MUCH OF THE VAST INTERIOR OF NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL IS SEMI-DESERT.

ONE MOUNTAIN RANGE RISES STEEPLY FROM THE PLAINS.

IT HAS CREATED ITS OWN ECOSYSTEM AND ITS CREATION ON EARTH A WEALTH OF DIAMONDS, THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA, THE DIAMOND RANGE.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

[MUSIC] BRAZIL IS THE LARGEST COUNTRY IN SOUTH AMERICA, ONLY SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.

THE LARGEST STATE IN THE NORTHEAST REGION IS LARGER THAN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.

MORE THAN 300 YEARS AGO SUGAR CANE PLANTATION OWNERS IMPORTED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SLAVES THERE, THEY CUT DOWN THE COASTAL JUNGLES TO PLANT THEIR CROPS.

INLAND HOWEVER, CLIMATIC CONDITIONS WOULD NOT SUPPORT THE PLANTATION CULTURE.

DRIVING WEST FROM THE CAPITAL CITY OF SALVADOR, HARDLY ANY NOTABLE MOUNTAINS APPEAR FOR 250 MILES UNTIL WE REACH THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA, THE DIAMOND ESCARPMENT.

THE VAST INTERIOR OF THE STATE OF BAHIA IS DRY TO VERY DRY.

SOMETIMES A YEAR WILL GO BY WITH NO RAINFALL.

THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA, THIS RANGE ACTUALLY INTERCEPTS MOIST AIR COMING IN FROM THE ATLANTIC, COLLECTS IT AND DEPOSITS IT AS RAINFALL, DRAINS IT DOWN INTO THE VALLEY TO THE EAST.

WITHOUT THIS RANGE, THERE WOULD BE NO RELIABLE WATER AVAILABLE FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE STATE OF BAHIA.

CHAPADA DIAMANTINA YOU CAN FIND MOUNTAINS, WATERFALLS, CAVES, LAKES, WE HAVE A BIG VARIETY OF LANDSCAPES.

CHAPADA DIAMANTINA CAN BE CONSIDERED AN OASIS IN THE DESERT BECAUSE IT'S LOCATED IN THE NORTHEAST OF BRAZIL WHICH IS A VERY DRY AREA.

IT'S CONSIDERED A CATINGA.

IT'S NOT A DESERT BUT VERY DRY AND VERY FLAT AREA AND WE HAVE THIS MOVEMENT OF MOUNTAINS THAT APPEARS IN THE AREA OF CHAPADA.

IT HOLDS THE CLOUDS THAT COME FROM THE COAST AND MAKES A WHOLE DIFFERENT SCENERY.

WHEN YOU'RE USED TO SEEING EVERYTHING DRY AND SUDDENLY THINGS START TO BECOME BIGGER AND GREEN AND A LOT OF WATER, CHAPADA DIAMANTINA IS THE MAIN WATER SOURCE IN THE STATE OF BAHIA.

THIS CRAZY CONGLOMERATE ROCK WAS ONCE PART OF AFRICA.

OVER A HUNDRED MILLION YEARS OR SO AGO SOUTH AMERICA BROKE AWAY FROM AFRICA AND BROUGHT THE ROCK WITH IT AND WITH THE ROCK THAT CAME HERE IT BROUGHT THE DIAMONDS AS WELL.

THEY FOUND SO MANY DIAMONDS IN HERE.

VERY QUICKLY THE OFFICE THAT WAS SET IN VILLA DE SANTA ISABEL WAS TRANSFERRED TO LENÇÓIS BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF MINERALS THAT WERE BEING TAKEN FROM HERE AND THEY HAD TO CONTROL IT AND THAT'S HOW BASICALLY THE TOWN STARTED.

FOR THE FIRST 50 YEARS OF OCCUPATION OF THE AREA THEY SAY THAT THERE WAS 30,000 PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING IN THE AREA.

IT WAS LIKE A DIAMOND BOOM.

NOW 9,000 IN TOWN.

