Leg 1 (United States → Mexico) had teams search through
Mariachi performers in
Plaza Garibaldi. • Episode 1: "I Should've Been a Boy Scout" (February 12, 2016) • Prize: each (awarded to Dana & Matt) ;Locations • Assorted Cities (Teams' Homes) (Start) •
Los Angeles, California Dallas, Texas Atlanta, Georgia →
Mexico City, Mexico • Mexico City (
Monumento a la Revolución) • Mexico City (
Plaza Garibaldi &
Escuela de Mariachi Ollin Yoliztli Garibaldi Humboldt Parking Garage) •
San Juan Teotihuacán (Parque Temático Tlalocan – Cuevas de
Teotihuacan) • Mexico City (
Museo Soumaya) ;Episode summary • Instead of a traditional starting line, teams received a video message from
Phil Keoghan at their homes informing them that the season had already begun. Teams had to travel to their nearest airport and fly to
Mexico City, Mexico. Once there, teams had to travel to the
Monumento a la Revolución in order to find their first clue. • This season's first Detour was a choice between Mariachi Madness or Great Bulls of Fire. In Mariachi Madness, teams had to search among 350
Mariachi performers at
Plaza Garibaldi for one who was faking their performance of "
Cielito Lindo" and then take the performer to a judge in order to receive their next clue. In Great Bulls of Fire, teams had to properly assemble the frame for a
torito, a
papier-mâché bull, as part of a
fireworks display and then light it up in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams were instructed to go to the Cuevas de
Teotihuacan at the Parque Temático Tlalocan and pick one of three departure times for the next morning. • In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to search through the caves for an archeological site and dig up thirteen pieces of a Teotihuacano mask. The site contained pieces for two masks, so team members had to figure out which pieces they needed to find so they could properly assemble one mask and receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the
Museo Soumaya in Mexico City. ;Additional note • This was a non-elimination leg.
Leg 2 (Mexico → Colombia) Volcano. • Episode 2: "You Look Like Gollum" (February 19, 2016) • Prize: A trip for two to
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (awarded to Tyler & Korey) • Eliminated: Marty & Hagan ;Locations •
Mexico City (
Museo Soumaya) • Mexico City →
Cartagena, Colombia •
Santa Catalina (
El Totumo) • Manzanillo del Mar (Terraza Melló Farándula Jugos Naturales) • Manzanillo del Mar (Playa del Ora) • Cartagena (Plaza Bolívar) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to
Cartagena, Colombia. Once there, teams had to travel to
El Totumo in
Santa Catalina in order to find their next clue. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to climb into the
mud bath atop El Totumo Volcano and find one of several satchels which contained an
emerald. They had to wash the emerald before giving it to a judge, who directed them to swim to their next clue in a nearby lagoon. • After the Roadblock, teams had to go to Manzanillo del Mar and look for a juice stand named Terraza Melló Farándula Jugos Naturales. Once there, they had to find locals playing
dominoes, who gave them their next clue. • For their Speed Bump, Scott & Blair had to help local fishermen haul a large
dragnet out of the water and then collect all of the fish captured before they could continue racing. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Pop-Up or Parrilla. In Pop-Up, teams had to properly assemble a shelter using the provided materials and following a pre-assembled example. Once it was built to the judge's approval, they had to guide a car into the shelter, after which they could receive their next clue. In Parrilla, teams had to properly cook three fish dishes on a
parrilla grill. Once their dishes were approved, they had to serve them to nearby locals in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Plaza Bolívar in Cartagena.
Leg 3 (Colombia) focused on exploring the streets of
Cartagena's historical district. • Episode 3: "Bros Being Jocks" (February 26, 2016) • Prize: A trip for two to
Mykonos, Greece (awarded to Brodie & Kurt) • Eliminated: Darius & Cameron ;Locations •
Cartagena (Plaza Bolívar) • Cartagena (Plaza San Diego) • Cartagena (
Castillo San Felipe de Barajas) • Cartagena (Avenida El Lago Restaurante y Cancha de Tejo Ciracari) • Cartagena (Calle San Juan de Dios – Museo Naval del Caribe) • Cartagena (Baluarte de Santiago) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams had to travel on foot to the Plaza San Diego. There, teams had to search by a group of
pollera dancers for their next clue, which directed them to
Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. There, teams had to search the catacombs for their next clue. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Tickets or Tejo. In Tickets, teams had to work as bus conductors on a Cartagena transit bus and attract enough passengers so as to earn at least
COL$20,000 (roughly $6.00), which they could trade for their next clue. In Tejo, teams had to play
tejo, by hitting three
gunpowder-loaded targets with a stone disc, in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to travel to Calle San Juan de Dios and find a local
mochila vendor outside the Museo Naval del Caribe, who had their next clue. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to pick a
mochila, a traditional Colombian knapsack, and search for other vendors between Plaza Santa Teresa and Plaza Santo Domingo to find two bags tagged with the same designer out of hundreds on display, which they could trade for their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: Baluarte de Santiago.
