# Expedition Impossible (TV series)

Expedition Impossible is a 2011 American reality television series. The series follows thirteen teams of three competitors as they "solve problems while racing across deserts, over mountains and through rivers" across the nation of Morocco. The first team to cross the finish line after completing the ten stages of the competition was to receive US$150,000. In addition, each team member won a new Ford Explorer.
Created by producer Mark Burnett and hosted by wildlife expert Dave Salmoni, the series premiered on ABC on June 23, 2011, to mild critical response. The show was canceled following its first and only season.

## Game

Expedition Impossible is run in ten stages, each of which has a series of checkpoints. At each checkpoint, teams receive instructions on how to reach the next checkpoint and at some checkpoints they face challenges that must be completed before heading to the next checkpoint. The last team in each stage to reach the final checkpoint is eliminated. If any member of a team quits, the team is eliminated.
The competition began in Merzouga and concluded in Marrakech, covering a course of around 2,000 miles including treks through the Sahara Desert and over the Atlas Mountains.

## Production

ABC and producer Mark Burnett announced the series on November 4, 2010, with Burnett describing Expedition Impossible as "high adventure television" and "an epic Indiana Jones-style experience". Open casting began later that month. Prospective contestants were required to demonstrate proficiency in several skills, including horseback riding, righting a boat that had been capsized, compass reading and rappelling.
After initially announcing a premiere date of June 21, 2011, ABC revised the date to June 23.

## International distribution and adaptations

On May 9, 2011, CTV Television Network announced that it had acquired Expedition Impossible for Canadian broadcast and that it would debut the series on June 21. CTV pushed back the premiere to the 23rd, corresponding with its American debut.
On July 16, 2011, Australia's Network Ten started to broadcast the show in the 6:30pm – 7:30pm timeslot on its main channel - 10.
An adaptation of the series premiered on the channel Cuatro in Spain on January 23, 2013. Hosted by Raquel Sánchez-Silva, Expedición Imposible features ten pairs of celebrities racing through Morocco.

## Teams
### The Gypsies

John Post, 25, Pensacola Beach, FL. Sustainable Farmer Taylor Filasky, 31, San Diego, CA. Video Producer Eric Bach, 26, San Francisco, CA. Entrepreneur
Group of friends that, collectively, have traveled to over 40 countries.

### No Limits

Erik Weihenmayer, 42, Golden, CO. Motivational Speaker/Writer Jeff Evans, 41, Boulder, CO. Motivational Speaker/Physician Assistant Aaron "Ike" Isaacson, 33, Topeka, KS. Soldier
Jeff is Erik's climbing guide on mountaineering expeditions because Erik is blind. Ike is a soldier.

### Fab 3

Ryan Allen Carrillo, 36, Los Angeles, CA. Unemployed Kari Gibson, 26, Los Angeles, CA. Model AJ Gibson, 30, Los Angeles, CA. Mortgage Consultant
Kari and AJ are siblings. Ryan and AJ used to be a couple, but are now friends. All three are roommates.

### The Football Players

Akbar Gbaja-Biamila, 31, Los Angeles, CA. Broadcaster Robert Ortiz, 27, Solana Beach, CA. Business Owner Ricky Sharpe, 31, Costa Mesa, CA. Health and Fitness Consultant
All three are former professional football players who first met while playing for San Diego State University.

### The Cops

Robert "Rob" Robillard, 43, Concord, MA. Police Lieutenant Dani Henderson, 34, Marlborough, MA. Police Officer James "Jim" Vaglica, 49, Billerica, MA. Police Sergeant
Cops who work together. In 2016, Jim Vaglica of The Cops would appear on the FOX reality show, American Grit.

### California Girls

Christina Chin, 24, Davis, CA. Corporate PR. Brittany Smith, 24, Rancho Murieta, CA. Aspiring Pro Golfer Natalie Smith, 25, Woodland, CA. Teacher/Coach
Friends who met while attending the University of California, Davis.

### The Country Boys

Nicholas Coughlin, 28, Clinton, MS. Internet Marketing/Entrepreneur Jason Cronin, 37, Pensacola Beach, FL. Business Owner/Entrepreneur Chad Robinson, 27, Bolton, MS. Real Estate Investor
Friends coming from Mississippi and nearby.