OUR ECONOMY WAS BASED ON DIAMOND MINING UNTIL 1997 WHEN THE GOVERNMENT SHUT THE MININGS COMPLETELY AND SINCE THEN OUR MAIN ACTIVITY HAS BEEN TOURISM.

ONE VERY PARALLEL PROFESSION THERE WAS IN LENÇÓIS WAS THE LADIES WOULD DO THE LAUNDRY FOR THE FAMILIES AND OF COURSE THEY STILL COME TO DO THE LAUNDRY IN THE RIVERBED SO PART OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW IT'S RESERVED FOR SWIMMING.

THE OTHER PART OF THE RIVER THE COMMUNITY STILL USES FOR DOING LAUNDRY.

THIS IS STILL A VERY SOCIAL EVENT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS EVERYBODY AND YOU CAN COME HERE AND EXCHANGE GOSSIP AND AS LONG AS THERE'S PLENTY OF SUN, IT'S A LOT CHEAPER THAN TRYING TO HAVE TO RENT A MACHINE OR BUY ONE.

THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA IS MADE UP OF A CRAZY MISH MASH OF GEOLOGY INCLUDING MASSIVE CHUNKS OF LIMESTONE WHERE A HUGE NETWORK OF CAVES HAVE BEEN FORMED BY THE ACTION OF WATER FLOWING THROUGH THE ROCK.

RAIMUNDO THE GUIDE TELLS ME THAT HE WAS BORN RIGHT HERE SO THIS IS HIS SECOND HOME.

EVER SINCE HE WAS A KID HE'S BEEN PLAYING IN HERE, RUNNING AROUND, SO HE KNOWS THE PLACE.

THE RAINFALL HERE ISN'T GREAT BECAUSE IT'S SEMI-ARID REGION SO YOU DON'T GET A GREAT GROWTH OF STALACTITES AND STALAGMITES.

FOR EVERY CENTIMETER OF GROWTH, ABOUT A THIRD OF INCH, TAKES 30 OR 40 YEARS.

THOSE SIX FOOTERS HAVE TO BE SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

THE SILENCE IN HERE IS DEAFENING.

OOH!

[ECHO] THIS IS A BIG ROOM.

IT'S MAGICALLY QUIET.

WE'RE COMING TO A FORMATION UP HERE THAT'S GOING TO BE QUITE RED BECAUSE OF THE IRON THAT HAS SEEPED DOWN INTO THE LIMESTONE.

BOY, AT NIGHT YOU CAN'T SEE MUCH IN THE WAY OF COLOR.

YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE IRON IS COMING FROM IN A LITTLE STREAM THAT DOESN'T REACH TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF IT.

HERE IS A CRÈCHE, THE HOLY FAMILY, IN A LIMESTONE FORMATION.

THIS IS A HUGE CAVERN.

THE LIGHT THAT I SEE BEHIND ME IS PROBABLY CLOSE TO A QUARTER OF A MILE BACK.

FORTUNATELY WE HAD THIS ANCIENT, ANCIENT RIVER THAT HELPED CARVE OUT THIS ROOM AND MADE IT VERY EASY WALKING FOR US.

HERE WE HAVE A FORMATION THAT RAIMUNDO CALLS CURTAINS, CURTAIN FORMATION.

THIS WATER FLOWS SORT OF IN SHEETS.

ISN'T THAT UNUSUAL.

THIS IS CALLED A CASTLE AND IF YOU SEE THE PROMINENCES ON TOP, THE LITTLE STEEPLES, IT ACTUALLY IS VERY WELL NAMED.

IN AN ADJACENT CAVE THAT HAS MORE WATER THAN THIS ONE, THE RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED A BLIND FISH, THAT IS A FISH WITH NO FUNCTIONING EYES, AND WITH NO PIGMENT.

OF COURSE THERE'S NO NEED TO HAVE EITHER COLOR OR VISION IF YOU'RE LIVING IN COMPLETE DARKNESS.

