1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,000 The greatest conqueror in history, Genghis Khan. 2 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:07,300 Where do you think Genghis Khan is buried? 3 00:00:07,300 --> 00:00:11,000 He moved heaven and earth to stay hidden for all eternity. 4 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:11,920 Yeah, those are bricks. 5 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:13,560 That is definitely man-made. 6 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,440 But nobody can hide forever. 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,920 So this forbidden zone is completely closed to form. 8 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:22,760 Yes. 9 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:24,360 Hang on, hang on! 10 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:25,320 Ho, ho, ho! 11 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:26,720 That is a spear point. 12 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:27,560 That's cool. 13 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:29,720 I've never seen a tomb open before. 14 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:31,280 In my life, I've never seen this. 15 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,600 This is history that's right underneath our feet. 16 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:34,560 Look at that! 17 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,040 That looks man-made. 18 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:45,600 When it comes to history's greatest leaders, 19 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:49,080 the phrase, larger than life, gets thrown around a lot. 20 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:51,600 But there is one man who may actually deserve 21 00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:54,680 to be called larger than life, Genghis Khan. 22 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:01,160 Over his 21-year rule, he conquers more territory 23 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:03,120 than anyone in history. 24 00:01:03,120 --> 00:01:05,520 He travels further than Alexander the Great, 25 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,000 lays waste to more cities than Caesar, 26 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:10,600 and kills millions more than Stalin. 27 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:13,480 His nomadic warriors ride like a wave of destruction 28 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:17,560 across Asia, destroying empires, and reshaping the map 29 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:19,280 of the world behind them. 30 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,280 You would think a man who lived so large 31 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,480 would have built an enormous tomb. 32 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:26,760 But Khan wanted exactly the opposite. 33 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,040 He commanded his followers to not only bury him 34 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:32,000 in an unmarked grave, but to kill anyone who laid 35 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:33,520 eyes on his funeral procession. 36 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:41,520 Since his death in 1227, the location of Genghis Khan's tomb 37 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:44,280 has been a complete and total unknown. 38 00:01:44,280 --> 00:01:47,040 But that may be about to change. 39 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,720 A group of researchers recently did something very unorthodox. 40 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:53,000 They asked the public for help. 41 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,200 Using satellite images of Mongolia's desolate landscape, 42 00:01:56,200 --> 00:02:00,600 more than 10,000 volunteers have been scouring 84,000 43 00:02:00,600 --> 00:02:03,600 images for anomalous formations. 44 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,120 One of those images shows a square shape 45 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,920 that could be an ancient indicator of a nearby tomb. 46 00:02:11,720 --> 00:02:13,600 While there is just one catch, the site 47 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:17,000 is located in an area known as the Forbidden Zone, 48 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,960 a holy mountain strictly off limits to outsiders 49 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,040 and tightly guarded by a local tribe. 50 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,920 But a team of Mongolian archaeologists 51 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:28,760 is launching an investigation of this new find. 52 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:31,800 And I'm going to attempt to go with them. 53 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:34,560 In some of the most remote wilderness on Earth, 54 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:38,640 are we about to discover the long lost tomb of Genghis Khan? 55 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,840 My name is Josh Gates, with a degree in archaeology 56 00:02:47,840 --> 00:02:51,160 and a passion for exploration. 57 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,600 I have a tendency to end up in some very strange situations. 58 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,320 God, Lord have mercy! 59 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:01,080 My travels have taken me to the ends of the Earth 60 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:04,000 as I investigate the greatest legends in history. 61 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:04,680 We're good to try. 62 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:05,640 Let's go. 63 00:03:05,640 --> 00:03:07,720 This is Expedition Unknown. 64 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:20,480 Mongolia, an empire of empty space. 65 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,680 Thousands of miles of grass, plains, and mountains. 66 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,520 And at its heart, something out of place, a city. 67 00:03:32,040 --> 00:03:34,640 My quest to document the search for the tomb 68 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,520 of Genghis Khan begins here, in the frontier capital 69 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,400 of Ulaanbaatar, or Ulaanbaatar, or Ubi. 70 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,520 Honestly, nobody here can agree on how to pronounce it. 71 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,360 One thing people here can agree on 72 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:49,560 is that it's pronounced Chingus, not Genghis. 73 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,800 And so I land at Chingus Khan Airport. 74 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,680 In the West, our image of Khan is of a warlord. 75 00:03:55,680 --> 00:03:58,160 But here, he's not just revered as a hero. 76 00:03:58,160 --> 00:03:59,600 He's practically worshipped. 77 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:03,000 His name and formidable mug is the name of the king. 78 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,000 His name and formidable mug can be seen on everything 79 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:09,440 from hotels, to vodka, to energy drinks. 80 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:11,760 He's got his own version of the Lincoln Memorial. 81 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,640 And if that's not enough, his portrait 82 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:15,560 is embedded on the side of a hill that 83 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:17,200 overlooks the entire city. 84 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:23,360 Ulaanbaatar is kind of a work in progress. 85 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,120 It's a traffic jam metropolis where 86 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,520 nomads coexist alongside tech entrepreneurs. 87 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:31,680 But once a year, the city nearly doubles in size, 88 00:04:31,720 --> 00:04:35,120 as Mongolians flock to the capital in the name of Chingus 89 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:35,620 Khan. 90 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,920 This is not a festival that, according to legend, 91 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,200 was actually started by Chingus Khan. 92 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:54,440 Khan instituted the event as a way for his armies to train 93 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,520 and to celebrate their victories. 