The Botswana Adventure Part 1 | Top Gear | BBC 

"It's the most astonishing place I've ever been" - Jeremy Clarkson, literally anytime he's anywhere outside of england

Hammond was the smallest living organism for miles.

I gotta give credit to Clarkson and May, they didn’t put a finger on Hammond’s car. They usually like to mess with each other including with the cars but they knew Hamster loved Oliver so they didn’t do anything to hurt it. Just goes to show much the three of them are truly good friends.

"The next morning, at the edge of the salt pans, we thought we'd come under attack from a Bond villain. But it turned out to be the Vice-President of Botswana."

Boring fact: After the Botswana special, Richard became so attached to the Opel Kadett he bought it for his own and names it Oliver. The car has been brought back multiple times on top gear for challenges.

I love how Hammond didn't have any weight shedding and his did the best

“We need a hundred men or more” lol Richard making a Africa joke.

Imagine being paid handsomely to do this magnificent job. These 3 hit the life jackpot.

I love how jeremy brakes the windows in from the outside. The glass falls into the car. The weight isn't any different it's just in a different place.

“Even our super light-weight cars started to struggle again” Meanwhile, Oliver isn’t leaving a single tire-track

Clarkson: *Explains an almost suicidal mission* Also Clarkson: “Well how hard can it be?”

Fun fact: the Beetle was the only car that never broke down during filming

What a badass entrance by the Vice President

James - "you can see the curvature of the Earth" Flat Earthers - "REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

It's kind of sweet how much Hammond loves his car. I'm really happy it survived this special.

In retrospect, Hammond made a great choice here. This car has become a legend

Even at barely 40% of their original weight, the Lancia and Mercedes are heavier than the Opel... Oliver I mean

8:10 gotta love how May tries to shut his door

2:24 there's something about this scene I just can't wrap my head around. Hammond's "So tomorrow we die then." adds such a real and melancholy feel to the whole experience. Hard to believe this came from a show about cars.

Clarkson: This is the most astonishing place i've ever seen Me watching the video in 360p: I WISH I COULD AGREE

Smh they forgot to remove the engine

...and that man is now the current President of Botswana. how bout dat?

Who’s rewatching this after watching the new video about Oliver on Drivetribe?

Hammond actually made a pretty smart decision in keeping his windows, without them he would generate more drag.

Hammond looked so disturbed when he saw the other two practically demolishing their cars.

2:31 I don't know why, but it's actually genuinely comforting hearing Jeremy saying "Honestly, we'll be fine. We've done enough".

May handing Hammond a beer at 2:07 just encapsulates why I loved this show. They took the piss out of him all afternoon but ultimately it was just 3 mates doing something amazing together

Looking back at this it’s really amazing how that little Opal survived

3. Arctic special. 2. Botswana special. 1. Bolivia special. Best ever Top Gear.

"Just a nudge!" BANG "That's a crash." Gets me every time.

The look on Hamster's face when they start breaking each other's cars is absolutely priceless.

This to me was the best Top Gear special; hasn’t been topped. The scenery, Oliver, that vice president. It may be scripted, but it was well executed! Those guys have had such a cool job.

Jeremy: "well how hard can it be" Richard: "don't say that" Literally most episodes 😂

“You can see the curvature of the earth” Flat earthers: no

Traveling the world is a dream of mine and I envy these 3 so much it's maddening. To be able to go to all these beautiful place, do all these amazing things. Crossing a salt flat in cars with 2 of my friends? I can't imagine just how exciting that must have been.

2:30 this is one ofJeremy's legitimately reassuring moments.

"Dust so sharp, it can puncture your tires." Hammond: _Yea, I removed the spare wheel._

7:04 Richard: "We need a hundred men or more." Was that a reference to Africa by Toto? :D

"Why don't all cars have no doors?" Jeep: "Allow us to introduce ourselves"

I love that the best car for this challenge was their backup car that they were trying to avoid. The Beetle is a great part of the car community

Producers: Hey can you just get a bunch of African kids sitting in the middle of nowhere watching top gear do stuff on every scene?

That A-model Opel Kadett is one of the best cars of all time and it was a really nice move from Hammond, that he did bring it back to Europe after the trip. It is simple, cute, reliable, allround fantastic little car. And it showed, that simplicity is the key to win afterall.

1:15 me trying to decide what games to uninstall for computer storage

This just in, the Lancia has been recovered after 10 years by a Top Gear fan from Canada, the same guy is now looking for Mays Mercedes

The saddest moment is when they burn those spareparts

"You can see the curvature of the Earth!" - James May All the flat-earthers are screaming

The Botswana Special was really their first epic adventure for Top Gear. It first aired on November 4th 2007 and set the basics down for their future epic specials which kicked off with the 2008 Vietnam Christmas Special. The Polar Special aired in July 2007 and was also a learning curve for the specials.

