Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SA government asked us to stay indoors until 17 April. Many trail running events have been cancelled or postponed. Please check on the organisers’ websites to confirm.
Event organisers: To have your event listed on this page, or to appear as a highlighted Promoted Event more than one month in advance, click here for info, including required formatting.
Runners: Find a stockist to get the full South African trail running events calendar in TRAIL 35. It’s available in print and digital editions. We include some of the top international events of interest to South Africans too.
Click to list your event here and in print.
Trail run event calendar for April 2020
Fri 27 March – Thu 16 April SA
Mzansi Lockdown Marathon Challenge. 42km. Your home. Run 2km inside your house and/or garden every day for the 21 day duration of South Africa’s lockdown. Free. energylabrunning.com
Wed 1 April WC
Merrell Autumn Night Run. 5km, 8km, 10km. Simon’s Restaurant, Constantia. Bring a friend and headlamp, run through historic vineyards! Start 7pm. R170-R200. mountainrunner.co.za
Sat 4 April EC
Smhart Trails & Turbines Ultra. 6km, 20km, 50km. Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm. This is your opportunity to experience an ultra trail run between huge wind turbines just outside of Jeffreys Bay! Start 7am. R70/R160/R300. qkt.io/smhart-trail-turbines
Sat 4 April NW
Cool Ideas Cradle Mountain Trail Run. 5km, 10km, 15km, 25km.. Maropeng amphitheatre, Cradle of Humankind. Great routes. Start 8am. R110-R250. entryninja.com
Sat 4 – Sun 5 April KZN Postponed until 11-13 Sept
Bushman’s Trail. 5km, 10km, 20km, 30km. Wagendrift Dam, Estcourt. Beautiful Bushveld. Run short distances on Saturday with 30km on Sunday. Start 9am. kzntrailrunning.co.za
Sat 4 & Sun 5 April WC
Roi Du Mont Rochelle. 7km, 22km. Haute Cabriere. Tackle the most prominent peaks in Mont Rochelle Reserve (Perdekop, Du Toits Peak) on runnable mountain singletrack, with 1,400m ascent. New vertical km on Saturday. Start 7:30. R150/R495. montrochelle.run
Sunday 5 April KZN Postponed indefinitely
Holla Trails Classic. 8km, 16km. Fairview Estates. Get the whole family involved and enjoy a great day out on some of the best singletrack on the North Coast. Start 6am. R75/R150. hollatrails.co.za
Sun 5 April GP Postponed until 3 May
Fresh@Wolwes. 5km, 12km, 17km. Wolwespuit Park. Handcrafted singletrack for flowing, adrenaline-filled adventure for any runner. Start 7am. R120-R200. freshtrails.co.za
Wed 8 April WC
Merrell Autumn Night Run. 3km, 5km, 8km. Simon’s Restaurant, Constantia. Bring a friend and headlamp, run through historic vineyards! Start 6pm. R80-R200. mountainrunner.co.za
Fri 10 April WC
Two Oceans Trail Run. 12km, 24km. Jameson Plaza. Tough, with exposed cliff sections and one tricky downward scramble. Start 7am. twooceansmarathon.org.za
Fri 10 – Mon 13 April MP
Mac Mac Training Camp. Free camping at York Engelhard Park, Sabie. R400/R1,500. freshtrails.co.za
Sat 11 April WC
Great White Trail Run. 5km, 12km, 21km. Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy, Gansbaai. Beautiful fynbos trails through the Walker Bay Fynbos Conservancy. Start 8am. R50-R250. entryninja.com
Sunday 12 April MP
York Dusk Till Dawn Endurance Race. 12km loop. York Engelhard Park, Main Road, Sabie. Run loops from sunset until sunrise on Monday. Start 5:30pm. R400. freshtrails.co.za
Fri 17 April WC
Hero Adventure Night Series #6. 3km, 5km, 10km. Hero Adventure Trails Spice Route, Paarl. Beer and shooter stops, no set starting time, spectacular trails. R60/R80/R100. hero.uwekoetter.com
Fri 17 April KZN