94 00:04:56,520 --> 00:04:59,280 These days, though, it's less blood sport and more 95 00:04:59,280 --> 00:05:02,800 Mario and Luigi, not to mention the Mongolian Justin Bieber. 96 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,160 The event is a total spectacle. 97 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:10,920 And in a stall surrounding the stadium, 98 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,560 there's local delicacies and collectibles, 99 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:16,360 and absolutely no rules about the unqualified handling 100 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,760 of predatory birds. 101 00:05:18,760 --> 00:05:20,480 Josh, how did you lose both of your eyes? 102 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:21,880 That's a funny story, actually. 103 00:05:21,880 --> 00:05:25,040 I was in Mongolia. 104 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,680 But there's more to Nautum than just celebrating. 105 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:32,640 It's also called the Festival of the Three Games, archery, 106 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:37,240 wrestling, and horseback riding, three activities that 107 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,440 seem to be imprinted in Mongolian DNA. 108 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,320 This is, after all, a country where horses outnumber people 109 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:45,720 13 to 1. 110 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,440 And Mongolians have long been considered the greatest 111 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,040 equestrians on Earth. 112 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,200 Khan was the first leader to train archers on horseback. 113 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:56,800 And nearly 1,000 years later, their aim 114 00:05:56,840 --> 00:05:59,560 is still beyond belief. 115 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,280 But the centerpiece of Nautum is the wrestling, 116 00:06:02,280 --> 00:06:04,840 where the true determination of Mongolian spirit 117 00:06:04,840 --> 00:06:06,120 is on full display. 118 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:17,720 The rules of Mongolian wrestling are very simple. 119 00:06:17,720 --> 00:06:19,400 The only thing that is allowed to touch the ground 120 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,600 are your feet or your hands, anything else, and you lose. 121 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:25,560 Body slam. 122 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:33,880 Today, 512 men will wrestle out here to find one champion. 123 00:06:33,880 --> 00:06:35,800 It's a lot of guys in underwear. 124 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,400 To understand Khan, I need to understand the traditions 125 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,560 he inspired, which means I'm going to do something totally 126 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:42,060 stupid. 127 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:53,080 OK, here we go. 128 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:54,560 Sir, I don't want to hurt you. 129 00:06:54,560 --> 00:06:55,640 You, hospital. 130 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:56,840 Me, to the hospital? 131 00:06:56,840 --> 00:06:58,840 Yes. 132 00:06:58,840 --> 00:07:00,160 That's funny. 133 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:00,840 OK, you ready? 134 00:07:00,840 --> 00:07:01,340 OK. 135 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:04,920 Guys like a wall. 136 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:08,680 I'm in trouble. 137 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:09,160 I'm in trouble. 138 00:07:17,120 --> 00:07:18,120 OK, warm it up. 139 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:25,080 Guys, look out! 140 00:07:33,080 --> 00:07:36,080 OK, that hurt a little. 141 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,080 Once my vision returns, I decide to quit while I'm behind. 142 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:41,080 I give up. 143 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:42,080 He wins. 144 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:44,080 Champion. 145 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:45,080 Oh, god. 146 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,080 Tune in next week to see if I'm able to raise my right arm 147 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:48,080 again. 148 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,080 As impressive as Nadam is, the largest testament to Khan's 149 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:01,080 enduring legacy is just outside of town, and it's hard to 150 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:02,080 miss. 151 00:08:02,080 --> 00:08:04,080 The Sanjin Bulldog Monument. 152 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:12,080 At 130 feet high, this is the largest equestrian statue 153 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:13,080 in the world. 154 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:20,080 So who was this man so revered by his people, yet 155 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,080 reviled by others? 156 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:25,080 Filling me in as an expert in Mongolian history, Dr. Batuk 157 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,080 Ahtun Srenin. 158 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:30,080 Genghis Khan ends up controlling this massive empire, but 159 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:32,080 what's his story from an early age? 160 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:36,080 What we know of him comes from a 14th century text called 161 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,080 The Secret History of the Mongols. 162 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:43,080 When Genghis Khan was young, a rival tribe killed his father, 163 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,080 forcing him and his mother to survive on their own out on 164 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:47,080 the harsh plains. 165 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:51,080 This difficult childhood inspired the young Khan to unify 166 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,080 the warring tribes of his native land, giving birth to the 167 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,080 country of Mongolia. 168 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:05,080 Over the next two decades, his fearless army thundered a 169 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,080 bloody path across the continent to build what would 170 00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:11,080 become the largest empire in human history. 171 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,080 At its height, the Mongols controlled an area from Japan 172 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:18,080 to central Europe and from Siberia to the edge of 173 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:19,080 Arabia. 174 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,080 When conquering new territory, Khan notoriously refused to 175 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:25,080 compromise. 176 00:09:25,080 --> 00:09:28,080 His message to local rulers was as simple as it was 177 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:29,080 horrifying. 178 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,080 Surrender immediately or everyone dies. 179 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:40,080 In fact, he conquered so many nations and fathered so many 180 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:44,080 children that it is now estimated that one in 200 men alive 181 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:48,080 today is a direct descendant of Genghis Khan. 182 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:53,080 In the west, we think of Genghis Khan as a pretty brutal guy, 183 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:55,080 you know, as a warlord. 184 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,080 But here, he's this larger-than-life figure, literally. 