Grylls parachutes into the French Alps with a knife, a canteen, a cup and a flint, taking the parachute with him. He demonstrates how to survive falling into a frozen lake, how to build a snow shelter, and how to use a self arresting device to stop from plummeting into a crevasse. He also eats maggots and uses them to catch a trout. He performs a Tyrolean traverse and makes himself a pair of snow shoes out of young trees and parachute lines.

Grylls parachutes into the Sierra Nevadas, simulating the situation of the hundreds of hikers who become stranded there each year. Equipped with a knife and a canteen, Grylls travels through the alpine, woodland and chaparral areas of the mountains. He unsuccessfully tries to tame a wild horse, and eats a live snake. Using techniques gleaned from the Mono Indians, he brushes his teeth with a manzanita leaf. Most of the ground he covers is traversed by river, using a raft held together by grape vine.

Grylls is dropped in the Chugach Mountains in Alaska, with skis and his usual gear. He demonstrates Glissading as he traverses snow and glaciers, and climbs down a 200ft (61m) waterfall. He catches a salmon, which he eats raw, and finds a skiff from an abandoned lodge. The skiff sinks, but he reaches the shore and is spotted by a ship.

Grylls parachutes into the Sierra Nevadas, simulating the situation of the hundreds of hikers who become stranded there each year. Equipped with a knife and a canteen, Grylls travels through the alpine, woodland and chaparral areas of the mountains. He unsuccessfully tries to tame a wild horse, and eats a live snake. Using techniques gleaned from the Mono Indians, he brushes his teeth with a manzanita leaf. Most of the ground he covers is traversed by river, using a raft held together by grape vine.

Grylls drops into the swamps of Florida's Everglades, where at least 60 tourists need to be rescued each year. He trudges through the swamp and shows how to construct shelter, deal with razor-sharp sawgrass, get out of a muddy sinkhole and avoid alligators and rattlesnakes. He eats frogs and cooks a turtle Seminole-style.

Grylls paraglides onto the edge of the Andes and follows rivers into the Ecuadorian jungle, is attacked by huge colonies of spear-nosed bats[disambiguation needed], and observes giant weevil grubs and piranhas. He builds a bamboo bridge and a bow and arrow to successfully catch fish, but it doesn't always go his way and he's forced to ride the rapids of the Amazon on a single tree trunk.

In the Kimberley region of Australia, an area with a mixture of huge scrub deserts, dry riverbeds and red sandstone cliffs full of deep gorges, Grylls faces extreme heat, poisonous snakes and the ever present danger of dehydration. Survival tips include how to forage for food (bush tucker), build a shelter and how to prevent sunstroke. He explains why he believes drinking ones own urine can prevent death from dehydration. During his journey, Grylls observes saltwater crocodiles and endures a lightning storm.

In Mexico, Grylls must find his way out of Copper Canyon, and his only supplies are a water bottle, a flint and a knife. He demonstrates how to build a simple compass and climb sheer cliffs safely. For shelter, he uses ancient caves and makes fire with a traditional "fire saw." Grylls also demonstrates techniques for finding scorpions or grubs and fishing without a rod or line.

Grylls parachutes into the extreme landscape of Iceland, the site of vicious blizzard, 50 mph (80 km/h) winds, icy glacial waters, boiling hot mud and volcanic springs. He demonstrates how to make a snow cave, find water in volcanic underground tunnels and avoid frostbite. To find food in this subarctic environment, Grylls scavenges a sheep for its eyeballs and mutton fat, and catches a ptarmigan. He demonstrates with his shoelaces the boiling of the eyeballs and mutton in the geysers, to save digestion energy and disinfect the scavenged food.

Grylls shows how to navigate the Cairngorms region in extreme weather using ice formations and moss growth, and how to test snow slopes for avalanche potential. He uses moss to purify water and skins a red deer for shelter. For food, he traps a rabbit and cooks it to demonstrate how to prepare it. Grylls also crosses deep marshes and uses fallen trees to cross ravines.