0:00:05 > 0:00:07There are some places on Earth
0:00:07 > 0:00:12that simply take your breath away.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Lush tropical forests...
0:00:20 > 0:00:22..spectacular islands...
0:00:26 > 0:00:29..soaring mountain ranges...
0:00:31 > 0:00:33..or frozen polar worlds.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And for the people who call these places home...
0:00:39 > 0:00:41THEY SING IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
0:00:41 > 0:00:44..survival requires skill...
0:00:45 > 0:00:47..ingenuity...
0:00:48 > 0:00:50..and bravery.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52HE SPEAKS IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:00:52 > 0:00:55But in some of the planet's most awe-inspiring natural wonders,
0:00:55 > 0:00:59people must push themselves to the absolute limit.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05High in the ancient sandstone mountains of Ethiopia,
0:01:05 > 0:01:11a mother faces a treacherous climb to give her new baby
0:01:11 > 0:01:13the best chance in life.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19On a remote chain of volcanic islands in the North Atlantic,
0:01:19 > 0:01:24a man risks his life as he hunts for a traditional delicacy.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30And in one of the greatest river basins in the world,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a woman searches for unexploded bombs...
0:01:34 > 0:01:36..to make her land safe.
0:01:39 > 0:01:45In these extraordinary places, people find ways to survive
0:01:45 > 0:01:49and even thrive against the odds.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11The Amazon Rainforest.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15At over two million square miles,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17it's the largest rainforest in the world.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25This vast natural wonder is known as the lungs of the planet.
0:02:29 > 0:02:35Within this huge area lies the Brazilian Mato Grosso,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40a region dotted with lakes and crisscrossed by rivers.
0:02:42 > 0:02:47These waterways are home to a unique array of aquatic life.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00They're also vital for the survival of the dozens of indigenous groups
0:03:00 > 0:03:03who still inhabit the rainforest.
0:03:07 > 0:03:13One of these is the Kamayura, a community of just over 500 people.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Theirs is a world dominated by spirits.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22They believe that in order to survive,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25these spirits must be kept happy.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38Like his father before him,
0:03:38 > 0:03:40he is a shaman,
0:03:40 > 0:03:45a priestlike figure involved in the ancient rites of the community.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50It's his job to placate the spirits with festivals and offerings.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05In two days' time,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09he is in charge of one of the most important festivals of the year.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13If it's a success, the Kamayura believe
0:04:13 > 0:04:16the spirits will protect them in the months ahead.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Fail, and people will get ill.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39The shaman must organise a massive fishing trip.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44The fish they catch will be fed to warriors
0:04:44 > 0:04:49who must keep dancing all day in order to appease the spirits.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12It's the day of the fishing expedition
0:05:12 > 0:05:14and the whole village is involved.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18The shaman and some of the other men
0:05:18 > 0:05:21stretch nets across the width of the lake...
0:05:27 > 0:05:31..then move forward, forcing the fish towards the shallow end,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33where everyone else is waiting.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42It looks calm, but just below the surface
0:05:42 > 0:05:45is a world of dangerous wildlife -
0:05:45 > 0:05:48electric eels,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51piranha fish
0:05:51 > 0:05:53and caiman.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22The shaman has spotted an enormous electric eel.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26It could deliver a 600 volt shock.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Enough to badly injure someone.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45A good catch today depends on a secret weapon -
0:06:45 > 0:06:48pieces of timbo vine.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56HE CHANTS IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:06:56 > 0:06:58The shaman's father blesses it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14The timbo vine contains a powerful toxin.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Beating it releases chemicals into the water that will poison the fish.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Once the timbo starts to work,
0:07:45 > 0:07:48helpless fish will float to the surface.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53The young boys will be allowed in first.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56It's a good chance to practise their fishing skills.
0:08:04 > 0:08:10Suddenly, all across the lake, fish start rising to the surface.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33The shaman's four-year-old son is taking part for the first time.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55In less than an hour, they have caught hundreds of fish...
0:08:57 > 0:08:59..and no-one has been hurt.
