The Amazing Race 18

Development and filming

The Amazing Race 18 was the first season of the United States series to be broadcast on high-definition television. While most other prime-time television shows have transitioned to high definition, including other reality television shows, previous seasons of The Amazing Race have used standard-definition television due to the cost and fragility of high-definition recording equipment. International versions of The Amazing Race, including the fourth Asian and second Latin American seasons, had already transitioned to high-definition. Also, many previous editions of Elimination Station were filmed in high-definition. This season of the Race traveled a little over 40,000 miles (64,000 km) across 23 cities and five continents.

Filming started on November 20, 2010 at the San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm near Palm Springs, California where the first task had teams sorting through hundreds of paper airplanes. They were asked to find one that said "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services", which is the full name of Qantas Airways. By finding the correct paper airplane they were awarded them one of two flights to their first destination: Sydney, Australia. Teams were spotted at Oceanworld in Manly near Sydney, Australia around November 22, 2010 and a day later around the mining town of Broken Hill, New South Wales in the Australian Outback. Other locales cited as destinations are Yokohama, Japan, where teams swam in freezing waters near Mount Fuji, and the series' first visit to Liechtenstein, where a task had teams measure the length of the principality on mopeds. Teams also visited Lijiang and Kunming, China; Kolkata and Varanasi, India; Vienna, Austria; Zermatt, Switzerland; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Snapple sponsored this season of The Amazing Race, with "Snapple Real Facts" introduced during commercial breaks. The sixth leg of "Unfinished Business" – taking place in Kolkata, India – features several tasks involving a papaya-and-mango flavored tea Snapple developed and named after the show. Ford also sponsored the season, with their new Focus serving as the prize car for the season.

The Express Pass, introduced in the previous series, returned, allowing the team that places first in the first leg to skip any later task in the race. The last team to complete the first task was forced to complete a U-Turn in the next leg, performing both tasks of the leg's Detour. A new game mechanic was also introduced in this season: legs without a mandatory rest period between them. At the end of the first leg in Sydney, Australia, and the fourth leg in Lijiang, China, teams were told their placements. They were then ordered to keep racing with a new Route Info clue; the first team to check in was still awarded a prize and the last team to check in was not eliminated and did not have to perform a Speed Bump in the next leg.

Casting

The 18th season of The Amazing Race has been subtitled "Unfinished Business", and features eleven returning teams from previous seasons for a second chance to win the million dollar prize. Keoghan described all the contestants as teams that "came so close to winning but for one reason or another just didn't quite make it over the finish line in first place". Keoghan gave examples of two teams: Zev and Justin from Season 15, who had finished first on a leg, but one of them had lost his passport too late to continue racing; and LaKisha and Jennifer from Season 14, where they took an unfortunately-timed restroom break while racing to the Pit Stop and were eliminated. The prior experience of all the teams in previous seasons allowed the producers to increase the difficulty of the various tasks and challenges they were to face. All of the teams have been from recent seasons of the Race; the earliest season represented is the 12th. According to Bertram Van Munster, they stayed with more recent teams because "if we're digging too far back, people might not even remember who they were". The 14th season is represented by five of the eleven teams; Van Munster called this particular version of the race "a very unique season" and justified its larger proportion of teams. Though they had considered fan-favorites Toni and Dallas from the 13th season, Keoghan stated they felt the other selected teams "have the best stories and the best motivation" for casting.

The returning teams, their prior race placements, and their "Unfinished Business" are:

From Season 12:

Ron and Christina Hsu, father and daughter, 2nd place; Ron & Christina had a huge lead for most of the final leg in Anchorage, until Christina was brought down by the final mind-blowing Roadblock, costing them the race.

Kent Kaliber and Vyxsin Fiala, dating goths and Hot Topic models, 5th place; Kent & Vyxsin suffered a communications breakdown in Tuscany due to their lack of experience driving a car with a manual transmission. They also wasted their U-Turn power by erroneously using it on a team that was ahead of them.

From Season 14:

Margie and Luke Adams, mother and son, 3rd place; although Margie & Luke were in the lead for most of the final leg in Maui, Luke stumbled at the final Roadblock, costing them the race.

Amanda Blackledge and Kris Klicka, engaged (dating in Season 14), 8th place; Amanda & Kris were U-Turned by Margie & Luke in Siberia, resulting in Amanda & Kris's elimination.

Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal, former cheerleaders for the NFL's Miami Dolphins, 2nd place; Jaime & Cara's cab driver in Maui got lost on the way to the final Roadblock destination, costing Jaime & Cara valuable time.