Leg 4 (Colombia → Switzerland → France) , the Roadblock focused on finding ten flags of the United Nations
founding members at the
Palace of Nations. • Episode 4: "Get It Trending" (March 4, 2016) • Prize: each (awarded to Brodie & Kurt) • Eliminated: Brittany & Jessica ;Locations •
Cartagena (Baluarte de Santiago) • Cartagena →
Geneva, Switzerland • Geneva (
Jet d'Eau) • Geneva (Chocolats Rohr) • Geneva (
Victorinox Flagship Store Promenade de la Treille) • Geneva (
Broken Chair) • Geneva (
Palace of Nations) • Geneva →
Chamonix, France • Chamonix (Place du Triangle de l'Amitié) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to
Geneva, Switzerland. Once there, teams had to travel to the
Jet d'Eau in order to retrieve their next clue. Teams were instructed to go to Chocolats Rohr and pick a number, which determined the order of their departure the next morning. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Work Bench or Bench Work. In Work Bench, teams had to correctly assemble a
Victorinox Swiss Army knife in order to receive their next clue. In Bench Work, teams had to travel to the Promenade de la Treille, where they had to determine how many people could sit on the world's longest wooden bench. Teammates had to measure it by sitting next to each other, alternating down the entire length of the bench. If their answer was within a correct range, teams received their next clue; but if they were incorrect, they had to measure again. • After the Detour, teams found their next clue at the
Broken Chair statue. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to identify ten flags from a group of 193, representing ten of the founding
members of the United Nations. Teams had to find the ten flags in a book which contained all of the flags, and then present the correct flags to a judge in order to receive their next clue. : • After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by train to
Chamonix, France, and search for the Pit Stop at the Place du Triangle de l'Amitié.
Leg 5 (France) and the
Argentière Glacier served as backdrop for this leg's tasks. • Episode 5: "We're Only Doing Freaky Stuff Today" (March 11, 2016) • Prize: A trip for two to
Boracay, Philippines (awarded to Tyler & Korey) • Eliminated: Erin & Joslyn ;Locations •
Chamonix (Place du Triangle de l'Amitié) • Chamonix (Streets of Chamonix) • Chamonix (
Les Grands Montets Gondola Station &
Mont Blanc Massif – Les Grands Montets Summit) • Chamonix (Planpraz Gondola Station) • Chamonix (
Aiguilles Rouges – Planpraz) • Chamonix (Place Balmat –
Michel-Gabriel Paccard Statue) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams had to search the nearby streets to find a vehicle with a specific license plate. After finding their car, teams directed their driver to drive to the
Les Grands Montets gondola station, where teams had to ascend to the summit of Les Grands Montets, and once atop the mountain, one team member had to traverse a suspension line and retrieve their next clue from the other side. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Dynamite or Campsite. In Dynamite, teams had to collect two
dynamite sticks commonly used for
avalanche prevention. They then had to traverse down a mountain
via ferrata and deliver their dynamite to the mountaineer, who gave them their next clue. In Campsite, teams had to pitch a tent so as to match an example and build a protective snow wall beside the tent in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Planpraz Gondola Station in order to find their next clue. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to travel via gondola to Planpraz. They then had to perform a tandem
paragliding ride from the side of the
Aiguilles Rouges. Once in the air, they had to spot a
yeti waving a
French flag. After landing, racers were asked which country's flag they saw, and if they answered correctly, they received their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the statue of
Michel-Gabriel Paccard.