0:09:04 > 0:09:09Now all the fish must be taken back to the village and smoked,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12ready for the ceremony tomorrow.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34THEY CHANT IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
0:09:34 > 0:09:36It's the day of the ceremony.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38The warriors must dance long and hard
0:09:38 > 0:09:41if they are to please the bird spirit.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46THEY CHANT IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
0:09:48 > 0:09:50It's up to the shaman and his family
0:09:50 > 0:09:53to make sure they have enough fish to eat
0:09:53 > 0:09:57so they have the energy to keep dancing in shifts all day.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03The longer and more energetically they dance,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05the happier the spirit will be.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22Well fed, the warriors dance for over eight hours.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28The shaman has done all he can to make the festival a success
0:10:28 > 0:10:32and guarantee the wellbeing of the village for another year.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40In many of the world's most extreme natural wonders,
0:10:40 > 0:10:45people believe that their best chance lies with a higher power...
0:10:47 > 0:10:52..even if getting that help puts them at an even greater risk.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Ethiopia.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04In the highlands, the Tigray Region
0:11:04 > 0:11:07is home to the Gheralta Mountains.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13At over 2,000 metres above sea level,
0:11:13 > 0:11:16these geological giants are the last survivors
0:11:16 > 0:11:18of an immense sandstone plateau
0:11:18 > 0:11:21which stood here 25 million years ago.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32This natural wonder towers over the barren,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35semi-arid lands of the plain below.
0:11:42 > 0:11:47In their shadow lies the village of Debre Salem
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and baby Dawit is the newest arrival,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53much to his father's delight.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13But Dawit has born into one of the toughest places
0:12:13 > 0:12:15to live on the planet.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19Drought and famine are never far away.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26One out of every 15 children die before their fifth birthday.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34Dawit's parents believe that if he is to survive, he must be baptised.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55But baptism in the Gheralta Mountains
0:12:55 > 0:12:58means taking an extraordinary risk.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06Dawit's parents must take him to a church called Abuna Yemata Guh.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13This church, carved deep into the mountain face,
0:13:13 > 0:13:17is almost 400 metres above the valley floor.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23It's all about getting closer to God.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28But the only way to get there is to climb.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Tradition has it that boys must be baptised
0:13:58 > 0:14:00on the 40th day after they are born.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05For Dawit, that day is tomorrow.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Following a difficult birth just over five weeks ago,
0:14:11 > 0:14:15it's going to be a tough climb for Dawit's mother Ngisti.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59It's the morning of the baptism.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04At 9:00am, the family set out.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08It will take them several hours to get to the church.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15But there's no alternative.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Tradition dictates Dawit must be baptised today.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Ngisti doesn't feel strong enough to carry him herself
0:15:29 > 0:15:34so her mother has agreed to take him, strapped to her back.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41They aren't climbing alone.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44The whole village is coming to witness the ceremony.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56The first section is a tough 20 metre climb.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03There are tiny indentations in the rock
0:16:03 > 0:16:06to serve as hand- and footholds.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12A slip here would be fatal.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Dawit's parents are only too aware of the risks.
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Someone died here a few years ago while climbing up to the church.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52They've been climbing for almost an hour.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21More than three hours after leaving home,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25Dawit and his family reach the baptism chapel
0:17:25 > 0:17:27just below the church.
0:17:29 > 0:17:34PRIESTS SING IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Dawit's parents believe he is now under God's protection,
0:18:09 > 0:18:13but they must still take him to his first Mass.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20To reach the church, they must climb again.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27And there's a 200 metre drop on both sides.
0:18:30 > 0:18:37Once across, they face a narrow ledge that leads to the church.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40BELL RINGS
0:19:04 > 0:19:07BELL RINGS
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Once the service is over, Dawit and his parents
0:19:15 > 0:19:20must take on the last part of this dangerous journey - the descent.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11In many of Earth's natural wonders, people believe enlisting the help
0:20:11 > 0:20:16of a higher power is crucial to their chance of survival...
0:20:18 > 0:20:22..even if it means risking their lives in order to get that help.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32But in others, people face injury or death every day
0:20:32 > 0:20:37for a very different reason - to make their home safe.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43The Mekong Basin, Southeast Asia.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50A sprawling natural wonder crossing six countries.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58This vast river network carries nutrient-rich sediment
0:20:58 > 0:21:03over a 300,000 square mile area.
0:21:08 > 0:21:14One country occupies more of the Mekong Basin than any other - Laos.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Laos is one of the most fertile places on Earth,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22part of Asia's Rice Bowl.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32But farming here is fraught with danger.