Kisha and Jen Hoffman, sisters and sports coaches, 4th place; Kisha & Jen were U-Turned by Tammy & Victor in Beijing, China. In addition, on the way to the Pit Stop, Kisha & Jen took an emergency bathroom break after Jen drank four bottles of water during the Roadblock. As a result, they were overtaken and Kisha & Jen fell to last place and were eliminated.

Mel and Mike White, father and son writers, 6th place; Mel & Mike's cab driver took them to the wrong place in Phuket, setting them behind all the other teams. Mel & Mike could not recover from this setback and were eliminated.

From Season 15:

Zev Glassenberg and Justin Kanew, best friends, 9th place; after checking in first in Phnom Penh, Zev & Justin realized they had lost Zev's passport and they were unable to find it before all other remaining teams checked in, resulting in Zev & Justin's elimination.

Herbert "Flight Time" Lang and Nathaniel "Big Easy" Lofton, teammates on the Harlem Globetrotters, 4th place; Big Easy could not complete the Kafka-themed Roadblock in Prague and took a 4-hour penalty, resulting in Flight Time & Big Easy's elimination.

From Season 16:

Jet and Cord McCoy, brothers and rodeo cowboys, 2nd place; on the plane from Shanghai to San Francisco, eventual winners Dan & Jordan were able to move up to first class for free, giving them a lead that Jet & Cord were never able to overcome.

From Season 17:

Gary and Mallory Ervin, father and daughter, 6th place; Gary & Mallory got lost for several hours trying to find the Roadblock location in Oman, only lost 5 minutes before the 5th team arrived at the Pit Stop.

This is the first and, thus far, only season to have more than one African-American team reach the final leg of the race, as Kisha & Jen and Flight Time & Big Easy make up two of the final three teams of this season.

Results

The following teams participated in the Race, each listed along with their placements in each leg and relationships as identified by the program. Note that this table is not necessarily reflective of all content broadcast on television, owing to the inclusion or exclusion of some data. Placements are listed in finishing order:

A red team placement means the team was eliminated.

A purple ε indicates that the team decided to use the Express Pass on that leg.

An underlined leg number indicates that there was no mandatory rest period at the Pit Stop and all teams were ordered to continue racing, although the first place team was still awarded a prize for that leg. An underlined team placement indicates that the team came in last on a "continue racing" leg and was ordered to continue racing, but did not have to perform a Speed Bump, which is why their placement doesn't have a blue underline.

An underlined blue team's placement indicates that the team came in last on a non-elimination leg and had to perform a Speed Bump during the next leg of the race.

An orange ∪ indicates that the team was penalized for finishing last in the Starting Line task and were subject to an automatic U-Turn at the first Detour of the Race.

A brown ⊃ or a cyan ⋑ indicates that the team chose to use one of the two U-Turns in a Double U-Turn; ⊂ or ⋐ indicates the team who received it; ⋐⋑ around a leg number indicates that only one of the two available U-Turns was used.

Episode title quotes

Episode titles are often taken from quotes made by the racers.

1. "Head Down and Hold On" – Jaime & Cara's sailing instructor (non-racer)
2. "I Never Looked So Foolish in My Whole Entire Life" – Kisha
3. "We Had a Lot of Evil Spirits Apparently" – Christina
4. "This is the Most Stupid Day Ever" – Vyxsin
5. "Don't Ruin the Basketball Game" – Mallory
6. "I Feel Like a Monkey in a Circus Parade" – Gary
7. "You Don't Get Paid Unless You Win" – Cord
8. "I Cannot Deal With Your Psycho Behavior" – Vyxsin
9. "We're Good American People" – Zev
10. "Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen" – Zev
11. "This is Where It Ends" – Justin

Prizes

The prize for each leg is awarded to the first place team for that leg. All trips are sponsored by Travelocity; the Leg 6 prize is sponsored by Snapple and the Leg 8 prize is sponsored by Ford.

Leg 1 – The Express Pass – an item that can be used on the race to skip any one task of the team's choosing.

Leg 2 – A trip for two to Cancun, Mexico

Leg 3 – A trip for two to the Hotel Punta Islita in Costa Rica

Leg 4 – A trip for two to Aruba

Leg 5 – US$5,000 each

Leg 6 – An Indian dinner for two featuring Bollywood-inspired dance entertainment, and ₹1,000,000 (over US$20,000) to share

Leg 7 – A trip for two to Hawaiʻi

Leg 8 – A 2012 Ford Focus for each racer

Leg 9 – A trip for two to Curaçao

Leg 10 – A trip for two to the Cook Islands

Leg 11 – A cruise for two on the Mediterranean Sea with visits to Rome and Casablanca

Leg 12 – US$1,000,000

Phil's Video Diary

A new feature to this season is an online show, allowing the viewers to see what happens behind the scenes of the Race, hosted by Keoghan. This feature replaces the "Elimination Station" videos as seen in previous seasons.

