0:00:02 > 0:00:03For centuries
0:00:03 > 0:00:08an exotic but forbidden land has captured our imagination.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19Now for the first time
0:00:19 > 0:00:22we can explore this place of myth and legend.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33What we discover are extremes and surprises.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46This is a place where the ancient past is colliding with the future.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58But this land is also home to extraordinary wildlife.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16This is the story of the animals and people of Arabia.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Sitting at the crossroads of the world,
0:01:39 > 0:01:44Arabia is bounded on three sides by sea and ringed by rugged mountains.
0:01:47 > 0:01:55But the story of Arabia must begin with her heartland - the desert.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05This unforgiving wilderness covers 90% of Arabia.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09From the rocky wastelands of the north to the south,
0:02:09 > 0:02:14where the largest sand desert in the world smothers the land.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26To understand how any life can survive here
0:02:26 > 0:02:30we must take a journey through the dry heart of Arabia.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50One animal above all embodies what it takes to survive
0:02:50 > 0:02:51the Arabian desert.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59The animal that inspired the myth of the unicorn.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03The Arabian oryx.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16These beautiful antelope are the ultimate desert survivors.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28Getting all the moisture they need from the vegetation they eat.
0:03:34 > 0:03:39Yet just 40 years ago, oryx were on the edge of extinction.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Victims of their own beauty, oryx were heavily hunted.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46At one stage, only eight animals remained in the wild.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52But intense efforts to protect them have been successful.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Today, over 500 roam once more in the deserts
0:03:56 > 0:03:59of Saudi Arabia, Oman and The Emirates.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05The key to oryx survival is keeping on the move.
0:04:05 > 0:04:10They have an extraordinary ability to sniff out distant rain
0:04:10 > 0:04:14and will walk hundreds of miles to find the vegetation it brings.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22This same solution to desert survival was
0:04:22 > 0:04:25adopted by the only people to have mastered life here.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30The Bedouin nomads.
0:04:33 > 0:04:40The Bedouin owe their success to a remarkable partnership.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45Over 3,000 years ago, ancestors of the Bedouin tamed
0:04:45 > 0:04:49the single-humped camel, the dromedary.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56The camel is almost as well adapted to the desert as the oryx.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Able to travel 50 days without water.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09And they carry their own food store to get through long desert journeys,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12a hump made of energy-rich fat.
0:05:24 > 0:05:28Although few Bedouin are now truly nomadic,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31many still graze their camels in the desert.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35But to find their animals enough food,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37they must keep them on the move.
0:05:50 > 0:05:55Salif bin Hamad Alwheebi grew up as a true desert nomad.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02He watches for clues, like distant clouds, that might guide him
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and his clan to fresh grazing.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Under the clear desert sky, the temperature plummets
0:06:24 > 0:06:26cold enough for a campfire.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Storytelling is an ancient Bedouin tradition.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43This is the land of 1,001 Arabian Nights.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Many stories are of the magical animals that avoid desert heat
0:06:46 > 0:06:48by emerging after dark.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58An Arabian wonder gecko, on the hunt for insects.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Large eyes are great for night vision,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06but with no eyelids, a tongue is handy for keeping sand out.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14An Arabian jird, searches for grass seeds.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18In times of plenty, jirds will gather up to ten kilos of seeds
0:07:18 > 0:07:20to store in their burrows.
0:07:31 > 0:07:36One of the desert's most poisonous snakes - a horned viper.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42The horns are a form of camouflage amongst the desert grass.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Most vipers lie in wait for their prey,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50but in the desert, where food is scarce,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54they must travel great distances.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Side-winding helps grip soft sand.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Jirds aren't travellers,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15they will not stray far from their stash of food.