0:21:48 > 0:21:5335-year-old Lumngen was a child when her father was injured
0:21:53 > 0:21:57by an exploding bomb and remembers hearing his screams.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Laos is littered with around 80 million unexploded bombs,
0:22:19 > 0:22:24dropped by the Americans during the Vietnam War over 40 years ago.
0:22:29 > 0:22:35300 people are still injured or killed by them every year.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40Despite the danger,
0:22:40 > 0:22:44the vast majority of the population still farm the land.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52But Lumngen has chosen a very different path.
0:22:52 > 0:22:57She is in charge of a bomb clearance team for an international charity.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08Today, Lumngen and her team are about to tackle a new area.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10It's in the heart of the Mekong Basin
0:23:10 > 0:23:14and was one of the most heavily bombed parts of the country.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32The land Lumngen is clearing today is going to be used
0:23:32 > 0:23:38for a new school, but first the team must make sure it's safe.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41SHE SPEAKS IN HER OWN LANGUAGE
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Their metal detectors must scan every inch.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06OSCILLATING TONE
0:24:06 > 0:24:08It's painstaking work.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17HIGH-PITCHED TONE
0:24:17 > 0:24:22Two hours into the shift, one of the team finds something.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31One American cluster bomb contained
0:24:31 > 0:24:34up to 600 of these small explosive devices.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41Each one can kill or maim.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47It's too dangerous to move
0:24:47 > 0:24:51so Lumngen and the team must destroy it here with a controlled explosion.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Lumngen's colleague must carefully place
0:25:11 > 0:25:13an explosive charge on the device.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29HE COUNTS DOWN IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE
0:25:48 > 0:25:54It's taken the team several hours to find and make safe one small bomb.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03It could take weeks to clear the rest of this area.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16Next morning, an emergency call has come in
0:26:16 > 0:26:18from a village 50 miles away.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23They think they've found a large bomb.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29Lumngen joins a bomb disposal team as they head out to investigate.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35The team want to get there fast.
0:26:37 > 0:26:43In poverty-stricken Laos, bombs are often sold for scrap metal.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57It's a huge 500-pound American bomb.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Bombs this size are regularly found in Laos.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Despite its age, one false move
0:27:05 > 0:27:08could still trigger a massive explosion.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14They need to carefully take out the fuse before moving it.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39A bomb this size, packed with explosives,
0:27:39 > 0:27:45is often taken to a special site for a controlled detonation.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Any detonations take place at 3:00pm
0:27:57 > 0:28:00so locals know to steer clear.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05It's already 2:50.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14The deep sandpit should absorb the bomb's blast wave.
0:28:26 > 0:28:31Before they detonate it, the team need to move
0:28:31 > 0:28:34over half a mile away to be safe from flying shrapnel.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40On the dot of three...
0:28:40 > 0:28:42Three, two, one...
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Lumngen and the charity she works for
0:29:20 > 0:29:26have destroyed over 28,000 explosive devices.
0:29:26 > 0:29:32But so far, only 1% of the country is known to be clear of bombs.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Lumngen chooses to risk her life to help make her country safe.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48But in one natural wonder, people put their lives on the line
0:29:48 > 0:29:53for nothing more than a traditional delicacy.
0:29:55 > 0:30:01Halfway between Norway and Iceland lie the Faroe Islands.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07One of northern Europe's most dramatic natural wonders.
0:30:20 > 0:30:25The 18 islands are formed of layers of basalt lava.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32These bare and rocky outcrops were once joined together,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36part of a vast single plateau.
0:30:39 > 0:30:45But 50 million years of erosion has carved out these jagged islands.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54One of the smallest is Skuvoy.
0:30:55 > 0:31:02Measuring four square miles, it's home to just 32 people,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05including town mayor Harry Jensen.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21Skuvoy is renowned for an ancient tradition.
0:31:24 > 0:31:30On just one day a year, the men of this island scale the cliffs
0:31:30 > 0:31:34to collect a much prized delicacy -
0:31:34 > 0:31:37fulmar eggs -
0:31:37 > 0:31:40and the harvest is due in the next few days.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56Harry is the main organiser of this year's egg collection.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00He's taken part since his teens
0:32:00 > 0:32:04and is one of the island's most experienced climbers.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17They're looking for a cliff face with plenty of nesting birds.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36There's only a six-day window once a year to make this climb.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42The fulmars all lay at about the same time.
