Bhutan Ultra

22/04/2026

From today, any athletes wanting to sign up, don't have to print files and then worry about sending these by email or postal service. Entry is now fully online. 😀

The link below takes you right to the forms:

Please click the link to complete this form.

11/04/2026

I’ve started adding some content to the gear page on bhutan-ultra.com.

Since all participants coming to our race already have experience with mountain trails, much of the information there won’t be new. It’s intended more as a confirmation - and perhaps some food for thought - especially when it comes to layering.

It’s still a work in progress and should be completed within the next couple of days.

Please feel free to email me or leave a comment here if you think anything is missing.

The gear you will need for the Bhutan Ultra is identical to any ultra in a mountain environment with a considerable temperature range. So, the below information is more to confirm what our athletes likely already assume.

08/04/2026

Bhutan Ultra for Friends & Family

Ultra running is, in most cases, a solitary pursuit. Bhutan, however, is such a special destination that friends or family might say, “… I wish I could join you.” Well - they can. If you’d like to bring a friend or partner to the Bhutan Ultra, it’s absolutely possible. The stage race format makes it ideal.

Before the race, your companion simply joins the group. If they prefer to take it easy and skip an activity, that’s perfectly fine too. During the race, friends and family can watch each start before heading off on their own adventures. They’ll be transferred to the daily finish lines and, along the way, discover stunning landmarks and historic sites. Where accessible, we’ll also include visits to selected checkpoints. The cost is the same as for our athletes and depends on the length of the stay and the booking timeline.

If you’re interested in the friends and family program, just let us know when you sign up for the race.

📷 from our recce in 2024 - It's great to go on an adventure. It's even better if you can share it!

02/04/2026

Chortens are a big part of life in Bhutan:

18/03/2026

After the Yukon Arctic Ultra it was immediately time to travel to Sweden for the 5th edition of the Bright Equipment Lapland Arctic Ultra. We had a record race roster and an absolutely great adventure! Below some impressions from our race photographer Jonas Palsson.

Now it's time to focus on the Rainforest Ultra and the Bhutan Ultra. The goal is to find enough athletes to kick off both races later this year. If you are interested, please do not hesitate to reach out! WE NEED YOU!

01/01/2026

Happy New Year! 🎉

Our premiere Bhutan Ultra still feels far away, but we all know how fast time flies! ⏳ Hopefully, we can reach enough athletes to make this dream in the Land of the Thunder Dragon come true 🐉💚

If you like what we have planned, please share! And of course, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.

Whatever you do, remember the Bhutanese way: Be happy! 😊✨

20/11/2025

Trongsa Dzong, the start line of the Bhutan Ultra 2026. It does not get more spectacular than this!

Bhutan is where you realise that beauty grows when it’s protected, culture thrives when it’s lived, and journeys matter when they uplift more than they disturb.

The picture below shows the majestic Trongsa Dzong, standing proudly on its ridge and watching over centuries of Bhutanese history.

25/08/2025

If you’ve checked the news on our website, you’ll have seen that we’ve had to postpone our premiere to 2026. Within the next two weeks, I’ll be able to confirm the exact dates, but I can already share that the very first Bhutan Ultra will take place in November.

In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!

📷 Tourism Bhutan

08/04/2025

Talking about speed ...

This short video is from stage 1 of the future Bhutan Ultra. I took it to explain a bit about what speed is needed to do the race. As you can hear me explain, the goal is that our participants have a realistic chance if they "only" hike. Obviously, looking at the distances, the elevation and the time allowed for each stage, we are talking about speed hiking here. I think the video shows well what I mean. We are on a downhill stretch, relatively easy surface. So, we are moving fairly fast but still not running.

If you are in the Bhutan Ultra to run as much as possible, you will love this trail. Sections of it have a thick bed of pine needles. It feels like running on coulds ...

Thank you Kencho S Tshering for the guiding and demonstration ;-)

05/03/2025

After 4 weeks at - 40° C at the Yukon Arctic Ultra, we are now here at the Bright Equipment Lapland Arctic Ultra in Sweden. Our athletes started on March 2nd. The 20 and 50 distances were done on day 1. We already have some finishers in the 185 km distance and our 500 km participants are out there, too. I hope you enjoy our videos and photos from this race!

Once the Lapland Arctic Ultra is over, my full attention shifts back to the Rainforest Ultra and Bhutan Ultra, that we are kicking off this year!

31/12/2024

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to the development of the Bhutan Ultra in 2024! Your support means the world to me.

I am also deeply grateful to all of you following our journey here on Facebook. Stay tuned for updates and watch as the adventure unfolds.

Wishing you all a HAPPY, HEALTHY, and JOYFUL NEW YEAR! 🎉✨

30/12/2024

It takes both courage and curiosity to commit to a new ultra race, especially one so far from home. Gillian Smith embodies these qualities in abundance. Hailing from the Canadian Yukon Territory, Gillian is a finisher of the grueling 430-mile Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. Her impressive accomplishments also include completing other challenging ultras, such as the Cocodona 250 in the USA.

We are thrilled to announce Gillian as the second athlete joining us for the Bhutan Ultra 2025. Welcome, Gillian!

📷 .com