In television's first comprehensive journey through the vast and varied landscapes of Russia, the resourceful Jonathan Dimbleby makes an epic journey from one end to the other, killing cliches and revelling in the unpredictable. Across nine time zones and through all extremes of weather, he seeks out the people of this strange and extraordinary land. From the Arctic Circle where the summer sun never sets to the subzero wastes of Siberia, from white witches to hirsute masseurs, from oil wells to shamans, Dimbleby's journey by boat, train, truck and foot is heart-warming, entertaining and compelling. From outside, Russia is both forbidding and enticing. Inside it becomes an exhilarating adventure.

In television's first comprehensive journey through the vast and varied landscapes of Russia