0:32:44 > 0:32:50After six days, embryos form and then the eggs can't be eaten.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55But the weather's been bad this year
0:32:55 > 0:33:00and tomorrow looks like it might be their last chance.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Next morning, the weather's not good.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29But Harry decides the climb will go ahead.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36The climbers use traditional kit -
0:33:36 > 0:33:39harnesses and slippers made of wool,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42which they believe give them the best grip on wet rock.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55The egg harvest is THE big event on Skuvoy
0:33:55 > 0:33:58and nearly everyone turns out to help.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18It's 10:00am. The wind is getting up.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24They need to get going before it gets worse.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29Five people are climbing here today.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Three are younger climbers,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36who are attempting it for the first time.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11It's over 75 metres down to the first ledge.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17Once there, they must take off their safety harnesses
0:35:17 > 0:35:20before they can search for eggs.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36It's Harry's turn.
0:35:49 > 0:35:55At 57, this might be his last climb and he's determined to tackle
0:35:55 > 0:35:57one of the island's most challenging descents.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59HE YELLS
0:36:01 > 0:36:06He's aiming for a ledge almost 150 metres down,
0:36:06 > 0:36:08where there should be plenty of nesting birds.
0:36:20 > 0:36:25Despite years of experience, Harry's struggling to control the descent.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40Halfway down, he passes the first ledge.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48And the fulmars don't welcome the intrusion.
0:36:48 > 0:36:53They spray foul-smelling vomit over anybody threatening their nests.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Harry's nearly down to the lowest ledge.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51Once down on the ledge, Harry knows he must be careful.
0:38:17 > 0:38:22The weather's getting even worse. Visibility is now dangerously low.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Time has run out.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33But heaving Harry back up isn't easy.
0:38:46 > 0:38:50The wet rope is heavy and it's catching on the ledges.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05There are now ten on the rope.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41They have got nearly 240 eggs to share between them.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04For the time being at least,
0:40:04 > 0:40:10this death-defying annual egg harvest seems set to continue.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16In many natural wonders around the world,
0:40:16 > 0:40:18people do whatever they think they must
0:40:18 > 0:40:21in order to survive and maintain their way of life.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29But in one, millions risk their lives
0:40:29 > 0:40:33for nothing more than pleasure.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42The Alps - Europe's most famous natural wonder.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49This mountain range runs for 750 miles
0:40:49 > 0:40:52and spans 11 countries.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Along its length,
0:40:56 > 0:41:01there are more than 80 peaks that tower over 4,000 metres...
0:41:04 > 0:41:09..including the Matterhorn in Switzerland.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17This pyramid-shaped peak is a magnet to holiday-makers.
0:41:19 > 0:41:22A million skiers, climbers
0:41:22 > 0:41:26and hikers pour into this region year in, year out.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35But the lure of the mountain has a price.
0:41:35 > 0:41:39People are killed or injured on its slopes every year.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45The mountains, when you know how to read their signs,
0:41:45 > 0:41:48it's a safe place to live.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51When you don't know your environment, it's dangerous.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57Robbie Andenmatten is a helicopter rescue pilot for Air Zermatt.
0:42:00 > 0:42:01He's on high alert.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05This is one of the busiest times of the summer.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08It's a Swiss national holiday
0:42:08 > 0:42:11and thousands of visitors are pouring into the area.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16The Matterhorn is a very physical mountain.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20It is exposed to different conditions
0:42:20 > 0:42:24and within half a day, can change entirely.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34Robbie is one of 11 pilots responsible for patrolling
0:42:34 > 0:42:37a 780 square mile area around the Matterhorn.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39PHONE RINGS
0:42:41 > 0:42:43HIGH-PITCHED BEEP
0:42:50 > 0:42:53It's 12:30 and Robbie is already
0:42:53 > 0:42:55on his fifth emergency call-out of the day.
0:42:59 > 0:43:05A walker has had a heart attack 2,500 metres up near the Matterhorn.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13If the patient is to stand any chance,
0:43:13 > 0:43:16Robbie must get the doctor and paramedic to him fast.
0:43:24 > 0:43:31Robbie and his team respond to more than 1,600 call-outs every year.
0:43:37 > 0:43:39In the mountains, it's much more difficult to fly
0:43:39 > 0:43:42because of the wind or because of the visibility,
0:43:42 > 0:43:44the fog, the weather.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49Should I fly close to this mountain with this speed wind,
0:43:49 > 0:43:53with this visibility? Yes or no? That's the decision making.
