About This Event
The Ultra-Trail Great Wall by UTMB offers runners an extraordinary opportunity to traverse one of the world's most iconic historical landmarks while experiencing China's diverse mountain terrain. Set in the Zhangjiakou region, this UTMB World Series event combines ancient history with challenging trail running, featuring meticulously preserved sections of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall alongside panoramic mountain vistas. The 2026 edition has been optimized to showcase an even richer variety of terrain and scenery. Beyond the classic Great Wall sections that define this race, the course now incorporates the Grassland Sky Road's alpine meadows, pastoral trail networks, and secluded valley passages. This blend of historical significance and natural beauty creates a uniquely Chinese trail running experience that stands apart in the international ultra scene. Registrations for all distances close in September 2026, with the event taking place shortly thereafter. As part of the UTMB World Series, this race offers Running Stones for qualification to other prestigious events, making it both a destination race and a strategic component of runners' broader ultra calendars.
Choose Your Distance
31.2K
The entry-level distance still delivers an authentic Great Wall challenge with 1500m of elevation gain. This option allows runners newer to ultra distances to experience the unique terrain and historical significance without the extreme demands of longer courses.
53K
The course weaves through the mountains surrounding Zhangjiakou, utilizing both preserved and ruined sections of the Great Wall connected by mountain trails. Runners navigate stone staircases of varying steepness, some sections featuring steps irregularly spaced and smoothed by weather and foot traffic over centuries. Between wall sections, the terrain shifts to natural mountain paths that may include loose rock, packed earth, and technical features requiring careful footing. The mixed terrain designation reflects this combination of human-engineered and natural surfaces. Expect rapid transitions between climbing ancient steps, traversing ridgelines with exposure, and descending technical trails. Weather conditions in September typically offer moderate temperatures, though mountain exposure means runners should prepare for variable conditions including wind and potential temperature swings between sun and shade.
69.1K
The route combines two distinct environments: technical sections following the Great Wall's ancient stone construction and the wide-open terrain of the Grassland Sky Road, a scenic route that traverses high-altitude pastoral landscapes. The Great Wall segments require careful footing over uneven stonework and steps, while the grassland sections open onto rolling ridges with different challenges related to exposure and sustained climbing. The 3,200-meter elevation gain is distributed throughout the course, with no single dominant climb defining the effort. Runners navigate a mix of surfaces, from weathered stone and packed earth on historical sections to dirt roads and singletrack through the grasslands. The technical demands vary considerably depending on which portion of the course you're on, requiring adaptability and attention to changing underfoot conditions.
100K
The route incorporates multiple sections of the Great Wall, where uneven stone steps and steep gradients demand careful foot placement even when fresh. Between wall segments, the course drops into valleys and crosses exposed ridgelines before reaching grassland transitions that mark the outer portions of the route. Technical challenges persist throughout, with ancient stone giving way to mountain singletrack that requires sustained attention to footing.