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About The Malnad Ultra

The Malnad Ultra is a challenging trail run through some of the most enchanting and exciting terrain that one can imagine for a run. We offer three categories over 50, 80 and 110 Km on our course in the Western Ghats of South India. Our next edition is scheduled for October 13 and 14, 2018.

Our volunteer-driven and not-for-profit event is certified by the International Trail Running Association and is a UTMB® Qualifier.  Organised by GIREM and hosted by Coffee Day Global Limited, the course takes runners through seven coffee estates and provides magnificent views of the Bhadra Reservoir and Bhadra Wildlife Reserve in the Western Ghats of South India. These estates have a history of over 150 years and are home to over 100 plant species and 50 animal species.

The origin of the name Malnad is attributed to Male meaning Hill and Nadu meaning Land. Being an Ultra, all of our race categories are Beyond 42 Km.

A majority of the Malnad Ultra course is within privately owned coffee plantations adjacent to the Bhadra Wildlife Reserve in Karnataka. While we use short sections of a remote public road to connect between these plantations, runners will practically get a single-loop, all trail experience. The route will be well-marked with signs. The course will be unlit, so runners in the dark will only have their headlights to guide them.

We offer three run categories in our event over 50 Km, 80 Km and 110 Kms.  These categories have been crafted with care to challenge runners of varying experiences and abilities. Do remember that the terrain is hilly and rough. So there are plenty of ups and downs for runners to negotiate. We mildly suggest that you do not worry about recording personal bests on our course. Think about how you will perform in Jeep Country when you choose your category!

Our course will take runners through miles of coffee plantations with majestic jungle trees, Silver Oak, Teak, Rosewood, Pepper, Cardamom etc. Apart from the varieties of birds, do look out for Malabar Flying Squirrels, Porcupines, Hares, Spotted Deer, Sambhar, Peacock and other small animals including a variety of snakes. If you are lucky, you might spot a Sambhar Deer or a herd of Indian Gaur. Apart from all this, take the time to enjoy the birds chirping and the sounds of cicadas and other creatures. Leeches can add to the challenge in wet weather.

Start/Finish Area

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All three events, 50, 80 and 110 Km, begin at Lalbagh Estate.  The first 50 kms of the course (the green section in the Course Map below) is common to all the events. Runners will make their way through Byre Khan, to Dod Khan, the Summit and then to the Manager’s Residence before making their way back to Lalbagh via Byre Khan.

Continuing on from Lalbagh, the 80 Km runners will pass through Sampigehutti and Doopad Khan and return to Lalbagh via Sampigehutti following the course marked in blue on the map.

The 110 Km runners will reach Doopadkhan from Lalbagh following the section marked in blue. About 1 Km from Doopadkhan Guest House, the runners will enter Doopadkhan village and head to Rajgiri Estate. From Rajgiri, they will make their way back to the Temp Rest Area. This extra section is marked in red on the Course Map. They will return back to Lalbagh via Sampigehutti, again following the blue section on the map.

To summarise, runners of all three categories will cover the green section of the course. In addition, the 80 Km runners will cover the blue section, while the 110 Km runners will cover the blue and the red sections shown on the map.