0:43:53 > 0:43:55That's the tough thing.
0:43:58 > 0:44:00Robbie has found the patient.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03Now he needs to get the medics on the ground.
0:44:05 > 0:44:07But the terrain's too steep for him to land.
0:44:15 > 0:44:17He hovers as close as he can
0:44:17 > 0:44:19so the doctor and the paramedic can jump out.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27A strong gust of wind could potentially bring him down.
0:44:40 > 0:44:45As the team try to help the patient, Robbie flies to flatter ground...
0:44:47 > 0:44:49..and waits.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26It's the very worst of outcomes.
0:45:28 > 0:45:33But something Robbie and the team constantly face on these mountains.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Conditions can change so fast here
0:45:38 > 0:45:43that even experienced climbers can get into trouble.
0:45:44 > 0:45:46For me, it's very hard.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49In my career, I had to get people I know,
0:45:49 > 0:45:52mountain guides, several mountain guides
0:45:52 > 0:45:54which got killed in the last 20 years here
0:45:54 > 0:45:57and that's hard to get over, that's for sure.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05But on one of the busiest weeks of the summer,
0:46:05 > 0:46:08there's no time for Robbie to rest and reflect.
0:46:10 > 0:46:13It's not long before he's responding to another call for help.
0:46:19 > 0:46:22Two young climbers have lost their way
0:46:22 > 0:46:25hiking down a steep mountain pass and are trapped.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34When I'm going to rescue, I'm focusing on the patient's side -
0:46:34 > 0:46:38getting the doctor to the patient.
0:46:39 > 0:46:41I really push the limit.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49They've reached the spot where the stranded women were last seen.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52All along the sides of the valley
0:46:52 > 0:46:58are near-vertical cliffs over 300 metres high.
0:46:58 > 0:47:02They're a well-known black spot for inexperienced hikers.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18They have found the hikers, but there's nowhere to land.
0:47:20 > 0:47:22So the doctor will have to be winched down.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32Please don't move.
0:47:32 > 0:47:34Don't move.
0:47:37 > 0:47:41It's not easy for Robbie to hover in the strong wind in this area.
0:47:46 > 0:47:51- Be careful. Be careful of this. - Yeah.- Don't move.- OK.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01- RECORDED VOICE:- 100ft.
0:48:13 > 0:48:18The women are shaken, but they aren't hurt.
0:48:27 > 0:48:29During this week,
0:48:29 > 0:48:31Robbie and the rest of the Air Zermatt team
0:48:31 > 0:48:34dealt with over 50 calls.
0:48:42 > 0:48:45But despite the many accidents that Robbie has witnessed,
0:48:45 > 0:48:50in his spare time, he, too, heads into the mountains.
0:49:02 > 0:49:07To live here in these mountains, you're free.
0:49:07 > 0:49:12It's adventure, it's the thing I'm used to. That's all I can tell you.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16SHE SPEAKS IN HER OWN LANGUAGE
0:49:17 > 0:49:20Robbie has climbed the Matterhorn 70 times.
0:49:21 > 0:49:26Like so many others, he can't resist the call of this natural wonder.
0:49:37 > 0:49:40Formed over millions of years,
0:49:40 > 0:49:45our natural wonders are the most spectacular places on Earth.
0:49:46 > 0:49:52But they are also the most extreme places in the world to live.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57There are hardly any species on the planet that have found a way
0:49:57 > 0:49:58to survive in all of them.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05One is the human race.
0:50:07 > 0:50:09There is little doubt
0:50:09 > 0:50:12that some of our natural wonders are rapidly changing.
0:50:15 > 0:50:18And whether or not people will continue to live in them...
0:50:21 > 0:50:23..remains to be seen.
0:50:40 > 0:50:45The chance to film the Ethiopian baptism was a unique opportunity.
0:50:48 > 0:50:54The climb would happen just once so there was no room for error.
0:50:56 > 0:51:00Before the shoot, the team need to recce the climb
0:51:00 > 0:51:03and work out just how they're going to film the family on the day.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09It'll take a few minutes, just settle down and so on.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12I'll just get everybody into a harness of some sort.
0:51:13 > 0:51:17It's down to rope access specialist Tim Fogg
0:51:17 > 0:51:21to find a way for the crew to film the 400 metre climb and stay safe.
