Just like the Silk Road connecting Asia to the Mediterranean, the frankincense1 trail2 was a major ancient trade route. Starting from the southern coast of Oman, the route crosses the modern-day Middle East and ends in the Holy Land. Traders braved the extreme heat of the desert along the more than 3,200-kilometer trail all for the sake of one thing—frankincense. This natural resin3 was more valuable than gold for 3,000 years before the birth of Christ.

　　What is so special about frankincense? It produces a sweet-smelling aromatic4 smoke that was thought to connect man to his god, so it was highly treasured by Pharaohs5. Today, frankincense is still traded as it is widely used in perfumes and cosmetics.

　　This month, National Geographic Channel and Kate Humble make an epic6 journey down "The Frankincense Trail." The "Oman and Yemen" episode has Humble starting in southern Oman. Loaded with 90 kilograms of the precious resin, she walks with a caravan7 of the descendants of the ancient traders before crossing into Yemen. There, she enters the world's first skyscraper city, Shibam, and uses her frankincense to bless a newborn baby.