Episode 1: The night before the first leg, Phil prepares to meet the eleven teams at Palm Springs, California. He then films the helicopter shots seen at the start of the episode. While traveling to Sydney, Phil explains that the flight had been delayed, meaning that the Pit Stop crew then only had a small time advantage over the teams. The final portion of the diary shows Phil filming the Pit Stop segment.

Episode 2: Phil films the establishing shot for Shelly Beach and quickly cleans his hair outside, revealing he had not showered before the film crew left Los Angeles. As they drive to Oceanworld Manly to film the Roadblock's establishing shots, Phil sticks his head out of the car window to dry it. Later, Phil explains that they are now flying back to Sydney to catch a flight to Japan, and at the airport, he plays around on the luggage carousel, pretending to be a piece of luggage.

Episode 3: Phil and the production crew arrive in Narita, Japan, and Phil explains why he loves to visit Japan. They head to the Yuhi Falls featured in the "Prayer of Purity" Detour task, enjoying the scenery, before explaining the task to his diary camera and then filming the piece for the show.

Episode 4: The film crew lands in Lijiang, China, and Phil explains the Baishui River crossing tourist attraction before filming the explanation for the "Yak Yak Yak" task. After the group heads to the top of Jade Dragon Mountain, Phil shares some grilled yak with one of the film crew, before the filming of the Roadblock explanation in Spruce Meadow is shown.

Episode 5: The film crew arrives in Kunming and Phil prepares to film the explanation of the "Embrace the Future" Detour Task, before poking fun at Barry, the sound technician, and how he has lost his voice. Later, while on the way to the Stone Forest, Barry has his voice back, and they film the Roadblock segment using time-lapse photography. Phil then comments on how the competition has ramped up on Leg 5 and he is interested in who will come in first on the Leg.

Episode 6: Phil and the production team arrive in Kolkata, and Phil remarks at how empty the streets are at 3 o'clock in the morning. By daybreak, the streets are full of cars and people, and Phil remarks on how he loves it when the Race goes to India. Phil arrives in Jorasanko to explain the Detour tasks, and then they visit the Victoria Institution School for the end of the "Bengali Literature" Detour task. At the Pit Stop location, Phil plays cricket with several local children until he breaks the bat, and apologizes to them, before filming the establishing shot for the Pit Stop.

Episode 7: In Varanasi, Phil remarks on how busy the city is in the morning, much like Kolkata. Phil walks down towards the Ganges, looking at the vegetable stalls on the way to the river. On the Ganges to film the Detour segments, Phil relaxes and says how he is enjoying traveling on the river. The film crew then heads to Ramnagar Fort to wait at the Pit Stop, where Phil once again enjoys watching the Ganges as the sun sets.

Episode 8: Arriving in Vienna from Delhi, Phil remarks on how different the weather is from India, as it is winter in the northern hemisphere. Phil walks through one of Vienna's Christmas markets before heading to the Austrian National Library where he rides on a horse-drawn carriage before filming the Detour introduction where the Detour choices are initially named "Father of Psychoanalysis" and "Mother of All Meals", before changing to "Long Hard Walk" and "Quick and Easy Meal". The crew then heads to the Sigmund Freud Museum for the Freud's couch Detour before going to the Wiener Riesenrad for the eating Detour, where Barry eats a serving of Wiener Schnitzel, while a microphone is up against the schnitzel.

Episode 9: The crew arrives in Zermatt, Switzerland, and Phil films the bus they rode and the surroundings. He then walks down the main street to the Detour tasks, commenting on how they only allow electric vehicles in the city. Later, Phil attempts to figure out how the VéloSoleX works, before he rides it in the Liechtenstien Roadblock explanation.

Episode 10: Phil and the film crew leave their hotel early in the morning to head for the helicopter port that will take them onto the glaciers of the Matterhorn to film the Detour segment. They then take a gondola lift back down the mountain to Zermatt.

Episode 11: Phil takes in the view of Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach from his balcony, before heading to the beauty salon where a few crew members are being used to demonstrate the waxing route marker. Later, they head to the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum to prepare for the Pit Stop and film the portion explaining the museum before the next leg begins.

