CHEVY CHASE, MD (August 31, 2015) - Travel Channel’s witty explorer, Josh Gates, returns for a brand-new season of the hit series “Expedition Unknown” on Wednesday, October 7 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT, seeking answers to some of the world’s most captivating unsolved stories and legends. Gates is on a mission to find the truth behind each iconic legend, digging through years of historical evidence, facts and myths. Leaving no stone unturned, his adventures take him around the globe as he immerses himself in the core locales linked to each tale. From excavating ruins in search of the real Robin Hood to sailing the high seas investigating Christopher Columbus and exploring Nepal’s “sky caves” for Shangri La, Gates’ archaeological background and ubiquitous sense of humor generate a new take on age-old stories. Season Two of “Expedition Unknown” is comprised of 19 hour-long episodes and one two-hour special, plus seven hour-long repack episodes.

“This season, we’re traveling further, digging deeper and getting into even crazier situations (don’t tell my mom),” says Gates. “From the forbidden mountains of outer Mongolia to the punishing deserts of western Africa, we’re going off the map investigating the greatest legends in history. I’m a big believer that the best travel experiences aren’t always easy, and they certainly aren’t predictable. I never know where the expedition is headed next or whom I’ll meet along the way. Every story is an adventure.”

SEASON TWO HIGHLIGHTS
(Click the images to learn more)

In the season premiere, Gates travels to England, Wales and Scotland to explore one of the greatest legends of all time – King Arthur. The King of the Britons has been celebrated and written about for more than 1,500 years – Arthur, the wizard Merlin and the Knights of the Round Table are among some of the most filmed characters in cinematic history. But was King Arthur real and if so, who was he? Gates begins his quest for answers at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, where archaeologist Win Scutt reveals a stone with a mysterious 5^th century inscription that may be a link to the king’s existence. Next, he heads to Wales to dig into the legend that Arthur was sealed in a cave with his knights by Merlin. Gates meets up with two cave experts and together they descend into the caverns, searching for evidence. But with hundreds of miles of underground caves, the exploration is daunting and dangerous. Continuing onto Scotland, he investigates a groundbreaking new theory: King Arthur was actually a Scottish chieftain named Arthur MacAedan. Lawyer and author Adam Ardrey demonstrates a real-life historical connection to the sword in the stone tale, and takes Gates to examine a location he believes may hold the ruins of a 5^th century fort that once served as Arthur’s administrative capital.

Upcoming expeditions this season include: Blackbeard’s hidden gold (Cayman Islands/U.S.); Christopher Columbus (Dominican Republic/Haiti/Portugal/Spain); Fenn’s treasure (U.S.); Genghis Khan’s tomb (Mongolia); the lost city of the Kalahari (Botswana); the missing Kruger millions (South Africa); real-life vampires (Bulgaria/Romania); the real Robin Hood (U.K.); Shangri-La (Nepal); stolen Nazi treasure (Austria/Germany); Suleiman the Magnificent’s heart (Hungary/Turkey); the Yonaguni Ruins (Japan) and more.

“Expedition Unknown” is produced by Ping Pong Productions for Travel Channel. For Ping Pong, the executive producers are Brad Kuhlman, Casey Brumels and Josh Gates. For Travel Channel, the executive producer is Daniel A. Schwartz.