Ancient Civilizations: Lost Worlds of the Past explores the legend of Shangri-La, a mythical Himalayan paradise popularized by James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. Rooted in Tibetan traditions of Shambhala, Shangri-La represents a hidden utopia of peace, longevity, and enlightenment, shielded from the chaos of the outside world. While countless explorers and even modern governments have sought its “real” location, its true meaning lies as a spiritual metaphor rather than a geographical place. Shangri-La endures in literature, film, and cultural imagination as humanity’s timeless dream of harmony and inner peace.

El Dorado from a gold-covered king in Muisca ritual to a mythical city of boundless riches. Spanish conquistadors and European explorers risked—and often lost—their lives chasing the legend through the jungles and mountains of South America. While no golden city was ever found, the myth of El Dorado endures as a symbol of human ambition, greed, and the allure of the unattainable.

Episode 28 explores the myth of Hyperborea, the legendary northern paradise described by the ancient Greeks as a land beyond the North Wind. Said to be inhabited by peaceful, long-lived people devoted to Apollo, Hyperborea evolved into a spiritual symbol of purity and perfection. Though its location and existence remain unproven, the legend has influenced esoteric traditions, polar myths, and the universal human longing for a lost utopia.