Panda Trail by UTMB® will be based around one of most famous Taoist mountains in China, Qingcheng Mountain in Dujiangyan city and Wenchuan County in the Sichuan region. Located in the southwest of the country, the Sichuan Province is one the largest provinces in China and the gateway to Tibet and where Tibetans, the Yi, the Hui, the Han and other ethnic groups live.
Known as the Country of Heaven thanks to its world heritage irrigation system and as the Sunshine Valley due to its mild temperatures throughout the year, the Sichuan Province is also famous for its Giant Pandas and spicy food. Chengdu International Airport (CTU) is located just an hour’s drive from Dujiangyan in Sichuan, and is the fourth largest hub in mainland China with direct flights to most major North American cities and European capitals.

Val d'Aran, the essence of the Pyrenees, will offer its magnificent mountains and its well-known hospitality to host the newest international event “by UTMB”. It will consist of different trails and distances to run through one of the wildest parts of the Pyrenees. Val d'Aran is a valley which is facing the Atlantic Ocean, sitting in the heart of the Catalan Pyrenees, with peaks up to 3.000m, a unique climate and a strong heritage. More than 90% of its territory is made up of pure nature, most of it contained within the National Park “Aigüestortes i Estany de San Maurici”. The race will include summits, ridges, lakes, rivers and charming villages; a global course in a unique habitat of the Pyrenees and Europe.

Thailand by UTMB® will be based around the highest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon in the Chiang Mai Provence, and at 2,656 metres, it is known locally as “The Roof of Thailand”. This national park is located in the north-west of the country, allowing runners the chance to get off the beaten track and experience a true adventure; crossing rivers, chasing hidden waterfalls, passing royal burial grounds, and learning about the local people.

Trail runners can choose from four distances; the 175km ‘Inthanon 6’ ultra-race, the ‘Inthanon 5’ 119km, ‘Inthanon 4’ 80km race and the shorter ‘Inthanon 1’ 22km race.

The nearest international airport is less than two hour’s drive from Doi Inthanon in the city of Chiang Mai, and as a partner to the event will offer runners the opportunity to stay in Thailand longer and experience the beauty of the country while enjoying the warm Thai hospitality.

A major event on the Asian trail-running calendar, as well as the standard-setting race for the continent. From its first edition, the theater for an incredible race between China's best trail runners and the current international elite.
Next to the border between China and Myanmar, Gaoligong Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage site, stretch from the south to the north. Geographically the foothills of the Himalaya, the Mountains are a reservoir of great biodiversity, harboring some of the best-preserved forests in China.