Race Across the World has returned to television screens with its most extreme competition yet. In 2026, five new teams are battling to be the first to reach the finish line in rural Mongolia. The journey begins in Palermo, Sicily, and covers 7,400 miles across Europe and Asia, following parts of the ancient Silk Road.
The Starting Point: Palermo, Sicily
The race commences in Palermo, the capital of Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean. To reach the first checkpoint, teams must navigate across southern Italy, passing through Naples, Sorrento, Puglia, and the Calabrian coast. At Palermo's 12th-century Baroque cathedral, the Church of San Giuseppe dei Teatini, participants surrender their bank cards and phones. Palermo is renowned for its Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque architecture, as well as its UNESCO-protected palaces and churches built by the Normans in the 10th century, blending Arab and Byzantine styles. The city also attracts tourists with its Mediterranean climate and Sicilian cuisine, including arancini and pasta alla norma.
Checkpoint One: Fiskardo, Kefalonia, Greece
The first checkpoint is the village of Fiskardo on the northern tip of Kefalonia, the largest of Greece's Ionian islands. This upscale harbour resort is popular with yachters, who moor in its turquoise waters alongside traditional fishing boats. Fiskardo is known for its original Venetian buildings, preserved from when Venice ruled the island between 1500 and 1797. Visitors enjoy family-run restaurants, cafes, and bars along the waterfront, serving local specialities. The village is surrounded by pebble beaches and bays, ideal for swimming, scuba diving, kayaking, or hiring a boat to find a secluded cove.
Checkpoint Two: Istanbul, Turkey
In contrast to the tranquil Greek harbour, the next checkpoint is the bustling city of Istanbul. After a 186-mile journey through rural Greece, Athens, and Mount Olympus, teams reach one of the world's most visited cities, attracting over 19 million tourists annually. Straddling Europe and Asia on the Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul is famous for its spice and jewellery bazaars, as well as over 3,000 mosques. The most famous is Hagia Sophia, a historic Byzantine structure that served as a Christian Orthodox church for centuries before becoming a mosque in the 15th century. The city is also a haven for foodies, with Turkish breakfasts, street vendors selling balik ekmek (fish sandwiches), and a strong coffee culture.
Checkpoint Three: Halfeti, Turkey
During this leg, the last team to reach the checkpoint is eliminated. Teams race from Istanbul across central Turkey to the town of Halfeti on the southeastern border. Halfeti's old town was submerged into the Euphrates River after the completion of the Birecik Dam in 2000, forcing residents to build a new town 15 km away. Visitors by boat can see semi-submerged stone houses, trees, and historical monuments, with a tall minaret jutting out of the water. The area has become a popular diving spot. Teams must reach a viewing platform opposite Rumkale Castle, a ruined fortress on a large rock dating back to the Byzantine period.
Checkpoint Four: Tbilisi, Georgia
After one team is eliminated, the remaining pairs travel 1,050 miles to Georgia's capital. They traverse Turkey's Black Sea coastline or eastern countryside before crossing the border. With a history spanning over 1,500 years, Tbilisi's architecture reflects its past, from medieval domed sulphur baths to Soviet tower blocks and modern buildings. Georgia lies at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Georgian cuisine includes khinkali dumplings and mchadi cornbread, while the country is famous for its wine, particularly the Chinuri white grape variety.
Checkpoint Five: Zaamin National Park, Uzbekistan
Teams travel 1,300 miles from Tbilisi to their next checkpoint in Uzbekistan. Due to the closed land border between Georgia and Azerbaijan, they fly to Aktau, Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country. Their goal is the Suffa Plateau in Uzbekistan's Zaamin National Park, part of the Turkestan mountain range. Nicknamed Uzbek Switzerland, the park features alpine meadows and deep valleys, home to over 150 species, including Siberian ibex, Turkestan lynx, and Saker falcons. Hotels and guesthouses are available, along with health retreats like the Soviet-era Zaamin Sanatorium. The Suffa Plateau sits 2,500m above sea level, requiring teams to tackle thin, cool mountain air and a steep cable car ride.
Checkpoint Six: Almaty, Kazakhstan
For the sixth checkpoint, teams travel back to Kazakhstan, this time to the southeastern city of Almaty, covering a 1,500 km trek. They can skirt the southern border or head through Kyrgyzstan. Almaty is Kazakhstan's largest city, a cultural and financial hub with two million residents. Its name means "place of apples" due to wild orchards in the Tian Shan Mountains foothills. The city celebrates apples with public art installations. Almaty was the former Kazakh Soviet-era capital, gaining independence in 1991. Reminders of Soviet rule include Orthodox churches like the Ascension Cathedral and the Memorial of Glory and Eternal Flame in Panfilov Park.
Checkpoint Seven: Kharkhorin, Mongolia
Entering the final country, teams face freezing conditions, off-road travel, and endless plains as they dash to Kharkhorin. This town was once the imperial capital under a son of Genghis Khan, scattered with ruins and sacred monasteries. Racers visit Erdene Zuu monastery, built in 1585, a rare survivor of the Stalinist purge that destroyed hundreds of Buddhist temples. At its peak in the late 19th century, the monastery had 62 temples and 1,500 monks. Kharkhorin lies within the UNESCO-listed Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, where grasslands are still grazed by Mongolian nomadic pastoralists.
The Finish Line: Hatgal, Mongolia
After completing the 7,400-mile trek, teams reach the finish line in the remote village of Hatgal on the shores of Lake Hövsgöl. Located in northern Mongolia near the Russian border, temperatures can drop to -49°C in January. The freshwater lake, the largest in the country by volume, is known as the Blue Pearl and is one of 20 ancient lakes on Earth, existing for around two million years. Each March, a two-day festival on its frozen surface includes ice skating, horse sleigh racing, ice sumo wrestling, and Shamanic rituals.
