LA RUTA—THE ROUTE

In 2002, Chilean National Television created a mini-series of cultural and anthropological travel documentaries designed to bring the unique lifestyles of people throughout the world to the Chilean people. The first series featured the Silk Road, the primary East-West trading route of antiquity, traveling in the footsteps of Marco Polo from Turkey to China.

One of the primary goals of the programming was to expand viewers understanding of relatively unknown regions of the world: the people who live there; their culture and customs; the manner in which they maintain ancient traditions in the face of expanding civilization; and the encroachment of modern society into their lives. Each episode focuses on a different indigenous population that lives in the area and provides a study of their habits and habitat.

“The Silk Road” was an immediate ratings hit and the network decided to continue to produce at least one new adventure per year. To date seven different documentaries have been produced and broadcast. An eighth series shot entirely in Chile is also available.

Two more series “Shangri-La” and “India”, both shot in HDTV, featuring remote areas of Asia and the subcontinent, are scheduled for broadcast in 2010 and 2011.

Since inception the ratings have been consistently strong and La Ruta has become the most popular program on Chilean television in prime time. Now for the first time the series is being offered outside Chile exclusively by La Ruta LLC.