aQuelle Eston Dustbuster. 5km, 10km. Eston Primary. Bring a headlamp and join the fun. Start 5:30pm. R120/R140. estonprimary.co.za
Fri 17 – Sat 18 April WC
Karoo Battle Of The Tekkies. 5km, 10km, 20km. Grand Hotel, Laingsburg. Night run and day trail for all fitness levels at Biltong Festival. Start 6:30pm. R40/R90/R180. jakhalsevents.co.za
Sat 18 April WC
Cableway Charity Challenge. 5.5km. Platteklip Gorge. Summit Table Mountain as many times as you can to raise money for education charities. Start 7am. charitychallenge.co.za
Sat 18 April GP
Black Eagle Mountain Run. 3km, 8km, 16km. Walter Sisulu Gardens. Open rocky grassland, technical running past waterfall and cliffs home to breeding pair of majestic black eagles. Start 7:30am. R80-R190. bouttime.co.za
Sat 18 April GP
Bubbles & Oyster Trail. 6km, 12km, 18km. Glen Afric Country Lodge. Endless trails, spectacular wildlife incl. elephants. Branded shooter glass to finishers, optional champagne and oyster feast. Start 8am. R230/R260. bit.ly/2IbzK29
Sun 19 April KZN
WESSA Trail Run. 5km, 12km, 20km. Umngeni Valley, Howick. Single track and reserve dirt road through uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve. Start 7am. kzntrailrunning.co.za
Sun 19 April KZN
Husqvarna Classic Trail Run. 9km, 15km. Mid Illovo Farmers Club. Cover rugged terrain through iNsingizi Game Reserve. Start 7am. R120/R150. husqvarnaclassic.co.za
Sun 19 April EC
Get Out And Run Langley Park. 5km, 12km, 21km. Langley Park. Start 7:30am. R80-R230. getoutandrunec.wordpress.com
Sun 19 April WC
Simonsberg Trail Run. 9km, 15km, 25km. Uitkyk Wine Estate. Magnificent singletrack on slopes of Simonsberg. Start 8am. dirtopia.co.za
Fri 24 April WC
Twilight Xtreme. 7km. Hermanus. Scenic boardwalk following coastline. 5:30pm. R150. walkerbayxtreme.com
Fri 24 – Sun 26 April KZN Postponed until 2021
Ultra-Trail Drakensberg. 30km, 62km, 100km, 160km. Premier Resort Sani Pass. The first 100 miler in the Drakensberg: from Sani Pass to Busman’s Nek, traversing the Southern Berg. ultratraildrakensberg.com
Fri 24 – Sun 26 April FS
Clarens Mountain Matha. 10km/13km, 15km/20km. Bokpoort Mountain Lodge. Foothills of Maluti Mountains, sandstone cliffs, caves, grassland. Run one or both days. R300-R1,400. wildtrail.co.za
Sat 25 April EC
The Pecan Trail Run. 5km, 10km, 20km. Sanctuary Adventure Farm, Cradock. Running through pecan orchards, along the Great Fish River, and the Karoo. Start 7am. R80-R250. entryninja.com PROMOTED
Sat 25 April GP
Four Seasons. 5km, 10km, 15km, 30km. Cowhouse Market, Hazeldean. Farm surroundings and bushveld next to the Pienaarsriver. Routes change each season. Start 16:30pm. R50-R150. bouttime.co.za
Sat 25 April WC
Cliffpath Xtreme. 6km, 13km. Hermanus. Scenic boardwalk following coastline. 4:30pm. walkerbayxtreme.com
Sat 25 – Sat 26 April WC
Blue Mountain Xtreme. 9km, 21km/21km. Hermanus. Expanded trail routes along the Kleinrivier Mountains, sweeping vistas. Run one or both stages. 9am. R200-R400. walkerbayxtreme.com
Sat 25 – Sat 27 April EC
Merrell Hobbit. 5km, 16km, 38km, 47km/43km. Arminel Hotel, Hogsback. Magnificent indigenous forests, river crossings, and huge waterfalls. 90km over two days or other distances on Saturday. R140-R4,000 mountainrunner.co.za
Sat 25 – Mon 27 April WC
Cape Crusade. 23km/25km/20km. Villiersdorp. Three-stage mountain race from Villiersdorp to Somerset West through beautiful Hottentots Holland Mountains and surrounds, in pairs. R8,600 per team. capecrusadetrail.com
Mon 27 April WC
TrailFun Neethlingshof. 5km, 10km, 20km. Neethlingshof Wine Estate. Holiday Series. Run through beautiful vines and incredible forest, over the dam and into the bush. Real trail, real challenges, real beauty, real fun. Start 7am. R180-R210. trailfun.co.za
Wed 29 April – Sun 3 May INT
Safari-on-the-run Mapungubwe. 30km/34km/28km. Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation area. Explore SA, Botswana, and Zimbabwe on foot. wildrun.com
Trail events further ahead in 2020
Sat 2 – 3 May NC Postponed until 5-6 September
Klipspringer Challenge. 21km/18km, 32km/33km. Augrabies Falls National Park.Grueling desert run through remote Kalahari landscapes: granite canyons, Orange River, otherworldly moonscapes, unforgiving desert sand. klipspringerchallenge.co.za
Fri 22 – Sat 23 May KZN Postponed until 22-23 October
The Giant’s Cup Trail Run. 15km/12km, 30km/32km. Sani Pass Hotel, Himeville. Two days of rolling grassland, big skies, steep clambers, glorious streams, nonstop fast-flowing singletrack. Fully catered at prestige hotel. thegiantscup.co.za PROMOTED
Sat 23 – 24 May WC
Ragnar Trail Cape Town. 21km, 42km. Elgin Grabouw Country Club. Unique team experience, running three loops as a team of eight*, four, or two. *Not a team of seven as we printed in TRAIL 34. runragnar.com PROMOTED
Fri 29 – 31 May WC
Langkloof Trail Run. 80km. Louvain Guest Farm, George. Stunning new trails through the Outeniqua Mountains over three days. Start 9am. R4,000-R6,000. langklooftrail.run PROMOTED
Sat 11 July LIM
Iron Crown Trail Run. 5km, 10km, 22km. Haenertsburg Village. Summit Limpopo’s highest mountain. Village streets, earth roads, firebreaks, and rocky singletrack. Stunning views of Ebenezer Dam and Hunters’ Valley. Start 7:30am. R60/R110/R130. rotaryhaenertsburg.co.za PROMOTED
Sat 5 – Sun 6 September WC
Run2Nowhere. 9km/12km, 20km/18km, 32km/28km. McGregor. A two-day trail run for everyone! Moderate distances, relaxed vibe, festive atmosphere. No cut off times, no pressure. Start 8am. run2nowhere.co.za PROMOTED
See more events in your copy of TRAIL 34, where we list 98 trail running events locally and internationally from January to May 2020.
Get your trail running event listed
Click here to have your event listed in the print and digital versions of TRAIL magazine. Up to 100 events are listed every issue.
Please use the format and order of information above when you send us your event details.
As you might know, listing in the print calendar is free as a service to all events, and our readers.
For PROMOTED website listings more than a month ahead of race date or for more visual exposure through an event banner, or as a banner in our weekly newsletter emailer, the fees below apply.
There are six options:
- Website text listing in final month ahead of your event. FREE
- Website text listing longer than one month ahead. R599 once-off.
- Website text multiple dates (eg series events). R599 first event, R399 per event date thereafter.
- Website banner (728×90 pixels horizontal, on this calendar page only), as a jpeg or animated GIF. Includes single event text listing (option 2 above). R1,399
- Emailer text listing R299 single listing, or R1,250 for five issues anytime in 2020, or R2,400 for 10 issues anytime in 2020. Same text format as on this page. Read our 24 January 2020 issue.
- Emailer banner (600×200 pixels horizontal) R699 first issue and R599 thereafter. R599 for each additional event in the same mailing.
No limit to the display duration for any of the above options. Start promoting your event as early as you want. All prices shown are a once-off fee, excluding VAT. Prices valid to the end of 2020.
Email Deon Braun for more marketing options for your event, including boosted Facebook posts, Instagram, Twitter, and for product slots in our email newsletter.