Love how after the weight shedding. May & Jeremy are the optimistic ones. So proud of Oliver. Only break down was Richard's fault. Best car in TG/GT history. Richard is the only one of the 3 to have a perfect car & only one to have a car that didn't make it to the end.

"We need a hundred men or more" NOTHING THAT A HUNDRED MEN OR MORE WILL EVER DOOOOOOOOOOO!

Man, if I could have any job in the world...

I can seriously appreciate all the camera work on this show. Great shots all around.

The sunset view from that island reminds me how truly beautiful of a planet we're lucky to inhabit.

If The Grand Tour is anything like this, I will be so happy. Getting to see sights like these was the best part about Top Gear.

I really miss this show, grand tour was cool, but there's something different about the old top gear

i wanna remind everyone that Richard kept the Oliver and got it shiped back to UK where he still has it in his garage has of 2021

7:04 Hammond’s Toto reference goes unnoticed by the crew because they’re pushing a Lancia out of muck…

OLIVER!!!!!

any one else thinking mad max

Fun fact. Clarksons Lancia and Mays Mercedes have recently been found!

"If you run out of water you will die." "If your car breaks down and you can't be rescued, you will die." "If you run out of food, you will die" The camera man:"We don't do that here."

5:30 Lancia beta coupe superleggera. Statement of the year, honestly😂

Richard Hammond and Oliver still a better love story than twilight......

They're back in the country Welcome back 🇧🇼🇧🇼🇧🇼🇧🇼

04:51 hammond didn’t want to hurt Oliver 😂😂😂 i feel that

The best car for crossing a desert is the one you don't have to modify... OLIVER!!!

Who's here after watching Oliver vs James May’s Ferrari???

I came here after a video of a guy who found Jeremys Lancia in Botswana after 14 years

I like how Jeremy’s idea of weight shedding is to smash the rear window into the car 😂

Love May's strides.

They're so lucky, they get to visit such beautiful places all the time. im incredibly jealous

0:57 Hammond's like "Oh dear god no!"

This is miles better because now we know Richard and Oliver got reunited.

"We need 100 men or more." I see what you did there.

Still waiting for Jeremy to come to power so we can have no doors

One of the greatest Top Gear specials ever.

Oliver is still alive

"People of Surrey, you need four wheel drive for this bit"

“You were smiling, you’ve just stopped”😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

3:15 Shouldn't he be busy directing the country and the institutions... What a cool guy...😅😂😂😂👌

I remember watching this special when i was sick and home from school, the good ol days

So this is how my parents got to school

Have to admit , I like 'Oliver' too. Looks too good to wreck 👍

The Botswana special is honestly my favorite.

its 1 month to 2022. A video from 2008. damn... they lived a fantastic life.

Jeremy: James! James: Yes? Jeremy: Using nothing but a hammer! James: Yes. 2:01 kills me everytime 🤣🤣🤣

The song at 8:15 "Kawesa - Voice of the Forgotten" Like the comment so the others can see it, you are welcome! :)

Sunsets... ? Only in Africa Jeremy, only in Africa.....there’s nothing like the vastness of the African landscape!!

Not nearly as bad as the alkaline mud in the North Dakota sloughs. There’s an old tale around where my dad grew up that one year it was so hot and dry that some of the sloughs turned into solid mud. I can’t remember who, but someone decided they’d try their hand at racing across one like the salt flats in the desert. To this day there’s still an old red muscle car buried hundreds of feet under that mud. I also got my Arctic Cat 650 stuck in it. It took 3 days and about a hundred yards of tow straps to get it out, and it’s probably one of the best off-road quads out there, it’s an absolute swamp beast. You can’t even walk on the shit either, my jacket still has mud on it from months ago, it hardens like cement when it’s dry.

this is some Mad Max stuff lol

Richard and Oliver is the best couple ever.

I remember seeing this episode on TV and I loved every second of it.

“Thanks awfully” does not get enough credit

The production value and editing are just mind blowing. I'd love to see the size of the support column they're dragging behind them. Must be half a Dakar rally's worth.

"Why don't all cars have no doors?" hahaha :D

2:26 I geniunly feel comforted when theyre all consoling each other

5:18 NO ONE GONNA TALK FROM WHERE DID THOSE KIDS POPPED UP???? And they enjoy that view little camping in blazing hot dessert sun! 🤣👌🏼

That cut to Richard at 0:52 is probably the shows finest edit

As an African I am proud to have been born in such a beautiful continent.

8:57 this could be the opening of a movie called "Mad Gears"...😅😂😂😂😂

The music just makes this already amazing journey 1,000 times better