Where Russia meets Asia lies the Caucasus,
a hidden land of dramatic peaks and ancient cultures.
For centuries, wars and natural barriers
have stopped outsiders passing through.
But now I want to cross this mighty mountain range, all the way to Iran.
Whoo! This is where the journey begins.
'My name is Levison Wood.
It's a cold one today.
'I've travelled the length of the Nile...
Can't see a thing now.
'..the Himalayas...'
This is all I've got.
'..and the Americas.'
Ah!
'Now...
'..I'm crossing the Caucasus...'
Running up here was a bad idea.
'..with the help of the locals themselves.'
Can we jump on? This is hitchhiking, Georgian style.
Yes.
Starting from the foothills in southern Russia,
I'll track the mountains as they zigzag across five countries
to the shores of the Caspian Sea.
From the dusty peaks of the northern badlands
to the fertile valleys of the former Soviet republics,
aiming to finish in the captivating nation of Iran.
Wish me luck.
'I'll travel through remote...
There's a mummified cat nailed to the wall!
You'd think it would feel safe, but it really doesn't.
'..volatile...' GUNFIRE
DOG BARKS
I think we'd better leave.
'..and spectacular lands.'
That's got to be one of the most mind-blowing views.
It puts the Grand Canyon to shame.
'And I'll meet people...
Getting very friendly with his sheep.
'..like no others on earth.'
Hello, What do you reckon? Suit me?
'So far... HE SHOUTS
'..I've travelled Russia's wild frontier...'
Wow, there's bones everywhere.
'..and remote valleys. DOG BARKS
'..to cross the Caucasus into oil-rich Azerbaijan.'
Well, this is quite a welcome.
'Now I'm about to step into a volcanic desert...'
It's so hot.
'..join migrating herdsmen...
HORSE NEIGHS
'..and travel treacherous roads...'
One loose boulder and the entire cliff could come down.
'..as I attempt to reach...
Straight through the mountain.
'..the edge of Asia.'
It's steep!
This is BLEEP scary.
I'm in Azerbaijan, 1,000 miles into my journey from Russia to Iran.
Looks like this is the end of the road here.
Yes.
I'm with my guide, Namin Bunyatov.
From now on, we are going into the wild.
Namin's leading me back to the mountains,
through one of Azerbaijan's hidden wonders, the Gobustan desert.
These sands are home to 340 mud volcanoes,
and are known as the Burning Mountains.
It's hot today, isn't it?
The next 600 miles of our journey will draw us through two countries -
Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Azerbaijan is at war with its neighbour, Armenia,
over the contested state of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Our route will lead us through deserts,
landslide blackspots and castles in the sky.
And on to Georgia's lush valleys,
home to hermit monks and cave cities,
as we try to reach the edge of Asia.
You enjoying the desert, Namin?
Namin was a soldier with the Azeri special forces,
and even served in the war with neighbouring Armenia,
which still continues 100 miles to our west.
How long did you serve there for?
I served for more than five years.
What was the fighting like? Was it intense?
Shooting, yes. Snipers from both sides.
They are firing.
It's still very dangerous.
Fighting began in 1992,
when Armenia seized lands that Azerbaijan saw as their own.
Up to 30,000 people have been killed,
and I'll only be free to pass through the region
once I reach Armenia in a few weeks' time.
Now there's just the border you can't cross, it's impossible.
Impossible. You cannot cross.
You cannot approach the front line.
But we hope that way is how we can get our land back.
'Azerbaijan sits atop huge oil and gas reserves...'
Look at this one here.
'..which help create this unique landscape.'
It's like we've arrived on the surface of the moon.
So, from far away, they look like termite mounds
or mini mountains but,
when you get up close,
you can actually see where the mud is oozing and bubbling
out of the ground.
I was expecting that to be hot, but it's not at all.
It's just cold mud.
Below us lies a vast mud reservoir.
As gas rises to the surface, it forces the mud through cracks...
..forming these volcanic cones.
This mud, the famous Gobustan volcano.
It's better than using sun cream, because it's completely natural.
