Race Across the World 2025 route: Season 5 locations

Starting on BBC One recently, viewers were introduced to mother and son Caroline and Tom, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia, couple Fin and Sioned, friends Yin and Gaz and brother Brian and Melvyn as they all made their way to the first checkpoint in Huangling.

But the five teams have become four after Yin and Gaz were eliminated from the race last week after failing to reach the checkpoint in time to continue their journey.

Now, the remaining teams are headed for India, but who will make it to their checkpoint first? As we wait to find out, read on for the Race Across the World 2025 route by episode.

Race Across the World 2025 route

Season 5 will see the duos trek 14,000km across Asia.

Throughout their race, they will head through China, Nepal and India.

Episode 4

The race to the fourth checkpoint is well and truly on as the pairs discover they must reach Varanasi, one of the world's oldest living cities.

In this journey, the teams will pass through three countries in one leg – China, Nepal and India – but in their way are the Himalayas, and the teams will have to fly to Kathmandu to restart the race.

Once the teams reach India, the race is on to reach the fourth checkpoint!

Episode 3

In the third leg of the race, the pairs must race from Sanya to Shangri-La - a city sitting on the edge of the Tibetan plateau towards the foothills of the Himalayas.

The race is more demanding than ever, as the team to reach the checkpoint last will the eliminated.

The pairs must choose between veering west or north towards the checkpoint. If they travel west, the teams can travel via major transport hubs, whereas the north will see the teams travel through some of China's less visited provinces.

Episode 2

The race continues as each team must reach the second checkpoint of Sanya, one of China's most southerly cities, located on the tip of Hainan Island.

To reach the checkpoint, the pairs can either city-hop down the coast of the East China Sea, or they can take a more rural route that takes in some of China's spectacular landscapes.

But reaching this checkpoint will be challenging. The final leg to Hainan Island is usually a ferry ride, but with a typhoon fast approaching from the south, it's a race against time for the pairs.

Episode 1

The race begins at the Great Wall of China in the first episode, as the teams overlook the village of Huanghuacheng – 80km north of Beijing.

The teams' first challenge is reaching Beijing, as they race to their first checkpoint in Huangling.

For the more adventurous pairs, they can make their way inland, while others can make the most of China's extensive high-speed train network and head into Shanghai.

Race Across the World continues on Wednesdays at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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