Leg 6 (France → Armenia) , teams visited the
Yerevan Cascade. • Episode 6: "Let the Good Times Roll" (April 1, 2016) • Prize: One
Express Pass (awarded to Brodie & Kurt) ;Locations •
Chamonix (Place Balmat –
Michel-Gabriel Paccard Statue) •
Geneva, Switzerland →
Yerevan, Armenia • Yerevan (
Yerevan Opera Theater) • Yerevan (
Yerevan Cascade) • Yerevan (Megerian Carpet Factory Parvana Restaurant) • Yerevan (
Republic Square) →
Hatsavan (Roadside) •
Garni (
Temple of Garni) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to
Yerevan, Armenia. Once there, teams had to travel to the
Yerevan Opera Theater, where they had to search for their next clue inside the theater while being treated to a performance of
Aram Khachaturian's "
Sabre Dance". Teams were then directed to travel on foot to the
Yerevan Cascade, where they had to climb 500 steps in order to retrieve their next clue. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Thread or Bread. In Thread, teams traveled to the Megerian Carpet Factory, where they had to complete a row of 200 stitches on an
Armenian carpet while following a pattern in order to receive their next clue. In Bread, teams traveled to the Parvana Restaurant, where they had to roll out dough and bake fifteen traditional pieces of bread called
lavash using a
tonir, an Armenian underground oven, in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to travel to
Republic Square and choose a bus that took them to
Hatsavan, overlooking
Mount Ararat, where they found their next clue. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to choose a
Lada VAZ-2101 taxi from the roadside along with a driver. They then had to direct the taxi onto a ramp and properly perform an
oil change in order to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: the
Temple of Garni. ;Additional notes • There was no elimination at the end of this leg; all teams were instead instructed to continue racing. • Armenian musician
Gevorg Dabaghyan appeared as the Pit Stop greeter in this leg.
Leg 7 (Armenia → Georgia) along the banks of the
Mtkvari River. • Episode 7: "Welcome to Bloody Fingers 101" (April 8, 2016) • Prize: A trip for two to
Turks and Caicos (awarded to Zach & Rachel) • Eliminated: Scott & Blair ;Locations •
Yerevan →
Tbilisi, Georgia • Tbilisi (
Freedom Square –
St. George Statue) • Tbilisi (
Narikala Fortress → Rike Park) •
Mtskheta (
Jvari Monastery) • Chardakhi (Iago's Wine) Mtskheta (Arsekidzis 15) • Tbilisi (
Rustaveli National Theater) • Tbilisi (Rike Park) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel by overnight train to
Tbilisi, Georgia. Once there, they had to travel to
Freedom Square and find their next clue near the
St. George Statue. Teams then traveled to the
Narikala Fortress, where they had to ride a gondola down to the banks of the
Mtkvari River. They then had to go to the
Jvari Monastery, where they found their next clue. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Clean or String. In Clean, teams had to travel to Iago's Wine and wash out a traditional
kvevri clay pot buried in the ground to the satisfaction of the winery owner to receive their next clue. In String, teams had to travel to Arsekidzis 15 and thread five strings of twenty hazelnuts to make traditional
churchkhela (a sausage-shaped candy). Teams then had to dip them into a pot to glaze them and hang them up to dry before receiving their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to travel to the
Rustaveli National Theater in Tbilisi to find their next clue. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to join the
Georgian National Ballet and perform a fast-paced routine on stage to the satisfaction of the choreographer to receive their next clue, which directed them to the Pit Stop: Rike Park, overlooking the
Bridge of Peace.
Leg 8 (Georgia → United Arab Emirates) had teams compete against
racing camels. • Episode 8: "I Have a Wedgie and a Half" (April 15, 2016) • Prize: A trip for two to
Helsinki, Finland (awarded to Brodie & Kurt) ;Locations •
Tbilisi (Rike Park) • Tbilisi →
Dubai, United Arab Emirates •
Margham (
Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve –
Bedouin Camp) •
Al Lisaili (Dubai Camel Race Track) Murqquab (Al Maha Desert) •
Palm Jumeirah (
Atlantis, The Palm –
Aquaventure) • Palm Jumeirah (Atlantis, The Palm – Poseidon's Revenge) • Dubai (
Deira Old Souq Station) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to
Dubai in the
United Arab Emirates. Once there, teams had to drive themselves to a
Bedouin camp in the
Margham desert, where teams were given their next clue along with a
Travelocity Roaming Gnome. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Races or Oasis. In Races, teams traveled to the Dubai Camel Race Track. There, they used bicycles to compete against
racing camels, who could reach speeds up to , on a course. If teams finished ahead of the camels, they could receive their next clue. In Oasis, teams had to lead four camels across a marked path through the desert to a Bedouin camp, where they were offered traditional
regag bread and
camel milk along with their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to drive to
Atlantis, The Palm, and search
Aquaventure for their next clue. This was the same water park that teams visited in
season 15. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to put on a diving helmet and walk through an aquarium containing
sharks,
rays, and other sea creatures in order to retrieve a canister containing a puzzle. Once they were out of the aquarium, they had to solve the puzzle in order to receive their next clue. Brodie & Kurt used their Express Pass to bypass this Roadblock. • After the Roadblock, teams had to slide down the Poseidon's Revenge
water slide in order to receive their next clue. Teams then had to drive back to Dubai and travel by
abra to the Pit Stop: the
Deira Old Souq Station. ;Additional note • This was a non-elimination leg.
