Originally, the season was scheduled to be filmed in a location on the Indian Ocean, with scouting taking place in Madagascar, Southern India, and Sri Lanka.

[5] Notable cast members include former Survivor: Palau castaways, Stephenie LaGrossa and Bobby Jon Drinkard, former beauty queen and model-turned radio announcer Danni Boatwright, ex-NFL quarterback Gary Hogeboom, and film and television writer Rafe Judkins.

The first challenge began immediately, requiring both tribes to trek 11 miles (18 km) overnight through the jungle to one of the camps near Mayan ruins, along with any available supplies that they wished to carry.

A tribal switch occurred on Day Ten that left Bobby Jon, Danni, Blake, and Brandon in the majority at Yaxhá, outnumbering Brian, Amy, and Gary.

Immediately after the swap, Stephenie and Jamie formed an alliance with Judd to take control of Nakúm, which later included Rafe, Cindy, and Lydia.

Though the two tribes performances were fairly even in wins and losses, a crucial immunity challenge won by Nakúm put them in a decisive 6–4 lead into the merge over Yaxhá.

To distract the other players, Judd lied about the clue's contents, which Gary was able to pick up on, locating the idol himself and using it to save himself from being eliminated at the next Tribal Council, where Bobby Jon was voted off in his place.

The sixteen new castaways learned upon arriving in the Guatemalan jungle that they would be joined by Bobby Jon Drinkard and Stephenie LaGrossa from Survivor: Palau as they will also compete in the season (though on opposing teams, not as teammates as before).

Though victorious at their first challenge, the long hike left most of the Nakúm men cramped and in bad condition; Bobby Jon collapsed, Blake was sick shortly after being injured by a poisonous barbed plant, Jim had torn his biceps and, along with Judd, was endlessly vomiting.

At the reward challenge, sickly Blake managed to narrowly outrun Brian, winning fishing supplies for Nakúm.

After losing the challenge, Yaxhá found themselves desperately short on food, having been reduced to eating ants, grasshoppers and minnows.

At the immunity challenge, the tribes found themselves in a stalemate, causing Jeff Probst to resort to conducting one-on-one bouts.

The next day at Nakúm, zookeeper Cindy was fascinated about the howler monkeys waking them up every morning, but the loud noises left Judd aggravated.

During the reward challenge, Yaxhá collected their pieces first, but quickly stumbled as they build their tent, giving way to Nakúm's third consecutive win.

Back at camp, Yaxhá started to be fed up with their usual corn mush meal, resorting to Gary and Rafe scouring for termites.

After the new Yaxhá tribe won the Immunity Challenge, Judd betrayed his original Nakúm teammates and helped to vote Brooke out.

At the Reward Challenge, Jamie for Nakúm struggled to cut the ropes with a rock and Yaxhá easily won chips, drinks and a crocodile-proof swimming cage.

Before Tribal Council at Yaxhá, Brian lobbied his alliance to vote off Bobby Jon however Gary and Amy are unsure about it.

Afterwards in Yaxhá, they were unsure of whether to vote out Amy who was still suffering from the ankle injury that she had sustained in the second immunity challenge, or Bobby Jon who was threat due to his past experiences in Survivor.

The next day, it was revealed in tree mail that there was a Hidden Immunity Idol located near the camp of the new Xhakúm tribe (formerly of Nakúm).

At the reward, Judd's dish was lobster and steak while Jamie's was a bowl of Ramon Nuts and a glass of lake water.

Judd shared some of his food with Bobby Jon and Stephenie, as well as granting them access to his free bar and dessert list.

At the very messy reward challenge, the team of Danni, Gary, Judd, and Stephenie won a night away from camp and videos from home.

Jamie wasn't originally the intended target that night, but his paranoia ended up annoying everyone else to the point where they made his worst nightmare come true, voting him out and making him the second member of the Jury.

Danni won an Immunity Challenge advantage, and Judd's wife, Cindy's twin sister and Stephenie's boyfriend were permitted to stay overnight at camp.

Safe with immunity, Danni also succeeded in turning the game around for herself by convincing Lydia, Rafe, and Stephenie that Judd was untrustworthy and too much of a threat to keep around.

After winning the Reward Challenge, Cindy was given the option of keeping her newly won 2006 Pontiac Torrent or giving one to each of the other remaining contestants.

She chose to take Stephenie with her to the camp for the night on the reward, where they talked about voting out Danni next, as their alliance came into the merge with the numbers.

Stephenie was ripped into by the majority of the jury members for blatant lies, double crossing many, and switching around from various alliances on her way to the finals.

Particular criticism revolved around the social conduct of runner-up Stephenie LaGrossa, which was seen as a reversal from her heroic behavior in Survivor Palau.