You're like a mini Rambo, aren't you?
You look fantastic, mate, don't worry.
I'm going to put a little bit on my face, just to keep the sun off.
Right. On your nose and your cheeks.
I think that's enough for me.
Let's go.
Turns out mud sun cream isn't too comfy,
and we soon wash it off.
In winter, shepherds from the freezing northern highlands
bring their flocks to graze on the Gobustan's mild plains.
Now it's spring, they're returning to the high summer pastures...
..like Olan here.
How many sheep do you have to look after?
Wow.
How far do you travel?
400km, maybe.
400km on foot?
And where do you sleep, just outside with your sheep?
Right. Thank you very much.
Thank you.
'While some, like Olan, pass through here...'
What do you think this building is up ahead?
'..others call this home.'
It looks like farm.
Who are these...? Who are the people?
Oh, the shepherds' families.
This shepherds' camp is home to some 60 people,
and nearly 1,000 sheep and cattle.
It's been here for generations.
A group of families all just living here, in the middle of nowhere.
Whilst the men herd,
the women keep the place running.
DOGS BARK Protecting this site from wolves...
..are their Caucasian shepherd dogs.
They're bred to kill wolves,
but I'm sure would happily have a piece of me.
We haven't got any tents. HE CHUCKLES
So we're just going to blow up our air mats
and just get our heads down for the night.
We'd hoped to make it out of the desert tonight, but by 6pm,
it's gone dark.
DOG BARKS
Is it a dog or a wolf?
Maybe we're in it.
Fingers crossed it doesn't come any closer. DOG BARKS
The dog got pretty close last night.
It was sniffing around the camp all night and barking.
But it didn't attack us, which is the main thing.
But it seems you're never alone out here.
I think the plan is to keep on walking.
'Ten miles from our camp...
'..we leave the Gobustan desert...
'..and the sands give way to rolling farmland.
'Before leading us...'
We made it!
'..into another world.'
It's nice to be back in the mountains, isn't it?
Fresh air, nice and cool,
beautiful views and incredibly green.
Feel like I'm back in the Himalayas.
It's very wobbly.
I'm not going to look down.
Unlike some,
Namin's a professional climber,
and he's already shown me terrifying clips of him hanging off buildings.
What on earth is that?!
But he can't stop himself from doing ridiculous stunts.
Lunatic!
Namin, you are absolutely mental.
It makes my blood run faster.
You almost died!
You were hanging onto a rope bridge with one arm over a river!
That's OK. I know what I'm doing.
I control myself, no problem.
Right, I'm going to have to keep you away from high bridges
and buildings.
LAUGHING: Yes, yes.
Yes.
I'm in the lush Caucasus Mountains of Azerbaijan with my guide, Namin.
We're aiming for the ancient town of Lahic, 50 miles away,
famed for its traditional craftsmen.
But the further we head from the oil-rich cities in the East,
the worse the roads become.
That is not a good place to break down.
He's just pushing the car backwards to get away from the danger area.
These cliffs are absolutely terrifying.
You only have to look around to see the amount of debris and scree
that has just come crashing down.
Even daredevil Namin's not keen on walking here.
And so we hitch a lift with a local.
I'm very concerned about this road.
Every time I pass here, I have strange feeling of fear.
And all it takes is one loose boulder,
and the entire cliff can come down.
What do you do if you see a landslide,
do you drive fast or do you get out of the car and run?
Have you ever seen a landslide here?
Really?
Beyond Lahic, we'll be aiming for ancient cities
and castles high in the mountains,
before crossing into country number three, Georgia.
And the Pankisi Gorge,
a troubled paradise that's a known breeding ground for Isis fighters.
HE SAYS THANK YOU
Safe journey back. Stay away from the landslides.
OK, thank you very much.
CAR ENGINE STARTS
Well, this is Lahic.
THEY GREET ONE ANOTHER
300 years ago, Lahic became famous
for making weapons so good they were shipped all the way to Iran.
Today, their craftsmen are keen to flog their wares
to any passing trade.
What do you reckon? Whoa, a rifle!