Leg 9 (United Arab Emirates → Indonesia) , teams visited
Tanah Lot, a
Balinese temple, to deliver religious offerings and pythons. • Episode 9: "Salt That Sand!" (April 22, 2016) • Prize: each (awarded to Tyler & Korey) • Eliminated: Zach & Rachel ;Locations •
Dubai (
Deira Old Souq Station) • Dubai →
Denpasar, Indonesia •
Beraban (
Tanah Lot – Enjung Galuh Temple &
Snake Temple) •
Kusamba (Banjar Belatung Kusamba Beach) • Pesinggahan (
Bat Temple) • Denpasar (Mertasari Beach) • Denpasar (Semawang Beach –
Pinisi) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to
Denpasar, Indonesia, on the island of
Bali. Once there, teams had to travel to
Tanah Lot and pick one of three departure times the next morning, when each team member had to deliver a religious offering known as a
gebogan on their heads to the Enjung Galuh Temple. Once there, they had to trade their
gebogans for two live
pythons, which they had to carry around their necks and deliver to the Snake Temple in order to receive their next clue directing them to Banjar Belatung Kusamba Beach. • In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to collect seawater in two baskets on a bamboo pole and shake out the water onto a bed of volcanic sand so that it could evaporate. After filling the plot of sand, they then had to scrape enough
crystallized salt from the brine troughs to fill a basket. Finally, they had to properly fill four plastic bags with salt in order to receive their next clue. • For their Speed Bump, Sheri & Cole had to go to the
Bat Temple and prepare and sell ten bowls of a traditional Indonesian meatball dish known as
bakso for
Rp10,000 each. Each team member then had to finish a bowl of
bakso before they could continue racing and perform the leg's first Roadblock. • After the first Roadblock, teams had to travel to Mertasari Beach in order to find their next clue. • In this leg's second Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to properly assemble a traditional kite and fly it along the beach with a team of kite enthusiasts in order to receive their next clue. • After the second Roadblock, teams had to travel to Semawang Beach and then paddle an
outrigger canoe to a traditional
pinisi sailing ship, which was the Pit Stop.
Leg 10 (Indonesia) required teams to harvest
seaweed. • Episode 10: "Monkey Dance!" (April 29, 2016) • Prize: A trip for two on an
Alaskan cruise (awarded to Tyler & Korey) • Eliminated: Brodie & Kurt ;Locations •
Denpasar (Semawang Beach –
Pinisi) •
Nusa Penida (Gamat Bay) •
Nusa Lembongan (Hai Tide Beach Resort – Mushroom Beach) • Nusa Lembongan (Pura Puseh) • Nusa Lembongan (Lembongan–
Ceningan Bridge Seaweed Farm) • Nusa Lembongan (Warung Sunrise) • Nusa Lembongan (Hai Tide Beach Resort – Pande Curly Paddleboard Shop) • Nusa Ceningan (Blue Lagoon) • Denpasar (
Bajra Sandhi Monument) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams took a boat to Gamat Bay on the island of
Nusa Penida. There, they had to search for their clue inside one of three clue boxes near the corals on the ocean floor. After retrieving their clue, teams took a high-speed boat to Mushroom Beach at Hai Tide Beach Resort, and then traveled to Pura Puseh. Before entering the stairway, teams had to wear
sarongs on their waist and follow a dancer dressed as a monkey, who then gave them their next clue. • This leg's Detour was a choice between Haul or Harvest. In Haul, teams had to carry a total of fifty coconuts and four live chickens across a congested suspension bridge and load the coconuts into a delivery truck and the chickens into baskets in order to receive their next clue. In Harvest, teams had to propel a canoe through a marked course, where they had to collect enough
seaweed to completely cover a tarp on the beach, in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Warung Sunrise in order to find their next clue, which directed them to the Pande Curly Paddleboard Shop. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to ride a jet ski to the Blue Lagoon, where they climbed a ladder to the top of a four-story high cliff. They then participated in a
Pilates session with
Bondi Rescue lifeguard Anthony "Harries" Carroll before jumping into the sea in order to get their next clue. • After the Roadblock, teams took a boat back to Bali and then traveled by taxi to the Pit Stop: the
Bajra Sandhi Monument in
Denpasar. ;Additional note • This leg featured a Double U-Turn. Tyler & Korey chose to use the U-Turn on Brodie & Kurt, while Burnie & Ashley chose to use the U-Turn on Tyler & Korey. However, Tyler & Korey had already passed the U-Turn by this point and were therefore unaffected. Burnie & Ashley knew this, but chose to use the U-Turn so as to prevent other teams from being able to use it.