RAIMUNDO TELLS ME THAT ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE COME THROUGH HERE EACH YEAR.

FOR AN ECONOMY THAT USED TO DEPEND ON DIAMOND MINERS IT'S GOT TO BE WELCOME.

I THINK THAT I SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL UP HERE AND THAT'S DISAPPOINTING.

WE'RE ONLY ABLE TO GET OUT OF HERE BECAUSE THE ROOF OF THE CAVE COLLAPSED AND IF THAT COULD EVER BE EXCAVATED THEY WOULD FIND THAT THE RIVER CONTINUES.

IT WOULD BE NEAT TO KNOW HOW FAR THAT RIVER CONTINUES.

I'LL BET IT GOES ON FOR MANY, MANY MILES.

BUT WE'LL PROBABLY NEVER KNOW HERE.

THEY'LL FIND IT IN ANOTHER CAVE.

THE ABOVE GROUND CHAPADA REVEALS ITS TROPICAL AFFINITIES WITH A DAZZLING DISPLAY OF UNUSUAL FLOWERS.

THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA RANGE ISN'T REALLY JUNGLE-Y.

PARTS OF IT LOOK PRETTY DRY SO IT'S SURPRISING TO FIND THAT IT HAS OVER 200 SPECIES OF ORCHIDS.

PEOPLE HERE HAVE COLLECTED THEM ALL IN ONE PLACE.

THIS IS A WONDERLAND OF FLOWERS, ORCHIDS.

OH, MY GOODNESS, LOOK AT THESE.

A PRIVATE FAMILY HAS TAKEN THIS ON AS THEIR WAY OF MAKING A LIVING.

BOY HAVE THEY DONE WELL.

ONE THING ABOUT ORCHIDS IS THEY HAVE THESE INDIVIDUAL PERSONALITIES.

THEY RANGE FROM SEXY TO DESCRIPTIVE TO SCARILY HUMAN.

THIS ONE IS SOMETHING OUT OF DR. SEUSS, SMILING OR OOGLING AT US.

THESE ARE HYBRIDS THAT THEY'VE ACTUALLY PRODUCED BUT THIS BABY HERE IS WILD AND NATIVE.

IT'S A GOOD COMBINATION.

THIS LITTLE BEAUTY IS NOT AN ORCHID.

IT'S CALLED RAT HERB AND IT'S TOXIC.

APPARENTLY THE MINERS KNEW THAT AND THEY WOULD RUB THE PLANT AND THEN RUB THEIR FINGERS IN ANIMAL FAT AND PLACE LITTLE GLOBULES OF THE ANIMAL FAT AROUND THEIR TENTS AND RODENTS, RATS, MICE WOULD COME IN AND EAT THAT AND DIE AND SO THEY WOULD STAY OUT OF THE MINERS' FOOD AND OUT OF THEIR STUFF.

OVER HERE YOU CAN SEE A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THE ORCHID BULBULS.

THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE STORAGE, THE FOOD STORAGE FOR THE ORCHIDS AND WHEN THEY SEND OUT THEIR FLOWERS THEY PROVIDE THEM WITH SUSTENANCE.

DON'T LET ANYBODY TELL YOU THAT A GREEN FLOWER CAN'T BE PRETTY.

THAT'S A GREEN ORCHID.

I'VE GOT A CARPENTER BEE HERE WHO THINKS IT'S NEAT TOO.

HE WON'T DO ANY HARM AT ALL.

WE SORT OF THINK OF ORCHIDS AS ONLY GROWING WHERE IT'S WARM AND HUMID.

ODDLY ENOUGH, ORCHIDS GROW IN THE DESERT SO THEY HAVE A HUGE DISTRIBUTION BUT THE PRETTIEST ONES ALWAYS SEEM TO BE IN THE TROPICS.

ORCHIDS ARE ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE FLOWERS FOUND HERE BUT FOR ALL THEIR FLAMBOYANCE THEY DO NEED PROTECTION.

