British explorer Levison Wood journeys along the India and Pakistan border for Expedition Borderlands

What binds the two most talked about nations - India and Pakistan together? What makes their relationship unique? How have the lives of the people changed since the India-Pakistan partition? discovery+ India Originals- Expedition Borderlands with Levison Wood and Ash Bhardwaj, an upcoming adventure answers these and many other questions. This one-of-its-kind four-part docu-series, premiering on September 8 on discovery+, features internationally-acclaimed explorer and host Levison Wood on a quest to explore the lives of those living along the volatile borders of India and Pakistan. In the past, Levison has gone through treacherous terrains in ‘Walking The Himalayas’, ‘Arabia with Levison Wood’, among others. This time, his friend and travel writer Ash Bhardwaj joins him on this adventure, navigating the borderlands, while unravelling the cultural nuances of the India-Pakistan border.

The docu-series will take viewers through an expedition of a 2500-km journey that Lev and Ash embark on. Navigating across a route that has never been captured before on camera, the duo immerses themselves in people's everyday lives while traveling to some remote and off-beat locations like Tyakshi, Turtuk, Nubra valley, Dras, Kargil, Teetwal, Gurez in India and Lahore, Peshawar, Khyber Pass, Nowshera, Taxila, Skardu, Khaplu in Pakistan to gain an authentic understanding of the local culture and tradition. As the journey progresses, Bhardwaj discovers his roots and the rich connection he shares with the culture and traditions of the land, from both India and Pakistan.

Talking about the docu-series, Levison said, “Ash and I were lucky enough to experience the incredible food, culture and hear plenty of fascinating stories in both India and Pakistan. The best part of this trip was seeing what unites the two countries in this border region. Our journey helped us to understand the people who have so much in common yet are so divided. The border regions are home to resilient and affectionate civilians who welcomed us into their homes and lives. We ended up in some difficult situations, learned a lot about these fascinating countries and had many heartfelt moments along the way.”

Ash added, “Being able to walk in the footsteps of my ancestors made me feel vividly connected to my heritage - not just in Punjab, but on the Pakistani side of the border, too. The geography along the border is truly remarkable, but what really captured my heart was the people we met along the way. As well as the amazing sights, sounds and foods of the journey, we met some incredible characters - mostly through taking part in unexpected activities.”

In the series, Lev and Ash trek through the snow-capped mountains of the Gurez valley in Kashmir to witness the majestic beauty of the borderlands. The duo engages in local sports like horse Polo on both sides of the border, a quick game of cricket at Teetwal, and countless more in the course of their journey. They immerse themselves in an authentic cultural adventure and indulge in song and dance along with Dashungs, a local Ladakhi band. In Amritsar, they offer their prayers and services at the Golden Temple with the Langar Seva. On the other side of the border, they relish local food delicacies like offal (goat’s testicles, brain, heart) in Lahore, and attend a local Qawwali performance.