10,000 BC, Among a remote central Eurasian mountain tribe of hunter-gatherers called the Yaghal, who live by trapping and killing mammoths, the young hunter D'Leh has found his heart's desire - the beautiful Evolet. When a band of mysterious horse-riding warlords raid the Yaghal camp and kidnap Evolet (along with many others), D'Leh is forced to lead a small group of hunters south to pursue the warlords to the end of the world to save her. Driven by destiny, the unlikely band of warriors must battle saber-toothed cats and terror birds in the Levant. Along their journey they meet other tribes of warriors, who have also had loved ones kidnapped by the marauding horsemen. Together they form a coalition and march in pursuit of the captors.

At their heroic journey's end through a vast desert, they discover a mysterious civilization ruled by a enigmatic god-like figure who is said to be the last survivor of his kind. Their ultimate fate lies in a city of slaves who toil to serve a being regarded as a living god, the Almighty, who has ordered the construction of three colossal pyramids. D'Leh manages to rally them together and the slaves join him and his army who have infiltrated the city in a revolt against the Almighty. However, they attempt to dissuade D'Leh with Evolet, saying that if he does not retreat, they will pull her apart. D'Leh feigns acceptance of this deal in order to approach the Almighty and declares him not to be a god, killing him with a thrown spear. During the chaos that erupts around them, the slave lord who had kidnapped Evolet steals her away again on horseback. Evolet, slung behind him, reaches into the quiver of arrows that is near her and stabs the slave lord in the side. Both he and Evolet fall from the horse. D'leh rushes to her side when he sees them fall, but the slave lord succeeds in shooting her in the back with an arrow. She dies in D'Leh's arms. The slave lord tells D'leh that if he cannot have her, then no one will. D'leh kills him in revenge.

The scene shifts to the wise woman of the Yaghal as she breathes in deeply and then breaths out her last breath. Then it returns to D'Leh cradling Evolet's body when she suddenly awakens, fully restored by the wise woman's sacrifice. They depart for home and bid farewell to the other tribes. Time passes and we see that the seeds that D'leh had received during his travels have begun to grow. As he stands, he greets his wife Evolet and they passionately kiss as the screen fades.