TRADER SPEAKS AZERBAIJANI
This shop looks like it's straight out of a movie set.
Salaam!
How are you?
What's your name?
How many years have you been doing this for?
Shabli's shop has been around long enough to witness some of
the eight different empires that have ruled Azerbaijan.
What's this?
900 years.
900 years!
What's that, is that a really old one?
What on earth is that?!
HE CHUCKLES
There's a mummified cat nailed to the wall!
How long has it been up there for?
That is absolutely ridiculous!
There's a 150-year-old cat nailed to the wall!
LAUGHTER
It's really good to meet you, thank you so much.
THEY SAY GOODBYE
We have one day left in Azerbaijan.
Tomorrow, we plan to head for a mountain castle.
Salam aleykum!
Before we set off, we're going to need to stock up on supplies.
This is Sheki Market.
It's literally got everything you need, chickens
bright pink sofas, brooms,
fruit, veg.
There you go, there's a cow's head dangling from a tree.
Sheki used to be a thriving hub for silk production,
but as the oil and gas industries have surged,
manufacturing suffered.
And today,
towns like Sheki rely more on agriculture.
I've never seen two cows being towed by a motorbike before.
Before I leave Azerbaijan tomorrow,
Namin's taking me to a fort that's become part of Azeri folklore.
Whilst I was surrounded by flash cars in the capital, Baku,
the rides here are a little less luxurious.
A couple of these local guys said they can give us a lift to
the end of the road, and then from there, it's about a two hour walk.
It's up there, high in the forest somewhere.
THEY CONVERSE
Like an eagle nest.
I really hope I can make it.
Phew. But it looks challenging.
300 metres up this cliff is Peri Qalasi,
or "the Fairy Castle".
Legend has it, a princess fled here to escape Genghis Khan,
who wanted to take her as his wife.
And it's not a bad hiding place.
HE PANTS
Well, Genghis Khan must have really liked this girl.
What a climb.
Beyond the forest lies a 20-storey sheer cliff face.
That was the easy bit.
I'm now putting myself in the hands of Namin,
the man who hangs off bridges in his spare time.
It looks bloody steep.
It's incredible.
And it turns out the princess who hid here
escaped Genghis Khan only by throwing herself from the top.
Right, then - off we go.
HE PANTS
It's steep!
A lot of stuff coming down.
This is BLEEP scary!
Phew!
Right.
Do a bit more.
But finally,
after three hours...
Yes! ..we reach the Fairy Castle.
Woo!
HE PANTS
We made it.
Here we are.
Let's go and have a look, and see what's here.
Give me your hand.
Just like that.
Woo!
Well, there we go, castles in the sky do exist.
Peri Qalasi.
The castle of the beautiful woman.
But making it here
means I've come to the end of the road in Azerbaijan.
And must bid farewell to Namin.
Thanks for looking after me.
You've been an incredible guide. OK.
Come to England soon, yeah? Yes, soon.
See you, my friend. Keep in touch! Take care. Will do.
There it is, there's the river that separates Azerbaijan and Georgia.
I first came to Georgia in my early 20s,
and I've arranged to meet an old friend.
He's around here somewhere.
Hopefully.
Lasha!
When we met, Lasha Samushir
was a professional footballer...
Good to see you again!
..but injury forced him to retire.
And now he's free to travel the country with me.
13 years. You promised me you will be back.
Well, I'm... You're here. And here we are.
Welcome to Georgia, my friend!
Lasha has left his wife, Irina, and two kids at home.
But something tells me he's pleased to see me.
What are you doing?
It's your love!
Thank you very much, Lasha.
Just what I wanted.
It's very green, lush.
Over there, lots of orchards,
olive trees,
vineyards everywhere.
It's almost got a Mediterranean feel to it.
The ancient Greeks thought Georgia so beautiful,
they described it as paradise on earth.
Farmers and shepherds have worked these fertile lands for centuries.
But the post-Soviet years have seen the country struggle.
I've arrived just as Georgia's shepherd migration
to the high summer pastures is in full swing.
