Continent and many find a new home. But due to the explosion in fast fashion there’s just so much that millions of pieces are also dumped in the desert. It’s madness. It just shows how wasteful we’ve become." Leaving the desert behind, Simon heads further south through Patagonia, where he meets the indigenous Mapuche people, who have launched a dangerous campaign of sabotage against the farming industries and logging companies that they claim have stolen their land. He also learns how vast salmon farms are polluting the seas off the coast of Chile, destroying the livelihoods of local fisherman, before ending his journey in Ushuaia, which is most southerly city on the planet and home to a vast sea lion population. ‘I’ve seen so much destruction travelling down through the Americas, but also so much beauty,’ says Simon. ‘I believe there is hope.’ 

Is there a trailer for Simon Reeve's South America?

The BBC hasn't yet released a trailer for South America With Simon Reeve , but if one arrives we'll post it here.

• Best BBC documentaries
• Best Channel 4 documentaries
• Best Channel 5 documentaries on My 5

Get the What to Watch Newsletter

The latest updates, reviews and unmissable series to watch and more!

I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.

• Hannah Davies Writer

Beyond Paradise fans praise 'emotional' final episode

Jamie Cooks Spring: release date, episodes, interview and everything we know

Why is Last Week Tonight with John Oliver not new tonight, April 28?

Most Popular

• 2 How It Really Happened's two-part Titanic special airs tonight
• 3 Michael Strahan x Jon Bon Jovi: Halfway There special is airing tonight
• 4 How to watch The Piano season 2 online and from anywhere
• 5 How to watch the 2024 White House Correspondents Dinner on TV and online

• Twitter - RTS Futures
• Facebook - RTS Futures
• What's On & Book
• News & Features
• Television Magazine
• Education & Training
• RTS in my area
• RTS Futures
• Steve Hewlett Memorial Fund
• RTS Patrons
• Media Centre

You are here

Bbc two announces new travel series with simon reeve.

Author and adventurer Simon Reeve will travel from North America to South America in a new travel series for BBC Two, Exploring The Americas with Simon Reeve .

The challenging journey will take place over two series exploring the diverse landscape of the two continents that make up a quarter of the Earth’s land space.

Reeve will start in the icy mountains of Alaska and journey down to the hot plains of Argentina.

The first five-part series follows Reeve as he travels from Alaska down to Costa Rica, with the second series – set to be filmed next year –set to showcase his travels through South America.

During his journey, Reeve delves into areas of the Americas few outsiders, or even locals, get to experience.

Being on the road and meeting “the most brilliant and bonkers characters” sees Reeve go from laughing, to crying, to feeling humbled and inspired.

Describing the journey as “mind-blowing”, Reeve said: “The journey has taken me from the freezing mountains of Alaska, one of the most dramatic landscapes you can see anywhere in the world, to the steamy jungles of southern Mexico, where I had a few Indiana Jones moments creeping through the jungle and stumbling upon the huge temples and buildings of an ancient civilisation.

“I really hope that viewers will enjoy it and learn from it, just like I have.”

Controller of BBC Two, Patrick Holland, praised the series for showcasing voices “from north to south, rich and poor, living through unprecedented environmental, political and cultural change.”

The series is due to start on BBC Two this autumn.

ganeshs_birthday_celebration_-_indian_ocean_with_simon_reeve_-_bbc

You may also enjoy

BBC Two commissions two travel series from Simon Reeve

New Michael Palin Christmas special heads to BBC Two

Who's taking part in Race Across the World series two?

BBC Arena commissions Werner Herzog tribute to Bruce Chatwin

Simon Reeve: Russia has a deep darkness

Celebrities head to India for an exotic retirement

Sporting legends to take on world's toughest traditional sports

Meet the contestants for Race Across The World series four

The Best Travel Shows to Stream Right Now

Enjoy the thrill of the chase in paris, a stanley tucci tour of italy, and a puppet’s-eye view of global cuisine with these streaming tv shows..

• Copy Link copied

In “Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy,” the actor lives the dream by exploring the best of Italy’s food and wine.

Courtesy of CNN

While we wait for borders to open , these fuel-your-wanderlust shows will take you off the couch to Italy, England, Norway, France, and Peru (by magic shopping cart). Can you tell we’re excited about Michelle Obama’s fantastical new global food show, Waffles and Mochi ? It debuts next week on Netflix. Until then, explore the world from home by streaming any of these 26 travel shows and TV shows set in foreign countries.