185 00:09:58,080 --> 00:09:59,080 So the question is which is he? 186 00:09:59,080 --> 00:10:01,080 Is he the good guy or is he the villain? 187 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:03,080 Genghis Khan is a hero. 188 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:06,080 He established the trade routes that connected Asia to Europe, 189 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:09,080 which helped both continents flourish with new knowledge. 190 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:13,080 The Mongol Empire also allowed complete religious freedom, 191 00:10:13,080 --> 00:10:15,080 which was unheard of at the time. 192 00:10:15,080 --> 00:10:19,080 There's been a lot of talk about Genghis Khan's burial place. 193 00:10:19,080 --> 00:10:21,080 You know, there's always been this great mystery about where 194 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,080 he's buried, where his tomb is. 195 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,080 So where do I start? 196 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:27,080 The tomb is our greatest mystery. 197 00:10:27,080 --> 00:10:30,080 There is an archaeologist working in the west called 198 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:34,080 Michi Doge, Inc. Bayer, that is part of a team searching for it. 199 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,080 He's the man to talk to. 200 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,080 Sounds straightforward enough? 201 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,080 Find the archaeologist and perhaps find the most famous 202 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:45,080 lost tomb in history. 203 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:47,080 But nothing in Mongolia is easy, 204 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:50,080 especially when it comes to road trips. 205 00:10:50,080 --> 00:10:53,080 I've enlisted the services of Dandi Dashambu, 206 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,080 an experienced guide and translator. 207 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,080 We've put together a convoy of all-terrain vehicles, 208 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:03,080 local drivers, fuel canisters, and enough food to last a week. 209 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:05,080 Hit it! 210 00:11:14,080 --> 00:11:16,080 An hour outside the capital, 211 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:18,080 and we may as well be on another planet. 212 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,080 Forget a gas station. 213 00:11:20,080 --> 00:11:22,080 It's hard enough to find an actual road out here. 214 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:28,080 But once you get outside the city there, 215 00:11:28,080 --> 00:11:31,080 there's not a lot going on out here, is there? 216 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:35,080 The first guy who opens a 7-eleven out here is going to make a fortune. 217 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,080 I've been told that Professor Michi Doge is excavating at a site 218 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:41,080 to the west, near the ancient city of Karakorum. 219 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,080 And if we don't manage to flip a jeep, 220 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,080 we should be able to get there in about nine bumpy hours. 221 00:11:47,080 --> 00:11:50,080 The definition of the word road is pretty loose here in Mongolia, Dandi. 222 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:53,080 As soon as your car can go, then it's your road. 223 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,080 Yeah, as long as your car can make it, right? 224 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:56,080 Yeah. 225 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,080 You could just choose your own road. 226 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:01,080 Though our road trip started with little trouble, 227 00:12:01,080 --> 00:12:03,080 three-quarters of the way to Karakorum, 228 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:08,080 Mother Nature decides to amp things up a little. 229 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,080 Well, this rain does not look like it's letting up. 230 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:19,080 After a few minutes, our dirt road looks more like a Mongolian monster truck course. 231 00:12:21,080 --> 00:12:24,080 Little...slippery in here. 232 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:29,080 It's all fun and games until our friction coefficient hits zero. 233 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:33,080 You got it? 234 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:34,080 Hang on! Hang on! 235 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:42,080 I'm driving across Mongolia to meet a prominent archaeologist, 236 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:45,080 searching for the lost tool of Cengiz Khan. 237 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,080 And my convoy is struggling to pass through a nasty thunderstorm. 238 00:12:50,080 --> 00:12:53,080 Little...slippery in here. 239 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:55,080 You got it? 240 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:56,080 Hang on! Hang on! 241 00:13:01,080 --> 00:13:04,080 There we go. It's fine. We're going to be fine. 242 00:13:04,080 --> 00:13:05,080 Good lord. 243 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,080 Once we're all back facing in the same direction, 244 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,080 we start again toward our meeting with Professor Midji George. 245 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:15,080 Along the way, we're passing by a critical location in the hunt for Cengiz Khan, 246 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,080 the now abandoned capital city he founded in the year 1220. 247 00:13:23,080 --> 00:13:26,080 This is the city of Karakorum, or what's left of it. 248 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:31,080 Cengiz Khan actually established this city as a supply base and a military outpost. 249 00:13:31,080 --> 00:13:35,080 This is also the last place that Cengiz Khan's body was ever seen. 250 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:37,080 After he died somewhere in what is today China, 251 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,080 his funeral procession emanated from here. 252 00:13:40,080 --> 00:13:43,080 After that, well, that's what everybody's trying to figure out. 253 00:13:46,080 --> 00:13:49,080 Even by Mongol standards, Cengiz Khan went to great lengths 254 00:13:49,080 --> 00:13:53,080 to ensure that his burial site would remain a secret. 255 00:13:53,080 --> 00:13:57,080 According to one legend, his soldiers murdered his own son, 256 00:13:57,080 --> 00:14:00,080 and his funeral procession would remain a secret. 257 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:05,080 According to one legend, his soldiers murdered anyone who witnessed the funeral procession. 258 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:11,080 Another story says a stampede of horses was used to stomp out all signs of the grave. 259 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:15,080 Some even say that an entire river was diverted to flow over the tomb. 260 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,080 Thanks to Khan's extraordinary precautions, 261 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:26,080 the pursuit that began with his death in 1227 still continues today. 262 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,080 Riji George and Bayer of Ulan-Batar State University 263 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:33,080 is one of the archaeologists leading the hunt for Cengiz Khan. 264 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:37,080 I hope to join him. That is, if we can find him. 265 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,080 Okay, so Danny, walk me through it. Where are we headed? 266 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:40,080 Egg River. 267 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:41,080 Egg River. 268 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:42,080 Yep. 269 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:46,080 Lots of archaeological tickings are happening there. 270 00:14:46,080 --> 00:14:48,080 They say that about 300 tombs has been found. 271 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,080 Bronze Age, Stone Age, even the Hunnu Era. 272 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:54,080 And the Hunnu Era is before the Mongols, right? 