Varun Patel
One of the most common reality show types is the survivalist one. These shows generally pit its contestants in grueling conditions and challenge them to basically fend for themselves. Most of the shows take place in natural surroundings with the contestants facing the challenge of surviving in harsh terrains that are often life-threateningly dangerous. ‘Naked and Afraid’ is one such survivalist show that dares its contestants to survive in risky forests and perilous settings.
The basic premise of the series centers around a man and a woman who meet for the first time and have to pair up to survive in the wilderness buck naked. They have to forage for food, water, clothing and other necessities to be able to survive for 21 days. However, the latest season of the reality series is titled ‘Naked and Afraid: Alone’ and it adds a twist to its premise.
‘Naked and Afraid: Alone’ features some of the show’s previous contestants as they are given the same challenge of surviving for twenty-one days in the wild. But this time, they do not have the luxury of a fellow partner. This adds an especially tough challenge to their already difficult task. Surviving in the wilderness can be psychologically challenging with no one to communicate with.
Naked and Afraid Season 11 Filming Locations
Just like previous seasons of the show, ‘Naked and Afraid: Alone’ takes each of its contestants to various parts of the globe. Every episode features a different contestant and hence, a different location. For the eleventh season, the contestants have been described as being the “best of the best” and they need to be, in order to survive alone. A press release for the show’s latest season provides some much-needed information regarding the show’s locations:
“Dropped in Amazon jungles, the Balkan Mountains, or the African savannah with nothing and no one to watch their backs, tensions are at an all-time high as Naked and Afraid veterans take on the most intense challenge yet – surviving 21 days completely and utterly alone.”
Karoo, South Africa:
The first episode of ‘Naked and Afraid’ season 11 centers around the former contestant, Luke McLaughlin, who is challenged to survive for 21 days alone in “the dangerous badlands of South Africa.” The region in South Africa where badlands exist is known as Karoo or the Greater Karoo. It is a semi-desert region characterized by low rain, cloudless skies, extreme temperatures and arid air.
In the episode, McLaughlin has to avoid skirmishes with lions and hyenas that form a part of the region’s fauna. However, he must get a kill in order to complete the survivalist challenge. Moreover, the region is also known to be the habitat of the snake species, Boomslang. These can be fatal to humans due to their large fangs and potent venom.
Balkan Mountains
In subsequent episodes of the season, the show movies to the Balkan Mountains.
The Balkan Mountain Range is a mountain range that is located in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula and runs primarily through the countries, Serbia and Bulgaria. The region has steep cliffs and several pristine waterfalls and rivers. Moreover, the Balkan Mountains are also the natural habitats for some of Europe’s largest mammals including brown bears, wolves and boars. These wild animals will certainly add some challenge to the contestant.
The African Savanna:
Some portion of eleventh season of ‘Naked and Afraid’ is set in African Savanna.
The African Savanna is a tropical grassland which is characterized by warm temperatures all year round and short vegetation. This means that there is no canopy and most of the wilderness is practically open, allowing one a wide view of faraway surroundings. However, this also means that there is lesser protection from potentially harmful animals as the contestant can be spotted easily with little possibility of hiding.
Some of the rather dangerous animals in the region include lions, cheetahs and leopards. There are also large African elephants which might prove to be threatening. Moreover, African wild dogs might prove to be a nuisance too.