0:08:21 > 0:08:22This makes them vulnerable.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29But tonight, the threat to this jird is not from the viper.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33He's in someone else's territory and he's been spotted.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Food is so scarce here
0:08:47 > 0:08:50jirds will fight viciously to defend their territory.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33As dawn breaks, the story of the night's drama
0:09:33 > 0:09:36is left written in the sand.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44A lone scarab beetle is late for bed.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Coffee originated in Arabia.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58But with water so sparse,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02the Bedouin drink it low volume and high strength.
0:10:11 > 0:10:16Salif wants his son, Hazar, to learn the skills of the Bedouin.
0:10:19 > 0:10:24The most important of which is how to control a camel.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32He's been training Hazar how to handle these difficult beasts.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Now it's time for a test.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Father and son are setting off on a journey to an annual festival
0:10:47 > 0:10:51where they'll compete against the best camel riders in the land.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58It's a journey that will take them
0:10:58 > 0:11:00through some of the harshest landscapes in the world.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05But journeying is what these people do.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11Bedouin have ranged all over Arabia for thousands of years,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14from the vast sand dunes of the south,
0:11:14 > 0:11:16to the rocky wilderness of the north.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27This is the desert first mapped by Lawrence of Arabia.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Stony canyons provide a sanctuary for animals
0:11:44 > 0:11:47throughout the Middle East,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50like Nubian ibex.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00These wild goats can only survive here
0:12:00 > 0:12:04because precious water bubbles to the surface in springs.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12In summer, the females come to drink at these pools every day.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18The pool is guarded by a male ibex.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22He has exclusive access to the females who come here.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30He tastes the air to see if any of them are ready to mate.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41But this is such a prized spot that inevitably he has competition.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Getting the upper ground will be key.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20The male's skulls are specially reinforced to take a battering.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46They are evenly matched. The battle could last up to an hour.
0:14:08 > 0:14:13But when a third male joins in, no-one seems to know who to fight.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22The party is soon broken up by a tell-tale smell in the air.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34The ibex are right to be skittish.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Bedouin have always been skilled hunters.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51And there is an ancient guidebook to the best hunting grounds
0:14:51 > 0:14:53written in stone.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57For hundreds of years,
0:14:57 > 0:15:01the Bedouin have scratched messages for fellow travellers.
0:15:01 > 0:15:06Instructions on how to find grazing or herds of wild animals.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27But in parts of Arabia, the rocks tell an even more astounding story.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32These etchings are thousands of years old
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and they reveal a fertile grassland,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41filled with animals like lions and ostrich,
0:15:41 > 0:15:45that no longer roam the Arabian landscape.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01At the end of the last ice age, 10,000 years ago,
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Arabia was green but she's been gradually drying out ever since.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14And the drying of Arabia has played its part
0:16:14 > 0:16:16in bringing down civilisations.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26At Mada'in Saleh in Saudi Arabia and Petra in Jordan
0:16:26 > 0:16:30are the breathtaking ruins of the Nabataean Empire.
0:16:40 > 0:16:45Their civilisation was built on the trade of a precious substance
0:16:45 > 0:16:46drawn from a desert plant.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56The Nabataeans learnt that when cut,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00this tree produces strong smelling resin.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05At the height of their empire, this was more valuable than gold.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11When burned, the resin produces an intoxicating aroma.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17The sweet smell of frankincense.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24The smoke has strong anti-depressant properties.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Perhaps that's why this humble sap became a religious obsession
0:17:28 > 0:17:32from ancient Egypt to early Christianity,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36and remains popular today throughout Arabia.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44The Nabataean empire flourished on the trade of frankincense
0:17:44 > 0:17:47but as the desert dried out around them,
0:17:47 > 0:17:51the trade routes shifted and the empire fell into decline.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57The Bedouin strategy of keeping on the move
0:17:57 > 0:18:00became the only way to survive.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11The rocky deserts of northern Arabia are constantly being
0:18:11 > 0:18:14ground down by the heat and wind.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26This creates the sand that is blown south to form
0:18:26 > 0:18:30the vast sea of dunes known to Arabs as the Rub Al Khali,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34or to Western explorers simply as the Empty Quarter.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39This is a landscape entirely sculpted by wind.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Covering an area the size of France,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54this is the largest expanse of sand in the world.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Individual dunes can be 100 miles long.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Salif and Hazar must cross just a corner of this hostile desert
0:19:14 > 0:19:16to reach their goal.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29This is where camels come into their own.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34Feet the size of a dinner plate spread their weight
0:19:34 > 0:19:37and prevent them sinking in to the soft sand.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41Translucent eyelids keep sand out of the eyes.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48The camels can walk on through the sandstorm
0:19:48 > 0:19:51but they need their riders to navigate.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57There are no landmarks here and the sand dunes Salif knew as a boy
0:19:57 > 0:20:00have long been blown away and replaced.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17The air temperatures here can reach 52 degrees Centigrade
0:20:20 > 0:20:24and the surface of the sand can reach 70 degrees.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Hot enough to kill most animals.