273 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:55,080 Yep, before the Mongols. 274 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:56,080 This is before Cengiz Khan. 275 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:57,080 Before Cengiz Khan. 276 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:59,080 Which is the Mongolian ancestors. 277 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:00,080 Right. 278 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:05,080 These Hunnu tombs may be the key to finding Cengiz Khan, 279 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:09,080 since his tomb may be based on their general design. 280 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:12,080 We're close to the dig site. 281 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:16,080 Unfortunately, there's a river that threatens to make the last half mile take half a day. 282 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:18,080 That is a big river. 283 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:24,080 In the greatest equestrian nation in the world, 284 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:29,080 getting across a river is simply a matter of borrowing a couple of ponies from a local rancher. 285 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:30,080 Alright, let's do it. 286 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,080 Big guy and a little horse. Here we go. 287 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,080 This seems like a bad idea. 288 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:41,080 Getting deep. 289 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:43,080 I don't swim. 290 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:44,080 You can't swim? 291 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,080 What are you doing out here on a horse? 292 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,080 No road, no ferry, no problem. 293 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:52,080 No, he's getting better. 294 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:53,080 Yeah, just push through it. 295 00:15:55,080 --> 00:16:00,080 Now on the right side of the river, we take off like a shot and make for the dig site. 296 00:16:11,080 --> 00:16:14,080 Soon, we arrive at Professor Midgee George's excavation, 297 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:19,080 where he's discovered 300 Hunnu tombs that predate Cengiz Khan. 298 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,080 So you're a hard man to find. 299 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:33,080 We've arrived in time for a momentous occasion. 300 00:16:33,080 --> 00:16:37,080 Professor Midgee George and his team are about to open this ancient tomb. 301 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:46,080 It's really thrilling. I've never seen a tomb open before in my life. 302 00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:47,080 I've never seen this. 303 00:16:47,080 --> 00:16:48,080 Anything I could do to help. 304 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:56,080 Together, we start moving the hundreds of heavy rocks that hide the tomb below. 305 00:16:59,080 --> 00:17:00,080 So how is it? How is it feeling? 306 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:01,080 Great. Are you kidding? 307 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:02,080 It's exciting. 308 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:08,080 Really incredibly rare opportunity to be able to open a tomb like this to see it happen in real time. 309 00:17:11,080 --> 00:17:16,080 We keep excavating, driven by the possibility of a find just a little further away. 310 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,080 We go further below our brushes. 311 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:40,080 Near Mongolia's ancient capital of Karakoram, archaeologist Midgee George and Bayar 312 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,080 has just made an astounding discovery. 313 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:48,080 Skull? Yeah? 314 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:49,080 Oh my God. 315 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:54,080 It's a male because of the shape of the eye. 316 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:55,080 It's male. 317 00:17:56,080 --> 00:18:00,080 This tomb is 4,000 years old and the skull that we've uncovered 318 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,080 could be a direct ancestor of Cengiz Khan himself. 319 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,080 It's a remarkable find. 320 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:09,080 Midgee George explains that most Hunnu tombs were originally round 321 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:15,080 and later more square with the bodies pointed north at prominent locations like this hill. 322 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:18,080 It's these clues that are helping Midgee George 323 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:22,080 as he prepares to travel to the location where he thinks Khan is buried. 324 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,080 I ask him about how he discovered the prospective burial site. 325 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:34,080 We used satellite photos to look at a sacred mountain that was important to Cengiz Khan. 326 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:38,080 We found a square of shape on the mountain that we think is a temple. 327 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:42,080 I think that temple is a sign that Khan's tomb may be at the summit. 328 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,080 There's just one problem. 329 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,080 The mountain, known as Burhan Haldun, is considered sacred. 330 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,080 While Midgee George has special permission to access the mountain, 331 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,080 it is strictly off limits to outsiders. 332 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:59,080 Is it possible to go there? Is it possible to visit the mountain? 333 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:02,080 It is possible. You're going to need some help. 334 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:03,080 Okay, who do we talk to? 335 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:09,080 The only person who might be able to get you and your crew onto the mountain with us 336 00:19:09,080 --> 00:19:12,080 is my colleague, Professor Erdan Batar Di Majel. 337 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:15,080 He and I have been working together to find Khan's tomb. 338 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,080 It's very influential. 339 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:20,080 If you want to try, I'm happy to make the introduction. 340 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,080 Okay, how do we find this guy? 341 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,080 And just like that, we're back on the muddy Mongolian highway. 342 00:19:30,080 --> 00:19:35,080 Our plan is to track northeast to intersect Midgee George's boss, Dr. Erdan Batar. 343 00:19:36,080 --> 00:19:41,080 From there, if unlucky, we'll all push even further to the holy mountain of Burhan Haldun, 344 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,080 where Khan might be buried. 345 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:47,080 Dr. Erdan Batar is something of a celebrity in Mongolia 346 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:52,080 for discovering a horde of Hunu treasure dating back over a thousand years. 347 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:56,080 We arrive to find Mongolia's most famous archaeologist, 348 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,080 waiting for us by the side of the road. 349 00:19:59,080 --> 00:20:00,080 Hello. 350 00:20:00,080 --> 00:20:01,080 Hello. 351 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,080 I'm Josh. 352 00:20:03,080 --> 00:20:04,080 Nice to meet you. 353 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:06,080 Nice to meet you. 354 00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:11,080 Midgee George here tells me that you are the man to talk to about the holy mountain. 355 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:15,080 I know this mountain is sacred, but why is it so restricted? 356 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:17,080 Why is this such a difficult place to visit? 