Equitrekking Season 4

Equitrekking host Darley Newman travels to Alberta, Canada to experience Western adventure and stunning natural scenery. In Kananaskis, Darley treks amid the beautiful snow-capped Canadian Rockies with a longtime Alberta cowboy, conquering high altitudes and an August hailstorm. Next, Darley experiences the fast-paced Calgary Stampede with its equestrian competitions, Western art, rodeos and surprisingly diverse food offerings. North of Calgary, viewers ride along on a multi-day pack trip into Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park, passing glacial-fed lakes through rushing mountain streams and forested trails that open up to reveal dramatic, tall mountain peaks. Darley camps in the wilderness, discovering what it takes to live in the primitive backcountry, and sleep out under the stars. At Homeplace Ranch, a historic ranch in the foothills outside of Calgary, Darley meets local Mac MaKenny who shares the ranch’s intimate history during a ride through tall Aspen trees to an outdoor ranch BBQ.

Host Darley Newman travels throughout the small, Middle Eastern country of Jordan to experience culture, history and adventure. While in the capital city of Amman, Darley’s local guide Ibrahim leads to a bustling downtown market and shopping district. In an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour, viewers learn about the history and characteristics of the Arabian breed in Darley’s interview with HRH Princess Alia at the Royal Stables in Amman. From Amman, Darley heads to the Dana Nature Reserve, where she spends the night in an eco-friendly camp before riding through the historic stone village of Dana with a local. Next, Darley visits Madaba, a town known for its mosaics, before standing atop Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Holy Land. On a multi-day ride through the Wadi Rum Desert, made famous by the epic film Lawrence of Arabia, Darley learns about Bedouin culture as she treks on horseback and camelback. The episode ends in the ancient Roman city of Jerash where Darley, dressed in Roman garb, hops a ride on a horse-drawn chariot.

This episode highlights some of the best of classic Jordan, including Petra, Aqaba, Wadi Mujib and the Dead Sea. Darley begins with a visit to the magical city of Petra, where she and her local guide Ibrahim explore by camel, foot and horseback, riding in the lesser-visited suburb of Little Petra and passing through the siq to catch the Treasury, made famous in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in the morning light. Darley learns about the local legends surrounding the Treasury and its contents, as she rides a camel by the Treasury. Next, Darley meets a longtime Petra resident, Marguerite van Geldermalsen. A New Zealander who fell in love with a Bedouin and lived in a cave in Petra for over 20 years, Marguerite shares her unique insight on Petra and Bedouin culture from the eyes of an outsider/ From Petra, Darley travels the Dead Sea Highway to the Dead Sea, where she floats in the mineral-rich waters at the lowest point on earth. Darley hikes Wadi Mujib, a huge water-filled canyon known to adventure travelers as an ultimate hike. Within Wadi Mujib, Darley is challenged to rappel down a waterfall, scale rocks and float through the canyon’s corridors. Next, Darley heads to the desert, where she camps with local Bedouins and explores the stunning canyons, dunes and petroglyphs of Wadi Rum on Arabian horses. On a break from the desert, Darley travels to the Gulf of Aqaba, bordered by Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to snorkel above Aqaba’s colorful reef.

Equitrekking host Darley Newman travels to the small South American country of Uruguay to discover gaucho culture by visiting various estancias, riding with cowboys on the beach, taking in the coastal town of Punta del Este and tasting local foods in Montevideo. At an eco-friendly ranch that raises sheep and cattle, Darley learns about the area’s mystical vibe on a ride to a section of mysterious stone cones and up to a high point with views of a Tibetan monastery. Over a morning cup of mate, a special tea popular throughout Uruguay, Darley talks with a local about the tradition behind this caffeinated drink and the proper way to prepare it. Then it’s off to the beach to visit the attractions of popular Punta del Este and a city stop in Montevideo to eat at Mercado del Puerto. Darley goes horse riding on the beaches of Uruguay’s northern border near Brazil, hearing the legends of pirates who once raided the shores. At a working cattle ranch, viewers meet real gauchos, learning about the nomadic life of these South American cowboys. At a third working estancia, Darley rides through area vineyards and explores the rugged terrain of the Sierras of Mahoma on horseback.