0:51:24 > 0:51:26And there is a whole array of climbing gear
0:51:26 > 0:51:29to get them up the mountain.
0:51:29 > 0:51:30The thing we should do just safety-wise
0:51:30 > 0:51:32is not stand underneath the climb
0:51:32 > 0:51:34cos if somebody does fall off it, it'll be like...
0:51:34 > 0:51:38Anne Sommerfield is the director.
0:51:38 > 0:51:41I'm just so impressed that our mum and baby do this
0:51:41 > 0:51:43without any ropes or any safety net.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45It's just... Yeah.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47It's quite good to have an appreciation
0:51:47 > 0:51:48for what they're going to do.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58The hand- and footholds have been worn down over time
0:51:58 > 0:52:00and it's hard to get a good grip.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10Yeah, I think everybody else made it look like light work,
0:52:10 > 0:52:11but it's actually...
0:52:11 > 0:52:13It is a bit nerve-racking.
0:52:22 > 0:52:25- That's you.- My knees are shaking!
0:52:25 > 0:52:28- Good stuff, well done. - Thank you!- Brilliant job.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37All right, I'm glad that bit's done.
0:52:38 > 0:52:41But there's still a long way to the top.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54Once there, they have to face the tiny, narrow ledge
0:52:54 > 0:52:56that leads to the church.
0:52:56 > 0:52:58So there's about a 200 metre drop
0:52:58 > 0:53:01and the path is only about that wide.
0:53:01 > 0:53:03This bit, I'm not looking forward to.
0:53:17 > 0:53:18With fierce winds,
0:53:18 > 0:53:21it's a nerve-racking walk along the narrow ledge.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41With Tim's help, the whole team make it safely to the entrance
0:53:41 > 0:53:45and have a chance to see the church.
0:53:45 > 0:53:50It's fabulous. It's quite a moving place, really.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58With the recce done,
0:53:58 > 0:54:01the team are now fully aware of the challenge ahead.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05In a couple of days when we do this with Mum and Baby and Family,
0:54:05 > 0:54:09we only get one crack at it because for us, it's got to be one take.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18It's the day of the baptism.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20We're going up!
0:54:20 > 0:54:22Today is the day we see if all the practice
0:54:22 > 0:54:24and all the planning pays off.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26I think it will.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31With so much of the action taking place on the cliff face...
0:54:32 > 0:54:36..it's going to be up to aerial cameraman Peter Keith
0:54:36 > 0:54:38to get all the big wide shots.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44This is quite an exciting moment. The family are just below.
0:54:44 > 0:54:47I can see Peter and he's got the drone out
0:54:47 > 0:54:49and he's going to capture some of that walk.
0:54:51 > 0:54:53Come on, Mum and Baby.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01There they are.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04There's Mum and Mum's mum, Granny, with Baby on the back.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14But there's a problem.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25The drone is running out of battery.
0:55:27 > 0:55:31Anne has to make a decision whether to try and get the family to wait.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Yeah, let's hold them.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42She's going, she's going, she's going, she's going.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46Stay with it, stay with it.
0:55:50 > 0:55:53It's fine. No, it's fine.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57The decision is taken out of her hands.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59Peter will have to get what he can.
0:56:01 > 0:56:04When the dad is up, then they stop.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12With just moments of life left in his battery,
0:56:12 > 0:56:18Peter manages to capture the amazing first images of the cliff climb.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22That's stage one done, yep.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24Onwards and upwards.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26BELL RINGS
0:56:26 > 0:56:30Next, the crew need to film in the tiny baptism chapel.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35- WHISPERS:- So we've got Alastair inside
0:56:35 > 0:56:37getting some shots of the baptism.
0:56:39 > 0:56:41Above, we've got Peter flying the drone
0:56:41 > 0:56:44so that's why we've all had to hide under some shelter
0:56:44 > 0:56:45so that we're not in shot.
0:56:50 > 0:56:53With baby Dawit baptised, it's on to the church.
0:56:55 > 0:56:57Now we will try
0:56:57 > 0:57:01and have just the two mothers coming out along the ledge.
0:57:01 > 0:57:02That's all we're going to try and do!
0:57:12 > 0:57:14The team's planning pays off.
0:57:15 > 0:57:18They manage to capture this unique celebration
0:57:18 > 0:57:21from both ground and air.
0:57:22 > 0:57:24It was good! It was really good.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27Guess what? We got it!