The Amazing Race 35

Beneath the Hollywood Sign in Griffith Park, teams began The Amazing Race 35.

On February 21, 2023, two months after the 34th season finale, CBS announced that no season of The Amazing Race would air in the first half of 2023. Instead the next season would air during the 2023–24 television season.[3] On May 10, 2023, CBS announced that season 35 would air 90-minute episodes following Survivor 45 due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike.[1]

Location scouting for this season occurred in March 2023.[4] Filming began on June 13, 2023 in Los Angeles, California at the Hollywood Sign.[5] From June 22 to 24, the show filmed in Jaipur and Amber, India.[6][7] By June 30, the show was filming in Europe.[8] This season included a first-time visit to Slovenia.[4][9] This season also returned to using commercial flights instead of charter flights as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic on two previous seasons and season 36,[10] which was filmed before this season in late 2022 and was pushed back following the decision to have 90-minute episodes.[4][11] Filming concluded in early July after traveling over 23,800 miles (38,300 km).[12][13] Elements of the show that also returned this season include the Express Pass, last seen in season 29, and the U-Turn (last seen in season 32), in the form of a voting U-Turn, which was previously utilized as a one off-twist on season 31.[14][15] Much like the 34th season, this season will also not have any non-elimination legs.[4]

Casting for the season began on January 2, 2023.[16] Casting closed on March 22, 2023,[17] and the cast was finalized on April 21, 2023.[18]

On September 23, 2023, CBS held a drone show over Los Angeles to promote the premieres of The Amazing Race 35 and Survivor 45.[19]

The first leg of The Amazing Race 35 came to an end at Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan outside of Bangkok.

• Episode 1: "The Amazing Race Is Back!" (September 27, 2023)
• Prize: Cashback rewards for a trip for two to Patagonia, Chile (awarded to Jocelyn & Victor)
• Eliminated: Alexandra & Sheridan

Locations

• Los Angeles, California (Griffith Park – Hollywood Sign) (Starting Line)
• Los Angeles (Millennium Biltmore Hotel)
• Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport) → Bangkok, Thailand
• Bangkok (Wat Paknam)
• Bangkok (Wat Suthat)
• Bangkok (Saranrom Park or Putthinan Thai Massage)
• Mueang Nonthaburi (Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan)

Episode summary

• Teams set off from the Hollywood Sign and drove to the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, where they found their next clue.
• In this season's first Roadblock, one team member had to walk across a tightrope strung between the Millennium Biltmore Hotel and unscramble a word puzzle – CITY OF ANGELS – in order to receive their next clue from season 34 winners Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to drive to Los Angeles International Airport and obtain tickets for one of two flights to Bangkok, Thailand. Six teams were on the first flight, China Airlines, departing 90 minutes earlier, whilst the remaining seven teams were on the EVA Air flight. Once there, teams had to travel to Wat Paknam in order to find their next clue.
• Teams had the option of winning an Express Pass if each team member could eat a plate of fried insects. Morgan & Lena won the Express Pass.
• From Wat Paknam, teams had to travel by long-tail boat and tuk-tuk to Wat Suthat in order to find their next clue.
• This season's first Detour was a choice between Sword Play or Spa Day. In Sword Play, both team members had to learn a 30-second daab routine in order to receive their next clue. In Spa Day, both team members had to endure a painful 30-minute Thai massage in order to receive their next clue. If either team member asked to stop the massage, the team had to go to the end of the line and restart the massage from the beginning.
• Teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Wat Chaloem Phra Kiat Worawihan in Mueang Nonthaburi.

The Roadblock in Nakhon Pathom province had racers harvest lotus flower bulbs to make two bundles.

• Episode 2: "You Don't See That At Home" (October 4, 2023)
• Prize: US$2,000 each (awarded to Jocelyn & Victor)
• Eliminated: Elizabeth & Iliana

Locations

• Salaya (Wat Suwannaram)
• Rai Khing (Wat Rai Khing)
• Sam Phran (Don Wai Market or Ton Som O Farm 3)
• Sam Phran (Suan Sampran)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to travel to Wat Suwannaram in Salaya in order to find their next clue.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to harvest 20 lotus flower bulbs of a similar size and lotus leaves from a muddy pond. Racers then had to make two bundles arranged in a specific pattern and wrapped with leaves and bamboo ties in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to travel to Wat Rai Khing, place a coin in a marked elephant, and walk under the elephant three times in order to receive their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Stock Up or Scoop Up. In Stock Up, teams had to purchase eight food items of specified quantities at Don Wai Market using only a phonetically spelled shopping list in order to receive their next clue. In Scoop Up, teams had to load a boat with pomelos from canals and then unload them at a dock until they filled five baskets in order to receive their next clue.
• Teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Suan Sampran.

