Channel 4’s new two-part adventure series ‘Secret Amazon: Into the Wild’ follows the pioneering expedition of fearless British explorer Lucy Shepherd, hailed by The Times as “the most hardcore member of the new generation of British adventurers”. With over 50% of the world’s population now living in cities, it’s hard to believe there are any true wildernesses left, but Lucy sets out to prove that these fragile ecosystems still exist.

Join Lucy and her indigenous team on a self-recorded, firsthand account of their journey as they embark on a 50-day, 400 km trek through one of the planet’s last untouched wildernesses, deep in the uncharted Amazon rainforest. Lucy discovers the threats this rainforest faces, reveals how we all depend on these vital ecosystems, and highlights the critical need to protect our wild spaces. By journeying through one of the planet’s last untamed places, she shows why it’s never been a more urgent time to understand and protect it before it’s too late.

Crossing the Kanuku Mountains from east to west, the team has to navigate the treacherous terrain entirely on foot, relying on outdated 50-year-old maps for guidance, while facing relentless danger at every turn. From deadly venomous bushmaster snakes to aggressive swarming wasps, 500-strong herds of aggressive peccary (wild boars) and the lurking menace of black caimans, Lucy and her team must learn to coexist with the unforgiving jungle to survive.

Lucy’s good friends, local Amerindians from the Macushi and Wapishana tribe join her on the epic journey. Team members Aaron Bernadine, Michael McDonald, Vivian Smith, Lionel James, Carlos Honorio and Maximus Griffth, bravely disregard warnings from other locals; ‘Don’t go; if you go you will never come back’.

The series sees the mental resilience of Lucy and her team tested to the limit, spending weeks at a time without sunlight, grappling with the threat of trench foot, and battling the relentless terrain of the Amazon, on their quest to complete the journey. The series depicts how friendship, regardless of nationality, background or gender, can defy all odds.

Immersing you in the raw, untamed beauty of the jungle, the series explores why preserving this wilderness is essential for the planet’s future.

British explorer, Lucy Shepherd, said: “Venturing into the unknown was both exhilarating and humbling. This journey pushed us to our limits and revealed the breathtaking beauty and brutal challenges of one of the world’s last true remaining wildernesses. It’s a powerful reminder of why we must work to protect these vital ecosystems.”

Lucy Shepherd was made a fellow at the Royal Geographical Society at 23 and became the youngest ever member of the Scientific Exploration Society Council. At only 29 years old, Lucy took on the Amazon expedition, endorsed by the Scientific Exploration Society. It is considered to be one of the most remarkable journeys through jungle territory in recent years.

Jonah Weston, Commissioning Editor at Channel 4, said: “Secret Amazon: Into the Wild provides a rare, self-documented insight into the real dangers and challenges of the Amazon, while also offering an extraordinary glimpse into one of the most remote places on Earth. Lucy Shepherd’s courageous and unfiltered account of this remarkable expedition not only highlights the natural beauty of the Amazon but also underscores the urgent need to safeguard these invaluable environments.”

As diverse as it is dangerous, the Kanukus are known locally as The Mountains of Life, on account of the sheer diversity of flora and fauna in the mountains, which have been a protected wilderness since 2011. However, the area is facing growing pressures from unsustainable wildlife hunting and trapping, logging and mining, as well as land encroachment and forest clearing for agricultural expansion, which all threaten this unique ecosystem.

‘Secret Amazon: Into the Wild’, produced by Featuristic Films and Lucy Shepherd, will air on Channel 4 in September 2024.