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Trip

What's Included

Bangkok–Paro charter, Bhutan visa & SDF, five-star stays, on-trail race support, gala dinner. Daily medical screening, doctors and oxygen at every checkpoint. You bring the running.

01

Exclusive Access

Closed to most. Open to the brave. 100 runners only, the rarest bib on earth.

02

Comfort & Care

Charter flight, five-star stays, and group visa handling. Land, run, fly.

03

Spiritual Journey

Tiger's Nest acclimatization hike. Prayer flags on the ridge. Calm before the climb.

04

Runner's Kit

$1,000 of KOLON SPORT trail gear, yours to keep: HyperLeap TL-X shoes, running vest, shell jacket, tee, socks, gaiter, shoe bag, and dry bag.

The 4-Day Program

One loop, four days: Bangkok in, two days adapting in the Bhutanese mountains, the 40 km race, and Bangkok out. Every transfer, meal, and night is handled. Here is how each day runs.

Day 01

Bhutan In

Bangkok → Paro

Pre-dawn muster at the dedicated KTR charter gate, wheels up around 05:00, and into Paro by 07:10. Outdoor welcome lunch, gear and luggage check, reception, and the welcome dinner at Dawa at Hilltop.

Day 02

Acclimatization

Paro · Tiger's Nest 3,120 m

The Tiger's Nest hike to ready the legs and lungs for altitude, a farmhouse visit and lunch, free time in Paro Centre, and an early dinner before race day.

Day 03

Race Day

Paro → Thimphu · 40 km

Luggage check from 04:00, then the start. High Point at 4,000 m, CP 2 and CP 3 cut-offs along the way, and the finish at the foot of the Buddha Dordenma. Awards ceremony and finisher's dinner that night.

Day 04

Bhutan Out

Paro → Bangkok

A slow breakfast and the airport transfer, then the charter out of Bhutan at 15:15, touching back down in Bangkok by 20:45. The program closes at Suvarnabhumi.

Time
03:00 04:00 05:00 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 19:00 21:00
Day 01 | 10.28Bhutan In
Day 02 | 10.29Acclimatization
Day 03 | 10.30Race Day
Day 04 | 10.31Bhutan Out
Luggage Check Race Start Bangkok Dept. Bhutan Arrival (07:10) Tiger's Nest Breakfast Chele La Pass (10:00) CP 2 Cut-off To Airport Outdoor Catering Lunch (12:30) CP 3 Cut-off Farmhouse Visit & Lunch Bhutan Out (15:15) Reception Free Time, Paro Centre Dinner Dinner Race Finish Awards Ceremony & Dinner Bangkok Arrival (20:45)
Full Schedule · Day by Day
Day 01 Oct 28 · Wed Assembly & Orientation
  1. 04:00ICT · UTC+7

    Bangkok Suvarnabhumi · Assembly

    Gather at the boarding gate for the Paro charter. Overseas runners on long-haul flights are strongly advised to arrive in Bangkok at least the day before (Oct 27) for a smooth departure.

  2. 05:00ICT · UTC+7

    Bhutan Charter Departs

    The special charter from Bangkok (BKK) to Paro (PBH). On a clear day, the left-side windows offer a majestic Himalayan panorama in the direction of travel.

  3. 07:10BTT · UTC+6

    Arrival · Paro International Airport

    Headcount and baggage claim, then the private bus. You land straight into a 2,300 m alpine environment, so avoid exertion and hydrate often.

  4. 10:00BTT · UTC+6

    Chele La Pass · Altitude Acclimatization

    A visit to Chele La Pass (~3,988 m), the highest point in Bhutan reachable by road and a revered sacred site. Take in the vast Himalayan scenery while your body begins the crucial work of acclimatizing to the thin, high-altitude air before race day. Winds are strong and temperatures low, so put on a windbreaker or insulated jacket before you step off the bus.

  5. 12:30BTT

    Outdoor Catering Lunch

    A premium outdoor-catered lunch set against Bhutan's scenery: clean, nutritious fare to aid digestion and top up the energy your body needs to adapt to altitude before the race ahead.