In Cần Thơ, teams delivered fruit in the city's floating market on the Mekong Delta.

• Episode 3: "No Sleep and a Million Dollar Dream" (October 11, 2023)

Locations

• Bangkok → Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
• Ho Chi Minh City → Cần Thơ (Ninh Kiều Wharf)
• Cần Thơ (Cái Răng Floating Market)
• Cần Thơ (Pier 20)
• Cần Thơ (Sáu Hoài or Thanh Vân)
• Cần Thơ (Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Once there, teams had to travel by bus to Ninh Kiều Wharf in Cần Thơ and choose one of three boat departure times for the morning when they would receive their next clue. Teams then boarded a sampan and had to deliver baskets of fruit – dragonfruit, tangerines, and golden melons – to three marked boats. With each delivery, teams received a third of a photograph that, when combined, revealed the location of their next clue: Pier 20. Morgan & Lena used their Express Pass to bypass this task.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Paper or Plastic. In Paper, teams had to make twelve sheets of edible rice paper called bánh tráng in order to receive their next clue. In Plastic, teams had to cut, apply, heat, and smooth vinyl onto a motorcycle part in order to receive their next clue.
• Teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Zen Monastery.

Additional note

• There was no elimination at the end of this leg; all teams were instead instructed to continue racing.

The Roadblock and Pit Stop for the second Vietnamese leg were at the Hùng King Temple.

• Episode 4: "The Day Keeps Rockin' Here In Vietnam" (October 18, 2023)
• Prize: Cashback rewards for a trip for two to Madrid, Spain (awarded to Robbin & Chelsea)
• Eliminated: Jocelyn & Victor

Locations

• Cần Thơ (Cafe Tư Điếc)
• Cần Thơ (Chợ Tân An or Nhà Hàng Riverside & West Hotel)
• Cần Thơ (Ong Pagoda)
• Cần Thơ (Hùng King Temple (in Vietnamese))

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams had to travel by taxi to Cafe Tư Điếc and ask for their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between Stand or Deliver. In Stand, teams had to carry seafood through a market to a stall and set up the stall so that it matched a vendor's in order to receive their next clue. In Deliver, teams had to carry four 66-pound (30 kg) mattresses to a hotel in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Detour, teams had to travel to the Ong Pagoda and write a wish on a card before receiving their next clue directing them to travel by taxi to the Hùng King Temple.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had search among thousands of tiles that adorn the temple grounds and find the one tile that matches the photograph in their clue before they could check in at the nearby Pit Stop.

The Detour in Amber, India had teams either assemble marionettes or recreate a mural within Jaigarh Fort.

• Episode 5: "Yessir, the Pink City" (October 25, 2023)
• Prize: $3,000 each (awarded to Steve & Anna Leigh)
• Eliminated: Joe & Ian

Locations

• Ho Chi Minh City → Jaipur, India
• Amber (Amber Palace)
• Amber (Panna Meena ka Kund)
• Amber (Jaigarh Fort)
• Jaipur (Gatore Ki Chhatriyan)

Episode summary

• At the start of this leg, teams were instructed to fly to Jaipur, India. Once there, teams had to travel by taxi to the Amber Palace and carry a bundle of sugarcane up a path to a mahout in order to receive their next clue.
• In this leg's Roadblock, one team member had to perform a Bhavai dance, which involved balancing a stack of three pots on their head without dropping them, in order to receive their next clue.
• After the Roadblock, teams had to travel on foot to Panna Meena ka Kund in order to find their next clue.
• This leg's Detour was a choice between All Dolled Up or The Big Picture. In All Dolled Up, teams had to assemble two Kathputli marionettes in order to receive their next clue. In The Big Picture, teams had to recreate a Rajput painting by adding themselves in costumes and the correct cutouts to an incomplete mural in order to receive their next clue.
• Teams had to check in at the Pit Stop: Gatore Ki Chhatriyan.

Leg 6 (India)

• Episode 6 (November 1, 2023)

Locations

• Jaipur
• 

Episode summary

• Before teams began this leg, they had to vote in secret for a team to be U-Turned.

• Germany[14]
  • Cologne
• Ireland[14]
• Slovenia[4]
  • Bled (Lake Bled)[9]
  • Planica (Letalnica Bratov Gorišek)[9]
• Sweden[14]
• United States
  • Washington[14]