Waffles and Mochi

Watch it : Netflix

A Sesame Street –style kids’ TV show for the budding chef, Waffles and Mochi follows the eponymous puppets—one a sweet little monster with waffles for ears, the other a sentient pink rice ball—around the world as they seek out fresh global ingredients and learn about healthy eating and cooking.

This show will appeal to adults as much as to toddlers. To start: Michelle Obama costars (this is part of the Obamas’ production deal with Netflix) as a grocery store owner who teaches Waffles and Mochi about the wide world beyond the Land of Frozen Food. Off on fabulous journeys they go—to Japan, Peru, Italy, where they have friendly encounters with famous chefs like Samin Nosrat and José Andrés, as well as special guests Rashida Jones, Queer Eye ’s Tan France, Zach Galifianakis, Sia, Common, and more (technically, Mandy Moore). Start streaming it on Netflix March 16. —Laura Dannen Redman

Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy

Watch it : CNN

Actor Stanley Tucci kept spirits afloat with his cocktail and cooking demos on Instagram during lockdown. When travel restrictions lifted in Europe last year, Tucci traveled to Italy—where he has deep roots—to film this six-episode series exploring food and culture through Italy’s people, cities, and regions: Sicily, Tuscany, Milan, Bologna, Rome, and Naples and the Amalfi Coast.

For those desperately missing Italy, Tucci is the perfect knowledgeable yet curious tour guide, introducing his friends—winemakers, chefs, and authors—who he pokes a little fun at, and taking you on tours, such as around Florence’s Renaissance-era wine windows, aka “little doors of paradise.”

If the show leaves you craving more, buy his two Italian cookbooks— The Tucci Table: Cooking with Family and Friends and The Tucci Cookbook— and preorder his memoir, Taste: My Life Through Food . The series has been renewed for season two. — Annie Fitzsimmons

Who is Lupin? He’s a gentleman thief, a master of disguise, a sort of French superhero at the heart of Maurice Leblanc’s short stories, “Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Burglar.” These early 20th-century Sherlockian tales inspire the new Netflix show, Lupin , starring Omar Sy ( The Intouchables ) as a Senegalese immigrant in today’s Paris who follows Arsène’s escapades as a road map for revenge.

In the pilot episode Sy’s Arsène struts through the Louvre disguised as a janitor, plotting a jewelry heist like a cohort of Danny Ocean. Lupin is also full of lust-worthy shots of the city: a room with a view of Sacré-Cœur; the Eiffel Tower from every angle; the Jardin du Luxembourg in the rain; a bustling café. A heist thriller is only as good as its setting, and Lupin —and Paris—deliver. —L.D.R.

“Outlander” stars Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish take you on a spirited journey through Scotland.

Courtesy of Starz

Men in Kilts: A Roadtrip with Sam and Graham

Watch it : Starz

If the popular period drama Outlander didn’t already have you craving a trip to Scotland, this travel show starring Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser in Outlander ) and Graham McTavish ( Outlander’s Dougal Mackenzie) will seal the deal. Even if you’re not an Outlander devotee, this Scottish duo, who are constantly making jabs at each other and themselves, are ideal guides for this literal campervan road trip through Scotland. Their banter is on point (you can tell they’re good pals IRL), and they transport viewers into the heart and soul of the country without taking themselves too seriously.

Each episode focuses on a different aspect of Scottish culture and history. For the food and drink episode, Heughan and McTavish visit one of Scotland’s oldest whisky distilleries and introduce viewers to Scottish seafood. For the sports episode, they try their hand at archaic Highland Games (aka throwing a massive hammer) and playing golf on Scotland’s most hallowed turf. And for the song and dance episode, viewers learn more about bagpipes and traditional Scottish dancing—Heughan and McTavish are game guinea pigs while also offering insights and knowledge into the theme at hand.

I’m not always big on traditional “travel shows,” but I absolutely love this one and am ready to book my first trip to Scotland ASAP after watching. — Michelle Baran

Watch it : Apple TV

West London’s Richmond upon Thames, with its distinctly British cobblestone shopping alleys, parks, and lively pubs, is the backdrop to the story of very American Ted Lasso, played by Jason Sudeikis.

Lasso is an American football coach hired to reboot a Premier League British football team, AFC Richmond. An eternal optimist, Ted is someone you wish you knew—warm and funny, with leadership skills that win over nearly everyone he meets in this fish-out-of-water story.