### The Fishermen

Gus Sanfilippo, 48, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman Nino Sanfilippo, 43, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman Joe Sanfilippo, 44, Gloucester, MA. Fisherman
Gus and Nino are brothers and Joe is their cousin. All three are crew on the fishing boat Captain Dominic.

### New York Firemen

Kevin "Fathead" Coursey, 39, Belle Harbor, NY. Firefighter Rob Keiley, 34, Rockaway Park, NY. Firefighter Mike Egan, 34, Rockaway Park, NY. Firefighter
Co-workers who are firefighters in New York

### Team Kansas

Lindsey Haymond, 27, Houston, TX. Teacher Kelsey Fuller, 22, Overland Park, KS. Student Mackenzie Fuller, 18, Overland Park, KS. Student
Three sisters who are originally from Kansas.

### Grandpa's Warriors

Dick Smith, 69, Normal, IL. Store Owner Steven Smith, 48, Savoy, IL. Store Owner Samantha Smith-Gibbs, 23, Thomasboro, IL. Store Manager
Samantha is Steven's daughter, Dick is Steven's father.

### Mom's Army

Eleanor "Ellie" Vanderbeck, 52, Reading, PA. Bookkeeper Ruthie Vanderbeck, 28, Reading, PA. Realtor Abbie Vanderbeck, 30, Norwalk, CT. Nanny
Ruthie and Abbie are Ellie's daughters. They were also in the military.

### Latin Persuasion

Dashia Imperiale, 44, New York, NY. Fitness Instructor Raven Garcia, 30, Bronx, NY. Freelance Writer Mai Reyes, 38, New York, NY. Manager
Friends and co-workers, all with Latino heritage.

## Progress

| Team | Relationships | Contestants | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Position | Finish |
| Team | Relationships | Contestants | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Finish |
| The Gypsies | Travel Friends | John | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| The Gypsies | Travel Friends | Taylor | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| The Gypsies | Travel Friends | Eric | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| No Limits | Friends | Ike | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 4th |
| No Limits | Friends | Jeff | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 5th |
| No Limits | Friends | Erik | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 5th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 6th |
| Fab 3 | Roommates | Kari | 2nd | 5th | 5th | 8th | 1st | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 7th |
| Fab 3 | Roommates | AJ | 2nd | 5th | 5th | 8th | 1st | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 8th |
| Fab 3 | Roommates | Ryan | 2nd | 5th | 5th | 8th | 1st | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 2nd | 3rd | 9th |
| The Football Players | Football Players | Robert | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | | 10th |
| The Football Players | Football Players | Ricky | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | | 11th |
| The Football Players | Football Players | Akbar | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | | 12th |
| The Cops | Co-workers / Cops | Rob R. | 10th | 11th | 8th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 4th | 5th | | | 13th |
| The Cops | Co-workers / Cops | Dani | 10th | 11th | 8th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 4th | 5th | | | 14th |
| The Cops | Co-workers / Cops | Jim | 10th | 11th | 8th | 5th | 4th | 6th | 5th | 4th | 5th | | | 15th |
| California Girls | College Friends | Natalie | 9th | 9th | 7th | 7th | 8th | 7th | 3rd | 6th | | | | 16th |
| California Girls | College Friends | Brittany | 9th | 9th | 7th | 7th | 8th | 7th | 3rd | 6th | | | | 17th |
| California Girls | College Friends | Christina | 9th | 9th | 7th | 7th | 8th | 7th | 3rd | 6th | | | | 18th |
| The Country Boys | Friends | Jason | 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 9th | 7th | 5th | 7th | | | | | 19th |
| The Country Boys | Friends | Nicholas | 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 9th | 7th | 5th | 7th | | | | | 20th |
| The Country Boys | Friends | Chad | 7th | 2nd | 3rd | 9th | 7th | 5th | 7th | | | | | 21st |
| The Fishermen | Brothers & Cousin | Gus | 5th | 6th | 10th | 6th | 6th | 8th | | | | | | 22nd |
| The Fishermen | Brothers & Cousin | Joe | 5th | 6th | 10th | 6th | 6th | 8th | | | | | | 23rd |
| The Fishermen | Brothers & Cousin | Nino | 5th | 6th | 10th | 6th | 6th | 8th | | | | | | 24th |
| New York Firemen | Co-workers / Firefighters | Rob K. | 8th | 10th | 6th | 4th | 9th | | | | | | | 25th |
| New York Firemen | Co-workers / Firefighters | "Fathead" | 8th | 10th | 6th | 4th | 9th | | | | | | | 26th |
| New York Firemen | Co-workers / Firefighters | Mike | 8th | 10th | 6th | 4th | 9th | | | | | | | 27th |
| Team Kansas | Sisters | Kelsey | 4th | 7th | 9th | 10th | | | | | | | | 28th |
| Team Kansas | Sisters | Lindsey | 4th | 7th | 9th | 10th | | | | | | | | 29th |
| Team Kansas | Sisters | Mackenzie | 4th | 7th | 9th | 10th | | | | | | | | 30th |
| Grandpa's Warriors | Family | Steven | 12th | 8th | 11th | | | | | | | | | 31st |
| Grandpa's Warriors | Family | Samantha | 12th | 8th | 11th | | | | | | | | | 32nd |
| Grandpa's Warriors | Family | Dick | 12th | 8th | 11th | | | | | | | | | 33rd |
| Mom's Army | Mother & Daughters | Abbie | 11th | 12th | | | | | | | | | | 34th |
| Mom's Army | Mother & Daughters | Ruthie | 11th | 12th | | | | | | | | | | 35th |
| Mom's Army | Mother & Daughters | Ellie | 11th | 12th | | | | | | | | | | 36th |
| Latin Persuasion | Friends & Co-workers | Raven | 13th | | | | | | | | | | | 37th |
| Latin Persuasion | Friends & Co-workers | Mai | 13th | | | | | | | | | | | 38th |
| Latin Persuasion | Friends & Co-workers | Dashia | 13th | | | | | | | | | | | 39th |
* A red team placement means the team was eliminated.
* A green team placement means the team won the expedition.