0:20:32 > 0:20:36The sleek scales and torpedo-shaped nose of this lizard are a clue
0:20:36 > 0:20:40to its trick for escaping the heat.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47But its name is the give-away.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53The sandfish escapes cooking by swimming.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00Stirred like this, hot sand takes on the properties of liquid.
0:21:05 > 0:21:11Just 30 centimetres down, the sand is 30 degrees cooler.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24The midday temperatures drive most animals deep underground.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29In a special filming burrow deep in the desert
0:21:29 > 0:21:31we can witness a strange relationship.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Dhub lizards share their burrows with scorpions.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44The dhub lizard's skin is too thick to pierce, so he tolerates
0:21:44 > 0:21:49the deadly tenant and the scorpion deters unwanted visitors.
0:21:53 > 0:21:59It's a useful relationship, although good manners are optional.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06If the dhub can cope with the midday heat,
0:22:06 > 0:22:11he'll have the desert to himself and he has a strategy for just that.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17As a reptile, he needs to warm up.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22He flattens his body to absorb the sun's rays.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26Black is the most effective colour for absorbing heat,
0:22:26 > 0:22:29soaking up 90% of the sun's energy.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40But on the scorching hot desert floor,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43the lizard reaches operating temperature in minutes.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Rapid panting prevents his brain overheating
0:22:46 > 0:22:49while he plays his most extraordinary trick.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58The dhub's body is now undergoing a radical transformation.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05The black pigment drains away from his scales.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16His new pale skin now reflects most of the sun's rays.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25Making the dhub the coolest lizard under the sun.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40Only one animal shares the midday desert with the dhub
0:23:40 > 0:23:42and it uses a similar strategy.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53The pure white coat of the oryx reflects heat.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59While black markings protect its eyes
0:23:59 > 0:24:02from the brilliant glare of the sun.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Oryx can travel even longer without water than camels
0:24:10 > 0:24:15but even they must eventually sniff out distant rain to survive.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27One male is dominant, and has sole breeding rights with the females.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32But this male has become weak through lack of food,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34and a rival makes a challenge.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57The dominant male has been driven out.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02The herd moves on without him.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15The deposed male is old and must now try to survive alone.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28In this brutal place, he may not last long.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47With food so scarce, many desert animals live a solitary existence.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Using special filming techniques
0:25:54 > 0:25:57we can recreate the drama of their lives.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06A lesser jerboa.
0:26:23 > 0:26:29A hunter needs super senses to find such small, sparse prey.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36The Rueppell's desert fox has ears 20 times more sensitive
0:26:36 > 0:26:38than our own.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43The jerboa tries to hide, but the hole's not deep enough.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52The fox's sensitive nose tells him exactly where to dig.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59There's a sneaky back door.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06If he can squeeze through.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Time for the jerboa to reveal his own secret weapon.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Leg's like a kangaroo.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29The jerboa can hop more than ten times its own body length.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39But long legs don't make it easy to hide.
