100+ Survivor Trivia Questions and Answers to Test Your Knowledge

Ever since Survivor first stranded contestants on a deserted island back in 2000, I’ve been absolutely hooked! There’s something about watching regular people battle the elements, compete in challenges, and navigate complex social dynamics that makes for incredible television. My family has turned watching Survivor into a weekly ritual—complete with snack spreads that would make any castaway jealous!

I’ve put together this collection of over 100 Survivor trivia questions that cover everything from iconic moments to legendary players. Whether you’re hosting a Survivor-themed party, looking to test your superfan knowledge, or just wanting to reminisce about your favorite seasons, these questions are perfect for any fan of the show.

Basic Survivor Facts

Let’s start with some fundamental questions about the show that even casual viewers might know. My kids could probably answer most of these—they’ve been hearing me talk about Survivor since they were born!

Who has been the host of Survivor since its inception? Jeff Probst
In what year did the first season of Survivor air? 2000
What is the name of the final immunity challenge that has appeared in multiple seasons where contestants must balance on a small platform? Last Gasp

How many days does a typical season of Survivor last? 39 days (though some recent seasons have been shorter)
What phrase does Jeff Probst say when he reveals the votes at Tribal Council? “The tribe has spoken”
What is the name of the tribal council elimination ceremony prop that represents life in the game? Torch/flame

What does “Outwit, Outplay, Outlast” refer to? The show’s slogan
What island country hosted the first season of Survivor? Malaysia (Borneo)
Who was the first person ever voted out of Survivor? Sonja Christopher

How many people are typically on a tribe at the start of the game? Either 16, 18, or 20 players total, usually 8-10 per tribe
What item do contestants receive when they’re voted out? Their torch is snuffed
What is the name of the final vote that determines the winner? Final Tribal Council

What was the subtitle of the first season of Survivor? Borneo
What color was the merged tribe buff in the first season? Orange
How many jury members were there in Season 1? 7

What is the name of the Survivor theme song? “Ancient Voices”
Who is the composer of the Survivor theme music? Russ Landau
What does getting your torch snuffed signify? Elimination from the game

How many original tribes were there in Season 1? Two (Tagi and Pagong)
What is the name of the privately filmed confession segments? Confessionals

If you enjoy these mind-bending questions about Survivor, you might also like these philosophical questions that make you think deeply about life and reality. Explore philosophical questions for more thought-provoking content.

Iconic Players and Winners

Some Survivor contestants have become legendary in the reality TV world. I still remember watching Richard Hatch’s strategic gameplay in season one and being completely blown away by how he approached the game as a chess match rather than a camping trip!

Who won the first season of Survivor? Richard Hatch
Who is known as the “Queen of Survivor” and has played the game multiple times without ever being voted out? Sandra Diaz-Twine

Who is the only player to win Survivor twice in their first two appearances? Sandra Diaz-Twine
Which contestant found three hidden immunity idols in a single season? Tony Vlachos (Cagayan)
Who won Survivor: Winners at War (Season 40)? Tony Vlachos

Which player is known for creating the strategy called “The Black Widow Brigade”? Parvati Shallow
Who was the first contestant to be medically evacuated from the game? Michael Skupin (Australian Outback)
Which winner is known for his “chaos” gameplay style and building a “spy shack”? Tony Vlachos

Who was the oldest winner in Survivor history? Bob Crowley (Gabon), age 57
Who is the youngest winner in Survivor history? Jud “Fabio” Birza (Nicaragua), age 21
Which player coined the term “alliance” in Season 1? Richard Hatch

Who won the title of “Sprint Player of the Season” the most times? Rupert Boneham (3 times)
Which player was nicknamed “Coach” and claimed to have survived an Amazon adventure? Benjamin “Coach” Wade
Who famously gave up immunity and was subsequently voted out? Erik Reichenbach (Micronesia)

