The Frankincense Trail - Jordan and Israel

The Frankincense Trail is a documentary series that traces the ancient frankincense trade route of Arabia across the modern world of the Middle East. Intrepid presenter Kate Humble follows the 2,000-mile trail that first connected the Arab world with the West on a quest that is steeped in history, searing with desert heat, and full of characters and adventure. For 3,000 years before the birth of Christ, frankincense was more valuable than gold. Its sweet-smelling aromatic smoke was treasured by Pharaohs and Caesars. Their insatiable demand for frankincense created a trade route from the southern coast of Oman to the Holy Lands. Along its path, men waged war and civilisations thrived and crumbled. The treacherous 2,000-mile journey from the Arabian Sea to the shores of the Mediterranean was undertaken by masterful desert traders. Vast camel caravans carried thousands of tonnes of frankincense across tribal lands constituting the modern-day Middle East. Following the trail, Kate explores ancient skyscraper cities, temples to long-forgotten gods, grand palaces and magical ruins buried in sand yet alive with legend. In this final episode, Kate Humble concludes her remarkable frankincense trail from Oman, across seven nations to Jordan, and on to Israel. She reveals the secrets behind the ancient Jordanian stone city of Petra, flies with a daredevil female pilot over the Sinai desert, travels to the sacred city Jerusalem, and finds out why a small plot of land is the most contested site in the world. Kate ends her extraordinary journey following in the footsteps of the Three Wise Men to Bethlehem.