SO IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THE BRAZILIAN GOVERNMENT IS WATCHING OVER THIS PLACE VERY CAREFULLY.

THE SAME LOCATIONS THAT GAVE RISE TO THE SHOWIEST OF FLOWERS ALSO YIELDED THE KING OF GEMS FROM WHICH THE NAME OF THESE MOUNTAINS ORIGINATED.

THE DIAMONDS HERE THEY ARE NORMALLY FOUND MIXED WITH THESE PEBBLES ON THE BOTTOM OF RIVER BEDS AND THAT'S THIS PROCESS RIGHT IN HERE.

SO JUST LIKE PANNING FOR GOLD.

PANNING FOR GOLD.

SO THEY SHAKE THEM DOWN AND THEY CAN RECOGNIZE THE DIAMONDS WHEN THEY SEE THEM.

YES, THE DIAMONDS THEY ARE HEAVIER.

THEY COME TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS.

JUST LIKE GOLD.

THIS IS THE OLD PICTURE OF TOWN, LENÇÓIS, WHERE WE WERE.

OH, THE SUITS.

HOW COULD THEY WEAR SUITS, BUT THEY DID.

OH, AND THERE'S THE REAL DIAMOND PRODUCERS.

OH, MY.

AND WHAT DO WE HAVE OVER HERE?

THIS LOOKS LIKE A FOSSILIZED EGG.

HOW DID IT GET THAT ROUND?

NORMALLY THESE GET STUCK IN WHAT THEY CALL A POTHOLE AND THE STREAM OF WATER MAKES THIS BIT OF ROCK GO AROUND AND AROUND.

IT'S LIKE A STONE POLISHER.

EXACTLY.

NOW WOULD DIAMONDS GET IN THAT FORMATION TOO?

ALSO THEY SAID THE BEST DIAMONDS THEY FOUND THEY WERE IN THE BOTTOM OF THOSE POTHOLES AND THE SHAPE WAS SPECIAL CERTAINLY BECAUSE OF THIS MOVEMENT.

THEY WERE POLISHED BY THE NATURAL ACTION.

BOY, I BET THOSE WERE VALUABLE.

DEFINITELY VALUABLE.

THE WATER IN THE RIVER HERE IS USUALLY THE COLOR OF COCA COLA.

IT'S NOT MUD.

IT'S ACTUALLY DISSOLVED HUMUS FROM THE SOIL UP ABOVE AND FROM THE LEAVES.

IT'S NOT A CONTAMINANT, IT'S JUST PART OF THE WAY THE RIVER IS.

WITH A GOOD RAIN IN THE CHAPADA ABOVE LENÇÓIS, OVERNIGHT THE FRIENDLY CASCADE CAN TURN TO A RAGING TORRENT OF A RIVER THAT CONTINUES TO CRASH ITS WAY DOWN INTO THE VALLEY UNTIL IT'S ABSORBED BY A SWAMP.

15 MILES DOWN THE ROAD AND 2,000 FEET LOWER THE RIVER ENTERS FLATLANDS OF JUNGLE AND SWAMP WHICH FORMED A REFUGE FOR ANIMALS AND FOR PEOPLE.

THIS ROAD LEADS TO A SMALL VILLAGE CALLED REMANSO.

REMANSO WAS AN OLD QUILOMBO, A SMALL VILLAGE FORMED BY REFUGEE SLAVES.

THEY WOULD RUN AWAY FROM THE FARMS OR WHEREVER THEY WERE AND THEY WOULD CREATE SMALL VILLAGES LOST IN PLACES FAR FROM THE COMMUNITIES AND PLACES THAT WOULD BE HARD TO BE FOUND AND THEY WOULD GATHER THERE AND LIVE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY.

SO WHEN THIS VILLAGE WAS CREATED, REMANSO, THAT MEANS THAT THERE WAS NO ROAD HERE SO THAT THE OWNERS COULDN'T FIND AND CATCH THE SLAVES, HUH?

EXACTLY.

WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS KIND OF FOREST?

IT'S LOW, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF TREE.