Leg 1 (United States → Australia)

Airdate: February 20, 2011

Palm Springs, California, United States (San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm) (Starting Line)

Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) to Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Sydney Airport)

Sydney (Mascot – International railway station) to Sydney (City Centre – Circular Quay railway station)

Sydney (City Centre – Circular Quay ferry wharf) to (Manly – Manly Wharf)

Sydney (Manly – Oceanworld Manly)

Sydney (Manly – Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club)

Sydney (Manly – Shelly Beach)

In the Race's first Roadblock, one team member had to scuba dive in the Oceanworld shark and ray tank and search the tank for a compass. The compass included a guide to decode a message hidden in series of nautical flags outside. The correctly decoded message instructed teams to go to the Manly 16 ft Skiff Sailing Club, find the Commodore, and tell him the password "I am Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" to receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

At the Starting Line, teams had to search through a field containing hundreds of paper airplanes with various words written on them for one matching the clue "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services", and had to figure out that this was a reference to Qantas, which was written on the correct airplanes. Once teams presented a correct airplane to Phil, he would give them their first Route Info clue and tickets for one of two flights; the first eight teams got tickets for the first flight, and the last three teams got tickets for a flight that left 90 minutes after the first. In addition, the last team to complete the task would be penalized with a U-Turn on the Race's first Detour.

At the Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing Club, teams had to join a sailing crew and ride a 16ft Skiff through a race course to a series of buoys that had their next clue.

Leg 2 (Australia)

Airdate: February 27, 2011

Sydney (City Centre – Sydney Town Hall (To Sail To Stop Sculpture))

Sydney (Sydney Airport) to Broken Hill (Broken Hill Airport)

Broken Hill (The Living Desert)

Broken Hill (Central Football Club)

Broken Hill (Intersection of Mercury St. and Bismuth St.)

Broken Hill (Junction Mine)

The first Detour of the Race at The Living Desert was a choice between Spirit World and Natural World. In Spirit World, teams made a traditional Australian Aboriginal stone mosaic based on a model, and then had to perform a dance that is traditionally done to honor ancestors on top of the mosaic before receiving their clue from an Aboriginal elder. In Natural World, teams made traditional Australian Aboriginal paintings by spraying a mix of water and a clay-like pigment out of their mouths to make four specific silhouette images on a piece of slate (an outline of each of their hands and stencils of a lizard and a kangaroo), before they could receive their clue from an Aboriginal elder.

Additional tasks

Teams received their clue from Phil at the Pit Stop instructed them to find "To Sail To Stop", and left them to figure that this referred to a sculpture of an anchor near Sydney Town Hall. There they could sign up for one of two charter flights to Broken Hill in the Outback for one of two departure times the next morning, the first six teams would be room for a 6:00 a.m. flight, while the last five teams for the second flight at 6:30 a.m.

Upon arriving in Broken Hill, teams had to find marked cars containing their next clue being placed on a windshield, and drive themselves to the Living Desert.

After completing the Detour, teams were told to return to Broken Hill and find the "home of the Magpies", leaving them to figure out that this was a reference to the Broken Hill Football League's Central Magpies Australian rules football team's stadium: Central Football Club.

At the Central Football Club, teams dressed up as kangaroos complete with Kangoo Jump shoes and were given a periodic table with the symbols Hg and Bi highlighted. They were left to figure out that these are respectively the symbols for mercury and bismuth and that those elements were also names of two streets in town that met at an intersection where their next clue was located.

Leg 3 (Australia → Japan)

Airdate: March 6, 2011

Broken Hill (Broken Hill railway station) to Sydney (Haymarket – Central railway station)

Sydney (Sydney Airport) to Tokyo, Japan (Narita International Airport)

Shibuya (Rotating Parking Garage)

Kamakura (Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū – Yabusame Dojo)

Minamiashigara (Daiyūzan Station – Kintarō Statue)

Minamiashigara (Yuhi Falls or Madarame Farm)

Yokosuka (Kurihama – Commodore Perry Monument (Japanese))

During the Pit Stop, teams were boarded a train back into Sydney to start the leg. In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member dressed in the traditional clothes of a samurai archer and learned the Yabusame ritual through observation, consisting of a meditative form ritual before a traditional posing with the yumi bow. Once they performed the first two aspects of the ritual to the dojo master's satisfaction, they would then mount a rotating wooden horse and hit a wooden target with an arrow before they could receive their next clue.

This leg's Detour was a choice between Prayer of Purity and Frog of Luck. In Prayer of Purity, teams put on keikogi and traveled to the nearby woods where they would take part in a Shinto cleansing ritual. First they would have to learn a prayer that consisted of a chant, lighting incense, and then shouting while thrusting a walking stick out in front of them. Once they completed the prayers, they would stand under the Yuhi Falls and endure being drenched in 45 °F (7 °C) water cascading down onto them for one minute before receiving their next clue. In Frog of Luck, teams stripped down to their undergarments and put on fundoshi over them before walking out to a mudpit where they had to search for a toy frog in the mud while having mud thrown at them by locals. Once they found the frog, they would have to present it to the nearby frog master for their next clue.