There's some horses coming here. Shall we ask for a lift?
Can we jump on?
Yeah? Jump on.
Let's go.
So this is, this is hitchhiking Georgian style.
Yes!
Well, it's not the fastest mode of transport,
but it's better than nothing.
LAUGHTER
How are you doing? Yeah?
What's your name?
THEY REPLY
Logoman! Logoman.
And you? Raul.
Raul! Nice to meet you.
Ooh!
These guys are Tush shepherds.
So, where are you going?
Because the grass is green there.
They're heading to ancestral lands,
given to them by a Georgian king
for defeating an invading Russian army.
THEY GREET ONE ANOTHER
While the women are ahead setting up a summer camp, the men follow,
taking their most prized stock with them.
Looks like we've got some friends as well.
We've got one dog, horses running alongside
and how many cows in there?
Two cows.
I think this is our stop. We need to get off now.
Thank you very much. Thank you.
That was a hitch with a difference.
Georgians claim that their fertile lands
are where wine was invented, 8,000 years ago.
How are you doing? Hello!
Today, they export nearly 50 million bottles a year.
But they keep a few back for themselves.
I think he's had a couple.
This man is not in good condition.
LAUGHTER
He's got to be the worst shepherd in the world.
It's a lovely place. If you're going to get drunk anywhere,
this is the place to do it.
It's an unusual technique.
Come here, please.
What is he doing?
He's obviously getting very friendly with his sheep.
All right, I think it's time to leave before we get drawn into this.
Do you want to see some photos, Lasha?
That's when we first met, on the boat.
Ah!
Yeah!
Of all the Georgians I've met, few have been kinder to me than Lasha.
We went to this party.
There's me, with your sister and her friend. Luca.
A refugee, he fled a war that erupted here
in the '90s,
after the Soviet Union left.
Back in those days, there was no water, no...electricity.
Now is good.
Now you've got everything. Yes.
These days, most of Georgia's peaceful,
but tomorrow the mountains will lead us to one of the country's
most notorious regions.
Come on, then.
Time to go.
Ten miles on from our camp, we arrive in the Pankisi Gorge.
What have you heard about this place?
Yeah? Yes.
Over the last 20 years,
Pankisi's become home to Muslim refugees, fleeing the Chechen War
in neighbouring Russia.
Now it's become a recruiting ground for the Islamic State.
A lot of people from this region went off to Syria,
to fight with Isis.
It's meant to be safe at the moment, but what do you think?
Do you think it's dangerous still, or...?
Maybe. Maybe.
After 50 young men left to fight,
some of Pankisi's women
decided to speak out against the radicalisation.
KNOCKS DOOR
Thanks.
And we've come to meet one of them.
Hi, Leila, my name's Lev.
Leila Akishvilli raised her sons, Hamza and Hameed, in Pankisi.
Then, one day, they disappeared.
But rather than wait for them, Leila went to Syria.
But once home, there was worse news to come.
Three months later, her other son was killed.
It's a very, very sad story.
You're a very brave lady to be able to talk about this.
A lot of people would call your sons terrorists.
How would you describe them?
It's an incredibly harrowing story,
listening to Leila talk about her sons.
Shocking, really, to actually...
..I guess, humanise what we hear about
on the news all the time.
I mean, ultimately, it's a tragedy all round,
particularly for her, really.
Very, very sad.
But, you know...
..a very brave, strong woman.
I'm travelling from Russia to Iran with my guide and friend, Lasha.
We're in the region of Chokhatauri,
heading for one of the most important landmarks in the country...
..and trekking in summer makes for thirsty work.
Ahh! Now I gave him the wrong bottle.
I had a bottle of vodka instead.
Oh, sorry about that, Lasha.
Oh, my.... Don't you just hate it when you mix up the vodka
with the water?
Wow! Thank you, Lev, for everything.
Oh, my God!
Good.
Do you feel ready for the walk?
Yeah.
We're now approaching one of the most famous places in Georgia.
We're in the industrial city of Gori, in central Georgia.
And Gori is otherwise a pretty unremarkable place,
with one main exception...
