British adventurer Reza Pakravan has long been a wearer of Altberg Boots and his latest challenge is to navigate the World's Most Dangerous Borders, which is currently being screened on Amazon Prime.
The series sees the filmmaker aim to become the first person in modern history to cross the width of Africa via the Sahel, from Senegal to Somalia.
During the journey, Reza wears a pair of Altberg Desert Boots, which he says he is "absolutely in love with".
"This incredible British product took me through the hottest place on earth the Danakil Depression, where temperatures exceed 50 degrees, and over some of the harshest terrains.
"They look stylish while durable and comfortable."
The Sahel is a belt of land stretching across the southern boundary of the Sahara Desert and is home to some of the harshest conditions on the planet.
It’s where climate change is most felt, both environmentally and politically, and as a consequence rebel up risings are common.
This Sahel region remains the Holy Grail of exploration, as devastating wars and insurgency have stopped outsiders passing through this land of spectacular beauty and cultures for decades.
On a mission to tell the untold stories of those who live in the wild lands of this tense frontier, Reza’s 5,000 mile journey, through some of the most volatile parts of the world, sees him travel across eight countries, taking three-and-a-half-months to complete.
Reza takes a new approach to exploring: travelling with the locals as they do by whatever means available, whether on animal carts, in the back of pick-up trucks or on foot, and eating the same local foods from the same bowls, giving him a unique insight into some of the most diverse and fascinating cultures on earth.
Beginning just off the coast of Senegal and navigating through war-torn regions and the world’s most dangerous and volatile borders, Reza experiences human trafficking first-hand, interviews a human smuggler, and is even held at gunpoint in Niger.
Known for being the latest al-Qaeda-IS battleground, Reza is caught in a standoff between the Malian Army and the militia, and narrowly escapes attacks by Boko Haram in Diffa, one of the most dangerous cities in the world.
Using his skills to access remote communities, Reza tells the real story of the Sahel through its people, as he gets initiated by an animist priest in a bloody voodoo ceremony in Burkina Faso, and loses consciousness in a forbidden practice in Sudan where the spirits are called.
He hits Sudan as protestors clash with the military, following the toppling of dictator Omar al-Bashir, and is followed by the secret police and dodges bullets in the streets of Khartoum, before being arrested, detained for four days and eventually kicked out of Darfur by Sudanese intelligence.
Towards the end of his epic journey, Reza crosses the hottest place on earth, the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia, at the hottest time of the year, experiencing temperatures as high as 50°C.
He has to fight for his survival as he runs out of water, only to be saved by Afar people, who call the depression their home.
The World’s Most Dangerous Borders is currently being screened on Amazon Prime.
Click here to for more details.
For more details on Altberg's Desert Boots, click here.