Additional tasks

At the Rotating Parking Garage, teams must pick a number and rotate automatically to choose a marked car to drive themselves to Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū.

At the Daiyūzan Station, teams had to search the grounds for Kintarō statue for their next route marker.

Leg 4 (Japan → China)

Airdate: March 13, 2011

Tokyo (Narita International Airport) to Kunming, China (Kunming Wujiaba International Airport) or Lijiang (Lijiang Airport)

Kunming (Kunming Railway Station) to Lijiang (Lijiang Train Station)

Lijiang (Jade Dragon Mountain)

Lijiang (Spruce Meadow)

Lijiang (Old Town of Lijiang)

Lijiang (Eternal Tower on Lion Hill)

In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search through tens of thousands of wooden charms for a set of twelve that correspond to the symbols of the Chinese zodiac. Once they collected the charms, they had to place them on a mobile in the correct order which was the traditional procession of the signs according to myth: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig, before they could receive their next clue.

The Detour at Old Town of Lijiang which teams had a choice between Hammer or Horn. In Hammer, teams traveled to a candy shop where they used wooden mallets to pulverize a peanut brittle into the right consistency. They then had to cut it into pieces and box them before the candy maker would give them their next clue. In Horn, teams traveled to a square where they had to pick up a large traditional horn and lead a group of Nakhi dancers to Wencheng Palace on the other side of town for their next clue.

Additional note

Due to the limited flights to Lijiang, all teams must take the mandatory flight to Kunming, China. Once in Kunming, teams may take any arrangements they would like to board a train to Lijiang.

Additional tasks

At the Jade Dragon Mountain, teams had to properly saddle a yak, after which one team member rode the yak across a portion of the Baishui River to receive their next clue.

At the Spruce Meadow, teams must ride a gondola to the mountain and search for their next clue.

Upon arriving at the Old Town of Lijiang, teams had to put a wish into a prayer wheel via a slot that corresponded to their sign in the Chinese zodiac, and call out the name of their sign. Once they got the right signs, they would receive their next clue.

Leg 5 (China)

Airdate: March 20, 2011

Lijiang (Lijiang Train Station) to Kunming (Kunming Railway Station)

Kunming (Dounan Flower Market)

Kunming (Golden Horse and Jade Cock Memorial Archway (Chinese))

Kunming (Yunnan Province Cultural Center or China Great Wall Assets Management Company)

Kunming (Yunnan Province Cultural Center)

Shilin Yi Autonomous County (Stone Forest)

Kunming (Green Lake Park)

The Detour was a choice between Honor the Past and Embrace the Future. In Honor the Past, teams had to put on a traditional Tibetan outfit at the Yunnan Province Cultural Center and then watch a theater troupe. Without having taken any notes, teams then had to go off-stage, and put a series of 15 dolls dressed up like the actors in the order of the procession on stage. If they got the right order, they would receive their clue. If not, they would have to start over. In Embrace the Future, teams had to put on safety gear and then bring three heavy boxes up to the roof of the China Great Wall Assets Management Company building. Once there, they had to help assemble a solar water heating system before they could receive their next clue.

In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to assemble a life-size 20-foot (6.1 m) long model of a Dilophosaurus. Once the model was properly built, a paleontologist would give them their next clue. If at any point the paleontologist believed that the model was structurally unsafe, the racer would have to start over.

Additional tasks

At the start of the leg, teams must board a train to Kunming and travel to Dounan Flower Market to search for their next clue.

At the end of the Detour, teams were only given a photo of their next location and were left to figure out that it was the Yunnan Province Cultural Center (referred to in the show as the Chinese Minority Heritage Center) for the Double U-Turn board.

Leg 6 (China → India)

Airdate: March 27, 2011

Kunming (Jin Fu Yi Zhan Tea Shop)

Kunming (Kunming Wujiaba International Airport) to Kolkata, India (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport)

Kolkata (Kolkata Town Hall)

Jorasanko (Jorasanko Thakur Bari – Tiwari Tea Stall)

Kolkata (Rakhal Paul and Sons statue shop or Dey's Publishing house and Victoria Institution High School and College)

Kolkata (Maidan – Fountain of Joy)

In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member had to take part in an Indian tea tasting ceremony. First, they had to take a papaya, a mango, and the brick of tea the teams received before left Kunming to the tea auctioneer. Then, they had to search among several hundred tea cups for one that held the same papaya-and-mango-infused tea that they tasted in China. Once they got the right tea, the auctioneer would give them their next clue.