Equitrekking host Darley Newman experiences life on Türkiye’s beautiful Mediterranean Coast — otherwise known as the Turquoise Rivera — by hiking the chilly waters of Saklikent Gorge and horseback riding through the abandoned Greek city of Kayaköy. Next, it’s off to bustling Istanbul, where East meets West, to explore the Blue Mosque, Spice Market, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and the mighty Bosphorus. Finally, Darley returns to Cappadocia, to step back in time with the locals of these ancient villages. In Avanos, Darley focuses on local food, learning how to make pekmez (a special type of jelly) and cook testi kebab, a dish containing meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot. Darley rides with locals through the fairy chimneys of Üzengi Valley, the Greek- influenced city of Mustafapasa, which dates back to Byzantine times and to a caravan stop on the Silk Road.

This episode takes a closer look at some of the remarkable landscapes, wildlife and adventures in the United States’ National Parks. In each park, local guides share stories of the park’s history and the natural environment, as host Darley Newman hikes, horseback rides and boats to explore the surroundings. Parks profiled include Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef in Utah, the Great Smokey Mountains in North Carolina, Canyon de Chelly in Arizona, Kenai Fjords in Alaska, Haleakala National Park on Maui, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on Hawaii’s Big Island, Cumberland Island in Georgia and Yellowstone in Wyoming.

Equitrekking takes a look at how geography and history of ranches in Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, Alberta, Texas, Maui and the Big Island influence their present workings. Interviewing ranch owners and cowboys who have chosen to hold fast to their traditions and Western culture, Darley learns about running a ranch, while also seeing some of the beautiful wild terrain.

Equitrekking host Darley Newman brings viewers on a journey through one the last great wilderness areas, Botswana’s Okavango Delta, and the lunar-like Makgadikgadi Pans, meeting the wildlife and people, which make Botswana such a special Southern African nation. In the Okavango Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world, Darley rides horses with the locals to view giraffes and wildebeests and gets charged by an elephant. You never know what’s around the bend while island hopping and horse riding through the waterlogged highways of the Okavango, making horses one of the best ways to explore this natural area. Out of the saddle, Darley goes fishing in a hippo pool and tries the freshest fish she’s ever tasted, immediately cooking what she’s captured on a secluded island under one of Africa’s majestic and legendary baobab trees. Next, Darley takes a jeep and boat tour to discover more area wildlife and get up close to elephants, watching them go about their daily routine in the Delta. After taking a peaceful trip in a mokoro, a long slender canoe that’s great for getting around the Okavango Delta, Darley travels to the vast, dazzling Makgadikgadi Pans, an ancient lake the size of Switzerland. Researchers believe that it was once one of the biggest inland lakes in Africa, but it dried up, likely because of climate change or a seismic shift. Darley lets viewers in on a once in a lifetime trek with our distant ancestors, hiking with the San, an ancient tribe from which some scientists believe all people are descended. Finally, Darley visits a local meerkat colony, learning how these fascinating creatures survive using teamwork and ending her journey through Botswana.

Equitrekking host Darley Newman travels to Botswana, Africa to explore local villages, ancient cultures and wildlife on safari. Starting in Tuli, an area known as the “Land of the Giants" because of its larger than life natural attractions, Darley stays in eco-friendly safari camps and rides horses to view the zebra and wildebeest herds that dot these wild savannahs. In the nearby village of Motlhabaneng, Darley gets a locals tour of traditional homes and meets the village chief, who gives the production crew permission to film with one of Botswana’s top basket weavers. Hopping aboard a small plane, Darley travels northwest to one of the largest salt pans in the world, the Makgadikgadi Pans. There, she follows in the footsteps of 19th century pioneering explorers, like David Livingstone, to discover desert adapted wildlife and have a harrowing gallop with a herd of zebra and wildebeest. Visiting an area landmark, Chapman’s Baobab, and camping under the stars, viewers are taken far away from technology and civilization for a brief respite from the modern world. Finally, in the frontier village of Maun, Darley visits a lodge and private game reserve accessible to all levels of riders, even kids, and visits a new, sustainable cultural center that’s allowing the arts to thrive in Maun.