Which player was known for finding immunity idols without clues? Russell Hantz
Who famously fell into a fire in Survivor: The Australian Outback? Michael Skupin
Which player was medically evacuated after a severe shoulder injury during a challenge? James Clement (Micronesia)

Which winner was a former NFL player? Ethan Zohn
Which player has competed on Survivor 5 times? Boston Rob Mariano
Who won the first Sole Survivor title after the introduction of the Fire-Making challenge at final four? Ben Driebergen (Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers)

If you enjoy these questions about memorable Survivor players, you might also enjoy testing your knowledge with these challenging math trivia questions that will exercise your brain in a different way. Try these math trivia questions for a different kind of mental workout.

Challenge Trivia

The challenges are some of my favorite parts of each episode! My family has actually recreated some of the simpler ones in our backyard during summer cookouts (minus the million-dollar prize, unfortunately).

What is the name of the challenge where contestants must hold onto a pole for as long as possible? Pole Dancing/Last Gasp

What food item did contestants have to eat most frequently in food challenges? Various bugs and grubs
Which recurring challenge requires contestants to stand on narrow pegs while holding onto a pole? Simmotion
What is the name of the challenge where contestants must untangle themselves from a rope course? Jail Break

In which challenge do players have to build a fire high enough to burn through a rope? Fire-Making Challenge
What is the recurring challenge where contestants must hold their breath underwater? Underwater Challenge/Bob-Bob-Buoy
Which challenge involves contestants racing through an obstacle course and collecting puzzle pieces? Several, including “Get a Grip”

What is the name of the eating challenge that often features local delicacies? Survivor Café/Gross Food Challenge
Which challenge requires contestants to balance a stack of dishes or other objects? House of Cards/Stack Attack
What is the challenge where contestants must navigate a maze blindfolded? Blind Maze

What is the name of the challenge where contestants must hold weighted arms out to their sides? Simmotion
Which challenge has contestants standing on a narrow perch during rising tide? Last Gasp
What food did Karishma struggle to eat in a food challenge? Cow testicles

Which challenge involves retrieving buoys from underwater cages? Retrieving Keys/Release the Beast
What is the challenge where contestants must balance on a small platform while holding a pole? Squatty Potty/Last One Standing
What recurring challenge involves contestants standing on a floating platform in the ocean? Perch/Last One Standing

Which challenge tests contestants’ ability to count items they see briefly? Memory Challenge/Concentration
What challenge has contestants racing to build a fire high enough to burn through a rope? Fire-Making Challenge
Which recurring challenge involves tossing objects into targets? Coconut Basketball/Target Challenge

What is the most common final immunity challenge in early seasons? Hands on an Idol/Hard Idol

Looking for more fun trivia challenges? These video game trivia questions are a great way to test your knowledge of another popular entertainment medium. Check out these video game trivia questions for more fun facts and challenging questions.

Survivor Locations

The stunning locations are part of what makes Survivor so visually captivating. I still dream about visiting some of these places, though maybe with a few more creature comforts than the contestants get!

Where was Survivor: Pearl Islands filmed? Panama
Which country has hosted the most seasons of Survivor? Fiji
What was the first location to host back-to-back seasons? Samoa

Where was Survivor: Africa filmed? Kenya
Which location featured the famous “Black Rock” where contestants could find hidden immunity idols? Fiji
Where was Survivor: China filmed? China

Which season was filmed in the Australian Outback? Season 2
Where was Survivor: Thailand filmed? Thailand (Koh Tarutao)
Which Pacific island nation hosted Survivor: Vanuatu? Vanuatu

Where was Survivor: Palau filmed? Palau
Which season was filmed in the Amazon rainforest? Season 6 (The Amazon)
Where was Survivor: Marquesas filmed? Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia

Which season was filmed in Cambodia? Survivor: Cambodia – Second Chance
Where was Survivor: One World filmed? Samoa
Which Central American country hosted Survivor: Nicaragua? Nicaragua

