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Survivor: Guatemala
Filming location	Laguna Yaxhá, Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park, Petén, Guatemala
Winner	Danni Boatwright (6-1)
Original run	September 15, 2005 – December 11, 2005
Filming dates	June 22, 2005 – August 5, 2005
No. of episodes	14
No. of days	39
No. of survivors	18
Tribes	Nakúm      Yaxhá      Xhakúm
Season chronology
Previous	Survivor: Palau
Next	Survivor: Panama

Survivor: Guatemala - The Mayan Empire (also known as Survivor: Guatemala) was the eleventh season of the United States reality show Survivor, and was set inside of the ruins of the Maya civilization. Specifically, the series is in Yaxhá-Nakúm-Naranjo National Park near the more popular Tikal National Park, located in northern Guatemala. A preview of the show's location was shown during the finale of Survivor: Palau. The season premiered on September 15, 2005 on CBS. The finale was on Sunday, December 11, 2005 on CBS. Danni Boatwright became the sole survivor by defeating Stephenie LaGrossa by a vote of 6-1.

Applications were due on January 14, 2005. Around March 2005, 800 applicants were selected for an interview by CBS. Out of these 800, 48 semi-finalists were selected to go in Los Angeles sometime around April 2005. From these semi-finalists, 16 were chosen to participate the show between June to August 2005. This season also features the return of Survivor: Palau contestants Stephenie LaGrossa and Bobby Jon Drinkard.

According to host Jeff Probst, temperatures appeared to be well over 110 °F (43 °C) with high humidity, as he talked about it during some of the competitions. Challenges like the 11-mile (18 km) hike through the jungle and "Mayan basketball" showed how exhausted all the castaways were. In Day 1, many of the Nakúm men were sick after the hike, and had a tough time recovering.

In this season, the second of the early stages of the future Exile Island was completed. After the merge, production placed a tiny Immunity Idol in the Xhakúm tribe. Gary Hogeboom found it up in a tree, protecting him for that Tribal Council. Unlike future seasons, this Idol could only be used before the vote instead of after, and once it was exposed, it wouldn't be used anymore. However, it could be used until the Final Four.

The tribes were Yaxhá (blue buffs, living in a shelter in the jungle) and Nakúm (yellow buffs, living adjacent to the Mayan ruins). Both of these tribes were named after two former Mayan cities. The final ten members merged into the Xhakúm tribe (red buffs, at Nakúm's old camp) marking the third time that all names in previous tribes were blended into one.

Tina Scheer, a contestant on Survivor: Panama, was slated to be on this season; however, her son had been killed in a car accident and she backed out.

The contestants arrived on June 22 and began filming on June 27. Filming ended on August 4 and contestants returned home August 5. (Source from Survivor Fever)

[edit] Contestants

The Total Votes is the number of votes a castaway has received during Tribal Councils where the castaway is eligible to be voted out of the game. It does not include the votes received during the final Tribal Council.

[edit] The game

In the case of multiple tribes or castaways who win reward or immunity, they are listed in order of finish, or alphabetically where it was a team effort; where one castaway won and invited others, the invitees are in brackets.

[edit] Episode summaries

Episode 1: The sixteen new contestants learned upon arriving in the Guatemalan jungle that they would be joined by Bobby Jon Drinkard and Stephenie LaGrossa from Survivor: Palau. They were also told that their first reward challenge would be an 11-mile (18 km) hike to a campsite near some Mayan ruins. Nakúm won, and Yaxhá was instructed to find a new campsite. Yaxhá won the first Immunity Challenge, and as a result of his illness and injuries sustained during the challenges, Jim was voted out of Nakúm (8-1).

Episode 2: Before the Reward Challenge, Blake suffered cramps and hyperventilation. Nakúm won fishing gear as their reward, and later won Immunity as well. Morgan was voted out for her lack of physical strength and perceived laziness (8-1).

Episode 3: At the Reward Challenge, Nakúm won a reward of pillows, blankets and a tarp before going on to win their fourth challenge in a row, the Immunity Challenge. At Tribal Council, Brianna of Yaxhá was voted out for her perceived lack of athletic ability (7-1).