The Apple TV show isn’t really about sports, though there are plenty of soaring, heart-pumping soccer—football!—scenes. There are love triangles and mishaps, a delightful cast of characters, and the realization that you can do the impossible if you just “Believe,” Ted’s motto. The show has already been renewed for two more seasons. —A.F.

The head of government rides her bike to work: two clues this series isn’t set in the United States. In Copenhagen, everyone rides a bike. Maybe “Danish political drama” doesn’t sound compelling but this is, with a standout cast of well-developed characters. It follows the path of politician Birgitte Nyborg and how demands of her rise to power clash with her family life. Concerns about media news coverage are among the issues making this drama universal. The show, with an 8.5 IMDb rating, originally aired 2010–2013; Netflix plans a fourth season for 2022. — Pat Tompkins

If you’re one of the few who haven’t seen Bridgerton yet (apparently, it’s Netflix’s most successful series ever ), and you miss the U.K., it’s time to settle into Shonda Rhimes’s soapy, steamy Regency-era drama that reimagines the time as one when equality reigns: Black and white people coexist as equals, and the Queen is Black.

It centers on the romance between debutante Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, reluctant Duke of Hastings. Scenic British locations include the Bridgerton family home, Ranger’s House in Greenwich, London; promenades in Bath’s green parks and Royal Crescent; and parties at Wilton House in Salisbury as the Duke’s country mansion. — A.F.

“Killing Eve” sets the codependent cop-and-killer chase in glamorous sites around Europe.

Courtesy of BBC

Killing Eve

Watch it : YouTube TV

When Eve, a British intelligence investigator, becomes obsessed by an assassin-for-hire, Villanelle, their cat-and-mouse chase leads the characters through Tuscany, Paris, London, and Romania. The glamorous destinations make this a bingeable spy thriller for travel lovers who crave dark humor, cliffhangers, and dreamy settings. —Ciera Velarde

Four Weddings and a Funeral

Watch it : Hulu

This 10-episode series from Mindy Kaling is nothing like the movie it takes its name from, except that there are four weddings and one funeral. London has never looked more magical as friends in their thirties fall in love, break up, and get married across rooftop parties in Trafalgar Square, conversations at the National Gallery and inside dreamy Notting Hill houses, and walks in Kew Gardens.

Like its cast, but unlike so many romantic comedies, it also showcases the diversity of the city through Indian family culture in Hounslow and the multicultural Southall Market. It’s completely addictive, and you might replay the final 10 minutes of the series (a wedding, of course!) over and over again. — A.F.

Un Village Francais/A French Village

Watch it : Amazon Prime

Over seven seasons, this series captures what German occupation of a fictional village, Villeneuve, meant for its inhabitants from 1940 to 1945. Instead of battles, we get the war’s impact on civilian life, an impact that affects everyone. It could have been a soap opera, but it’s not, thanks to complex characters and intriguing stories.

Among those in the first episode are Spanish refugees, a Jewish family, and the town doctor, all coping with the sudden upheaval of life in Occupied France. Travel to a different place and time in these 80+ episodes. — P.T.

Home for Christmas

The first Norwegian series from Netflix, Home for Christmas was filmed in Oslo and the small mining town of Røros, known for its colorful wooden buildings from the 1700s. We see the town and countryside dressed for the holidays, with snow, twinkle lights, and cider at Christmas markets aplenty.

But the festive season is just a vehicle for showcasing the complicated bonds of family. The show follows the up-and-down love life and quirky characters surrounding Johanne, a nurse in her thirties who feels pressure from her large, boisterous family to settle down. But what relationship can compete with her friendships? — A.F.

Call My Agent

Calling all francophiles. For those missing not just France but the language and people as well, this French-language Netflix show is génial . Call My Agent is a witty comedy about a Paris-based talent agency. The central cast of characters brings viewers along as they manage the many moods and demands of their high-maintenance actor clients. (They do everything from intervene when clients refuse to get intimate on a film set to help a client learn to drive for a movie role, plus attend ridiculous soirées to appease these high-strung celebs.)

As the series continues, deeper emotional themes around family, friendship, and love develop. I found myself tearing up (in a good way) by the end of the first season, something I wasn’t expecting at all at the start. The comic relief serves as a wonderful escape and there’s something oddly satisfying about seeing behind the scenes of France’s acting and filming world even if it is a fictional look. — M.B.