WHAT DO ECOLOGISTS CALL THIS?

THIS FOREST IS A SECONDARY FOREST SO IT'S NOT ORIGINAL.

WHATEVER WAS HERE BEFORE WAS USED FOR CONSTRUCTION.

THIS MOUNTAIN WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW IS ALONG A RIVER.

WHAT WOULD IT HAVE BEEN LIKE WHEN IT WAS ORIGINAL, WHEN IT WAS VIRGIN FOREST?

SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SEE NOW WITH BIGGER TREES.

BIGGER TREES.

BIGGER TREES, YES.

THE MINERS DIDN'T WANT TO STOP MINING TO WORK ON FARMS.

SO THEY CUT IT ALL DOWN TO SELL?

THEY CUT IT ALL DOWN.

WAS IT ALL FOR WOOD OR DID THEY TRY AGRICULTURE TOO?

THEY TRIED AGRICULTURE TOO.

FOR 30, 40 YEARS THIS HAS BEEN GROWING BACK THEN.

YES, YES.

MAYBE IN ANOTHER HUNDRED YEARS THERE WILL BE BIG TREES HERE AGAIN THEN.

PROBABLY.

HOW OLD WILL YOU BE?

IN A HUNDRED YEARS?

YEAH.

[LAUGHS] HOPEFULLY 128.

THAT'S GOOD.

THIS AREA IS CALLED MARIMBUS.

THIS IS NOT ANY SPECIFIC RIVER BUT A SWAMP AREA.

ONE OF THE MAIN TOURISTIC ATTRACTIONS IN BRAZIL IS DEFINITELY THE PANTANAL.

AND THAT'S A THOUSAND MILES FROM HERE.

AT LEAST A THOUSAND MILES FROM HERE.

THE PANTANAL IN BRAZIL IS THE RICHEST AQUATIC WILDLIFE REFUGE IN THE WORLD.

BECAUSE IT'S SO COMPLEX AND BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT PLANTS WITH ROOTS IN THE WATER, PLACES FOR SMALLER ORGANISMS TO HIDE, IT'S A HUGE FOOD CHAIN.

THIS IS A MINI PANTANAL BUT BECAUSE IT HAS THE SAME ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS IT MAKES FOR A VERY RICH WILDLIFE VIEWING EXPERIENCE.

WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE VERY SPECIAL IS THE VARIETY.

WE WERE IN THE MOUNTAINS, YOU WERE IN A WATERFALL AND THEN YOU GO TO A CAVE AND THEN YOU HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING HERE KAYAKING.

IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE SEE IN CHAPADA.

YOU CAN'T TELL WHERE THE RIVER IS AND WHERE THE REFLECTION IS.

YEAH.

THE LIGHT IS SO PERFECT.

HEY, THIS IS TERRIFIC.

SO THAT'S FABULOUS HABITAT FOR A WHOLE BUNCH OF ORGANISMS.

THE LITTLE FISH CAN HIDE AMONG THE ROOTS AND WHEN WE SEE CLOUDS UP THERE SOONER OR LATER THAT RAIN IS GOING TO WIND UP RIGHT HERE.

THAT'S NICE.

SO THIS IS ONE CHANNEL AND THERE ARE MANY, MANY CHANNELS.

THERE ARE MANY, MANY CHANNELS.

YOU COULD GET LOST IN HERE EXCEPT FOR THE DIRECTION OF THE WATER.

EASILY, EASILY GET LOST.

THE ESCAPED SLAVES WHO CAME AND FORMED THIS QUILOMBO HERE CHOSE A VERY GOOD PLACE BECAUSE THE AREA WAS RICH IN TERRESTRIAL WILDLIFE BUT IT ALSO HAS THIS FABULOUSLY RICH SOURCE OF AQUATIC FOOD.

IT HAS FISH OF A GREAT VARIETY, LOTS OF FROGS AND ANYTHING THAT THEY CAN WITH PATIENCE CATCH SO THEY CHOSE A VERY FINE PLACE TO MAKE THEIR HOME VILLAGE SAFE FROM THE SLAVE HUNTERS.