Episode 4: At the Reward Challenge, the tribes were reshuffled; Brooke, Cindy, Judd, Margaret, Lydia, Stephenie, Rafe and Jamie were the new Nakúm and Amy, Brian, Gary, Danni, Brandon, Blake and Bobby Jon were the new Yaxhá. After the new Yaxhá tribe won the Immunity Challenge, Judd betrayed his original Nakúm teammates and helped to vote Brooke out (5-3).

Episode 5: At the Reward Challenge, Yaxhá won chips, drinks and a crocodile-proof swimming cage. Nakúm won immunity and Blake was voted out as a result of his cocky attitude, (5-2).

Episode 6: Nakúm won their second challenge in a row, and it was revealed that both tribes would be attending Tribal Council. As part of their reward, Nakúm competed in an individual Immunity Challenge, which was won by Rafe. He was also able to watch part of the Yaxhá tribal council. Margaret, due to personality conflicts, was voted out of Nakúm (6-1), and Yaxhá voted out Brian (5-1), perceiving him to be untrustworthy.

Episode 7: Yaxhá won the reward of a jungle canopy zipline ride, then invited Nakúm to camp for Danni's birthday. They swam together in the croc-proof cage. Nakúm won the Immunity Challenge, and with Amy still suffering from an ankle injury that she had sustained days ago, Yaxhá decided it was best to vote her out (4-1). After the vote, the four remaining Yaxhá moved to the Nakúm camp for the merger.

Episode 8: It was revealed that there was a Hidden Immunity Idol located near the camp of the new Xhakúm tribe (formerly of Nakúm). The tribes merged into one and took the name Xhakúm. At the Challenge, Jeff explained that it would be both for Reward and Immunity. However, only those who didn't feel they needed immunity would partake in the food reward while the others competed for immunity. Gary ended up winning the individual immunity, in effect saving himself because the former Nakúm members (Stephenie, Jamie, Judd, Rafe, Lydia and Cindy) decided to stick together and had been targeting Gary. With Gary immune from the vote, Bobby Jon was now on the chopping block, but Stephenie convinced her allies to keep him in the game, allowing him to at least make the Jury. Instead, Brandon, arguably the strongest player of the remaining Yaxhá members, was ousted (6-4).

Episode 9: Gary found the Hidden Immunity Idol. Judd won reward (shared with Bobby Jon and Stephenie), and Jamie won immunity. Gary, targeted for elimination by the dominant Nakúm alliance, surprised the tribe with the Idol at Tribal Council. With Gary safe from the vote once again, Bobby Jon was voted out instead (6-2-1) and became the first member of the Jury. He lasted three days longer than he did on Survivor: Palau.

Episode 10: At the very messy reward challenge, the team of Danni, Gary, Stephenie and Judd won a night away from camp and videos from home. After Rafe won Immunity, Jamie became increasingly paranoid about being voted out; 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 (6-2).

Episode 11: Cindy won the reward challenge, and took Rafe with her on a reward of a feast, waterfall pool and massage. Rafe won Immunity again, and at Tribal Council, the Nakúm alliance finally succeeded in eliminating Gary (6-1).

Episode 12: The final six's loved ones arrived at camp after the Survivor Auction. 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. As a result of her advantage, Danni won the Immunity Challenge. Safe with immunity, Danni also succeeded in turning the game around for herself by convincing Stephenie, Rafe and Lydia that Judd was untrustworthy and too much of a threat to keep around. In a (4-2) vote, Judd was sent packing, but not before uttering a parting shot to the remaining contestants, quote "Bye, guys. Hope you get eaten by a freakin' crocodile. Scumbags."

Episode 13: 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. Cindy chose to keep the car, a decision which upset Rafe in particular. After Stephenie won Immunity, Rafe successfully lobbied to get Cindy voted out (4-1).

Episode 14: In the final four, Rafe won his fourth individual immunity, and Lydia was voted out as a result of her popularity with the jury (3-1). After a two hour, 38 minute challenge, Danni won the final immunity challenge. She chose to vote out Rafe, because she felt she would have a better chance in the final two against Stephenie. (1-0). At the live reunion and finale, it was revealed that Danni beat Stephenie in a (6-1) vote. Stephenie had lasted 9 days longer than she did on Survivor: Palau.

[edit] Voting history

[edit] External links

• Official CBS Survivor Guatemala Website