0:27:42 > 0:27:47They come into their own when the only option left is to run for it.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Sometimes getting over is tough.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Better to go under.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13The jerboa's quick but the fox is quicker.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17The jerboa's only hope is to out-manoeuvre
0:28:17 > 0:28:20and he has one last trick up his sleeve.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Hairy feet.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35A shock of hair on the sole of his feet
0:28:35 > 0:28:37grips the sand for a quick turn.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Desert survival requires sensible footwear.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Tonight, the desert fox goes hungry.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11The jerboa's not the only one with special powers
0:29:11 > 0:29:13to survive the desert.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20The Arabian fat-tailed scorpion.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Growing up to 15 centimetres long,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28her powerful neurotoxins kill several humans every year.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36She's hunting for beetles.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40She can't move fast, but she's got some special features.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Highly-sensitive hairs can detect the faintest of movements.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56And like something borrowed from the Batmobile,
0:29:56 > 0:29:59she sweeps the sand with delicate chest combs,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02picking up chemical signals left by her quarry.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10She doesn't need to make a kill very often.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14She can survive up to a year between meals.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25But the scorpion is prey as well as predator.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32The desert fox is still hungry and not afraid to take on a scorpion.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36When the moon rises, he'll have more light to hunt
0:30:36 > 0:30:38and he'll have the upper hand.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42The scorpion has a trick to avoid being eaten.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46To see it ourselves we must enter the ultraviolet spectrum.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57In the hour before moonrise
0:30:57 > 0:31:04the air is filled with ultraviolet rays, invisible to the fox.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08And the scorpion has an early-warning system
0:31:08 > 0:31:11to tell her that moonlight is on its way.
0:31:11 > 0:31:16Chemicals in the scorpion's skin are reacting to the UV rays.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20Every millimetre of the scorpion has now become a UV sensor.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23Right down to her pincers,
0:31:23 > 0:31:27she is feeling the strong UV rays that are invisible to the fox.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35This tells her a full moon is on its way.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38It's going to be a risky night to be out.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43Her dinner can wait.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50It's time to find shelter.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16At dawn, Salif faces Mecca for morning prayer.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29He and his son Hazar have nearly completed their journey.
0:32:55 > 0:33:00For Hazar, his first camel festival sounds ominous.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11They may be desert people,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15but even Bedouin can't survive long in the sand sea.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Their supplies are limited
0:33:29 > 0:33:33and ultimately, they must always find fresh water.
0:33:37 > 0:33:41Luckily, Salif and Hazar are approaching their goal
0:33:41 > 0:33:44near the edge of the desert.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50Beyond, the land rises abruptly into towering mountains,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53some over 3,000 metres high.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58Here lies a secret that helps maintain life.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09This natural barrier catches the clouds
0:34:09 > 0:34:12and stops their moisture reaching the heartland of Arabia.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19But this water isn't lost.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24It filters down, deep underground and if you know where to look,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27you can find it.
0:34:35 > 0:34:40Zahir bin Hamad is eight kilometres inside a mountain,
0:34:40 > 0:34:45cleaning a waterway dug by his ancestors over 2,000 years ago.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31But this water is not for use in the mountains,
0:35:31 > 0:35:33its destiny lies far inland.
0:35:51 > 0:35:52Channelled over 30 miles,
0:35:52 > 0:35:55this water is bringing life to the desert.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59An oasis.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10This water is precious.
0:36:10 > 0:36:14And wherever there is treasure, there will be conflict.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Zahir is the referee.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25He controls the flow of water to each farm
0:36:25 > 0:36:28using a system devised by his ancestors.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34He uses a sundial to decide who gets what and when.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Each rock marks a share of only 15 minutes.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Not long, Zahir must get it spot on.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Everyone trusts Zahir's time-keeping.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08After all, he's relying on a celestial authority.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13As the sun-dial shadow swings into position,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Zahir releases the treasure.