357 00:20:20,080 --> 00:20:22,080 Khan believed the mountain was his heavenly protector, 358 00:20:22,080 --> 00:20:26,080 and even during his life, it was considered a holy place. 359 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:31,080 Many people have theorized that Khan's tomb could be on this mountain. 360 00:20:31,080 --> 00:20:33,080 Do you think it could be there? 361 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:36,080 That's the question. 362 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:40,080 There are three very old shrines called Ovo that mark the base, 363 00:20:40,080 --> 00:20:43,080 midpoint and summit of the mountain. 364 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:47,080 The satellites have shown that the midpoint is a buried structure that could be a temple, 365 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:51,080 and at the peak, a strange mound that could be man-made. 366 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:55,080 Our goal is to reach both locations and survey them. 367 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,080 With your help, we would love to visit the mountain. 368 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,080 We would love to see the site. 369 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:03,080 I know that it may not be possible for us to go, but we'd love to try. 370 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:06,080 The area is very restricted. 371 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,080 It is called the Forbidden Zone. 372 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:12,080 I can't make any promises, but we'll do our best to bring you as far as we can. 373 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:13,080 We'll follow you. 374 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:14,080 Okay, good. Let's do it. 375 00:21:19,080 --> 00:21:23,080 I have to say, I am blown away by the hospitality of these guys, 376 00:21:23,080 --> 00:21:26,080 but if they can't get me onto the mountain, it's all for nothing. 377 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:31,080 So this Forbidden Zone is completely closed to foreigners. 378 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:34,080 Yes, especially around the mountain itself. 379 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:38,080 And what happens if foreigners go there? 380 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:43,080 Well, first of all, it's going to be almost impossible to go through the checkpoints. 381 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:45,080 There's a risk to run into locals. 382 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:47,080 Locals? 383 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:48,080 Yeah. 384 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:49,080 And who are the locals that are up here? 385 00:21:49,080 --> 00:21:56,080 The tribe from 13th century who received the order from Jingxan itself to guard the mountain. 386 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:57,080 Is the descendants of that tribe? 387 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:58,080 Descendants. 388 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:00,080 And they're still following Chengdu's cons orders? 389 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:01,080 Yep. 390 00:22:01,080 --> 00:22:02,080 That's incredible. 391 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:07,080 The Dharhad tribe take their job very seriously. 392 00:22:07,080 --> 00:22:15,080 By order of Chengxan himself, a nearly 100 square mile perimeter was closed off around the Holy Mountain. 393 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:19,080 It is known as the Great Taboo, or the Forbidden Zone. 394 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:24,080 Until 20 years ago, trespassers here were killed on site. 395 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,080 Today, they're merely beaten and then deported. 396 00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:34,080 We drive through lonely valleys and past abandoned Soviet-era military barracks. 397 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:36,080 Frankly, it's a bit spooky out here. 398 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:44,080 After hours, we finally arrive at the checkpoint to the Forbidden Zone. 399 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:48,080 Let's hope we all make a good first impression, or this mission is over. 400 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:49,080 Hello. 401 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:50,080 Nice to meet you. 402 00:22:50,080 --> 00:22:51,080 Hi. 403 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:52,080 Nice to meet you. 404 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:53,080 Hi. 405 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:54,080 Nice to meet you. 406 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:55,080 Hi. 407 00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:56,080 Nice to meet you. 408 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,080 This man is a senior member of the Dharhad tribe. 409 00:22:58,080 --> 00:23:03,080 He is quite literally the gatekeeper here, and his word is law. 410 00:23:03,080 --> 00:23:06,080 Professor Erdent Batar will have to plead our case to him. 411 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:20,080 In case you don't speak Mongolian, this is not going well for us. 412 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:26,080 I'm looking at thousands of dollars in nonrefundable airfare going up in the gatekeeper's pipe. 413 00:23:40,080 --> 00:23:43,080 We're being held up at the checkpoint to the Holy Mountain, 414 00:23:43,080 --> 00:23:46,080 where the tomb of Cengiz Khan might be hiding. 415 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,080 Professor Erdent Batar is trying to convince the gatekeeper 416 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:53,080 that our intentions are noble and to let us pass. 417 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,080 The gatekeeper hasn't been convinced. 418 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:06,080 He tells us that he wants to consider our request overnight, 419 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,080 which means we aren't going anywhere. 420 00:24:09,080 --> 00:24:16,080 Okay, so the professor is continuing the conversation. 421 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:19,080 We are not going to make it into the forbidden zone tonight. 422 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:24,080 And so the good news is we're being allowed to stay here and to sleep here tonight. 423 00:24:24,080 --> 00:24:28,080 We're not being thrown out or beat up, so I'll take that as a positive. 424 00:24:29,080 --> 00:24:31,080 Now, time to camp. 425 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:40,080 Oh! 426 00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,080 I feel like there's a lot of flies here. 427 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:49,080 I mean a lot. Like they all congregated in this area. 428 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:50,080 What's on the agenda for tonight? 429 00:24:50,080 --> 00:24:52,080 Closing the tent door. 430 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,080 Be one with the flies. 431 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,080 Evan, you're supposed to be helping me. 432 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:07,080 I am! I'm doing a handstand. 433 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,080 How is that helping exactly? 434 00:25:09,080 --> 00:25:11,080 Is there a manual with this thing? 435 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,080 This is like the craziest hand I've ever seen. 436 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:15,080 It's sundown. 437 00:25:15,080 --> 00:25:18,080 And though the gatekeeper isn't letting us through his checkpoint, 438 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:19,080 for me? 439 00:25:19,080 --> 00:25:20,080 Oh boy. 440 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:24,080 He politely invites us in for a custom that seems to transcend language. 441 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:27,080 That's good. 442 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:28,080 Happy hour. 443 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,080 One drink turns to two, which turns to four. 444 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:34,080 The locals even break out their best-nough tobacco. 445 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:37,080 Very nice. Thank you. 446 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:40,080 Soon, something unexpected is happening. 