WESSA Ultra Trail Festival
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About the race
The WESSA Ultra Trail Festival is a trail-running event held on 24 October 2026 within the WESSA uMngeni Valley Nature Reserve near Howick. The reserve covers about 900 hectares of escarpments, rolling grasslands, indigenous forests and the uMngeni Valley, and routes include river crossings, cliffside trails, open plateaus and woodland singletrack.
Races are loop formats and offer multiple distances with listed elevation and aid station details:
- 100 km 8 aid stations
- 75 km 2170 m elevation, 6 aid stations
- 48 km 1616 m elevation, 4 aid stations
- 36 km 1273 m elevation, 4 aid stations
- 18 km 794 m elevation, 3 aid stations
- 12 km 395 m elevation, 2 aid stations
- 5.85 km 169 m elevation, 1 aid station
Compulsory kit is required for longer races and may be checked before, during or after a race; listed compulsory items include a mobile phone with emergency contact, minimum 1 L hydration capacity, at least one energy bar or emergency nutrition, an emergency blanket, torch or night light, whistle and basic first aid supplies. Additional suggested kit is listed for cold and warm conditions. Some shorter courses note there is no compulsory kit and that courses are subject to change. The event notes no pets are allowed and references the WESSA uMngeni Nature Reserve as the venue. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