..the fact that it was the birthplace of this fellow,
Joseph Stalin.
Stalin nearly became a priest,
but instead went on to become one of the most notorious tyrants in history.
He killed somewhere in the region of 26 million people,
including a hell of a lot of his own countrymen, Georgians.
They still keep a monument to his birthplace and here it is in that little
ramshackle hut, that's now been turned into a shrine.
But it's weird to think that it's still here.
You know, the guy was a mass murderer.
Um, but you know...
some people quite like him.
Stalin's communist regime saw all religions as backward
and looked to eliminate them.
Despite this, Georgia has held on to its deep Christian faith,
which it's claimed was brought here 2,000 years ago, by the apostles
Simon and Andrew.
Oh, wow, look at that!
It's amazing!
This tiny church on top of a limestone pillar is over 1,200 years old.
Beautiful place! Yeah, check it out.
For the past 20 years, it's been home to a hermit monk called Maxim.
I don't know if the monk will let us go up there.
Ask him. We can ask him?
Yeah.
Maxim is hardly ever seen by outsiders.
Occasionally, he does come down, with some ladders, apparently.
You can just about see them there.
He's notoriously evasive,
but we've been told to look for the chap with the long grey beard.
And sure enough...
Our prayers are answered.
Although he seems a bit busy.
The last person I heard to visit the monastery had to pray for four days
before Maxim let them up.
But today, he's in a forgiving mood.
Maxim sends his trusty lieutenant Nica ahead to meet us up top.
So it's a 40-metre ladder.
What's that? 45?
It's a long climb.
OK, let me just follow you up.
This is...
Remarkably, you think it would feel safe but it really doesn't.
This is actually quite terrifying.
Are you OK? Yes.
No-one had been up here for hundreds of years,
until a team climbed the pillar in 1944
and discovered the skeleton of the previous monk.
OK.
Can we come in? Yeah. This is the bedroom.
When Maxim first lived atop the pillar, he slept in an old fridge.
Since then, the buildings have been renovated,
but they still lack certain luxuries.
I found the biggest long drop in history.
What an incredible place?
Over the next 150 miles,
we'll be stepping through Soviet industrial towns
and an ancient cliff city...
as we try to reach the edge of country number four, Armenia.
Yeah, no problem.
What's she got? Potatoes?
This is potatoes, yes.
What's the weight limit on this bridge?
It's a bit creaky.
Is that OK?
Oh! What's your name?
Liza? OK, Lev.
Nice to meet you.
We're now approaching the old Soviet mining town of Chiatura.
This was Part of the Soviet Union's industrial heartland, until the '90s.
That is a raging river.
Chiatura once produced 60% of the world's manganese,
a mineral used in bulletproof vests and tanks,
but When the Soviet Union collapsed, so did the mining industry.
It's quite a spooky place.
Today, over half the people here are unemployed.
And locals like Mina have been left destitute.
So you live here?
Was it better during the Soviet times?
Thank you, ma'am. Thank you very much.
Have a good day.
VOICEOVER: As a widow,
Mina receives £35 a month in welfare.
But Georgia's unemployed don't get a penny.
How are you?
Um... English.
This man is a miner, who's been out of work for a decade.
Even though he is penniless, he still wants to share
the last of his home brew.
Thank you very much.
Wow!
Oh, yeah, this is chacha.
Pure alcohol.
It's like burning my eyes out.
My tongue's gone numb.
It's very powerful!
Thank you very much.
Georgia is increasingly looking towards the West,
trying to become a part of Europe and move away from Russia.
But this is abject poverty.
I mean, we complain about things back home but looking at the standards here,
these apartment blocks are just falling apart.
No gas or electricity...
People have to go outside to use toilets.
Incredible.
I'm in Georgia with my guide and friend Lasha.
We heading for the village of Khertvisi,
and it's not the first time I've been here.
The main reason I remember this place was because I actually
slept on a bench at the side of the road in, like, a bus stop.
In fact, it is...
It's still there. Here we go.
Brings back a lot of memories.
