In this first of two films, Hammond is on the mighty Amazon itself, leaving the main river to enter the flooded forest in tiny dug-out canoes. It soon becomes apparent that the inhabitants of the Amazon are not keen to play ball when Richard struggles to even see the creatures spotted by his guide Eduardo, let alone photograph them. However, hours of frustration are finally rewarded when Richard enjoys once-in-a-lifetime encounters with sloths and Pink River Dolphins.

As his photographic journey continues, Richard heads deep into the rainforest, where he faces biting ants, huge spiders and a vertigo-inducing climb into the forest canopy.