## Stages

| No. | Title | Winner | Original release date | US viewers (millions) |
| 1 | "Sun! Sand! Sahara!" | The Gypsies | June 23, 2011 (2011-06-23) | 7.18 |
| Checkpoint one: Teams must traverse a tall sand dune to reach a camel outpost. Checkpoint two: Teams select three camels to carry them to the Lone Palm Camp. Challenge: "Find water the local way." Teams must fill one jug with water obtained using traditional Berber collection methods. Checkpoint three: Teams leave the camels and proceed on foot to Todra mountain. Challenge: Rappel 300 feet into Todra Gorge. Checkpoint four: Teams travel on foot to Snake Valley. Challenge: Teams watch a snake charming routine and count the number of snakes, selecting a box bearing the number of snakes they see to receive directions to the finish line. If they select a box with an incorrect number, they are sent 30 minutes off course and must repeat the challenge. Finish line |||||
| 2 | "Light My Way!" | The Gypsies | June 30, 2011 (2011-06-30) | 6.16 |
| Checkpoint one: Teams travel to a horse outpost on foot, then ride Arabian horses seven miles to a kasbah. Challenge: Search for buckets and use them to fill an urn to receive the next set of instructions. Teams could choose a larger bucket that leaked or a smaller bucket that did not. Checkpoint two: Each team member paddles an inflatable kayak four miles down-river. Challenge: Search through the village craftsman's dwelling to find a traditional lamp which will illuminate the finish line on a map. Finish line: Travel two miles to an old bridge and search for the finish line at a hidden campsite. |||||
| 3 | "I Don't Know How to Ride This Thing!" | The Gypsies | July 7, 2011 (2011-07-07) | 5.65 |
| Checkpoint one: Walk to an oasis and gather feed for camels. Trek 1.5 miles to a camel outpost. Challenge: Trade feed for camels. Checkpoint two: Travel 3.8 miles with the camels to an olive mill. Challenge: Collect six olive barrels and carry them on the camels to a lake. Build a raft using the barrels to reach an island kasbah. Then paddle another mile to Shamil Cove into the overnight camp. Checkpoint three: Travel 3.5 miles on the Dadès River to a "castle beach" with ancient timber poles. Challenge: Wrap a scroll around a pole to reveal the code to unlock the clue for the next trek. Finish line: Choose a shorter, harder route through the mountains or a longer, easier route along the river to reach the finish line. |||||
| 4 | "There's Snow in Morocco?" | The Gypsies | July 14, 2011 (2011-07-14) | 4.82 |
| Checkpoint one: Ascend the Atlas Mountains along a high ridgeline to a 10,000-foot high bluff. Challenge: Unravel and tie together the cord bracelets each team was given to create one long fishing line. Teams must attach a hook and use the line to capture cages that are scattered on the bluff below. Inside the cage is a key that unlocks the next set of instructions. Checkpoint two: After spending the night at an Alpine Base Camp, teams travel west out of the mountains to a dirt road that leads to a farming village. Challenge: Select a farming plow and transport it via mule up two-plus miles of switchbacks to a teahouse. Checkpoint three: Load the plow into the back of a Ford Explorer, then drive to the Farming Terraces. Challenge: Assemble the plow to dig up instructions in the farming field that lead to the finish. Finish line: Walk down a mountain road to reach the finish line. |||||
| 5 | "A Blind Man's Nightmare" | Fab 3 | July 21, 2011 (2011-07-21) | 4.68 |
| Checkpoint one: Proceed to an artist's tent where someone must duplicate a map on the body part of a teammate. Teams then use the map to navigate six miles into the Atlas Mountains to a 200 foot high cliff overlooking the Petrified Canyon. Challenge: Rappel down the cliff. Checkpoint two: Traverse the Petrified Canyon pass to a riverbed location. Challenge: Comb through the riverbed to find a rock with a fish fossil. Teams must then trade in the fossil at a local market for a fish dinner. Checkpoint three: After solving a puzzle with instructions on how to get to the next checkpoint, teams hike five miles up the river. Challenge: Teams must use their fingers to extract a key from a Moroccan mountain register. Inside they find the rappel rope they need to get to a riverbed below. Finish line |||||
| 6 | "Leap of Faith" | The Gypsies | July 28, 2011 (2011-07-28) | 5.13 |
