Celebrity Race Across The World - Last Frontiers View

The teams started their race from Half Moon Beach on Isla Mujeres, a secluded spot popular for turtle nesting. After handing in their phones and credit cards, they set off to the first checkpoint of Flores, a colourful island city on Lake Petén Itzá and the gateway to the magnificent Maya site of Tikal.

The teams took a variety of routes, the quickest being to Chetumal and across the border into Belize where they even had time to visit the spectacular Maya ruins of Lamanai on the New River. Other teams opted to stay within Mexico longer, travelling through cultural hubs like Mérida and the chilli-producing regions of Campeche before crossing into Guatemala further west.

The journey to Flores required resourceful navigation, with one team even experiencing a bus breakdown in Belize City before finally reaching the checkpoint.

Anita Rani and her dad, Bal, reached the checkpoint first, arriving nearly a full day (23 hours) ahead of the other teams.

Our Yucatan sample itinerary takes in the highlights of the Yucatan peninsula and can easily be combined with Belize and Guatemala.

https://www.lastfrontiers.com/itineraries/mexico-yucatan

Setting off from Flores, the teams were tasked with a journey south to the second checkpoint in El Zonte, El Salvador.

The route choices for this leg were diverse, with teams debating whether to traverse the mountainous heartland of Guatemala, pass through southern Belize's Caribbean coast (with one team visiting Hopkins Beach), or venture into Honduras.

While some teams aimed for the central Guatemalan city of Cobán, their progress was notably halted by local protests, forcing them to find creative ways to continue. One pair spent some time in the colonial town of Antigua, Guatemala, while another found themselves working on a cocoa farm in Honduras.

El Salvador is an emerging destination with stunning volcanoes, ancient Maya sites and a long stretch of Pacific coastline. The teams headed for El Zonte, a small but popular coastal community. A surfing hot-spot, it has earned the nickname “Bitcoin Beach” for its early adoption of the cryptocurrency as a recognised payment method. The area, with its volcanic black sand beaches and consistent waves, offers a relaxed haven for visitors.

Anita and Bal were the first team to arrive at the checkpoint again, although their lead was reduced to 3.5 hours over Ronan and Harley in second place. The other teams were not far behind.

El Salvador is well worth visiting and we have prepared a sample itinerary which takes in the highlights of the country.

https://lastfrontiers.com/itineraries/classic-el-salvador

From the Pacific coast of El Salvador, the race continued into Honduras. The third checkpoint, marking the halfway point of the race, was revealed to be Valle de Ángeles, a charming former 16th-century silver mining town nestled in the pine-forested highlands just outside the capital, Tegucigalpa.

This was a shorter leg of the journey, and one team chose to travel through the historical town of Suchitoto in El Salvador, known for its colonial architecture and vibrant arts and culture scene. Another team opted for a detour to the spectacular Conchagua Volcano on the Gulf of Fonseca before crossing the border.

The quickest route proved to be crossing the border at El Amatillo, rather than taking the coastal option via Tiger Island, as one of the teams discovered. Valle de Ángeles is in an area well off the tourist route, but the town provided a picturesque cultural experience for the racers as they prepared for the second half of their adventure.

The lead changed hands during this leg, with Molly and Tyler coming in first. However, it is extremely close with only 8 minutes separating the top 3 teams.

Leaving Honduras, the teams faced a major logistical disruption. Unfortunately permission was not granted for filming to take place in Nicaragua, so they had to take a flight to Liberia, Costa Rica. The race resumed just 90 kilometres from the Nicaraguan border, allowing the teams to continue their journey south.

The destination was the fourth checkpoint on the islands of Bocas del Toro, Panama, requiring them to traverse the majority of Costa Rica—a country renowned for its lush cloud forest, active volcanoes and unparalleled density of wildlife.

This leg saw a major shake-up in the standings. Dylan and Jackie moved into the lead after taking the coastal route through places like Tortuguero National Park and Limón before crossing into Panama. This choice led them to the Red Frog Beach checkpoint first, clocking their first win of the race.

Two of the other teams were not far behind, but Molly and Tyler fell back into fourth place after travelling a different route via the Pacific Coast.

Bocas del Toro is a beautiful part of Panama with stunning beaches, vibrant coral reef and some very comfortable lodges. It is included in our Classic Panama itinerary which also spends time in Panama City and the highlands of Boquete.

https://lastfrontiers.com/itineraries/classic-panama

The penultimate leg presented plenty of challenges to the teams as they officially left Central America and raced towards the bustling Colombian metropolis of Medellín.

The journey began with the logistics of leaving the Bocas del Toro islands, involving a boat ride back to the Panamanian mainland, followed by an immense bus trip across the country towards the Caribbean coast. Their main obstacle was the notorious Darién Gap - the vast, roadless stretch of jungle that forms a natural border between Panama and Colombia.

To bypass this region, the teams used sea transport across the Gulf of Urabá, navigating the remote region of the San Blas Islands, home to the indigenous Guna communities. After a lengthy voyage, (and some very basic overnight stays), they crossed the border into Colombia.

Finally, the teams arrived in Medellín, with Molly and Tyler overturning their deficit to hold a narrow lead going into the final leg. The teams had a couple of days to enjoy the sights and sounds of Medellín, Colombia’s second largest city which is well known for the annual Feria de las Flores (festival of Flowers), celebrated annually in the first week of August.

You can read more about Medellín in the Colombia section of our website:

https://lastfrontiers.com/colombia/regions/medellin

The final leg was a dramatic sprint from Medellín to the finish line on the remote Península de La Guajira, Colombia, the northernmost point of South America.

Sadly, Dylan and Jackie had to leave the race due to their severely limited remaining budget, ending their journey and leaving the other three teams to battle for the victory.

Ronan and Harley moved into the lead by finding a direct bus to Santa Marta on the north coast, while Molly and Tyler headed for Cartagena. Although this left them over 200km behind the others, they had time to explore the beautiful walled colonial city.

To try and close the gap, Anita and Bal decided to take a gamble and travel inland, via the city of Bucaramanga. This left them with a shorter journey overall, but they were hindered by buses being fully booked and they were unable to catch up.

This part of the country is included in our Classic Colombia itinerary, also combining Bogota, the coffee region and a few nights in Cartagena.

https://lastfrontiers.com/itineraries/classic-colombia

It all came down to a an incredibly tight contest between the top two teams, with the final stages involving a 4x4 ride across the sand dunes, a swift boat trip along the rugged coastline, and a footrace up a cliffside to the checkpoint.

It was a photo finish but Ronan and Harley came out as winners, with Molly and Tyler just minutes behind. A fantastic series which showcased the very best that Central America and Colombia has to offer and explored parts of the region you would not normally see.

If it has inspired you to travel to this part of the world, please do get in touch and we would be delighted to help you plan a trip.