
Michael Palin's epic voyages have seen him circumnavigate the globe, travel from the North to the South Pole & circle the countries of the Pacific Ocean, but perhaps the greatest challenge facing an intrepid explorer is crossing the vast & merciless Sahara desert. There is no easy way to do it, & Palin's experiences are like nothing he has encountered before. As the journey unfolds, the Sahara reveals not the emptiness of endless sand dunes, but a huge & diverse range of cultures & landscapes & a long history of civilisation, trade, commerce & conquest stretching from the ancient Egyptians to the oil-rich Islamic republics of today.