Leg 11 (Indonesia → China) Terrace, which overlooks the
Civic Center in
Shenzhen, China, served as the Pit Stop for this penultimate leg. • Episode 11: "That's Money, Honey" (May 6, 2016) • Eliminated: Burnie & Ashley ;Locations •
Denpasar (Pura Dalem Semawa) • Denpasar →
Shenzhen, China • Shenzhen (
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport –
Departure Hall) • Shenzhen (Shenzhen International Airport →
Hourui Station) • Shenzhen (Hourui Station →
Window of the World) • Shenzhen (Window of the World –
Eiffel Tower) • Shenzhen (Window of the World →
Grand Theater Station) • Shenzhen (Lychee Park – Moon Bridge) • Shenzhen (
Dafen Oil Painting Village) • Shenzhen (
Shenzhen Library Terrace) ;Episode summary • At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to
Shenzhen, China. After arriving at
Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, teams had to search the departure hall in order to find their next clue, which directed them to travel by bus and train to the
Eiffel Tower, which teams had to figure out that was a
replica at the
Window of the World. • In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search the grounds of the Window of the World, a park containing replicas of world landmarks, for six specific landmarks that were the answers to riddles given in the clue. At each monument, they had to retrieve a photo sticker and paste it on their provided passport. Once they had all six stickers, they had to show the passport to a park official in order to receive their next clue. • After the Roadblock, teams had to travel by subway to Lychee Park and search for the Moon Bridge in order to find their next clue. • This season's final Detour was a choice between Commuter Cycle or Master of Arts. In Commuter Cycle, teams had to ride
self-balancing unicycles down a busy street while holding a briefcase and a coffee cup in order to receive the combination to the briefcase, which contained their next clue. In Master of Arts, teams had to search for a plaza filled with painters at the
Dafen Oil Painting Village for one who held a marked paintbrush. The painter led them to a shop where they found disassembled pieces of art. After bringing the pieces of art to another shop, they then had to properly install the artwork on a wall in order to receive their next clue. • After the Detour, teams received a photo of a building, which they had to figure out was the
Shenzhen Civic Center. From there, they had to search the grounds for the Pit Stop: the terrace of the
Shenzhen Library.
Leg 12 (China → United States) in
Santa Barbara. • Episode 12: "The Only First That Matters" (May 13, 2016) • Prize: US$1,000,000 • Winners: Dana & Matt • Runners-up: Sheri & Cole • Third place: Tyler & Korey ;Locations •
Shenzhen (
Shenzhen Library Terrace) •
Guangzhou →
Los Angeles, California • Los Angeles (Angelus Plaza) • Los Angeles (Angelus Plaza) →
Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara (Santa Barbara Harbor –
Theresa Ann) • Santa Barbara (
Rattlesnake Canyon – Gibraltar Rock) •
Santa Ynez (Grassini Family Vineyards) ;Episode summary • At the end of the previous leg, Phil informed teams that they were flying to
Los Angeles, California. Once there, teams had to find their next clue at Angelus Plaza. • In this leg's first Roadblock, one team member had to jump from the roof of the Angelus Plaza and grab their next clue, which was hanging in mid-air above the ground. If they failed, racers had to rappel back down and try again, but with each failed attempt, the clue was moved closer to them. • After the first Roadblock, teams traveled by helicopter to
Santa Barbara. Once there, teams had to travel to Santa Barbara Harbor and use a marked dinghy in order to find the
Theresa Ann, where a fisherman on board gave them their next clue sending them to Gibraltar Rock. Once there, teams were instructed to take part in
synchronized mountaineering. One team member traversed horizontally across a suspended line to grab one half of the clue, which caused their partner to simultaneously descend down the face of the cliff to pick up the other half. Once they were reunited, team members had to join the two halves together in order to read their next clue, which directed them to Grassini Family Vineyards in
Santa Ynez. • In this season's final Roadblock, the team member who did not perform the previous Roadblock had to arrange
wine barrel lids, which featured
hashtags that had been printed on teams' clues in previous legs, and then spell the name of each corresponding city in chronological order. Once the hashtags and the cities were correct, teams could receive their final clue, which instructed them to search the grounds of Grassini Family Vineyards for the finish line. : ==Reception==