Stephen Tompkinson (star of ITV's Wild at Heart) is on an extraordinary journey across Africa. Travelling from one side of the continent to the other - across mountains, savannah and deserts - he encounters some of its most fascinating animals, and meets the people - vets, trackers, rangers, and hunters - who live and work alongside them. On the way he finds a baboon that thinks it's a goat, has a close encounter with a silverback gorilla, walks with lions, and visits the world's only vulture restaurant. He's guaranteed a unique view of this extraordinary place because - inspired by Jules Verne - he's travelling in a hot air balloon. And, after crash landings, bad weather, and a rescue by Maasai tribesmen, Stephen discovers that travelling by balloon is often unpredictable, but always thrilling.