| Checkpoint one: Use a hand-line to cross a river before heading into town to find a local rug stall. Challenge: Locate a rug with five holes in it. Then place the rug on the correct local sign to reveal the location of the next checkpoint. Checkpoint two: Proceed on foot to the Ouzoud Falls. Challenge: Teams opt to either jump off a 30 foot cliff into the water and wade across the river, or climb down some ropes to take the slow way down. Checkpoint three: Zip-line across a river to receive the next set of instructions. Challenge: Unlock a set of paddles by memorizing a symbol on the lock. Then swim to a nearby cave to look for the matching symbol with the attached key to unlock the paddles. Finish line: After kayaking down some rapids, teams use their GPS to navigate to a goat cave. From there, teams are able to spot the flags at the camp. They must go back down the mountain, paddle another mile and then climb 300 feet to the finish. |||||
| 7 | "Rock the Kasbah" | The Gypsies | August 4, 2011 (2011-08-04) | 4.82 |
| Checkpoint one: From the tower of a kasbah, use binoculars to spot a symbol on the city that matches one of the six symbols given on the map. Then, drive to that place: a souk. Challenge: Search for the correct stall to obtain the clue to the next checkpoint. Checkpoint two: Drive to the airport. Challenge: Select a team member to board an airplane to skydive. While skydiving, the member needs to spot a symbol on the ground leading to the next checkpoint. Checkpoint three: Swim across a river, then trek for one mile to arrive at the next checkpoint. Challenge: Solve the puzzle on the activity sign that will reveal the location of the finish line. Teams can choose to stay and solve the puzzle, or trek for another two extra miles to get a clue on how to solve the puzzle. Finish line: After solving the puzzle which spelled out the word "kasbah" (an acronym of the six signs on the sign board – kayaking, archery, swimming, boating, airplane, hiking), teams race to the kasbah. |||||
| 8 | "Never Give Up" | The Gypsies | August 11, 2011 (2011-08-11) | 3.83 |
| Checkpoint one: Teams head up to the ancient kasbah. Challenge: Rappel down the side of the kasbah mountain, then trek to the shore of Lake Bin el-Ouidane for the next clue. Checkpoint two: Inflate two kayaks and paddle to Prison Island. Challenge: Assemble a catamaran using the two kayaks, then sail to Saddle Island for their overnight camp. Checkpoint three: After spending the night at Saddle Island, teams swim across the lake's closest gap to the mainland before hiking to the farm ruins. Challenge: Using two poles and a chain, teams navigate through the field by answering a series of questions. Each correct answer will give them a numerical value that correlates to a compass bearing. In the last point, they have to dig up the clue that points to the finish line. Finish line: Travel 600 yards to the finish line. |||||
| 9 | "Come Hell or High Water" | The Gypsies | August 18, 2011 (2011-08-18) | 4.45 |
| Checkpoint one: Trek through the Tillouguit village to a river, pick a guide and a raft to navigate the Ahansai River white waters to the mule bridge. Challenge: Solve a riddle to open the lock on a box containing food and the next set of instructions. Checkpoint two: Return to the rafts and paddle through a river with muddy water called "The Soup". Checkpoint three: Hike across the canyon to a lakeshore, then paddle 1.5 miles to Rocky Beach using a traditional Moroccan tin boat. Checkpoint four: Trek 2 miles to Widow's Ledge. Challenge: Rappel down to a cave. Crawl through the cave tunnels. Then, find the correct ceramic pot with the matching symbol to get the next clue. Finish line: Go down the cliff, swim across the river, and trek to the wheat field. |||||
| 10 | "And Then There Were Four" | The Gypsies | August 25, 2011 (2011-08-25) | 4.61 |
| Checkpoint one: Teams paddle 2 miles in Moroccan tin boats. Challenge: Shovel a pile of rocks and shift them to find two rocks with amethyst. Trade the amethyst for horses. Checkpoint two: Teams ride on the horses 3.5 miles to the next checkpoint. The last team to arrive will be evacuated. Teams then drive 22 miles through the desert to find the next checkpoint hidden in the crowded marketplace, Jemaa el-Fnaa, Marrakesh. Checkpoint three: Based on the clue written in Arabic, teams go to their next checkpoint, Saadian Tombs. Checkpoint four: Using the clues provided on the map given, teams navigate through the town to locate a secret entrance to an old palace prison. Challenge: Go down to the basement to find a Moroccan wooden lock box. Teams must then open the complex puzzle box to retrieve a key. Use the key to unlock the ladder, then use it to climb up the castle walls to reveal the location of the finish line. Finish line |||||