Indian Matchmaking

This is a reality show, with all its tropes and gimmicks, inviting us to be voyeurs of the Indian dating world. But Indian Matchmaking is also a fascinating glimpse into the culture of matchmaking and quasi-arranged marriages, for both the singles and families. It follows Mumbai-based matchmaker Sima Taparia as she tries to pair clients both in the U.S. and India; the scenes in India are most vibrant and really make the show worth a watch even if you’re skeptical about the premise.

You feel like you’re sitting right next to the characters in that Mumbai restaurant or Delhi bar as they chat with friends or go out on that first (slightly awkward) date with their match. — M.B.

Watch it : HBO Now , Hulu , YouTube TV

If your family is driving you up the wall, imagine self-quarantining with Succession ’s Roy family. This addictive dramedy centers on who will take over a global media and hospitality empire as the family patriarch faces health issues. Because this dysfunctional family is crazy rich, the series transports us to the most exclusive corners of New York City, a sprawling ranch in New Mexico, and even a castle in England. The juicy Season 2 finale takes place on a private yacht in Croatia, so pour yourself some prosecco and lose yourself in someone else’s family drama. —C.V.

Olivia Colman dazzles as Queen Elizabeth in the third season of “The Crown.”

Courtesy of Netflix

Pour yourself a cuppa and don your finest sweatpants, because we’re headed to Buckingham Palace, folks. Well, no filming was actually done in Buckingham Palace, but Lancaster House, Wilton House, and Waddesdon Manor serve as lavish, convincing stand-ins. Get ready to follow the trials and tribulations of the Windsors and get peeks at country-home castles, private train cars, African tree houses, and passels of corgis romping on the moors. —C.V.

Watch it : Hulu , HBO Now

Every time a local musician appears onscreen during this series (and they appear a lot), hearing the soulful jazz they play will transport you to New Orleans. Shot entirely on location in the city, Treme ’s storyline begins three months after Hurricane Katrina and follows its characters—musicians, bartenders, families—as they try to rebuild their lives. —C.V.

Sam Heughan stars in “Outlander,” a drama heavy on time travel and rolling Scottish countryside.

Watch it : Starz , Netflix , YouTube TV

After just one episode of Outlander, you’ll be eager to traverse the peaks of Scotland’s evergreen Highlands and drink a wee dram of whisky. This time-travel series, shot on location in Scotland, creates a fantasy world that feels rooted in a real place. —C.V.

Broadchurch

Watch it : Amazon

South England’s Jurassic Coast is the real-life setting for this moody crime drama set in a fictional seaside town. Millions of years of coastal erosion have formed striking rock formations along the craggy cliffs and beaches of the region—the spectacular UNESCO World Heritage–recognized area even serves as an important plot device. —C.V.

Ugly Delicious

Watch it: Netflix

In each episode of this docuseries, the James Beard Foundation award–winning chef David Chang focuses on a specific food (one episode is about fried rice, another about barbecue) and then bounces from country to country to taste local iterations of the same dish. After the first episode (which involves pizza: lots and lots of pizza), you’ll learn not to watch on an empty stomach. —C.V.

Top of the Lake

Viewers will be instantly hooked by Elisabeth Moss’s performance as a detective investigating the disappearance of a pregnant 12-year-old girl. The show was filmed on the South Island of New Zealand, and the titular lake provides an eerie and dramatic background for the emotionally heavy show. —C.V.

The action of “The Night Manager” starts in Egypt, but the scenes were actually shot in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Courtesy of Amazon

The Night Manager

Watch it : Amazon Prime Video

Great writing, fast-paced action, and an all-star cast (Tom Hiddleston, Olivia Colman, Hugh Laurie) make this drama unmissable. The story follows a hotel night manager recruited to infiltrate the inner circle of a corrupt businessman. The show is rumored to be the most expensive miniseries ever made by the BBC, and travel-hungry viewers will enjoy the gorgeous locations, like Majorca, Spain; Zermatt, Switzerland; and Marrakesh, Morocco.

Salt Fat Acid Heat

Chef Samin Nosrat visits culinary colleagues in Italy, Japan, Mexico, and Berkeley, California, to explain how—you guessed it—salt, fat, acid, and heat are the essential elements to master when cooking any meal. Samin’s passion for food radiates through the screen, and you’ll be left hungry and inspired to test out some of her cooking tips—with her cookbook by the same name —yourself. —C.V.