447 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,080 They're warming up to us. 448 00:25:49,080 --> 00:25:52,080 In fact, the more we drink, the happier they are that we're here. 449 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,080 It's a chingus con. 450 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:02,080 Okay. 451 00:26:02,080 --> 00:26:05,080 The next morning, I'm facing a Mongolian hangover. 452 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:08,080 However, our drinking session has paid off. 453 00:26:08,080 --> 00:26:11,080 The gatekeeper is convinced of our good intentions 454 00:26:11,080 --> 00:26:15,080 and has agreed to let us into the forbidden zone under one condition. 455 00:26:15,080 --> 00:26:18,080 He and his grandson insist on coming with us 456 00:26:18,080 --> 00:26:21,080 to make sure we don't compromise the sanctity of the site. 457 00:26:32,080 --> 00:26:33,080 We're in. 458 00:26:33,080 --> 00:26:34,080 Welcome to the forbidden zone. 459 00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:36,080 I feel like Charlton Heston right now. 460 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:44,080 Are there stories about this mountain having great power? 461 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:48,080 In my knowledge, I heard that the mountain hides itself 462 00:26:48,080 --> 00:26:51,080 with the help of the clouds and the fog, 463 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,080 if the mountain doesn't want to show itself. 464 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:54,080 Right. 465 00:26:54,080 --> 00:26:55,080 A place of mystery. 466 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,080 Yeah. 467 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,080 Also a mystery, how far we're going to be able to travel 468 00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:03,080 on this slippery one track road. 469 00:27:03,080 --> 00:27:04,080 Okay. 470 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,080 He's getting bloody in here. 471 00:27:06,080 --> 00:27:09,080 I mean, you get stuck out here. 472 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,080 Nobody's coming to get you. 473 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:15,080 One car through. 474 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:16,080 Three go. 475 00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:20,080 It's an easy girl. 476 00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:27,080 Oh, he's stuck. 477 00:27:27,080 --> 00:27:29,080 He might be able to get out of this. 478 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,080 Okay, probably not now. 479 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:34,080 Nothing an old strap and a few knots can't fix. 480 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:38,080 Slowly, slowly. 481 00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:39,080 Here we go. 482 00:27:40,080 --> 00:27:41,080 Yeah. 483 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:42,080 Yeah. 484 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:43,080 Yeah. 485 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:44,080 Yeah. 486 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:45,080 Yeah. 487 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:46,080 Yeah. 488 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:47,080 Yeah. 489 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:48,080 Yeah. 490 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:49,080 Yeah. 491 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:50,080 Yeah. 492 00:27:50,080 --> 00:27:51,080 Yeah. 493 00:27:51,080 --> 00:27:52,080 Yeah. 494 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:53,080 Yeah. 495 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:54,080 Yeah. 496 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:55,080 Yeah. 497 00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:56,080 Yeah. 498 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:57,080 Yeah. 499 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:58,080 Yeah. 500 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:00,080 Push up. 501 00:28:01,080 --> 00:28:04,080 Faster than an Ascar pit crew, we're back on the road. 502 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,080 Five hours later, the sky above turns dark. 503 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:13,080 A storm is coming. 504 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,080 And we're clearly not making it to the base of the mountain today. 505 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:22,080 Okay, look at these tents that are up. 506 00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:23,080 It is raining. 507 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:27,080 Once again, it's time to make camp. 508 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:30,080 It's time to make camp. 509 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,080 It's time to make camp. 510 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:37,080 It quickly becomes apparent that Mongolians do not screw around when it comes to camping. 511 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:43,080 In the time it takes me to unroll my sleeping bag, they've put up a tent that's nicer than my first apartment. 512 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:49,080 Forget your fancy store-bought REI three-season tent. 513 00:28:49,080 --> 00:28:52,080 Mongolian tents have a working fireplace. 514 00:28:53,080 --> 00:28:58,080 The stove is powered by animal droppings, which might not smell great, but it is warm. 515 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:02,080 In no time at all, the locals whip up a delicious meal. 516 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,080 Even the cutlery is homemade. 517 00:29:04,080 --> 00:29:06,080 Professor just made these chopsticks. 518 00:29:06,080 --> 00:29:07,080 How is it? 519 00:29:07,080 --> 00:29:08,080 They're perfect. 520 00:29:08,080 --> 00:29:11,080 These guys put my camping skills to shame. 521 00:29:13,080 --> 00:29:17,080 So, Professor, where do you think Chinggis Khan is buried? 522 00:29:18,080 --> 00:29:19,080 I'm not sure. 523 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:23,080 The satellite photos are compelling, but we need to get a closer look. 524 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:29,080 I'm more convinced he's buried at the summit. 525 00:29:31,080 --> 00:29:32,080 And what about your grandfather? 526 00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,080 Where do you think that Chinggis Khan is buried? 527 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:45,080 During Chinggis Khan's time, he said it was forbidden to search for any tombs of the kings. 528 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:50,080 Because it might be here, but it's forbidden. It's confidential, secret. 529 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,080 This view is shared by many Mongolians. 530 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:59,080 As much as they revere Khan, most are dead sad against digging him up if he's found. 531 00:29:59,080 --> 00:30:05,080 For this reason, the archaeologists are limited to surveying and using non-invasive methods here. 532 00:30:10,080 --> 00:30:14,080 So, right now, for example, if he finds the Chinggis Khan's tomb and starts to excavate it, 533 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:16,080 Mr. Khursh Khan's cat is thrown. 534 00:30:20,080 --> 00:30:24,080 And this brings a swift end to the chit-chat portion of our evening. 535 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:31,080 Every morning, we're a little slower getting out of the tents, 536 00:30:31,080 --> 00:30:36,080 but we keep going because the last leg of our journey is finally in sight. 537 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:43,080 So, you think that's the mountain right there? 538 00:30:43,080 --> 00:30:44,080 Yep. 539 00:30:45,080 --> 00:30:49,080 After a few more bumpy hours, the convoy slows to a halt. 540 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:50,080 Cars are stopping? 541 00:30:51,080 --> 00:30:52,080 Stay in the throat. 542 00:30:52,080 --> 00:30:55,080 We're here. Okay. Here we go, boys. 543 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:05,080 At long last, we've arrived at the base of Chinggis Khan's holy mountain, Burhan Haldun. 544 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:10,080 This is the lowest of the three shrines here, known as Ovos. 545 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:15,080 Professor Erdan Batar may be a scientist, but he's also a Mongolian. 