TV series
Long Way Round
Overview
In 2004 Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman embarked on an epic challenge to bike 20,000-miles across 12 countries and 19 time zones in just 115 days. Watch as two friends ride around the world together and, against all the odds, realize their dream.
Details
- First air date
- 2004-10-18
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 7 episodes
- Genres
- Documentary, Reality
- Network
- Sky One
- Production
- Big Earth, Elixir Films
- Country
- GB
- Original language
- EN
Cast
- Ewan McGregor as Self
- Charley Boorman as Self
Creators and crew
- Ewan McGregor - Creator
- Charley Boorman - Creator
- David Alexanian - Creator
- Russ Malkin - Creator
- Charley Boorman - Executive Producer
- Ewan McGregor - Executive Producer
Episodes
Episode 1: Preparation
Meet Charley Boorman and Ewan McGregor. The pair met on the set of 'Serpent's Kiss' and have since forged a firm and lasting friendship. Now meet their dream: to ride their motorbikes around the world. Ewan and Charley start mapping out their route, talking through the countries that will make up their 'Long Way Round' the world.
Episode 2: London to Volgograd
Travelling through Europe, Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman head for Slovakia, but the lads' motorbike odyssey is about to hit trouble. Originals of their vehicle-ownership documents are essential (their photocopies won't do); once that's sorted, Charley accidentally sprays Ewan in the eyes with petrol! A visit to a coal mine is followed by a short hop into Russia and a trip on board a ferry heading for Kazakhstan.
Episode 3: Kazakhstan
Ewan and Charley are on the road to Kazakhstan. They notice how both the terrain and people have changed. At the border they are met by a welcoming committee. Almost immediately they encounter the horrible roads they've been dreading. Claudio (the cameraman) falls first. Later Ewan admits to being scared about falling off and nervous about the bad roads. The second greatest problem for Ewan and Charley are the constant police escorts: the last thing they want, they are quickly growing very tired of them. Another welcoming committee which although the guys appreciate, they want to be unfettered in their journey. A light moment filming a herd of giant woolly camels quickly turns heavy. A very rattled looking Ewan and Charley tell how a man in a car just pointed a gun at them. Another police escort takes the guys to a roadside turnout filled with more police cars and television cameras. Ewan is confused and upset. A policeman offers his house as a rest spot.
Episode 4: Barnaul to Western Mongolia
Before Ewan and Charley enter Mongolia, they have a small portion of Russia they must travel through first. They are thrilled to be on decent roads again, and make good time driving to Barnaul, a rather large Westernized city. Ewan and Charley are taken by surprise by the stunning gorgeous Altai region they find themselves in. There are literally no roads in Mongolia as we know them. Instead, the guys must follow tracks marked in the earth by trucks.
Episode 5: Western Mongolia to Yakutsk
A bad fall and more mechanical trouble dogs Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman as their motorbike odyssey continues. After regrouping to assess the damage, they head for Ulan Bator and are taken on an underground tour of the Mongolian capital's sewers. They then travel back into Russia and on to Siberia, where they're informed of a really bad stretch of road ahead. Reluctantly they decide to let a train take the strain.
Episode 6: Yakutsk to Magadan (The Road of Bones)
Pushing on despite many setbacks, Ewan and Charley immerse themselves in the rich culture and their spirits are lifted by the beauty and kindness of the people of Mongolia. They know that the Road of Bones in Siberia (built by Stalin's prisoners) lies ahead and will surely test them further.
Episode 7: Anchorage to New York
Ewan and Charley take in the wildlife in Alaska then head across the border into Canada and ride into the Yukon region. They meet the Firefighters tackling forest fires and a Welshman who takes them up in his aeroplane to view a glacier. After a visit to Calgary Funfair, Ewan is almost injured when a reckless driver causes a near fatal accident.
More like this
Long Way Home
Best friends Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman gear up for their fourth Long Way series—this time going from Ewan's home in Scotland to Charley's in England. They'll take the scenic route, of course, through 17 European countries on cranky old bikes.
Top Gear
Motoring programme featuring reviews of and reports about cars of all types.
Survivorman
In this harrowing reality series, “Survivorman” Les Stroud travels to far-flung locales with little more than the clothes on his back and 50 pounds of camera equipment to battle - and try to survive - insanely harsh conditions.
Somebody Feed Phil
"Everybody Loves Raymond" creator Phil Rosenthal travels the globe to take in the local cuisine and culture of Bangkok, Lisbon, Mexico City and more.
Life Below Zero
Viewers go deep into an Alaskan winter to meet six tough and resilient residents as they try to stay one step ahead of storms and man-eating beasts to make it through to spring. The closest neighbor to Sue Aikens is more than 300 miles away. Eric Salitan subsists solely on what he hunts and forages. Chip and Agnes Hailstone catch fish for currency in bartering for supplies, and Andy and Kate Bassich use their pack of sled dogs for transportation.
Paranormal Caught on Camera
Some of the most amazing, eye-opening and downright scary paranormal videos from around the world are featured as a panel of experts break down the footage and analyze what exactly the eyewitnesses captured.
Down to Earth with Zac Efron
Actor Zac Efron journeys around the world with wellness expert Darin Olien in a travel show that explores healthy, sustainable ways to live.
Mountain Men
Profiles of some of the men who choose to live off the grid in the unspoiled wilderness, where dangers like mudslides, falling trees and bears are all part of everyday life.
MegaStructures
MegaStructures is a documentary television series appearing on the National Geographic Channel in the United States and the United Kingdom, Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, France 5 in France, and 7mate in Australia.
Each episode is an educational look of varying depth into the construction, operation, and staffing of various structures or construction projects, but not ordinary construction products.
Generally containing interviews with designers and project managers, it presents the problems of construction and the methodology or techniques used to overcome obstacles. In some cases this involved the development of new materials or products that are now in general use within the construction industry.
MegaStructures focuses on constructions that are extreme; in the sense that they are the biggest, tallest, longest, or deepest in the world. Alternatively, a project may appear if it had an element of novelty or are a world first. This type of project is known as a Megaproject.
Marvel Studios Legends
Revisit the epic heroes, villains and moments from across the MCU in preparation for the stories still to come. Each dynamic segment feeds directly into the upcoming series — setting the stage for future events. This series weaves together the many threads that constitute the unparalleled Marvel Cinematic Universe.