Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMB® is a journey through a land shaped by rich cultural identity and its sacred mountains Lam Dong - Viet Nam.
In Dalat - Lam Dong, the highlands unfold across four iconic peaks: Bidoup, Langbiang, Elephant and Pinhatt. Each mountain represents a distinct terrain and ecosystem, from open ridgelines and pine forests to old-growth and primary forests, while carrying its own stories of people, history, and coexistence with nature.
The race distances are designed around these four peaks, guiding runners through layered experiences, from lakeside paths and pine forests to deep forests and higher elevations. Change does not happen at the finish line; it unfolds continuously along the course, as terrain, climate, and vegetation shift with every step.
Yet the Highlands are not defined by mountains alone. This is a land of convergence:
Between long-established indigenous communities and waves of settlers from across Vietnam, each bringing their own memories, customs, and ways of life, shaping a richly layered cultural landscape
Between Eastern traditions and the architectural, cultural, and aesthetic influences that remain from the French colonial era.
Between dense tropical forests at lower elevations and the cool temperate climate above, where pine forests, old-growth forests, and diverse vegetation transform with altitude.
Within these forests lives a rare symbol — a species seldom seen, yet ever-present in the stories of this land. Quiet and elusive, it reflects a sense of untouched authenticity, a reminder that something original still endures here.
It is through these layers of movement and the living natural world that the mountains tell their stories, not through words, but through the ever-changing landscapes along the trails.
Organised under the standards of the UTMB World Series, Vietnam Highlands Trail aims to become a new destination for the global trail running community — a place where runners from around the world gather in Vietnam to take on the journey across four sacred peaks and experience the stories they hold.
This is not a race for everyone.
It is for those who are truly ready to listen.
Sacred peaks tell their stories.
What story will you choose to write?