The Detour in Kolkata was a choice between Hindu Art and Bengali Literature. In Hindu Art, teams traveled to the Rakhal Paul and Sons statue shop where they had to paint and then dress a statue of the Hindu god Ganesha. Once it was complete, they would receive their next clue. In Bengali Literature, teams traveled to the Dey's Publishing house and picked up eight bundles of the children's book Introduction to the Bengali Alphabet. They then got into a rickshaw school bus and traveled across town to the Victoria Institution High School and College and searched the grounds for the offices of the headmistress of the primary school where they would deliver the books and receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

At the Jin Fu Yi Zhan Tea Shop, teams took part in a Chinese tea tasting ceremony where they were given a taste of the papaya-and-mango-infused tea that, unbeknownst to them at the time, would be featured in the upcoming Roadblock in Kolkata. Along with their next clue, they were given a brick of tea leaves that would also be used in the Roadblock.

After completing the Roadblock, teams were given a bottle of Snapple iced tea and were left to figure out that their next clue was printed on the inside of the lid, directing them to go to the Jorasanko Thakur Bari in Jorasanko and then search for the Tiwari Tea Stall. Upon reaching the Tiwari Tea Stall, teams traded the Snapple bottle for their next clue.

Leg 7 (India)

Airdate: April 10, 2011

Kolkata (Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport) to Varanasi (Varanasi Airport)

Varanasi (Tonga Stand)

Varanasi (Tulsi Ghat – Swaminath Akhara)

Varanasi (Ganges – Sakka Ghat or Ksameshwar Ghat)

Ramnagar (Ramnagar Fort)

In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member had to search the streets near the Tonga stand for six different sadhus (as depicted in a series of photographs they were given) who would give out one of six pieces of a phrase described as "the meaning of life": "Once you're over the hill you pick up speed". Once the racer had all six fragments of the phrase, he or she would have to provide the phrase to a seventh sadhu who would give them their next clue.

This Leg's Detour was a choice between Feed the Fire and Feed the Buffalo. In Feed the Fire, teams travelled down the Ganges to Sakka Ghat to the home of a milkman where they had to make 50 traditional fuel patties made from water buffalo manure and then slap them against a wall to allow them to dry. When the supervisor was satisfied with their work (the patties were not too large or too small), teams had to light a stove with dried fuel patties to boil milk for local children before receiving their clue. In Feed the Buffalo, the teams had to cross the Ganges to collect two bales of hay. which were to be delivered to the addresses attached to them. The teams were then required to return over the Ganges to Ksameshwar Ghat, where they had to locate the addresses to which they were to deliver the hay. Upon delivery, they got their next clue.

Additional task

At the Swaminath Akhara at Tulsi Ghat, teams had to find a strongman, who handed them their next clue.

Leg 8 (India → Austria)

Airdate: April 17, 2011

Varanasi (Varanasi Airport) to Vienna, Austria (Vienna International Airport)

Schollach (Schallaburg Castle)

Vienna (Austrian National Library – Prunksaal)

Vienna (Sigmund Freud Museum and University of Vienna or Wiener Riesenrad)

Salzburg (Sternbräu Restaurant)

Salzburg (Villa Trapp (German))

In this Leg's Detour, teams chose between Long Hard Walk and Quick and Easy Meal. In Long Hard Walk, teams traveled to the Sigmund Freud Museum (Sigmund Freud's former home) to pick up a psychoanalysis couch, like the ones he used in his sessions, and then deliver it to his former office at the University of Vienna approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) away where they would receive their next clue. In Quick and Easy Meal, teams traveled to the Wiener Riesenrad ferris wheel where they picked up two large servings of the varied forms of traditional Austrian cuisine: Wiener Schnitzel, Sauerkraut, and Sachertorte. They then boarded one of the Riesenrad's dining cars where, while a violinist played some Viennese music, they would have to finish both servings within one 12-minute revolution of the ferris wheel before receiving their next clue. If they could not finish, they would have to start over.

In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member chose a chimney sweep instructor and then put on the traditional chimney sweep uniform. They then went to the roof of the building and used a weight with wire mesh on a rope to clean one of the chimneys three times. Once complete, they went to the basement and opened up one of the chimney cleaning doors that held their next clue.

Additional tasks

Upon arriving at Vienna International Airport, teams went into one of the parking garages and chose a Ford Focus. Once inside the car, teams received a message from Phil directing them to put the car in reverse to activate the MyFord Touch's rear view camera system for their next clue. As they backed up, teams would be able to read the name of their next destination spelled out on the pavement behind the car (in German): Schloss Schallaburg.