If you want to lean into the current news, Fortitude is one way to go. Set in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard (but filmed in Eastern Iceland), this drama is about a deadly virus that turns infected people into murderers. Winter-travel lovers: Get ready for sweeping icy landscapes, snow-capped mountains, and frigid, rocky beaches. —C.V.

“My Brilliant Friend” is a realistic portrayal of the gritty yet beautiful city of Naples.

Photo by Eduardo Castaldo/HBO

My Brilliant Friend

Although this show follows two childhood friends as they grow into women in postwar Italy, the true star is Naples , with its crowded sidewalks, lively piazzas, and ancient architecture. (In the sixth episode, viewers get to travel to the volcanic island of Ischia, to summer with the characters on beaches lapped by turquoise waters). —C.V.

The makers of Our Planet leave no corner of Earth untouched. This breathtaking nature docuseries allows you to swim with whales, swing from tree to tree with orangutans, and explore the Serengeti, all from your couch. The camerawork is remarkable: You’ll ask yourself “how did they even film that?!” at least four times per episode. —C.V.

Big Little Lies

Oh, what we’d give to be social distancing in one of the spacious seaside mansions on this show. The frothy mix of petty neighborhood squabbles, a mysterious death, and the sweeping shots of the Pacific Ocean makes watching Big Little Lies roughly 10 times better than watching the news. And if you’re inspired to plan a trip to Monterey after watching the show (and, of course, after virus concerns are lifted) , we’ve got you covered . —C.V.

>>Next: Around the World in International Films

• Trip Inspiration
• Why Travel With Us
• Travel Blog

South America | Blog Our favourite South American TV Shows

October 20, 2023

If you are planning a trip to South America in the coming months or just want to learn more about the countries that make up this incredible continent we have rounded up below a few of the best films, series and documentaries to watch before your visit. From food shows, to telenovelas and documentaries we’ve got it all covered to suit everyone’s needs. 

Food shows: 

Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown Countries include Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Paraguay. 

In this travel and food show Chef Anthony Bourdain travels across the globe to find little known or spoken about countries and learn about their cultures and food rituals. During the series he travels to Colombia to discover a country that has changes vastly over the last ten years and offers so much variety with its food offering. He also visits Peru with his fellow friend and chef Eric Ripert and to-gether they explore the depths of the Andes in search of the rarest cacao beans in the world. In Bra-zil, he heads to Bahia and explores the region’s legendary food vendors and in Paraguay, Chef Bourdain delves into the country’s biggest industry, beef. 

Bourdain’s show which spans 12 seasons and can be found on Netflix shows a different side to eve-ry country and provides insightful commentary on the importance of food in different cultures. 

Chef’s Table; Francis Mallmann Country: Argentina

Chef Mallmann is one of the most iconic chefs in Argentina and this documentary is an insightful por-trait of a chef who has returned to his roots and the basics of cooking to prepare his dishes. 

Mallmann is an incredibly famous and popular chef in Latin America having authored a number of books as well as being a television presenter. He learned how to cook in some of the best three Michelin starred restaurants in France before moving on to other European countries such as Ger-many to continue his training. After having stayed in Europe for some time he decided to return to Argentina and move away from haute cuisine and return to his country’s root by incorporating local ingredients and tools such as fire in all its states and varieties to create new dishes. 

The whole episode is a true showcase of the beauty and depth of the country. From the wildlife of Patagonia to the streets of Buenos Aires it is an ode to the country and Mallmann’s craft.

Somebody Feed Phil Country:  Argentina, Buenos Aires and Brasil, Rio de Janeiro

Somebody Feed Phil is an American television travel documentary presented by Phil Rosenthal. The show follows Rosenthal as he goes around the world discovering new cuisines and featuring differ-ent cities along the way. 

The show has two episodes with South American countries, the first being Buenos Aires where Rosenthal discovers new delicacies such as dulce de leche and wild boar choripán. He also learns more about the importance of beef in the culture and how the country produce some of the best meat in the world. 

In Rio de Janeiro, Phil discovers churrascarias which are restaurants that specialise in churrasco - any type of boneless cuts of beef that are sliced thinly and grilled over hot coals or in a hot skillet. He also samples one of the national dishes called Feijoada, a stew made of beans and pork that is commonly prepared in Brasil. 

This is a series that will see you wanting to hop on a plane as soon as possible to try the mouth-watering dishes found in Latin America. 