0:37:26 > 0:37:30Water that fell as rain over 30,000 years ago
0:37:30 > 0:37:34is now turning the heart of Arabia green once more.
0:38:29 > 0:38:32Every oasis is a haven for wildlife.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Herons and greenshanks feed in the pools.
0:38:43 > 0:38:47Thirsty travellers migrating between Europe and Africa
0:38:47 > 0:38:51come to drink, including Imperial eagles.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02Asiatic honeybees also come to drink daily.
0:39:10 > 0:39:14But their journey to the water is fraught with danger.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22Blue-cheeked bee-eaters are on the look-out.
0:39:51 > 0:39:53The bee-eaters arrive at the oasis each spring
0:39:53 > 0:39:55with one thing on their mind.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Breeding.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Males try to win the females' favour by offering insect titbits.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31If she's suitably impressed, he gets his reward.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49Oasis villages also provide one vital ingredient that has fuelled
0:40:49 > 0:40:52every Bedouin journey for thousands of years.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05A fruit so valuable that expert pickers risk 20-metre climbs.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Dates.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20Dates hold six times the energy content of other fruits
0:41:20 > 0:41:24and preserve so well that they last for months.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26The annual date harvest is
0:41:26 > 0:41:29the busiest time of the year in every oasis.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40Bedouin women come in from the surrounding desert to help.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Without this simple fruit the Bedouin would never have been
0:41:46 > 0:41:49able to make their epic desert crossings.
0:41:50 > 0:41:54And oases play another crucial role.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58Filling stations.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12After a long desert journey,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15a camel will drink up to 200 litres of water.
0:42:23 > 0:42:27Oasis towns provide a meeting point for far-flung Bedouin clans.
0:42:36 > 0:42:41Salif and Hazar have arrived in the Omani desert town of Al Mintarib
0:42:41 > 0:42:44for the Eid camel festival.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50The whole town has come out to watch as rival clans compete
0:42:50 > 0:42:53to show off their camel-riding skills.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Few youngsters these days grow up learning
0:43:00 > 0:43:02the ancient art of camel control.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11And the camels don't exactly respond well to an inexperienced hand.
0:43:27 > 0:43:30So far, the competition doesn't look too strong.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45But soon the premier riders get going.
0:43:45 > 0:43:47This is not a race,
0:43:47 > 0:43:50it's a competition to show off your control.
0:43:50 > 0:43:55The goal is to ride camels in synchronized pairs, side by side.
0:43:55 > 0:43:57Running your camels in a straight line.
0:44:06 > 0:44:11Hazar has never had to control a camel in such a frenzied atmosphere.
0:44:15 > 0:44:20But Salif knows just how to calm their animals down.
0:44:26 > 0:44:29Everything Salif has taught his son
0:44:29 > 0:44:33will be tested in the next few minutes.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39Salif reaches out his arm to show the crowd
0:45:39 > 0:45:41how close he and Hazar ride.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56Father and son win the day.
0:46:03 > 0:46:04MUSIC PLAYS
0:46:09 > 0:46:12The ancient Bedouin knowledge
0:46:12 > 0:46:14has been passed on to another generation.
0:46:17 > 0:46:20Now it's time to party desert-style.
0:46:31 > 0:46:35The relationship between man and camel
0:46:35 > 0:46:39has proved an enduring strategy for desert survival.
0:46:44 > 0:46:48But the Bedouin can't claim to be the true masters of the desert.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Without oases to sustain them
0:46:56 > 0:47:00they would never survive their journeys through the hostile dunes.
0:47:08 > 0:47:12Surely the master of desert survival is the animal that came
0:47:12 > 0:47:20so close to disappearing for ever from this landscape, the oryx.
0:47:25 > 0:47:29Their ability to keep moving through the blistering heat,
0:47:29 > 0:47:34find food and ultimately thrive in this harshest of landscapes
0:47:34 > 0:47:36is truly extraordinary.