At Schallaburg Castle, teams were given a large book with a stamp on the front page with the text: "Librarian Prunksaal/Österreichische Nationalbibliothek", directing them to drive to the Austrian National Library and find the librarian of the Prunksaal section with whom they would exchange the book for their next clue.

Leg 9 (Austria → Liechtenstein → Switzerland)

Airdate: April 24, 2011

Salzburg (Salzburg Hauptbahnhof) to Feldkirch (Feldkirch railway station)

Schaanwald, Liechtenstein

Balzers (Gutenberg Castle)

Balzers to Sargans, Switzerland

Sargans (Sargans railway station) to Zermatt (Zermatt railway station)

Zermatt (Restaurant Walliserkanne Zermatt or Zermatt railway station)

Zermatt (Hinterdorf near the Inderbinen-Brunnen)

Zermatt (Bergrestaurant-Moos (German))

The Speed Bump required Gary & Mallory had to prepare the right mixture of gasoline and oil to power their VéloSoleX motorized bicycle for the Roadblock. They had to measure 25 parts gasoline to 1 part of oil, and had to figure out that 2 liters (0.53 U.S. gal) of gasoline would fulfill the mixture ratio, before they allowed to continue racing.

For the Roadblock, one team member had to use an odometer and a VéloSoleX to measure the entire length of the country of Liechtenstein, riding from Schaanwald to Balzers. At the end, they would meet up with six-time Winter Olympian and alpine ski racer Marco Büchel who give him the distance that they traveled, written on the back of a postcard: 22 km (14 mi). If they were correct, Büchel would direct the racers to Gutenberg Castle where they would meet up with their teammate and read the next clue. If they were incorrect, they would have to travel back to Schaanwald and start over.

In this leg's Detour was a choice between Cheese and Wheeze. In Cheese, teams traveled to the Restaurant Walliserkanne Zermatt where they would have to finish an entire pot of cheese fondue. Once the pot was empty, the restaurateur would give them an empty fondue pot with the name of the next location printed on the inside. In Wheeze, teams had to dress up as bellhops and then pick up pieces of luggage from the Zermatt railway station. Then, using a luggage cart, they had to deliver the suitcases to different hotels throughout Zermatt where they would receive receipt tags for each piece of luggage. Once they had a total of 20 receipt tags from at least five different hotels, they could trade them in to the head porter for their next clue.

Additional task

At the start of the leg, teams instructed to travel by train to the Austrian-Liechtenstein border to Schaanwald. Once entering Schaanwald, teams would find their next clue.

After completing the Detour, teams told to travel by foot to Inderbinen-Brunnen statue to locate the Double U-Turn board.

Leg 10 (Switzerland)

Airdate: May 1, 2011

Zermatt (Air Zermatt (German) Rescue Helicopter Port)

Matterhorn

Riffelalp to Zermatt (via Gornergratbahn)

Zermatt (Le Petit Cervin)

Zermatt (Chalet Gädi – Swiss Cabin)

In this Leg's Detour, teams chose between two mountain rescue tasks: Search and Rescue. In Search, teams used a set of avalanche beacons to search the Matterhorn for a dummy buried in the snow; they then had to dig out the whole dummy before they could receive their next clue. In Rescue, teams used a special hoisting device to rescue a mountaineer trapped in a crevasse. One team member had to lower his or her teammate into the crevasse; the lowered teammate then had to attach a carabiner to the mountaineer. The teammate at the top then had to raise the pair back to the surface; once at the top, the rescued mountaineer would give them their next clue.

In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member made a Travelocity Roaming Gnome out of Swiss chocolate. First, the team member had to decorate a chocolate mold with colored chocolate. Once the mold was properly decorated, the team member had the mold filled with chocolate and then buried it in the snow outside for 30 minutes in order to harden the chocolate. They then removed the gnome from the mold and covered up imperfections with more colored chocolate. Once the head chocolatier approved the gnome, teams would receive a real Roaming Gnome and their next clue.

Additional tasks

Upon arriving at the Air Rescue Helicopter Port, teams had to sign up for a series of helicopter flights to their next location, each leaving at five-minute intervals. Before they left on their flight, they would receive their next clue for the Detour before being flown onto the Matterhorn.

After completing the Detour, teams had to take a helicopter to Riffelalp ski resort and take a train down the mountain to the ground.

After the Roadblock, teams told to travel by foot to the Pit Stop at Swiss Cabin in Chalet Gädi.

