Whipping storms, lurking jaguars, the ravenous alligators of the Orinoco - nothing can stop the young Prussian explorer Alexander von Humboldt from advancing his studies on the interconnections of nature. Since he was a child, he has dreamed of this expedition. Accompanied by his loyal friend, the French botanist Aimé Bonpland, Humboldt undertakes his famous yet perilous journey through America between 1799 and 1804, covering thousands of kilometers on the backs of mules, in canoes, or on foot. Author and filmmaker Werner Biermann has followed in the footsteps of the great adventurer and scientist nearly 200 years later, sharing his experiences and thrilling encounters in the depths of the American continent.