Founded in 1519 by the conquistador Pedrarías Dávila, Panamá Viejo is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. It was laid out on a rectilinear grid and marks the transference from Europe of the idea of a planned town. Abandoned in the mid-17th century, it was replaced by a "new town" (the "Historic District"), which has also preserved its original street plan, its architecture and an unusual mixture of Spanish, French...

The antecedents of modern Indian culture can be traced back to the Harappan civilization, which flourished between 2300 and 1500 BC in what are now Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Aryan tribes from the Russian steppes invaded the subcontinent in 1000 BC, bringing their language and culture. The resulting synthesis between the Aryan and Indian civilizations brought forth a unique society that included a caste system, which soon became entrenched. This...

North America is perpetually reinventing itself. The continent is also a wild world of rivers, plains and ice, where iridescent-colored deserts lie alongside luxuriant valleys and mountains holding many a secret. From the Far North to the Deserts of Utah, from the Rockies to Death Valley, the sites it features are on the scale of the continent itself. A Far North among the Earth's oldest; "Great Plains" born from the sea; a vast mountain in the middle...

In this video, Stephen Fry travels through Belize and Guatemala participating in local customs, learning the culture, and exploring historic sites. Places visited include: Belize City, Wildtracks Refuge, the Cays, Tikal, Chajul, Lake Atitlan, and Guatemala City.

Long ignored by global travelers, Nicaragua is emerging as the latest Central American favorite of the international backpacker set. David Rocco tours Managua, Grenada, Leon, and the tiny village of Riva. He samples the local cuisine, goes shopping for handicrafts, and hikes through ancient pirate fortresses. During his ten days of travel, he discovers a land of spectacular active volcanoes, untamed jungle, amazing Spanish colonial architecture, and...

From the frozen north--where coyotes learn to fish in icy water--down through the nation’s agricultural heart and to the mysterious, steamy southern swamps where alligators still rule, the many faces of the Mississippi River unite a nation.

In 749, the Maya princess Green Jay, of the Kingdom of Bacal, writes in her diary about her arduous journey to Xukpip to meet King Fire Keeper, her future husband.

While on a quest to save a piece of history, Jay, Lila, and their father encounter hostile natives and ancient evil forces in the jungles of Central America.

Follows a team of archaeologists into Guatemala as they uncover ancient Mayan artifacts that reveal secrets of the lost city of Dos Pilas. These archaeological findings provide evidence of Mayan practices, rituals, and warfare.