Leg 11 (Switzerland → Brazil)

Airdate: May 8, 2011

Zermatt (Zermatt railway station)

Zermatt (Zermatt railway station) to Zurich (Zürich Hauptbahnhof)

Zurich (Zurich Airport) to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport)

Rio de Janeiro (Carioca Aqueduct) to (Escadaria Selarón)

Rio de Janeiro (Largo de São Francisco de Paula (Portuguese))

Rio de Janeiro (Centro de Orientação Profissional Salon)

Rio de Janeiro (Copacabana Beach)

Niterói (Praia de Boa Viagem (Portuguese) overlooking the Niterói Contemporary Art Museum)

During the Pit Stop, all teams were moved to Zermatt railway station to start the leg. In this Leg's Roadblock, one team member had to participate in a Rio Carnival parade. After putting on special costumes, teams learned the samba and then led a parade of dancers. If the Carnival Princess approved their dance, teams would receive their next clue; if not, they would be sent back to relearn the dance and try again.

The Detour was a choice between On the Rocks and On the Beach. In On the Rocks, teams traveled to the Espacio X bar on Avenida Atlântica near Copacabana Beach where they learned to make caipirinhas. Once they made 100 proper caipirinhas, they would receive their next clue. In On the Beach, teams had to pick up an umbrella loaded with bikinis and a mobile changing station and sell the bikinis to people on the beach. The buyers then had to change into the bikinis in the mobile changing station. Once teams earned R$100 (approximately US$60), they would receive their next clue.

Additional tasks

Upon arriving in Rio de Janeiro, teams must take a tram to Carioca Aqueduct and exiting to Escadaria Selarón. There, they had to search the tile-covered steps for a Route Info tile that would have their next clue on the back.

At the Centro de Orientação Profissional Salon, teams had to undergo a Brazilian body waxing session for 15 minutes. Once the time was up, the beauticians would give teams their next clue.

Leg 12 (Brazil → United States)

Airdate: May 8, 2011

Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro-Galeão International Airport) to Miami, Florida, USA (Miami International Airport)

Virginia Key (Rickenbacker Marina)

Key Largo, Florida Keys (Jules' Undersea Lodge)

Big Pine Key (U.S. 1 Mile Marker 29 – Seacamp)

Horseshoe Island

Big Pine Key to Marathon (Galway Bay Mobile Home Park)

Old Seven Mile Bridge to Pigeon Key (Pigeon Key Historic District)

In the first Roadblock of this Leg, one team member had to learn how to operate a heavy load forklift to move a boat into drydock without dropping the boat which would destroy it. Once the boat was successfully moved, teams would receive their next clue from the forklift operator.

In the final Roadblock of the Race, the team member did not perform the first Roadblock had to use a BOBdive submersible to search the lagoon of the Jules' Undersea Lodge for one of several floating treasure chests that contained their next clue, while being surrounded by distracting mermaid divers who were swimming around them and playing music.

Additional tasks

Upon completing the second Roadblock, teams were given a riddle telling them to go to the Sea Camp near a mile marker on Big Pine Key by "subtract[ing] 4 from 33": Mile Marker 29.

Upon arriving at Mile Marker 29, teams were instructed to walk across a shallow portion of the Gulf of Mexico to Horseshoe Island where they would find their next clue underneath the island's tallest tree. After getting the clue, teams were instructed to walk back to Big Pine Key where they would take a speedboat to the Galway Bay Mobile Home Park in Marathon.

At Galway Bay, teams had to set up a travel trailer as it appeared in a brochure for Galway Bay. Once the trailer was set up with a lawn, a pool, plastic flamingoes, and a table setting, among other amenities, teams would receive their final clue from Miss Rose.

At the Old Seven Mile Bridge, teams had to ride tricycles along the bridge to the finish line at Pigeon Key Historic District in Pigeon Key.

US Ratings

Episode 2, "I Have Never Looked So Foolish In My Whole Entire Life", aired the same night as the 83rd Academy Awards.

Episode 9, "We're Good American People", aired on Easter Sunday.

Episode 10, "Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen", was delayed for one hour in most west coast CBS stations due to the breaking news coverage of the death of Osama bin Laden. (In four Pacific markets that air primetime from 7-10pm – Sacramento, Phoenix, Tucson, and Yuma – the ending was not seen.)

Episode 11, "This is Where It Ends", the two-hour season finale, aired on Mother's Day. It was the lowest-rated season finale in the show's history until the season 26 finale.

Canadian Ratings

Canadian broadcaster CTV also airs The Amazing Race on Sundays at 8 pm, with only two exceptions: Episode two aired an hour earlier than its normal start time due to CTV's broadcast of the 83rd Academy Awards. Episode six aired an hour earlier due to the said network's broadcast of the 2011 Juno Awards.