## Reception

Before its debut, Expedition Impossible drew comparisons to other reality television series, including The Amazing Race, Pirate Master, and Burnett's own adventure race series Eco-Challenge. Burnett has repudiated the comparisons to TAR, saying "There’s no taxis. There’s no hotels. This is very, very different. Here, you actually need to put yourself on the line, really be willing to cross the deserts and the mountains and use the camels and the horses. So, it’s a very, very much more difficult competition."
David Hinckley of The New York Daily News found the premiere to follow a familiar formula and wondered whether a "saturation point" for this style of entertainment had been reached. In saying so, he stressed that he in no way was diminishing the accomplishments of the participating teams. Similarly, Brian Lowry for Variety, while calling the series a "transparent knockoff of The Amazing Race", complimented Burnett on his ability to create "a sense of jeopardy in the challenges" while finding that the series as a whole "travels such a familiar course" that it was tantamount to "recycling" the concepts of other series.
Expedition Impossible was the top-rated program the night of its debut, pulling 2.4/7 in adults 18/49 and 7.18 million viewers. The premiere was the 8th most watched show that week. In the second episode, Expedition Impossible pulled a 1.8/6 in adults 18/49 and 6.16 million viewers. This drop was not unusual for a holiday weekend, as other shows also experienced a rating decline. Despite this, Expedition Impossible was the top rated program of the hour and the second top rated program of the night, as well as the 12th most watched show that week in the 18/49 demo. Ratings however continued to slip when its fifth episode only garnered a rating of 1.3 for the 18/49 demo and 4.68 million in total viewers. The show hit a season low for its eighth episode, with a demo rating of 1.1 and only watched by 3.83 million viewers. The show's ninth episode was watched by 4.45 million viewers, and the season finale ended with a rating of 1.3 for the 18/49 demo and 4.61 millions in total viewer number.

## International versions

The TV format was exported in Spain with the title Expedición Imposible when it was aired on Cuatro and hosted by Raquel Sánchez Silva on 2013.