The final three teams dash to the finish, with the winning pair claiming the $1 million first-place prize. The duos begin in Alaska and race a team of sled dogs to reach a clue. Next, one member of each team dives into frigid water to claim a clue that tells them to fly to New York City. The final destination is in Flushing Meadows.

The final three teams climb steep steps to retrieve a clue at the Great Wall of China. They then fly from Beijing to Alaska, where they take part in an Alaskan ritual called a blanket toss to find a clue. Next, the teams must go to the Matanuska Glacier and climb an ice wall. The pit stop is reached via snowmobiles.

The four teams travel from Thailand to Beijing, China, where two teams opt to play table tennis against a local champion while the other two pairs compete in a road rally. Next, they all must buy beetle larvae, chicken feet and squid, and then take it to a cook. After the food is prepared, one team member must eat all of his or her team's portions. The pit stop is at Tiantan Park.

The four teams depart the pit stop in Krabi, Thailand, and then compete in outdoor-adventure races that include rock climbing, kayaking and diving, before checking into another pit stop, this time at Pai Plong Beach.

The five teams travel from India to Bangkok, Thailand, and encounter tigers in a pit where a clue is located. One team gives up on a challenge that involves finding a car in a neighborhood and takes a taxi instead, which is against the rules. They receive a stiff penalty when they check in at the pit stop in Krabi.

In India, the five teams visit the Taj Mahal and then race off to the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur. From there, they go to Bikaner, where a member of each team must obtain a clue inside a temple filled with rats, which are considered sacred by locals.

The six teams must travel to Ferrara, Italy, by using a glider or riding bikes. Next, they fly to New Delhi, India, and search a crowded market for a shopkeeper before going to the pit stop in Agra, near the Taj Mahal.

The six teams travel from Tunisia to the Colosseum in Rome and then on to Castelfranco Emilia. Two teams are given a time penalty at the pit stop for disobeying travel rules.

The seven teams depart the colosseum in El-Jem, Tunisia, and travel to Tataouine, where they must find a flag in the Sahara Desert. Next, a member of each team must ride a camel to the pit stop.

The eight teams travel from France to Tunisia, where they must locate the colosseum in El-Jem, which serves as the pit stop for the fourth leg of the race, and find a sword in the "Pit of Death."

The nine teams must find La Grande Roue, a giant Ferris wheel, in Paris, and then locate Foucault's pendulum. Then it's on to the top of Notre Dame to ring the bells. Next, a member of each team must travel through the Paris sewers before heading to the pit stop in Les Baux.

The 10 remaining teams travel from South Africa to Paris, where they must locate a monument from atop the Eiffel Tower before going to the pit stop near the Arc de Triomphe.

The 11 teams begin the first leg of their global journey, racing from New York City's Central Park to Johannesburg, South Africa. During the initial leg, the teams visit Victoria Falls, use a zip line to cross a valley and bungee jump off of a steep cliff. The pit stop is at Songwe Village.