Wonder what it'll be like to camp by a river, near caves with ancient rock paintings? Try it out for yourself and join the Tengri Ultra Trail (TUT) which kicks off from Tamgaly Tas, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Kazakhstan.

One of the most exotic races in the Asia Trail Master series, its second edition will be back on Sunday, 8 May 2016. In this one-of-a-kind outdoor adventure, participants will camp along the banks of the Illi River the night before race day.

Surrounded by the snow-capped Tian Shan mountain ranges, the Tengri Ultra Trail will bring runners to spectacular natural scenery, across grasslands and through canyons.

What's New

After a successful inaugural race last year, the organisers have beefed up the longest course from 55 km to 70 km. This means that ambitious runners can also score one point for their Grandmaster Quest.

There will also be 35 km and 15 km distances. With only slight elevation gain, the race offers road runners a perfect chance to give trail running a shot.

We will show a new canyon to the runners this year, which means, there are 2 canyons on the 70k course. The last 15k will be along the Ili River to the finish at the camp site.
—Timur Arthyukin, organiser and race director of TUT

However, there will be some technical sections that should not be taken lightly – some of the canyon trails are rocky and narrow, and you will likely get your feet wet if it was raining before.

Be prepared for hot conditions and lots of sunshine. All runners should equip themselves with a camelbak or at least 1.5 litres of water. There will be several drinking stations en route the race, but you're advised to bring your own refreshments as well.

All finishers will receive a medal and the first three male and top three female winners across all distance categories will be awarded prizes.

Who Will Be There

Last year's 55 km race was won by local runners Georgiy Shejko (05:37:15) and Akmaral Meirman (06:48:31). The latter has already confirmed her return and, having just finished the Vienna Marathon in 03:07, is in top shape.

Organisers are also expecting strong runners from Russia and other Asian countries. And the local Kazakh running community is growing fast.

In Almaty our group is at least twice as big as last year, and I am sure several Kazakh runners will also travel to take part in other Asia Trail Master races this year.
—Timur Arthyukin, organiser and race director of TUT

Ready? Pack Your Camp Bags!

Race-only fees for international runners are US$55 for the 70 km, US$45 for the 35 km, and US$25 for the 15 km course.

You have to bring your own camping gear for the night, or request to rent a tent in advance. There will be two catering options at the campsite: three healthy, pre-ordered meals for US$48 (vegetarian menu available), or burgers and barbecue grill kitchen (payment on the spot and no reservation required).

English-speaking travel agency, Q14, has travel packages and discounted hotel accommodation (after you have registered for the race) available. Alternatively, you can also consider travelling Almaty independently.
Find out more and register online on the Tengri Ultra Trail event page.

Do you like to rough it out? Have you gone camping and trail running? Share your experiences with us!