Using teamwork and creativity to carry out a number of challenges as they compete for the grand prize, 11 teams set out to travel around the globe starting from Central Park in NYC.
With the elimination of a team, the rest of the teams attempt to carry out assignments in Zambia, after which they head to Paris for another task.
While in Paris, the teams look for a Ferris wheel as well as the Foucault pendulum. However, Pat and Brenda lag behind due to a bad choice.
Seeking a man in a red hat, the teams leave Paris for Tunisia, after which that man takes them to a special massage parlor, then they end up at the Amphitheatre of El Jem.
Members of each team must look for one another using walkie-talkies after they manage to find the Tataouine monument. Traveling across the Sahara desert to search for a flag, the teams' health and relationships take a hit.
Starting from the Sahara desert, the teams must travel 300 miles. Things get complicated due to arguments, eavesdropping, and spying, while the teams feel distressed by an airstrike in Rome.
The teams have to choose either to use a glider or a bike to get to their next assignment, which then takes them to New Delhi. As the teams hurry to reach the Taj Mahal, the relationships between each pair are put to the test.
The teams set out to locate the next route marker, beginning from the Taj Mahal in India.
In Thailand, the teams that are still competing endeavor to reach Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) as well as a monastery in the town of Kanchanaburi.
The teams embark on a strenuous adventure outdoors that includes activities such as kayaking and rock climbing in Thailand.
The remaining teams embark on a race from Bangkok to the Chinese capital, Beijing, as they play table tennis and eat weird stuff, while their relationships suffer.
The teams have to choose whether to walk up steep steps or flat steps as they arrive at the Great Wall of China, after which they travel to Alaska in order to continue the race.
With only three teams remaining, the participants must return to New York City, the starting point of the race, in order to see which team will cross the finish line and win the prize.