Race Categories
Event Detail
The 2027 Xishuangbanna Menghai Trail Race (西双版纳勐海越野赛) brings a New Year mountain-running festival to Menghai County in China's southern Yunnan Province. The programme combines a demanding long-distance challenge through the tea-growing mountains with shorter routes based at Mengbala International Tourism Resort. The organisers also link the celebration to the Hani community's Gatangpa New Year festival.
Courses and mountain challenge
Five named categories are published. The Tea Horse 100K is actually about 108.92 km, with 5,497 m of ascent and a 30-hour limit. It starts at Gelanghe at 07:00 on Saturday 2 January and follows mountain settlements including Pasha, Laobanzhang, Bulang Mountain and Hekai before finishing at Mengbala on Sunday. The organisers designate Nanwen Shangzhai, around kilometre 59, as an important checkpoint with food, medical support, drop-bag access and retirement arrangements.
The Rainforest 60K covers approximately 62.82 km and 3,537 m climbing, starting at 08:00 on 2 January, with a 16-hour limit. The Menghai 30K is 30.97 km, climbs 1,648 m, starts at 09:00, and has an eight-hour cutoff. A 17.92 km Dawn Run starts at 11:00 with 901 m of ascent and a five-hour limit. These courses start and finish at Mengbala.
The shortest Purple Azalea 6K, actually 6.58 km with 312 m of climbing, appears in the detailed regulations for 1 January. The online entry-category summary instead lists 2 January, and the regulations themselves disagree between 15:00 and 16:00 for the flag-off. Participants in this category must confirm the final day and start time with the organiser.
Entry and race-day preparation
Runners in the 100K, 60K and 30K need recent qualifying race results, with progressively longer qualifying distances. The published regulations also require a medical examination report issued within one year. The 100K and 60K age range is 18–63; shorter categories have different limits. Review the full official rules before registering, particularly checkpoint cutoffs, mandatory equipment and restrictions on transfers or substitute runners.
The registration platform advertised early-bird pricing to 20 October 2026, followed by higher normal prices, but separately displays the same date as a registration deadline. Treat entry availability and the deadline as subject to confirmation. Proposed ITRA points are not yet confirmed awards. Final routes, race-pack collection details and technical instructions should be checked against the organiser's later race handbook.