The Tigris Expedition (1983): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1983, The Tigris Expedition is an adventure, tv movie and documentary film directed by Thor Heyerdahl, running about 120 minutes.

What it’s about. In 1977, Thor Heyerdahl built a reed boat, the Tigris (the name for the Tiger in Latin), whose task was to demonstrate that trade and migration contacts could exist between Mesopotamia and Indian civilization as represented by modern Pakistan. The Tigris was built in Iraq and set sail with an international crew of 11 on board across the Persian Gulf to Pakistan, and from there to the Red Sea. After about five months of sailing, the Tigris, which retained its seaworthiness, was burned in Djibouti on April 3, 1978 in protest against the wars that erupted in the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa.

Who’s in it. The Tigris Expedition stars Thor Heyerdahl as Himself, Norman Baker as Himself, Norris Brock as Himself and Hans Peter Böhn as Himself, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 9.0/10, The Tigris Expedition sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Tigris Expedition page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Tigris Expedition tend to enjoy The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception, Interstellar and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.