0:47:45 > 0:47:48Hopefully, now that they have returned to the desert
0:47:48 > 0:47:53where they belong, oryx will remain the living emblem
0:47:53 > 0:47:57of this mighty sea of sand long into the future.
0:48:13 > 0:48:17Filming in the desert posed many challenges for the Wild Arabia crew.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21Blistering heat and blinding sand storms played havoc
0:48:21 > 0:48:23with their equipment.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30But their greatest challenge came from filming cantankerous camels.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35CAMEL GROWLS
0:48:38 > 0:48:41Just getting to the Bedouin's camp, deep in the deserts of Oman,
0:48:41 > 0:48:44threw up their first hurdle.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46The thing is, I'm an excellent driver.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49- Are you going to drive it?- Yeah.
0:48:49 > 0:48:51There's very little that could go wrong.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59This is Toby's ninth attempt at crossing the sand dune.
0:49:02 > 0:49:04Oh no!
0:49:06 > 0:49:08Never been so embarrassed in my life.
0:49:08 > 0:49:12I'm handing over the driving to a ten-year-old. No!
0:49:12 > 0:49:15But this is no normal ten-year-old.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19This is Hazar and he knows these dunes like the back of his hand.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25CAR BEEPS
0:49:28 > 0:49:32This is the team's first clue that they won't get very far
0:49:32 > 0:49:35in this desert without the help of their Bedouin hosts.
0:49:38 > 0:49:39They arrive at dusk
0:49:39 > 0:49:43in time to see the camels being brought back to camp for the night.
0:49:45 > 0:49:51Salif, the best camel rider in the land, is a man of few words.
0:49:53 > 0:49:56Toby tries to break the ice by offering him a coffee
0:49:56 > 0:49:59made with his new-fangled coffee making machine.
0:49:59 > 0:50:01Hazar, will you grind for me?
0:50:07 > 0:50:09Perfect grinding, Hazar.
0:50:10 > 0:50:15Coffee originated in Arabia, perhaps this is a way to impress.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26Then again, perhaps not.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33Salif and Hazar's race is less than a week away.
0:50:36 > 0:50:41And the team know they'll only get one chance to film the action.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50The next day they head to a practice run to get
0:50:50 > 0:50:52a feel for what lies ahead.
0:50:58 > 0:51:00It's mayhem at the start line.
0:51:03 > 0:51:07And it seems the team are attracting unwanted attention.
0:51:09 > 0:51:13Filming these races is not going to be as easy as the crew had hoped.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16There's a lot more people, a lot more camels,
0:51:16 > 0:51:19and there's a lot more tension, and I'm only able to sit right back.
0:51:19 > 0:51:23I can't seem to get close, because it's...the local guys are saying
0:51:23 > 0:51:27I'm skitting out the camels by my presence.
0:51:27 > 0:51:30So I don't know what to do. We need to find a solution.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34This practice session has not gone well.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36The team decide to take the locals' advice.
0:51:36 > 0:51:39We're clutching at straws now, we're getting desperate.
0:51:39 > 0:51:43So I'm going to dress up like the local guys to see if that helps.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47This is perfect. This is like what Salif wears.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52What you think, guys?
0:51:55 > 0:51:57They may be dressed for the task,
0:51:57 > 0:52:01but to fully blend in on race day they want to gain a better
0:52:01 > 0:52:04understanding of the Bedouin and their camels.
0:52:04 > 0:52:07They're invited to camp with their hosts.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:52:22 > 0:52:25Bedouin are famous for their hospitality.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28To survive in the desert, you need to look out for each other.
0:52:30 > 0:52:32HE SINGS
0:52:38 > 0:52:43Male bonding in the outdoor kitchen is coming along nicely.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45But perhaps the most sensitive task
0:52:45 > 0:52:48will be engaging the women in the family.