Where was Survivor: Gabon filmed? Gabon
Which season was filmed in the Philippines? Multiple, including Survivor: Philippines
Where was Survivor: Tocantins filmed? Brazil

Which island nation hosted Survivor: Cook Islands? Cook Islands
Where has every season been filmed since Season 33? Fiji

If you’re dreaming about visiting these exotic Survivor locations, you might appreciate these inspiring half marathon captions to motivate your next adventure or physical challenge. Check out these motivational half marathon captions for inspiration.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

Some Survivor moments are just etched into reality TV history forever. I’ll never forget watching Jonny Fairplay’s “dead grandma” lie unfold in real-time—my jaw was on the floor!

What was Jonny Fairplay’s famous lie? That his grandmother had died
Who said the famous quote “The tribe has spoken”? Jeff Probst

Which player famously said, “I ain’t finished playing just yet”? Sandra Diaz-Twine
What did Sue Hawk call her famous speech in the final tribal council of Season 1? The Snake and Rat Speech
Who was the first contestant to use a hidden immunity idol? Gary Hogeboom

Which contestant famously fell into a fire and suffered serious burns? Michael Skupin
Who famously quit the game because they couldn’t handle the rain? Colton Cumbie
What was Richard Hatch famous for (besides winning)? Going nude around camp

Which contestant was evacuated after a severe facial injury in a challenge? James Thomas “J.T.” Thomas Jr.
Who received the first unanimous vote to win? Earl Cole (Fiji)
What item did Kelly Wiglesworth steal from production in Borneo? A can of beer

Which contestant fainted face-first into a fire pit? Kourtney Moon
Who coined the phrase “drop your buffs”? Jeff Probst
Which contestant was bitten by a shark? Hali Ford

What did James Clement say when he was voted out with two immunity idols? “I’ve made a million-dollar mistake”
Who was the first contestant to be removed from the game due to unacceptable behavior? Dan Spilo
Which player famously said, “I’m against you, Russell”? Sandra Diaz-Twine

What did Eliza Orlins say when shown a fake immunity idol? “It’s a f*ing stick!”**
Who was the first contestant to find a hidden immunity idol without a clue? Russell Hantz
Which contestant was medically evacuated for a severe infection? Neal Gottlieb

If you enjoyed these memorable Survivor quotes, you might also enjoy these clever ways to say welcome to others that can make any greeting more memorable. Discover creative ways to say welcome for more expression inspiration.

Survivor Records and Statistics

These facts might stump even some of the biggest Survivor fans! I love bringing up these stats during watch parties to impress my friends (or maybe annoy them a little, but that’s what friends are for, right?).

Who holds the record for most individual immunity wins in a single season? Mike Holloway and Colby Donaldson (5 wins)

Who has played Survivor the most times? Boston Rob Mariano and Sandra Diaz-Twine (5 times each)
Which season had the first tie vote for the winner? Ghost Island
Who was the first unanimous winner in Survivor history? Earl Cole (Fiji)

What is the largest winning margin in a final vote? Earl Cole (9-0-0)
Which season had the most medical evacuations? Kaôh Rōng (3 evacuations)
What was the most lopsided tribal merge in terms of numbers? Tandang entered the merge with all 7 original members in Philippines

Who holds the record for most days played across all seasons? Boston Rob Mariano (152 days)
Which season featured the oldest cast on average? Survivor: Nicaragua
Who holds the record for finding the most hidden immunity idols? Tony Vlachos (6 idols)

Which contestant was voted out first in two different seasons? Francesca Hogi
What’s the highest number of votes a single player has received in one Tribal Council? 10 votes
Which season had the first rock draw tiebreaker? Survivor: Marquesas

Who was the first contestant to be voted out with an unused hidden immunity idol? James Clement
What is the longest individual immunity challenge in terms of duration? Over 11 hours (Palau)
Which contestant holds the record for most individual challenge wins (immunity and reward combined)? Ozzy Lusth

What season had the first Final Two to Final Three format change? Cook Islands (Season 13)
Who received zero votes against them in multiple seasons? Sandra Diaz-Twine (Pearl Islands and Heroes vs. Villains)
Which season had the most players return for future seasons? Borneo

Who was the first contestant to be eliminated by the purple rock tiebreaker? Paschal English

Looking for more trivia challenges? These 80s movie trivia questions will test your knowledge of another beloved era of entertainment. Test your 80s movie knowledge with these fun questions and answers.

