Annapurna 100

It’s got big mountain views, forests trails, village culture and it’s probably the only ultra race where you get a tikka on your forehead at 20 km and a khata around your neck. The Annapurna 100 is Nepal’s original ultra race, and its hard, with 50 and 100 km courses.

The 50 km is a super nice route that mixes paddy, peaks and pings – from Begnas lake to the hillside village of Sikles. An almost flat run for the first 8km before some climbs around the lake of Rupa Tal. Through the rice fields at Rupakot then a climb to Bhanjyang to join the old stone paved trail to the hill top. Some flat running on a jeep track to Tiwaridanda and a drop down to a river. An 8km slow climb to Yangjakot, the pleasant hilltop village with views to the Himalayas. Follow the 100km description below for more details. Sting in the tail like a scorpion, with a 700m climb on stone steps to finish. If you can’t finish, someone will have to carry you. So please sleep in Tangting or just finish!

All finishers sleep in Sikles hotels and return Sunday, unless you have to leave urgently, then we’ll manage something for you.

100km runners will like and not like the first section. Quite a lot of pitched road, but easy to navigate and warm up to. As dawn breaks views to the mountains north. By 25 km you reach a pleasant lake Rupa. Some small climbs and rice paddies. At 33km the first slow climb on an ancient stone trail. A short sharp descent, then another climb to Gurung village of Yangjakot with views to the Himalayas at 50km. Back down to river level, then climb again to Tangting, a super authentic Gurung village again, again with mountain views (cloud permitting). Yet again down the the river and a 700m climb to Sikles, a village of 3000 people on the hillside. Then jungle / forest – a challenge for slower runners who take this on in the dark. Slippy wet trails through lush cloud forest. A climb of 900m over 12km on a good trail. Then inevitable descent, to the final checkpoint at Ghalekarka, and back to jeep tracks for the final, easier 13km to the finish. Accommodation provided for all at the finish – shower, food, bed and transport to Pokhara on Sunday morning.