546 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:19,080 Before continuing, he pays respect to the mountain and to Khan 547 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:22,080 by making offerings of vodka and mares milk. 548 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:25,080 He asks the gods for success on our journey. 549 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:35,080 The mountain gets steeper from here, and we're out of roads. 550 00:31:35,080 --> 00:31:41,080 But Professor Erdan Batar has called ahead to a local tribesman to arrange horses for our team. 551 00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:49,080 Cavalry. 552 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:56,080 We transfer our gear, but the animals seem skittish, 553 00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,080 assigned to the locals that there's something dangerous on the mountain. 554 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:07,080 Professor! 555 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:18,080 Climbing the sacred mountain of Burhan Haldun on the search for Chinggis Khan's hidden tomb, 556 00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:24,080 our team is traveling by horseback for the last leg of the journey, but not everyone stays that way. 557 00:32:25,080 --> 00:32:26,080 Professor! 558 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:28,080 Yeah. 559 00:32:28,080 --> 00:32:30,080 You okay? Okay. 560 00:32:31,080 --> 00:32:32,080 Yeah. 561 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:36,080 It's a nasty-looking fall, but it'll take more than that to slow down a Mongolian. 562 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:39,080 The professor just gets right back on the horse. 563 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:48,080 The cars definitely would not have made it through here. 564 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:49,080 Nope. 565 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:54,080 We're on our way up to the midpoint of the mountain, where the second shrine awaits us, 566 00:32:54,080 --> 00:33:00,080 and where satellite photos recently revealed ancient ruins that could be a marker for Khan's tomb. 567 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:05,080 Very few non-Mongolians have made this journey up to this mountain, 568 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:11,080 so to say for as hard as this trip has been, I'm feeling very lucky right now. 569 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:15,080 Really steep in here and uneven. 570 00:33:15,080 --> 00:33:18,080 The horses are slipping all over the place. 571 00:33:23,080 --> 00:33:24,080 Pretty rough. 572 00:33:25,080 --> 00:33:26,080 Stop. 573 00:33:29,080 --> 00:33:34,080 Too muddy and steep in here to ride, so we're walking through this section. 574 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:36,080 Big log here. 575 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:37,080 You got it. 576 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:43,080 After days in cars on horseback and foot, through checkpoints and shrines, 577 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,080 we've made it to the midway point of the mountain. 578 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:52,080 Huge shrine here. 579 00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:58,080 We fan out to search the area for signs of the buried structure that was spotted by satellites. 580 00:34:07,080 --> 00:34:11,080 So the real challenge up here is that we can't really use any archaeological equipment. 581 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,080 Can't shovel into the ground. 582 00:34:13,080 --> 00:34:18,080 You know, this is a sacred mountain, and so really other than just moving things around with your hands a little bit, 583 00:34:18,080 --> 00:34:21,080 any major excavation totally forbidden. 584 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:25,080 This is the place where we found the structure. 585 00:34:31,080 --> 00:34:32,080 Josh. 586 00:34:32,080 --> 00:34:33,080 Yeah? 587 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:34,080 Come over here, please. 588 00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:35,080 What do you got? 589 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:36,080 Well... 590 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:40,080 What's going on? 591 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,080 This is all buildings. 592 00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:45,080 This was... 593 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:48,080 The professor has found the structure. 594 00:34:48,080 --> 00:34:49,080 There you can see. 595 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:51,080 That is definitely man-made. 596 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:54,080 Yeah, those are definitely bricks. 597 00:34:54,080 --> 00:34:55,080 You can see the seams. 598 00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:58,080 So this would have been part of what you think, a foundation, a bottom? 599 00:34:58,080 --> 00:34:59,080 This one's looking wall. 600 00:34:59,080 --> 00:35:01,080 So this is part of a wall? 601 00:35:06,080 --> 00:35:08,080 That's where we came from the roof. 602 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:09,080 Look at that. 603 00:35:11,080 --> 00:35:13,080 That's ceramic from a roof, yes? 604 00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:15,080 What age do you think this is? 605 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:18,080 16th century. 606 00:35:18,080 --> 00:35:20,080 Or a few hundred years after Chinggis Khan then. 607 00:35:20,080 --> 00:35:21,080 Yes. 608 00:35:21,080 --> 00:35:24,080 This is history that's right underneath our feet. 609 00:35:25,080 --> 00:35:28,080 The remains are likely from some sort of temple. 610 00:35:28,080 --> 00:35:32,080 The question is, was this temple built as a place to worship the mountain, 611 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,080 or as a place to worship Khan? 612 00:35:34,080 --> 00:35:38,080 We continue looking for anything else that could connect us to Chinggis Khan. 613 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:39,080 Oh, look at this. 614 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:40,080 Come here, come here, come here. 615 00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:41,080 See that? 616 00:35:41,080 --> 00:35:42,080 See this? 617 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:47,080 See this? 618 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,080 Look at this. 619 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:53,080 Piece of iron? 620 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,080 Arrowpoint of some sort? 621 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:00,080 Oh my God. 622 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:04,080 That is a spear point. 623 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,080 That is legit. 624 00:36:07,080 --> 00:36:09,080 Mitchy George, Dandy, come here. 625 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:11,080 Look at this. 626 00:36:12,080 --> 00:36:13,080 Spear? 627 00:36:13,080 --> 00:36:14,080 So what do you do? 628 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:15,080 Yeah? 629 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:16,080 You're here, I'm all in here. 630 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:18,080 It's all trapped inside the... 631 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:19,080 The... 632 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:21,080 It looks like when this tree fell, 633 00:36:21,080 --> 00:36:23,080 it took a bunch of material up with it. 634 00:36:23,080 --> 00:36:25,080 So you can see, I didn't want to dig too deep, 635 00:36:25,080 --> 00:36:26,080 but there's stuff all here. 636 00:36:26,080 --> 00:36:28,080 And it looks like all down in here as well. 637 00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:31,080 Oh, look. 638 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:32,080 Big boy. 639 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,080 Big boy, look at that. 640 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:39,080 That's cool. 641 00:36:39,080 --> 00:36:41,080 These relics are a major find. 642 00:36:41,080 --> 00:36:44,080 These are museum quality ceremonial objects 643 00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:46,080 from almost six hundred years ago. 644 00:36:46,080 --> 00:36:49,080 And they are clear indicators that a significant temple 645 00:36:49,080 --> 00:36:50,080 was located here. 646 00:36:52,080 --> 00:36:53,080 So what do you think? 