About This Event
The Mountain Ultra Trail or MUT by UTMB is a festival of trail running in the garden city of George, on South Africa's east coast. The Outeniqua Mountains rise from the urban edge and provide a spectacular adventure seeker's playground, with hundreds of kilometers of hiking trails criss-crossing the peaks, which reach up to 1,578 meters above sea level, and verdant valleys. Fynbos, one of the world's most biodiverse floral kingdoms, and old growth indigenous forests line the trails, while the high points along the MUT by UTMB route provide breath-taking views over the Indian Ocean to the south and across the arid Karoo to the north. This UTMB World Series event combines South Africa's stunning natural diversity with the technical trail running challenges that define the global UTMB brand.
Choose Your Distance
11K
The 11-kilometer lite option offers newcomers a taste of South African mountain trails with 260 meters of elevation gain. This beginner-friendly distance showcases the region's natural beauty without overwhelming technical demands.
25K
The route explores the Outeniqua Mountains above George, moving through indigenous forest and fynbos zones characteristic of the Garden Route. Runners navigate technical singletrack that requires consistent attention to foot placement, with the terrain shifting between tree cover and open ridgeline sections. The course showcases the biodiversity that makes this region botanically significant, though specific routing details vary by year within the broader MUT trail network.
44K
The 44K route explores the technical heart of the Outeniqua terrain, alternating between exposed fynbos ridgelines and the damp shade of indigenous forest sections. Runners navigate singletrack that demands constant attention, with rocky technical sections interspersed with smoother forest trails that allow brief recovery before the next challenging stretch. The course showcases the Garden Route's biodiversity, moving through vegetation zones that shift with elevation and aspect, though the focus remains on managing the technical demands rather than elevation extremes.
58K
The route follows established trails through the Outeniqua range, alternating between exposed ridgelines dominated by hardy fynbos vegetation and sheltered forest sections where yellowwood and stinkwood trees form dense canopies. Technical sections require careful foot placement on loose rock and protruding roots, particularly during descents where the grade steepens considerably. The course design emphasizes the region's biodiversity, moving runners through multiple distinct plant communities within a single race.
98K
The route explores the Outeniqua Mountains through ecosystems that shift with elevation. Lower sections wind through protected fynbos, the fire-adapted shrubland unique to the Cape, before climbing into indigenous forest zones where yellowwood and stinkwood trees form canopy overhead. Technical singletrack dominates, with the mountain's geology creating rocky, root-crossed paths that demand constant attention to foot placement. The course's technical nature stems from natural trail conditions rather than artificial difficulty. Runners encounter the terrain that local mountain runners train on year-round: uneven rock slabs, embedded roots, and the occasional stream crossing. Navigation follows marked trails through the route, with the forest sections providing shade and the fynbos ridges offering views across the Outeniqua range toward the Indian Ocean.
163K
The route traverses the Outeniqua Mountain range from George, moving through varied ecosystems that include protected fynbos heathlands and dense indigenous forests. Runners follow a mix of technical singletrack and established mountain trails, with the extended distance allowing for a comprehensive tour of this biodiverse region. The terrain demands technical footwork and sustained concentration, particularly during night sections where navigation and headlamp management become essential skills.