YOU'VE NEVER TIPPED OVER A BOAT HAVE YOU?

NO.

NOT YET.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND IF YOU ARE IN A BOAT AND YOU HAVE TO GET OUT WITHOUT TIPPING IT OVER THAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE TOO.

LET'S SEE IF THE LADY CAUGHT ANY FISH.

SLAVES IN THE UNITED STATES WHEN THEY ESCAPED OFTEN HAD A VERY HARD TIME FINDING A PLACE TO HIDE.

HERE IN BRAZIL THAT WAS NOT A PROBLEM.

THEY HAD A VAST INTERIOR OF THE STATE OF BAHIA WITH MARVELOUS RESOURCES SO THEY COULD SURVIVE.

HERE IN THE CASE OF REMANSO THEY HAVE SURVIVED HERE FOR PROBABLY OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.

THE VILLAGE OF REMANSO SITS NEXT TO THE RIVER THAT OWES ITS EXISTENCE TO THE HIGHLANDS, THE ONLY HIGHLANDS IN THE STATE OF BAHIA.

4,000 FEET MAY NOT SEEM VERY HIGH BUT WHEN YOU'RE STARTING OFF NEAR SEA LEVEL IT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

THE LOCAL PEOPLE HAVE SAID THAT IF YOU WANT TO GET THE BIG PICTURE OF THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA YOU NEED TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN CALLED PAI INACIO, FATHER IGNACIO, AND SO I DO WHAT THEY SAY, ON MY WAY TO THE TOP.

THE LAST FEW METERS THIS IS FAIRLY TOUGH BUT YOU DO GET TO SEE THE ONCOMING STORM AND THE WIND CATCHES YOU.

IT'S ACTUALLY REALLY NICE WALKING.

AS LONG AS THE RAIN DOESN'T CATCH ME, I GET A FABULOUS VIEW.

ALMOST AT THE TOP HERE, NEARLY 4,000 FEET.

AH, LOOK AT THIS, IT'S A CEREUS CACTUS.

NEVER THOUGHT I'D FIND IT HERE.

LOOK AT THESE TROPICAL PLANTS, WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.

WE'RE ON TOP OF ONE OF THOSE TEPUIS IN SOUTHERN VENEZUELA OR ON TOP OF A PLATEAU NEAR THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE IN SOUTH AFRICA.

IT'S SO UNREAL OR DIFFERENT.

IT'S JUST TROPICAL, IT'S JUST TROPICAL COUNTRY AND HERE I'VE GOT THIS SCRUBBY STUFF ON TOP OF AN OLD ANCIENT SEDIMENTARY MOUNTAIN.

IT'S ANOTHER THING TO KNOW THAT I'M WALKING ON ROCK THAT IS PROBABLY MORE THAN A BILLION YEARS OLD.

IT ORIGINATED IN AFRICA WHICH IS A FEW THOUSAND MILES AWAY BUT IT WAS OLD WHEN SOUTH AMERICA BROKE OFF FROM AFRICA, OH, MAYBE 90 TO 100 MILLION YEARS AGO.

SO FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES THIS IS LITTLE AFRICA.

YOUR FATHER BUILT THAT HOUSE.

HOW'S THAT POSSIBLE?

WELL, BEFORE TOURISM HE HAD A GARLIC PLANTATION THERE.

GARLIC?

GARLIC.

DOWN IN THAT VALLEY?

YEAH.

AND HE ALSO HAD SHEEP, YEAH.

HE MADE A LIVING RAISING GARLIC AND SHEEP.

FOR SOME TIME, YES, SHORT TIME.

I THINK LIVING IN LENÇÓIS IS BETTER THAN RAISING GARLIC AND SHEEP OUT HERE IN THE CHAPADA.

DEFINITELY.

ESPECIALLY WITH TOURISM NOW.

OH, BOY.