Telenovelas

La Reina del Flow Country: Colombia

La Reina del Flow or The Queen of Flow in English is a Colombian telenovela that fans of Latin mu-sic will thoroughly enjoy. 

The story revolves around a talented songwriter who is wrongfully imprisoned for a crime she didn’t commit. After 17 years spent in prison she is released and returns to her hometown of Medellin to exact revenge on the people that put her there. The whole series in steeped in reggaeton music and culture. It will have you on the edge of your seat but also bopping along to the very catchy music in-terspersed in each episode. 

Cuatro Estaciones en La Habana Country: Cuba

This four-part Spanish series on Netflix is based on the best-selling novels “The Havana Quartet" by Cuban author Leonardo Padura. The show takes place in the 1990s and follows a police officer named Mario Conde whose dream is to become an author so as to be able to get away from the cor-ruption and crime that make up the city. 

The show is compelling and beautifully made with a stunning backdrop of a city trapped in time. It is a series perfect for those looking for an out-of-the-ordinary show that tells a complicated story with brilliant, in-depth and multi-layered characters. The soundtrack of the show is also of the highest or-der and is composed of solely jazz tracks. It is a truly wonderful show that deserves much more recognition than it has gotten. 

Documentaries

Embrace of the Serpent Countries: Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina

Embrace of the Serpent tells the story of a life-altering friendship between an Amazonian shaman, the last survivor of his people and two scientists who over the course of 40 years travel through the Amazon looking for a sacred plant. 

The story is based on the journals of the first European scientist and explorers of the Amazon, Theo-dore Koch-Grunberg and Richard Schultes. The extent of the film is dedicated to the exploration and discovery of small tribes that dot the riverbanks of the Amazon and learning about their culture and spiritual beliefs. In particular, it looks at the character of Karamakate who helps the explorers on their search and is an excellent portrayal of how the world can transform around people. The story really showcases how these indigenous tribes change and evolve with time and the interference of outsid-ers on their lives. 

Embrace of the Serpent is the first ever Oscar-nominated movie in Colombia and is a visually stun-ning and poetic film that shows the often unseen parts of the country. 

Green River, The Times of the Yakurunas Country: Peru

Green River, The Times of the Yakurunas takes you on a journey to the depths of the Amazon. Fol-lowing the flow of the river, this documentary show how connected the lives of the people living on the banks of the Amazon, in three separated and isolated villages of the rainforest. The beautiful landscape of the forest will draw you in and leave you in awe of the immensity and beauty of the landscape. You will be left fully immersed by the scenery and the spiritual sounds of the Ayahuasca chants that make the soundtrack of the show as you follow in the lives of those who live along the eponymous river. The documentary also illustrates the danger of these indigenous cultures disap-pearing due to the consequences of global capitalism. A must-watch. 

The Sacred Science Country: Peru

The Sacred Science is a documentary film that takes viewers on a journey into the healing powers of indigenous plants as well as other spiritual practices of the Amazon medicine men. The film follows eight people as they travel to the Amazon rainforest in hopes of finding a cure for their illnesses. The filmmakers takes a deep dive into the practices of the local indigenous shamans and gives you a deep insight into the world of natural medicines and how traditional cultures approach illnesses in their own way. The documentary also touches on how these practices are slowly being threatened by deforestation and modernisation. 

The Sacred Science is an intelligent and thought provoking documentary to watch for those interest-ed in traditional healing methods as well as how important it is to save the Amazon forest and cul-tures that live in it for their wealth of knowledge. 

If after watching these you feel inspired to visit one or all of these wonderful countries let us know and we can work to create unique and one of a kind itineraries and experiences for you. Whether it be a foodie trip à la Phil Rosenthal or a nature trip to follow in the footsteps of Koch-Grunberg and Schultes, we are able to create something special out of what you love most. 

Alexandra Coeln

Share with your traveller friends!

Related Tours

Hidden treasures of Peru and Bolivia

Culinary Escapade: A Sensory Journey through Argentina, Peru and Chile

Northern Argentina Tour: A Tale of Culture, Nature, and Adventure

Booking completed. You will receive email with booking confirmation.

Payment Gateway Error

We are sorry but we are facing our payment gateway error. Please try again soon.

AVAILABILITY ERROR

We are sorry but we cannot complete booking due to availability change. Please try again with new dates.

BOOKING ERROR

Booking key error.

We are sorry but we cannot complete booking due to booking key error. Please try again.

Almost done! You will now be directed to PayPal to complete the secure booking process. You're so close to booking an amazing holiday in Colombia!