647 00:36:53,080 --> 00:36:54,080 Why is this temple here? 648 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:56,080 I think it's because of the fact that 649 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:58,080 the temple was built in the early days. 650 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:00,080 Mitchy George confirms that in any other mountains, 651 00:37:00,080 --> 00:37:03,080 you wouldn't find any temples in Mongolia. 652 00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:04,080 Right. 653 00:37:04,080 --> 00:37:06,080 This is the place where the relics were built. 654 00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,080 It was built in the early days. 655 00:37:08,080 --> 00:37:11,080 So why does this temple have a lot of relics? 656 00:37:11,080 --> 00:37:13,080 It's because of the relics. 657 00:37:14,080 --> 00:37:17,080 So why does it build here? 658 00:37:17,080 --> 00:37:20,080 Maybe around here, the actual temple. 659 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:25,080 How do you tell if the top is a tomb? 660 00:37:27,080 --> 00:37:30,080 There is no way to do the excavation or study 661 00:37:30,080 --> 00:37:31,080 at the top of the mountain. 662 00:37:31,080 --> 00:37:32,080 For anybody? 663 00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:33,080 For anybody. 664 00:37:33,080 --> 00:37:36,080 The only chance is to photograph the top of the mountain 665 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:37,080 to see if it reveals anything. 666 00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,080 And hopefully, that gives us an answer. 667 00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:43,080 As valuable as these pieces are, 668 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:46,080 Professor Mitchy George insists that we return the artifacts 669 00:37:46,080 --> 00:37:50,080 to where we found them, out of respect for the Holy Mountain. 670 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:54,080 Now that we found this temple, the only place to go is up, 671 00:37:54,080 --> 00:37:57,080 to the shrine that Mitchy George thinks could mark 672 00:37:57,080 --> 00:37:59,080 Khan's actual tomb. 673 00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:02,080 We prepare to move on to the summit when we get an alert 674 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:04,080 on our satellite phone. 675 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:09,080 Another huge storm is moving towards us. 676 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:11,080 If we attempt to climb any further, 677 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:14,080 we risk getting caught in extreme conditions. 678 00:38:14,080 --> 00:38:17,080 But the professors aren't willing to turn back now. 679 00:38:17,080 --> 00:38:20,080 With less than a six-hour window in which to work, 680 00:38:20,080 --> 00:38:24,080 Professor Urdan Vitar calls a contact in the Mongolian military. 681 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:28,080 Soon, a helicopter arrives, 682 00:38:28,080 --> 00:38:30,080 ready to whisk us to the summit. 683 00:38:31,080 --> 00:38:33,080 The professors are going to conduct a high-resolution 684 00:38:33,080 --> 00:38:36,080 photographic scan of the summit. 685 00:38:37,080 --> 00:38:39,080 Okay, let's fly! 686 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,080 We're headed up to the peak. Here we go. 687 00:38:46,080 --> 00:38:49,080 Satellites have detected an unusual formation at the peak, 688 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,080 and they hope to construct a topographic model 689 00:38:52,080 --> 00:38:55,080 to determine if there's something man-made hidden there. 690 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,080 This is the mountain on the right side. 691 00:39:00,080 --> 00:39:02,080 You're on the right too. 692 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:05,080 Okay, guys, we're answering the area where the satellite photos were taken. 693 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:08,080 So there's the structure, yeah? 694 00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:11,080 Look at that! That looks man-made! 695 00:39:18,080 --> 00:39:21,080 I'm about to go where no foreigner is allowed, 696 00:39:21,080 --> 00:39:24,080 to the top of the holiest mountain in Mongolia, 697 00:39:24,080 --> 00:39:26,080 where Chinggis Khan may be buried. 698 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,080 So there's the peak, yeah? 699 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:33,080 That's the structure. 700 00:39:34,080 --> 00:39:36,080 It definitely doesn't look natural. 701 00:39:36,080 --> 00:39:38,080 It looks like it's been built up. 702 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:40,080 Look, what's the... 703 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:44,080 For these parts of here, it's been built, 704 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:46,080 hand-made, human-made. 705 00:39:46,080 --> 00:39:48,080 A big start official, yeah. 706 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:53,080 I have to admit, it does look like the Earth has been manipulated here. 707 00:39:53,080 --> 00:39:54,080 This could be it. 708 00:39:54,080 --> 00:39:57,080 We may very well be looking straight down on 709 00:39:57,080 --> 00:39:59,080 Chinggis Khan's secret grave. 710 00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:02,080 I'm going to try to circle the peak, 711 00:40:02,080 --> 00:40:05,080 take as many images as possible to create a 3D render. 712 00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:09,080 We scan the mountain by photographing and filming it 713 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:11,080 in a 360-degree rotation, 714 00:40:11,080 --> 00:40:14,080 so that a detailed topographic map can be rendered. 715 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:20,080 Okay, we're going to circle the peak one more time. 716 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:25,080 After thoroughly scanning the summit and with weather moving in, 717 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:27,080 we're forced to retreat. 718 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:29,080 So we head back now. 719 00:40:29,080 --> 00:40:31,080 Right now, this is as close as we can. 720 00:40:31,080 --> 00:40:33,080 Yes, right now, this is as close as we can. 721 00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:36,080 The chopper turns around, 722 00:40:36,080 --> 00:40:39,080 and I say a final goodbye to Burhan Haldun. 723 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:47,080 Back on Terraferma, 724 00:40:47,080 --> 00:40:50,080 we undertake the long journey to the capital. 725 00:40:50,080 --> 00:40:53,080 The trip turns out to be well worth the effort, though, 726 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:56,080 since the scan brings a striking revelation. 727 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:00,080 The data indicates that the strange bump atop the peak 728 00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:03,080 is almost certainly not natural. 729 00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:06,080 Its shape and structure are likely man-made. 730 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:10,080 Just one month after our expedition, 731 00:41:10,080 --> 00:41:12,080 UNESCO declared the Forbidden Zone 732 00:41:12,080 --> 00:41:14,080 a protected World Heritage Site. 733 00:41:14,080 --> 00:41:17,080 So our trip to the mountain may be the closest look 734 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,080 that anyone gets for a long time to come. 735 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:24,080 The journey to find Khan's tomb 736 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:26,080 has quite literally been an uphill battle. 737 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:30,080 I've had to struggle against many elements here in Mongolia, 738 00:41:30,080 --> 00:41:33,080 but have been rewarded at every turn. 739 00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:36,080 The people here awe me with their hospitality 740 00:41:36,080 --> 00:41:39,080 and their resilience to not only survive, 741 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:42,080 but to thrive on these harsh plains. 742 00:41:42,080 --> 00:41:45,080 And since the people of Mongolia continue to honor 743 00:41:45,080 --> 00:41:47,080 and protect their past, 744 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:50,080 excavation on the mountain is impossible, 745 00:41:50,080 --> 00:41:53,080 meaning Chinggis Khan could get his dying wish 746 00:41:53,080 --> 00:41:57,080 to remain hidden for all of eternity.