Behind the Scenes

There’s so much that happens off-camera that casual viewers might not know about. I became fascinated with the production side of Survivor after reading some contestants’ blogs and interviews after their seasons aired.

How many camera operators typically work on Survivor? Approximately 400 crew members total
What time of day are most Tribal Councils filmed? At night
How long does a typical Tribal Council filming last? Several hours (edited down to minutes)

What do contestants receive in their luxury items? Personal comfort items chosen before the game
How many calories do contestants typically consume per day? Around 100-300 calories
Who created Survivor? Charlie Parsons

What show was Survivor based on? Swedish show “Expedition Robinson”
What do contestants typically do after being voted out pre-jury? Stay at a resort called “Ponderosa”
How many hours of footage are typically shot for each episode? Over 300 hours

What do contestants get for medical needs? Access to a medical team and basic first aid
Are contestants provided with sunscreen? Yes
What basic hygiene items are contestants provided? Feminine hygiene products, contact lens solution, prescription medications, sunscreen

How much did Richard Hatch actually receive after taxes from his million-dollar win? About $355,000 after taxes
Are contestants allowed to bring their own clothing? No, clothing is provided by production
How many camera people are typically assigned to each tribe? Multiple camera operators per tribe

Are the contestants given any food beyond what they can find or win? Small ration of rice
How are medical emergencies handled on the show? On-site medical team with the ability to evacuate if necessary
Do contestants get days off from filming? No, it’s continuous

How many people work on the Survivor production crew? Around 400
What happens to the sets after filming is complete? Most are dismantled and removed

If you want to better understand the psychology behind Survivor gameplay, these deep topics to talk about can help you explore human behavior and social dynamics. Discover deep topics to talk about for more thought-provoking conversations.

Why Survivor Trivia is Perfect for Fans

Survivor trivia isn’t just about testing your knowledge—it’s about celebrating one of the most influential reality shows in television history! I started collecting these questions when my friends and I would get together for finale parties. We’d quiz each other during commercial breaks, and it always led to heated debates and nostalgic conversations about our favorite moments.

What I love most about Survivor trivia is how it connects fans across different generations of the show. My nephew only started watching around season 30, but these questions have helped him appreciate the earlier seasons that laid the groundwork for everything that came after.

Interesting topics to explore beyond trivia include deep conversations about gameplay strategy and social dynamics that make the show so fascinating. Check out more interesting topics to talk about when you want to dive deeper into meaningful discussions.

Final Thoughts

Whew! That was a journey through over 20 years of Survivor history! How did you do? Even as someone who’s watched every season multiple times, I still find myself surprised by some of these facts and figures.

What I love most about Survivor trivia is how it brings back memories of watching these iconic moments unfold. Each question is like a little time machine that takes you back to wherever you were when you first saw that tribal council blindside or jaw-dropping challenge performance.

Whether you’re a new fan who discovered the show during lockdown binges or a die-hard who’s been watching since Borneo, I hope these questions sparked some fun memories and maybe taught you something new about this incredible show!

Did any of these questions stump you? Or do you have a favorite Survivor moment that wasn’t included? The beauty of this show is that with over 40 seasons, there are countless memorable moments that could fill several more trivia lists!

If you enjoyed testing your knowledge with these Survivor trivia questions, you might also like these hypothetical questions that make you think creatively about different scenarios. Explore these intriguing hypothetical questions for more thought-provoking content.