• UK +44(0) 207 474 8514
• USA +1 516 755 7240
• [email protected]
• 124 City Road London EC1V 2NX

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

A drive through Alabama shows how pro-union sentiments are rising in the deep South

Stephan Bisaha

To understand labor in America, travel a short section of Interstate 20 through Alabama. Just off this highway, union hopes have been raised, crushed and dragged out for years.

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Watch CBS News

In Beijing, Blinken and Xi stress need for continued U.S.-China dialogue to avoid "any miscommunications"

Updated on: April 26, 2024 / 9:00 PM EDT / AP

Beijing — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping and senior Chinese officials, warning of the dangers of misunderstandings and miscalculations as the United States and China butted heads over a number of contentious bilateral, regional and global issues. Blinken met with Xi in Beijing after holding talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Public Security Minister Wang Xiaohong.

Talks between the two sides have increased in recent months, even as differences have grown.

"We are committed to maintaining and strengthening lines of communication between us," so that the two sides can prevent any "any miscommunications, any misperceptions and any miscalculations," Blinken said.

Earlier, Blinken and Wang also underscored the importance of keeping lines of communication open as they lamented persistent and deepening divisions that threaten global security. Those divisions were highlighted earlier this week when President Biden signed a massive foreign aid bill that contains several elements the Chinese see as problematic.

Their comments hinted at a long list of differences to be discussed, including Taiwan and the South China Sea , trade and human rights , China's support for Russia and the production and export of synthetic opioid precursors .

• Tiny piece of technology emerges as a source of U.S. tension with China, Russia

"Overall, the China-U.S. relationship is beginning to stabilize," Wang told Blinken at the start of about 5 1/2 hours of talks. "But at the same time, the negative factors in the relationship are still increasing and building and the relationship is facing all kinds of disruptions."

"Should China and the United States keep to the right direction of moving forward with stability or return to a downward spiral?" he asked. "This is a major question before our two countries and tests our sincerity and ability."

"China's legitimate development rights have been unreasonably suppressed and our core interests are facing challenges," he said. "China's concerns are consistent. We have always called for respect of each other's core interests and urge the United States not to interfere in China's internal affairs, not to hold China's development back, and not to step on China's red lines on China's sovereignty, security, and development interests."

Blinken responded by saying the Biden administration places a premium on U.S.-China dialogue, even on issues of dispute. He noted there had been some progress in the past year, but suggested talks would continue to be difficult.

"I look forward to these discussions being very clear, very direct about the areas where we have differences and where the United States stands, and I have no doubt you will do the same on behalf of China," Blinken told Wang. "There is no substitute in our judgement for face-to-face diplomacy in order to try to move forward, but also to make sure we're as clear as possible about the areas where we have differences at the very least to avoid misunderstandings, to avoid miscalculations."

The State Department said later that Blinken and Wang had "in-depth, substantive, and constructive discussions about areas of difference as well as areas of cooperation" and made clear that Blinken had stood his ground on U.S. concerns.

Blinken "emphasized that the U.S. will continue to stand up for our interests and values and those of our allies and partners, including on human rights and economic issues," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday, visiting Shanghai shortly before Mr. Biden signed the $95 billion foreign aid package that has several elements likely to anger Beijing, including $8 billion to counter China's growing aggressiveness toward Taiwan and in the South China Sea. It also seeks to force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform.

China and the United States are the major players in the Indo-Pacific. Washington has become increasingly alarmed by Beijing's growing aggressiveness in recent years toward Taiwan and its smaller Southeast Asian neighbors with which it has significant territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea.

China has railed against U.S. assistance to Taiwan and immediately condemned the aid as a dangerous provocation. It also strongly opposes efforts to force TikTok's sale.

The bill also allots $61 billion for Ukraine to defend itself from Russia's invasion. The Biden administration has complained loudly that Chinese support for Russia's military-industrial sector has allowed Moscow to subvert western sanctions and ramp up attacks on Ukraine.

U.S. officials have said China's ties with Russia would be a primary topic of conversation during Blinken's visit, and just before Friday's meetings began, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he would visit China in May.

• Antony Blinken
• Human Rights
• South China Sea

More from CBS News

Apple threatened with legal action over use of alleged "blood minerals"

Man arrested in London over sword attack that left a child dead

King Charles returns to public work with visit to London cancer center

San Diego Zoo to get two new pandas from China