Season 1
Long Way Down is a British documentary television series created by Ewan McGregor, Charley Boorman, David Alexanian and Russ Malkin documenting a motorcycle journey undertaken by McGregor and Boorman on which they rode south from John o' Groats in Scotland to Cape Town in South Africa via Europe and Africa, in 2007.
It is a follow-up to the Long Way Round trip of 2004, when the pair rode east from London to New York via Eurasia and North America.
The series aired in the UK on BBC Two from 28 October to 2 December, 2007. There are six hour-long episodes in the series.
Long Way Down premiered in South Africa on DStv's National Geographic Channel on Sunday 20 July 2008, at 21h00. Double episodes air back-to-back each week.
Repeats
(Double episodes)
Mondays: 03h00, 09h00, 14h00
Fridays: 22h00
Saturdays: 04h00
Synopsis
Award-winning actor Ewan McGregor and best friend Charley Boorman are hitting the road on their motorcycles again, travelling from the most northern part of Scotland to the very bottom of Africa in this six-part series.
Traversing more than 24,000 kilometres of tough terrain, the intrepid travellers are on the adventure of a lifetime as they negotiate their way through countries including Libya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda and Malawi.
Ewan and Charley push themselves to the limit, both physically and mentally. Biking through a Libyan sandstorm, travelling with armed guards in Egypt, flying over the plains of Kenya, hiking in the Ugandan mountains and riding along the South African coastline, the boys experience Africa up close.
While the landscape is undoubtedly breathtaking, the trip is riddled with potholes - on and off the road.
Through video diaries and helmet cameras, ride alongside Ewan and Charley and experience the journey through their eyes.
Episodes
Episode 1
Three years after circumnavigating the globe together, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman undertake another overland motorcycle adventure, this time from John O'Groats to Cape Town, South Africa.
After spending months planning their route, Ewan breaks his leg only weeks before the departure date. To make matters worse, it begins to look doubtful that the team will be granted visas for Libya.
Nevertheless, they make their way up to John O'Groats to start their epic adventure.
Episode 2
Continuing their motorcycle adventure through France and Italy, Ewan and Charley are running out of time.
To make matters worse, news arrives that the American crew members can't get visas for Libya and will have to skip this part of the trip. The team have to cross the problematic Tunisia/Libya border two men down.
They are racing to get to Aswan, Egypt, in time to catch the weekly ferry that will take them down the Nile into Sudan.
Episode 3
After trying to sleep through a sandstorm, the team have lost their enthusiasm. Riding with zero visibility, it’s unsafe for them to continue, but it’s even more dangerous for them to camp on the roadside.
Finally arriving safely in Egypt, the team are reunited with the Americans.
Catching the Aswan ferry, they cross the border into Sudan and into sweltering heat. Eventually making it to the UNICEF project in Ethiopia, Charley and Ewan are starting to love Africa - before Ewan has a fall.
Episode 4
The team make it to Addis Ababa for their well earned break. With morale at an all time low, the boys do some soul searching to decide if their trip is worth continuing.
They decide that it is: but in Kenya, Claudio's bike breaks down in bandit country. Terrified at the thought of another packet dinner, the team make a unanimous decision to slaughter a goat for supper.
More disaster follows when soft sand makes it difficult to stay upright.
When the terrain finally changes it causes more problems. Instead of a nice smooth tarmac road, the team are faced with the nightmare of a huge muddy river. If they can’t get across they will have to turn back.
Episode 5
After several hours of struggling, the bikes and cars finally cross the muddy river. Ewan sees his first wild zebra, and in Northern Uganda, Ewan and Charley have an emotional day.
Visiting their second UNICEF site, they hear the harrowing stories of former child soldiers.
The team then race to cross the Rwanda border before it shuts, but Ewan's mind is elsewhere: once they pass through Tanzania he can see his wife, Eve, who is waiting at the next border.
Episode 6
Reaching Malawi, Ewan is ecstatic to finally meet up with his wife, Eve. They travel to their last UNICEF site, meeting families affected by AIDS.
That night they camp in a small village in Zambia, sharing their packet dinners and stories around the campfire. On to Victoria Falls, where Charley bungee-jumps off the bridge.
Charley and Claudio collide on the motorway in South Africa, but against the odds they arrive safely in Cape Town.
After 85 days and 15,000 miles, the trip is complete.