In 1910, Jane Parker (Bo Derek) embarks on a journey to West Africa in search of her estranged father, James Parker (Richard Harris), whom she has never met. Purchasing passage on a modest boat, Jane’s journey takes a perilous turn when intoxicated sailors invade her cabin, prompting her to defend herself by firing a shot. After this shocking incident, she manages to reach her father's camp aboard a supply ship.
Upon her arrival, James is taken aback by Jane’s striking resemblance to her mother, Elizabeth. Meanwhile, Harry Holt (John Phillip Law), the expedition's photographer, is equally astonished to discover that Parker has a daughter. He kindly insists that Jane stay in his tent and introduces her to her father's local companion, a woman known as "Africa" (Akushula Selayah).
During dinner that evening, Jane reveals the tragic news of her mother’s passing, leaving her as a wealthy heiress. She expresses her resentment towards James for abandoning her and her mother shortly after her birth, admitting her only knowledge of him comes from newspaper articles chronicling his adventures. James, on the other hand, insists that he loved them deeply, claiming to hold dear a photograph of his wife and baby daughter.
The following morning, Jane learns of James’s quest for the fabled elephant graveyard. Despite her father's objections, she is resolute in joining the expedition. As a concession, James provides her with a pistol, and they venture into the dense jungle together. As they progress, they encounter a daunting rock formation that they must ascend. That night, James declares that Jane should return to the base camp by morning to report on his "remarkable" progress. Suddenly, they hear a mysterious cry, which James attributes to the legendary Tarzan (Miles O'Keeffe), a colossal figure rumored to be part ape. Terrified, the native porters express their fear of the legendary figure, prompting James to offer them more money to continue.
The next day, Jane boldly decides to climb the mountain alongside her father, despite his strong disapproval. As fate would have it, the rope they rely on begins to fray, leading to tragedy when it snaps, resulting in the death of one of the workers. Later, Parker presents Jane with a map from a Cairo museum, purportedly tracing the path of a long-ago Egyptian expedition to a hidden ivory graveyard. Though Jane harbors doubts, they press on, eventually reaching the shores of an inland sea.
While her companions continue their journey, Jane yearns for solitude and opts for a refreshing swim. However, her encounter with a lion quickly turns tense, only to be interrupted by Tarzan’s arrival. In a moment of chaos, Jane mistakenly believes he is there to harm her and instinctively tries to escape. Just then, Parker and Holt arrive to rescue her, firing shots that send both the lion and Tarzan fleeing.
As night descends, James insists that the “ape” has taken a liking to Jane, determining to eliminate him as a threat. Contrarily, Jane defends Tarzan, convinced that he means her no harm. As they traverse deeper into the jungle, the group becomes unaware of lurking threats from a hostile tribe that ultimately captures Africa, leading James to wrongly suspect Tarzan of her abduction, intensifying his vendetta against him.
One day, while at the river, Jane attempts to fill her canteen, and James orders Holt to keep an eye on her. Unfortunately, he momentarily turns away, allowing Tarzan to seize her and whisk her away through the trees. Alarmed but intrigued, Jane fires a warning shot, causing Tarzan to retreat. As she further navigates the wild, Jane is confronted by a massive snake, but in a stroke of fate, Tarzan arrives just in time to rescue her.
In a heart-pounding sequence, Jane finds herself immersed in the jungle alongside Tarzan, who ultimately collapses from exhaustion after carrying her. Surrounded by a playful group of monkeys and aided by a gentle elephant, she tends to Tarzan’s wounds. In a moment of tenderness, they bond over playful swimming revelries and share their innocence. Surprisingly, Jane realizes that despite their language barriers, they form an unspoken connection.
Meanwhile, James, Holt, and a guide are desperately scouring the area for Jane, unaware that danger lurks nearby. Eventually, the guide's group falls into the clutches of the hostile tribe. Later, James and Holt regroup on the beach, where Jane fervently retraces the sound of gunshots—emerging with Tarzan. In a moment of tension, James raises his rifle in pursuit, but Jane's plea halts him. The atmosphere thickens when the treacherous tribe encircles them, kidnapping Jane alongside her father and Holt, whisking them away to the lair of the notorious "Ivory King."
Bound and struggling, James and Holt can do nothing as they watch Jane being prepared for a horrific fate at the hands of the Ivory King. Just when it seems all hope is lost, Tarzan orchestrates a daring rescue, leading a stampede of elephants that wreak havoc on the captors. Amid the chaos, James risks everything to save his daughter, only to be mortally wounded in the process. The climactic showdown ensues as Tarzan confronts the Ivory King in a fierce battle that escalates until Tarzan ultimately prevails, snapping the king's neck in a stunning act of heroism.
In the aftermath of this tumultuous sequence, Jane rushes to her father's side as he breathes his last. They share a poignant moment of love and reconciliation before Jane expresses her desire to leave the civilized world behind, choosing instead to embrace a new life alongside Tarzan in the heart of the jungle.