Yeah, I was lying here,
and all I remember was just as I was falling asleep, one of the guys
basically ordered me to go into his house,
and I remember it was about 200 metres that way.
He pulled out a bottle of chacha, the local booze,
and he just fed me chacha for three days solid.
His name was Gotcha.
I'm going to go and see if he still lives there.
Do you know a man called Gotcha?
Gotcha? Gotcha.
Here? He's still here?
Can we see? Yeah, yeah.
This one? Yes, this is it.
This is it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I remember.
You are Gotcha's wife?
Yes, Gotcha's wife.
Ah, nice to meet you. Hello.
Hi. My name is Lev.
Tea has been married to Gotcha for seven years.
Is Gotcha in?
Gotcha!
He's here, is he?
He probably won't remember me but...
Gotcha! Oh!
Do you remember me?
2004, 13 years ago!
Oh, oh, oh, oh.
Ah, England! Do you remember?
Chacha. Yeah. I was... Yeah, yeah, chacha.
Is he talking about when I ran away?
Cos I left, I left a note because he basically kept me drinking
for three days so I needed to escape
and he had a big dog in the garden so I had to
climb out of his back window and run over those fences.
Hello.
Oh! And escape, before he gave me any more chacha.
What?
I was trying to get out of here!
I thought I was kidnapped!
I wanted to... I wanted to surprise you.
I didn't know if you still lived here.
Gotcha is now the proud dad to two girls and a boy.
Cheers.
But he still finds time for a drink.
It was a hospitality kidnap.
Three days.
I had the worst hangover.
Thank you very much. Good to see you again.
Look after yourself.
We are 35 miles from the Armenian border, in the Javakheti region,
home to some of the Caucasus' most stunning landscapes.
So green and lush.
Some 800 years ago, this was a major trade route, linking Russia to Iran.
Countless armies fought to control it,
including the ferocious Mongol Empire,
who sent the Georgians running for the hills.
Oh, wow!
This is Vardzia, the ancient cave complex.
A nice place. Yes, Lev.
These caves have existed since the Bronze Age
but were vastly expanded by Queen Tamar in the 12th century...
..successfully keeping out the Mongol hordes.
People have been living in these caves for over 2,000 years.
It was once a thriving community of up to 50,000 people,
completely hidden from view before being partially destroyed by an earthquake.
You can see these enormous boulders here,
these are what would have covered the whole frontage of this cliff face
before the earthquake.
Queen Tamar ensured her subjects
were protected and well looked after.
Carved into the rock are 6,000 separate rooms, including stables, forges,
a pharmacy, and 25 wine cellars.
Is it locked?
I don't know. I'll check.
No, it's open.
Hope we don't get lost in here.
Oh, wow.
A dead end.
It is a complete rabbit warren of tunnels and caves and...
Which way do we go?
This way. Let's go this way.
Yep.
Lasha.
I am here, my friend.
Made it.
Straight through the mountain.
We've just 10 miles to go to the Armenian border.
This is one of the poorest regions of the country.
And with little in the way of investment, the locals get creative.
Oh, my God! A train carriage has found its way across a bridge.
I've got absolutely no idea how it got there.
Well, when there's only one way to get across the river,
you have just got to take it.
Let's go? Yes.
Be careful.
Bloody hell.
Watch your feet.
What did you think of that?
This is a very dangerous bridge.
13 years after my first visit,
it's time once more to say goodbye to Georgia and Lasha.
Oh, Lasha, I'm going to miss you.
Yes.
Well, mate, this is the end of the road.
This is where I have to say goodbye.
Take care.
OK. Goodbye, Lasha.
Take care. Bye.
Now, after 1,600 miles and three countries...
I'm approaching the final leg of my journey.
Next time...
..I enter Armenia...
We'll take the long route round.
..and a forgotten war zone...
We are being taken right to the front line.
..before crossing into Iran.
You can feel the altitude here.
A mystical land of ancient cultures...
..and extraordinary people.
As I try to reach...
Our minder is still following us, watching our every move.
..my journey's end.
Subtitles by Ericsson