Lost in the Desert with Nick Knowles

Lost in the Desert with Nick Knowles (2025- )

RunningDocumentary show

Nick Knowles returns to 5 for a truly spectacular adventure, this time in the most desolate place on earth - the Gobi Desert.

At five times the size of the UK, with the smallest population on earth, Mongolia is vast and remote and the stunning wilderness of the Gobi covers a third of the country.

As Nick discovers, the land of Genghis Kahn and dinosaurs is not only steeped in rich traditions but is also home to some of the most warm-hearted people in the world.

From a horse academy keeping alive the remarkable horseback archery skills of the Kahn's warrior hoard to a bout of Mongolian wrestling, followed by a visit to a shaman, this adventure both moved and fascinated Nick beyond expectation.

Network
Scheduleevery Friday at 21:00 (60 min)

Last Episode

Episode 3
Season 1Episode 360 min

Episode 3

In the final episode of the series, Nick leaves the desert sands of the Gobi and the dramatic peaks of the West to travel to Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, the coldest capital in the world. Facing his fear of heights head on, Nick takes to the skies in a tandem paraglider, gaining an eagle eye's view as he soars over the landscape. To his surprise, trepidation shifts to pure exhilaration.

Nick meets one of the world's most famous Mongolian throat singers, Batzorig Vaanchig, and is blown away by the unusual haunting sounds he can produce from deep within. Batzorig is on his way to a party and invites Nick along. It's a hair cutting ceremony, an important milestone for every Mongolian toddler. This is an elaborate party for which Nick (and crew) must wear traditional long shirts or ‘deels'. There, he is introduced to fermented horse mare milk, which turns out to be an acquired taste.

He delves into Mongolia's Soviet past before travelling into the Ger district of the city where he has an eye-opening - and painful - encounter with a shaman. Then, cleared of evil spirits, but with a sore tongue, he sets off to discover a surprising Mongolian musical genre.

In the 1990s the Soviets departed, and Mongolia became a democracy, opening up all sorts of (previously banned) musical influences, and hip hop was a surprise hit. Nick meets Mongolian hip hop star, Big Gee, who declares Nick has a bright future as a rapper.

As a fitting finale to his epic Mongolian travels, Nick climbs the largest equestrian statue in the world. This huge stainless-steel stature depicts the most famous person in Mongolia's history, the mighty Genghis Kahn.

This unforgettable adventure has shown Nick how nomadic cultures have found a way to take modern amenities and use them to their advantage whilst still preserving their traditional way of life.

From the endless vistas of the Gobi Desert to the lofty mountains of the West and the revelations of the capital city Ulaanbataar, Mongolia and its extraordinary people have proven to be remarkable.

Aug. 29, 2025

Recent Episodes

EpisodeNameAirdate
S01E03Episode 3Aug. 29, 2025
S01E02Episode 2Aug. 22, 2025
S01E01Episode 1Aug. 15, 2025
View all episodesView all seasons

Cast

View all cast

Characters

View all characters

Also known as

  • Big Adventures: Into the Gobi Desert with Nick Knowles
  • Into the Gobi Desert with Nick Knowles (Australia)
  • Into the Gobi Desert with Nick Knowles (New Zealand)

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Brilliant Minds
Running

Brilliant Minds

Inspired by the extraordinary life and work of world-famous author and physician Oliver Sacks, Brilliant Minds follows a revolutionary, larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns as they explore the last great frontier - the human mind - while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.

NCIS: Origins
Running

NCIS: Origins

In NCIS: Origins, young Leroy Jethro Gibbs starts his career as a newly minted special agent at the fledgling NCIS Camp Pendleton office where he forges his place on a gritty, ragtag team led by NCIS legend Mike Franks.

Murder in a Small Town
Running

Murder in a Small Town

Karl Alberg moves to a quiet coastal town to soothe a psyche that has been battered by big-city police work. But this gentle paradise has more than its share of secrets, and Karl will need to call upon all the skills that made him a world-class detective in solving the murders that, even in this seemingly idyllic setting, continue to wash up on his shore.

GenreDrama, Crime
Sheriff Country
Running

Sheriff Country

Sheriff Country focuses on straight-shooting sheriff Mickey Fox, the stepsister of Cal Fire's division chief Sharon Leone, who investigates criminal activity as she patrols the streets of small-town Edgewater while contending with her ex-con father, Wes, who is an off-the-grid marijuana grower, and a mysterious incident involving her wayward daughter.

GenreDrama, Crime
Guy's Grocery Games
Running

Guy's Grocery Games

In each episode of Guy's Grocery Games, four talented chefs compete in a number of challenges as they navigate their way through the aisles of a grocery store, adhering to "real-world" obstacles. Whether it is shopping on a budget, substituting out-of-stock ingredients or grabbing groceries at closing time, each chef has to shop, prepare, and plate three different dishes using whatever they can pull off the shelves. Ultimately, the food does the talking, as one-by-one the losing chefs "check out," by a rotating panel of judges that includes Melissa d'Arabian, Richard Blais, G. Garvin, Troy Johnson, Catherine McCord, Aarti Sequeira, among others. The last chef standing goes on a shopping spree of a lifetime worth up to $20,000!

GenreFood