Ranger in Danger

In Thailand’s dense jungle, South African ranger Andries Prinsloo steps out from behind the scenes and into his first 21-day survival challenge, joined by Dallas outdoor guide Amanda Standley. Though Andries has watched survivalists up close for years as part of the Naked and Afraid crew, surviving himself proves very different, especially in an unfamiliar jungle far from his South African experience.

The pair face a four-mile insertion hike to a limestone spring, using bamboo flasks to carry water since they are not given a pot to boil. The jungle is thick, disorienting, and unforgiving. On day one, Andries cuts his hand with his machete, and Amanda suggests acacia fern as a natural treatment. They build a sapling shelter, a lean-to for the fire, and manage to get flames going the first night, but mosquitoes remain relentless even with a mosquito net.

Food becomes the next priority. Amanda builds an eel trap that produces crawfish, while Andries’ deadfall trap comes up empty. By day eight, hunger is setting in until Amanda catches a chameleon by hand. Andries uses it as bait, leading to four fish and a snake, finally giving them momentum. After heavy rain on night 13 forces shelter improvements, they craft a torch from dried latex, coconut husks, and bamboo to forage at night, where Andries catches two large frogs by hand. With teamwork, adaptation, and a strong finish, both complete the extraction hike and successfully finish the challenge.

No Pot