Tarawera Ultramarathon

The course begins in Rotorua's Whakarewarewa Forest — one of the finest trail running forests in the world, with smooth singletrack winding through towering redwoods and native bush. The first 30 kilometres are fast and flowy, building confidence and rhythm. The middle section traces the shore of Lake Tarawera, a volcanic lake of striking clarity, before climbing gently through native bush and past the Tarawera Falls — a waterfall that emerges from a cliff face in a way that feels impossible. The terrain is predominantly soft, well-maintained trail with occasional roots and gentle undulation. The final approach to Kawerau is a long, gradual descent through plantation forest. The course is well-marked and well-supported, with a festive atmosphere that reflects the warmth of the New Zealand running community. For runners looking to step up to 100K, this is one of the best-designed courses in the world: challenging enough to be meaningful, beautiful enough to sustain you through the hard patches, and fast enough to reward good preparation with a strong time.