Ultra-Trail Ninghai by UTMB® 2026

Long before GPX tracks and timing chips, a certain Xu Xiake left Ninghai for a journey of more than thirty years across China 🧭. Four centuries later, trail runners are taking up the torch, without necessarily planning to stay quite as long. The Ultra-Trail Ninghai by UTMB takes place every autumn in Ninghai, in the Ningbo region, in the heart of the lush province of Zhejiang, in eastern China. Born in 2013 and integrated into the UTMB World Series in 2023, the event is among the most popular in trail running in China 🐼.

Three main courses structure the weekend, set in the same green mountain sanctuary. The flagship event, the "UTNH 105", sends ultra-trail runners out on 106 km with 5,200 m of elevation gain through the Zhejiang Grand Canyon 🥵. The "CNH 60" with its 60 km (2,400 m of elevation gain) is a demanding long trail, while the "YNH 25" offers a short format of 25 km (600 m of elevation gain) to sample the atmosphere without burning all your energy 👟. Some editions even add a discovery 12 km, to bring curious newcomers and families on board. All finishers leave with their Running Stones, precious tickets for the lottery draw for the UTMB Mont-Blanc final 🪨.

The scenery unfolds like a true ink painting 🖌. The trails dive into bamboo forests so dense they filter the daylight 🌫. They follow rivers and streams, cross lakes and primeval forests, then climb up to the ridgelines of the Tiantai range. Unusually, part of the route uses the Ninghai Trail System, China’s very first national network of hiking trails, along with ancient stone-paved post roads polished by centuries of footsteps. Between humid mountains and abundant nature, the setting feels as much like a sanctuary as a playground 💚.

Don’t be fooled by the gentleness of the print 😅. Ninghai has a reputation for being a "brutal" race: constant humidity makes rocks and roots as slippery as soap, and the local mud—thick and sticky—has built a legend all on its own. Since its creation, the event has brought together around 4,500 runners each year, including a good share of foreigners, and serves as a hunting ground for a formidable Chinese elite, among the best in the world 💪. Three hours by train from Shanghai, it offers an ideal gateway to trail running in the east of the country 🚄.

History clings to the course as much as mud clings to shoes 🥾. In tribute to Xu Xiake, China even made the day he left Ninghai its National Tourism Day, proof of the place’s prestige. Run in mid-October under a mild and humid climate, the event blends culture and heritage with generous nature, supported by villagers renowned for their welcome 🤝. The atmosphere—tough on the trails and warm at the aid stations—appeals to a community of runners in full swing across the country and, more broadly, across the Asian continent.

After the effort, it’s time to relax, Chinese-style ♨️. Ninghai lays out its renowned hot springs, perfect for soothing tired calves, while the nearby old town of Ningbo treats you to traditional architecture and seaside specialties 🥟. The more adventurous head as far as the alleyways of Shanghai, just a few high-speed train stops away, to end the trip in style 🌆.