Expedition: Africa

Stanley & Livingstone follows four elite Explorers as they try to recapture one the greatest adventures in history. For 30 days, they will journey 950-miles deep into the heart of Africa as they retrace Henry Morton Stanley's search for Dr. David Livingstone. Using only a compass and basic hand-drawn maps, these modern-day Explorers will attempt to conquer the most challenging and dangerous parts of Stanley's quest. Each is an expert in his or her own field of exploration. Together, they will seek to re-live this epic 19th century adventure by confronting similar obstacles and dangers as the great ones before them. Expedition will give viewers a first hand glimpse into a dramatic world of personal intrigue and survival while unfolding one of the greatest expedition stories of all time. This is not a competition or game. It's a real life adventure.

The Explorers climb through the Uluguru mountains. Soon into their trip, a porter collapsing because of the blistering pace Pasquale has set. They also have to cross steep cliffs that Kevin, the least experienced, finds daunting.

The Explorers move on the Mkata Plain which is baking hot and parched dry. Water will become a critical issue for them. They marvel at the giraffes, elephants, zebra and other game grazing nearby but they also recognize the dangers of this environment. General illness seems to be afflicting everyone. Then they are confronted with a sea of 10-foot-high grass, and worry about lions that may be hiding there. Another injury reminds them how vulnerable they are in this environment. The pace of the group's progress is a concern, and two members of the group seem to be headed for a showdown. At a desperately needed water hole, an unexpected natural event forces the explorers to scurry out of the way. It's another harbinger of what probably lies ahead.

Terrible weather conditions turn the expedition into a struggle for survival. As the explorers begin the day's hike, they realize they only have 30 days to complete their journey because of rainy season. Progress is hampered by heavy rains, and the group fears for hypothermia. They slog through the mud and the rain and when one of the group gets frustrated with a local guide's help, he takes over navigation. The first possible camp site shows evidence of snake holes. Conflicts within the group continue, and one of them is violently ill overnight. Still, by the morning--and with the return of sun--everyone feels slightly more optimistic for a brief moment--interrupted when one of them comes down with a serious illness. They wonder if they will ever get out of Sagara.

The explorers arrive at the Bahi Swamp--despite its name, a harsh desert landscape. While there, they arrange to hire donkeys to help carry supplies for the next stage of the trip. The plan is to beat the heat by setting out at 4am, but things don't work out as planned. As the sun is hitting its peak, the explorers see the massive stretch of desert awaiting them: HOT--no shade, no protection and a long way to go. The philosophical divisions between some of the group manifest themselves in physical separations. When they all reunite, trouble brews. At camp later in a village, the team temporarily irons out their differences--but again, they seem to only patch things up on the surface. After two days of trekking across the swamp, the expedition runs into a massive incline they will have to climb. Again, arguments about how to proceed develop. When the team finally makes it to the top, a fight ensues. They may have made it through that leg of the expedition, but are they together?

Benedict and Pasquale reach an uneasy truce as the explorers trek to Tabora, site of the Livingstone house. There, one of the team comes down with malaria--ironically, the same place where Stanley contracted it. This puts the future of the expedition entirely in question. They decide to continue, and the Expedition heads off toward an uncertain future, knowing any relapse could lead to their failure. Time is critical if they want to make Ujiji in 30 days. With one of the team ill and needing care, the balance of power changes, and the group is exhausted. They make camp, but must build fires to ward off the danger from hippos. After a decision to rest for a day, confrontations ensue. Two of the team get into a huge fight, putting team unity--and hope for a successful expedition--into shambles.