ALL OF THIS WAS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN.

IT'S SEDIMENTARY ROCK.

YOU CAN SEE THE HORIZONTAL LINES.

YES, YOU CAN SEE THAT CLEARLY, YEAH.

SO THERE WAS ALL SEDIMENTS BROUGHT FROM RIVERS TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS OCEAN AND TECTONIC MOVEMENTS PUSHED ALL THOSE PLATOS TO THE TOP.

IT ELEVATED THAT... ELEVATED.

...THAT WHOLE UPLIFT I GUESS WE'D CALL IT.

ALL THE REST YOU SEE, IT'S EROSION.

SO THIS WAS ALL REALLY A PLATEAU THAT HAS BEEN ERODED AWAY OVER THE LAST 800 MILLION YEARS.

I FEEL LIKE I'M STANDING WAY BACK IN THE PALEOZOIC.

THIS ROCK IS SO OLD, THE FORMATIONS ARE OBVIOUSLY OLD.

EVEN WITH THE RAIN THIS IS GREAT.

THIS IS REALLY FUN.

THIS IS THE VERY TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.

YEAH, YOU CAN TELL, THERE'S NOTHING HIGHER.

BUT IT'S NEAT HOW THIS VALLEY IS ACTUALLY A HUGE CRACK THAT WAS ERODED OUT.

THE TOP WOULD ORIGINALLY WOULD HAVE BEEN OVER THERE LIKE A BIG ROOF.

UP ON TOP OF THE CHAPADA, THE FLAT UP HERE, THERE'S NO PROTECTION FROM LIGHTNING.

BOY, WHEN WE STARTED OUT IT LOOKED LIKE RAIN WAS COMING IN JUST LITTLE SPOTS.

NOW THE WHOLE SOUTHERN SKY AND A LOT OF THE NORTHERN IS DARKER AND DARKER.

OKAY, THIS IS A POOL ON THIS ROCK.

THERE MUST BE A LOT OF RAINFALL UP HERE.

YEAH.

40 INCHES, 1,000 MILLIMETERS.

EASILY.

BOY, THAT'S A LOT.

IT LOOKS SO DRY HERE.

THESE POOLS GIVE IT AWAY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF RAIN STORMS IN THE SUMMER TIME.

AND WHAT ARE WE IN NOW?

ARE WE IN SUMMER OR WINTER?

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER.

I HEAR THE THUNDER.

MAYBE THAT'S TELLING ME I SHOULD GET DOWN OFF THE TOP HERE.

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, LUCIO, BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD WARNING.

THE WATER TUMBLING OUT OF THE CHAPADA DIAMANTINA IS NOW RECOGNIZED AS A PRECIOUS RESOURCE FOR THE INTERIOR AND THE RANGE ITSELF IS INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED AS A CENTER OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY.

THE NOISY, POLLUTED, CONGESTION MEGAPOLIS OF LIMA IS LOCATED ON THE COAST.

TO ESCAPE IT WE JUMP ON A TRAIN TO THE DISTANT HIGHLAND, CROSSING A PASS NEARLY 16,000 FEET TO WHERE PERUVIANS HAVE LIVED THROUGHOUT HISTORY AND RETAINED MANY OF THEIR ANCIENT TRADITIONS.

JOIN US NEXT TIME IN THE AMERICAS WITH ME, DAVID YETMAN.

ORCHID FANCIERS GO CRAZY WITH THE PLANTS, THE PLANTS TAKE A LONG TIME TO GROW SO IT'S TIME CONSUMING AND USUALLY YOU HAVE TO DEDICATE YOUR WHOLE LIFE TO IT.

SO WHEN YOU GET A PLANT THAT REALLY PUTS OUT FANCY FLOWERS, YOU'RE VERY PROUD OF IT.

YOU'D TELL EVERYBODY TO COME SEE YOUR ORCHIDS.

FUNDING FOR IN THE AMERICAS WITH DAVID YETMAN WAS PROVIDED BY AGNES HAURY.

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