0:52:51 > 0:52:55No-one is better placed to do this than camerawomen, Sue Gibson.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02So I'll hold that there, OK. I'm not doing my job properly.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06This is a rare opportunity to discover
0:53:06 > 0:53:09a more intimate side of Bedouin life.
0:53:09 > 0:53:10Long time?
0:53:12 > 0:53:16Salif wants Toby and Chadden to understand what it takes
0:53:16 > 0:53:17to ride a camel.
0:53:19 > 0:53:22We're supposed to learn how to run these camels.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25I don't think I've ever ridden on a camel let alone raced it.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27And do we need to make a special noise?
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Sort of like an angry frog, isn't it?
0:53:33 > 0:53:35HE MIMICS A CAMEL
0:53:35 > 0:53:39Abdullah, what's the name of my camel?
0:53:39 > 0:53:42- The name is Samha.- Samha?- Samha.
0:53:42 > 0:53:43Samha.
0:53:43 > 0:53:49I've just had the names interpreted and my one means fast and strong
0:53:49 > 0:53:51and Chadden's means broken tractor.
0:53:56 > 0:53:59Oooh, he's off! Oh, Lordy.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03Salif is yet to be impressed.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07Walking is one thing, he decides to up the ante.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12TOBY AND CHADDEN LAUGH
0:54:19 > 0:54:23Ah, time to get down. Oh, yeah.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26Shukran. Shukran. Well done.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30The day's duties are not yet over.
0:54:30 > 0:54:34Tomorrow is race day and the stars of the show
0:54:34 > 0:54:35are booked into the salon.
0:54:38 > 0:54:41I've never spent as much time doing my own hair as I just
0:54:41 > 0:54:44spent doing hers, but I think she appreciates it.
0:54:44 > 0:54:48The crew are settling into their Bedouin lifestyle.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52Who better to share stories with on a warm Arabian night.
0:54:53 > 0:54:57It's really lovely to get a moment like this to sit round the fire,
0:54:57 > 0:55:00and have some coffee, share some dates,
0:55:00 > 0:55:03and just spend some time with these guys who've been so kind to us.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07So it's these moments that make it really special.
0:55:08 > 0:55:11Tomorrow is race day.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24Hundreds of camels and their riders are here to compete
0:55:24 > 0:55:27in the grand finale of the Eid festival.
0:55:31 > 0:55:35But will the team's decision to blend in pay off?
0:55:35 > 0:55:38Since we've started wearing the headgear and the dish-dash,
0:55:38 > 0:55:43I know it sounds ridiculous but it really does seem as though
0:55:43 > 0:55:46we've been accepted more and there's a lot more intimacy with
0:55:46 > 0:55:48the men we are working around.
0:55:48 > 0:55:52Even the camels seem to startle less and be more accepting of us.
0:55:52 > 0:55:54I think that was a really good call.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09Salif and Hazar's moment has arrived
0:56:09 > 0:56:11and Toby gets himself into prime position.
0:56:15 > 0:56:19For the crew, it's a thrill to witness this spectacle.
0:56:23 > 0:56:28And everyone's pleased to see Hazar ride so well.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32But it's only back at the camp
0:56:32 > 0:56:35that they get to share in the family's success.
0:56:35 > 0:56:39And their hosts get a chance to see some action replays.
0:56:51 > 0:56:55The team have made new friends in the Arabian desert
0:56:55 > 0:56:59and even Salif is pleased with their results.
0:57:05 > 0:57:07THEY ALL LAUGH
0:57:15 > 0:57:18Next time on Wild Arabia...
0:57:18 > 0:57:21We journey into the mysterious waters
0:57:21 > 0:57:25and rich mountains on Arabia's southern coast.
0:57:25 > 0:57:29There is more life here than anywhere else in Arabia.
0:57:30 > 0:57:34Life that's sustained by a magical secret.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd