Event organisers: To have your event listed on this page, or to appear as a Promoted event more than one month in advance, click here to send to us in our formatting.
Runners: Get the full South African trail running events calendar in TRAIL 39. It’s available only in digital format. We include some of the top international events of interest to South Africans too.
Trail running events in April 2021
Fri 23 – Sat 24 April WC
Topo Raid Adventure Race. 60km, 100km. Prince Albert. Team relay/supported 100km, or pairs unsupported. Challenge yourself to the most innovative form of sport. topo.co.za PROMOTED
Fri 23 – Sat 24 April KZN
Thanda Safari Trail Run. 5km, 7km. Thanda Safari Private Game Reserve. Bushveld and savannah Big 5 trail running on game drive routes, singletrack following animal paths. Includes accommodation, food, medal, game drive. Start 6:30am. roag.org
Fri 23 – Sun 25 April KZN
Ultra-Trail Drakensberg. 21km, 30km, 62km, 100km, 160km. Premier Resort Sani Pass. The first 100 miler in the Drakensberg, traversing the Southern Berg. ultratraildrakensberg.com PROMOTED
Fri 23 – Sun 25 April EC
Trail2Teebus. 12km/20km/20km, 12km/40km/20km. Harmonie Farm. Run all three or a single stage in the ultimate Karoo trail stage race. Start 8am. R350-R4,300. trail2teebus.co.za
Fri 23 – Sun 25 April MP
Recce Mission. 5km, 12km, 30km, 60km, 100km, 200km. Fort Mission, Dullstroom. Epic adventure to the boundaries of physical and mental toughness. R80-R3,650. Start 12pm. reccerace.co.za
Fri 23 – Sat 24 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
Fri 23 – Sun 25 April WC
Walker Bay Outdoor. 6km, 7km, 12km, 14km, 19km. Hermanus. Scenic boardwalk following coastline. Expanded trail routes along the Kleinrivier Mountains, sweeping vistas. walkerbayxtreme.com
Sat 24 April KZN
The Terra Firma Trail Run #2. 5km, 10km, 18km. Virginia Trails. Run through beautiful trails at a private farm in Eston. Start 7am. R110/R150/R180. waterra.co.za
Sat 24 – Sun 25 April WC
Big Backyard Ultra #2. 6,706m laps. Welbedacht Wine Estate. Run a lap every hour on the hour until you can’t anymore. Spectacular course with breath-taking views. Start 7am. R875. wannado.co.za/bigbackyardultra PROMOTED
Sat 24 – Sun 25 April WC
Savanna Origin of Trails. 23km/16km. Stellenbosch High School. Network of magnificent Stellenbosch trails and surrounds. R950. stillwatersports.com
Sun 25 April GP
Tiger Trail Run. 2km, 5km, 10km, 21km. Tierpoort Adventure Farm. Enjoy the trails, donate old running kit, earn Vitality points, and relax under the trees. Start 7am. R30-R135. revolutiontrails.co.za
Sun 25 April WC
Trail Series Super League 4. 7km, 14km, 20km. Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve. Run from gardens of iconic Taal Monument onto spectacular trails. Start 7:30am. trailseries.co.za
Tue 27 April EC
Van Stadens Mountain Marathon. 10km, 21km, 42km. Crossways Farm Village. Inaugural mountain run to show you new routes in the area. Summit Van Stadensberg. R160/R320/R480. vanstadens.run
Tue 27 Apr – Sat 1 May EC
Pondo Drifter 4 Day. 10km/27km/10km/27km. Drifters Adventure Camp, Pondoland. Fully catered four day luxury run in the Northern Transkei from Msikaba to Cremorne Estate. Start 8am. R7,200/R10,200. trisport.co.za
Tue 27 Apr – Sun 2 May virtual
Women for Change Run. 5km. Run5km or more in your own neighbourhood to raise awareness against Gender Based Violence. R90-R200. cmiyc.co.za
Fri 30 – Sat 1 May 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. hobbitrun.co.za
Trail running events in May 2021
Sat 1 May KZN
Mnweni Marathon. 5km, 10km, 20km, 40km. Mnweni Cultural Centre. Rugged singletrack circular route through the remote high-berg. Steep climbs and river crossing. Start 6am. R110-R880. kzntrailrunning.co.za
Sat 1 May EC
Lake Gariep Run. 40km, 20km. Driekwartblou Guest House, Gariep Dam. A trail run in the Karoo next to the biggest dam in South Africa. Start 7am. R550/R650. lakegarieprun.co.za PROMOTED
Sat 1 May – Sun 2 May virtual
Catch Me If You Can Virtual Race. 5km, 10km. All entries include a race pack with a CMIYC medal, CMIYC lanyard and a mini water bottle. R90-R370. cmiyc.co.za
Sat 1 May – Sun 2 May FS
Clarens Mountain Matha. 13km/10km, 20km/15km. Bokpoort Mountain Lodge. Foothills of Maluti Mountains, sandstone cliffs, caves, grassland. Run one or both days. R300-R1,400. wildtrail.co.za
Sat 1 May – Sun 2 May WC
Tankwa Trail. 36km. Koue Bokkeveld. Trails through rocky outcrops, steep climbs, technical descents, views to cherish. R1,990. tankwatrail.co.za
Sat 1 May – Sun 2 May NC
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 PROMOTED
Sun 2 May EC
Bos Bok Trail Run. 6km, 14km, 20km. The Island Reserve, Sea View. Most breathtaking singletrack and scenery in Port Elizabeth. Start 7:30am. R130-R220. bigosports.co.za
Sun 2 May GP
Fresh@Groenkloof. 5km, 10km, 17km. Groenkloof Nature Reserve. Technical singletrack through woodland, grassland, and over koppies. Start 7am. R120-R200. freshtrails.co.za
Sun 2 May EC
Toby’s Motors Trail Run. 6km, 12km, 18km. Little Walmer Golf Course, PE. Test yourself against the Baakens Valley. Start 7:30am. R130-R210. bigosports.co.za
Fri 7 – Sun 9 May EC
Great Kei Trek. 20km/12km/13km, 34km/24km/26km. Morgan Bay Hotel. Trail, beach, rocky bits, some mountain climbs and descent, river crossing on the ferry into the Old Transkei, and more. R3,450+. greatkeitrek.co.za
Sat 8 May EC
Spectrum Trail Run Series #1. 5km, 11km. Baakens Valley. Enjoy PE’s green belt with short or long series. Start 2pm. liveadventure.co.za
Sat 8 May EC
Blanco Guest Farm Trail Run. 5km, 10km 21km. Blanco Guest Farm. Run through the beautiful Winterberg mountains. Start 8am. R150/R175. blanco.co.za
Sat 15 May WC
Muizenberg Trail. 20km. Zandvlei Sea Scout Base. Experience a bit of everything: jeep tracks, singletrack, views of both sides of the peninsula. Start 7:30am. R665. muizenbergtrail.co.za
Sat 15 May WC
Kromrivier BEAST. 45km. Cederberg. Mountain adventure, wilderness, and endless panoramic views. Self-sufficiency required. R1,500. beasttrailrun.co.za
Sat 15 – Sun 16 May KZN
The Yellow-Billed Oxpecker. 21km/15km. Winterton, Central Berg. Run through game farms and Spioenkop mountain. After the mountains, drop down onto the banks of the Tugela River. Start 8am. theoxpecker.co.za
Sun 16 May KZN
Winter Series Gilboa Challenge. 4km, 10km, 15km. Bushwillow Park, Karkloof. Breathtaking forest singletrack. Start 6am. kzntrailrunning.co.za
Trail running events further ahead
Fri 23 – Sat 24 April WC
Topo Raid Adventure Race. 60km, 100km. Prince Albert. Team relay/supported 100km, or pairs unsupported. Challenge yourself to the most innovative form of sport. topo.co.za
Fri 23 – Sun 25 April KZN
Ultra-Trail Drakensberg. 21km, 30km, 62km, 100km, 160km. Premier Resort Sani Pass. The first 100 miler in the Drakensberg, traversing the Southern Berg. ultratraildrakensberg.com
Sat 24 – Sun 25 April WC
Big Backyard Ultra #2. 6,706m laps. Welbedacht Wine Estate. Run a lap every hour on the hour until you can’t anymore. Spectacular course with breath-taking views. Start 7am. R875. wannado.co.za/bigbackyardultra
Sat 1 May EC
Lake Gariep Run. 40km, 20km. Driekwartblou Guest House, Gariep Dam. A trail run in the Karoo next to the biggest dam in South Africa. Start 7am. R550/R650. lakegarieprun.co.za
Sat 1 May – Sun 2 May NC
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
Sat 19 – Sun 20 June KZN
Big Backyard Ultra #3. 6,706m laps. Blythedale. Run a lap every hour on the hour until you can no longer complete a lap within the required time. Lush coastal forest. Start 7am. R875. wannado.co.za/bigbackyardultra
Fri 8 – Sun 11 July KZN
WildSeries Three Cranes Challenge. 29km/25km/23km, 29km/40km/23km. Bushwillow Park, Karkloof. Scintillating forest trails through the beautiful indigenous Karkloof Conservancy. Start 6am. wildseries.co.za
Wed 22 – Sat 25 September EC
Heaven & Hell Mountain Marathon. 5km, 8km, 14km, 22km, 44km, 88km, 176km. Rhodes. Pure, brutal wilderness mountain run in Southern Drakensberg. Only two people have finished the 88km. New 100 miler has over 16,000m vert! Start 5am. R50-R3,800. alpineswifttrails.co.za
Sat 25 – Sun 26 September EC
Big Backyard Ultra #4. 6,706m laps. 3 Rivers Trails. Run a lap every hour on the hour until you can no longer complete a lap within the required time. Experience a varied trail network. Start 7am. R875. wannado.co.za/bigbackyardultra
Wed 6 – Thu 7 October EC
Otter African Trail Run Challenge. 5km/42km. Nature’s Valley. Run the classic route west to east from Stormsriver Mouth to Nature’s Valley with 2,600m of ascent, 11 hour cut-off. otter.run
Fri 8 & Sat 9 October EC
Otter African Trail Run Race. 5km/42km. Nature’s Valley. Run the classic route west to east from Stormsriver Mouth to Nature’s Valley with 2,600m of ascent, 9 hour cut-off. otter.run
Sat 9 October EC
Dassie and RockRat Trail Runs. 6km, 10km. Nature’s Valley. Over rocks, roots, pebbles, through riverbeds and up steep climbs. Start 8:30am. R240/R280. otter.run
Sat 30 – Sun 31 October GP
Big Backyard Ultra #5. 6,706m laps. Taroko Trail Park, Modderfontein. Run a lap every hour on the hour until you can’t anymore. Stunning course along dams, through forest and grassland. Start 7am. R875. wannado.co.za/bigbackyardultra
Find more events in TRAIL 39, where we list 70 trail running events from April to June 2021.
Have your trail running event listed
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