  6. Afternoon

    Hotel Check-in & Active Rest

    Check in to the stay at Dawa at Hilltop. To acclimatize, light stretching or a short walk is better than sleeping right after check-in.

    Rooming is twin/double, shared. Unless you register as a pair, you will room with another participant, often someone you have never met. Pairing requests are honored where possible.

  7. 16:00BTT

    Official Reception & Gear Check

    Race orientation and welcome kit. A full mandatory-gear inspection runs alongside the medical team's first health check: temperature, blood pressure, and SpO₂.

  8. 19:00BTT

    Welcome Dinner

    A high-end dinner at the hotel. Alcohol is strictly limited to protect your condition and help prevent altitude sickness.

Day 02 Oct 29 · Thu Altitude Hike & Culture
  1. 08:00BTT

    Breakfast & Departure

    Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to Tiger's Nest, Bhutan's most sacred Buddhist site.

  2. 09:00–14:00BTT

    Tiger's Nest (Taktsang) · Mandatory Acclimatization Hike

    A required 5-hour round trip to the monastery on a 3,120 m cliff. Breathe slowly and let your body adapt to the Himalayan air for tomorrow's race.

    Dress code: out of respect for local culture, shorts, sleeveless tops, and sandals are not permitted. Bring light hiking trousers, a collared top, and a hiking pole.

  3. 13:00BTT

    Lunch & Bhutanese Culture

    A carbohydrate-focused recovery meal, with a traditional Bhutanese performance and a hands-on archery experience.

  4. 15:00BTT

    Paro Centre · Free Time

    City sightseeing under the organizer's safe guidelines.

    No smoking: Bhutan is the world's first fully non-smoking nation. Street smoking carries heavy fines and is strictly prohibited.

  5. 17:00BTT

    Return & Medical Check (Stage 1)

    Shuttle back to the hotel. Complete the mandatory medical check at the medical zone right after arrival; it decides your race-day clearance.

  6. 19:00BTT

    Dinner & In-room Check (Stage 2)

    A high-protein, high-carb energy meal for the race. After dinner, the medical team visits each room for a final SpO₂ check. Tag the large suitcase going ahead to the Thimphu hotel and leave it outside your door before you sleep.

Day 03 Oct 30 · Fri Race Day · 40 km
  1. 03:00BTT

    Baggage Check-in

    Drop your suitcase in the lobby; it goes straight to the finish-line hotel in Thimphu (Yarkay Thimphu). Pre-dawn temperatures are near freezing, so a warm jacket before the start is essential.

  2. 04:00BTT

    Official Race Start

    Off at 4:00 AM sharp, in pitch darkness, guided by headlamp. The first 14 km is gentle but dark, so take great care to avoid ankle injury.

  3. En route

    Crossing the 4,000 m Summit

    The highlight of the race: the 4,000 m ridge. Oxygen sits at about 60% of sea level, so ease back to roughly 60% of your normal pace.

  4. ~19:00BTT

    Race Finish · Thimphu

    A 15-hour cut-off. A glorious finish before the 51 m great golden Buddha (Buddha Dordenma) overlooking the capital. Afterward, a private shuttle to the spa hotel Yarkay Thimphu to rest.

  5. 21:00BTT

    Awards & Finisher Gala Dinner

    A private gala for finishers: a Bhutanese-Western fusion course menu, with the official finisher medal and patch awarded.

Day 04 Oct 31 · Sat Farewell & Departure
  1. 09:00BTT

    Recovery Breakfast

    A leisurely breakfast in Thimphu, then time to take in the hotel's traditional-art interiors or a gentle walk.

  2. 11:00BTT

    Transfer to Paro Airport

    Check out, then the private bus along the Paro–Thimphu highway to the airport.

    The mountain road winds the whole way, so if you're prone to motion sickness, take medication before departure.

  3. 15:15BTT

    Departure from Bhutan

    Wheels up from Paro (PBH).

  4. 20:45ICT · UTC+7

    Arrival in Bangkok

    The program closes at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi.

On the day

  • 04:00, meet at the dedicated KTR gate, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi
  • 05:00, wheels up · BKK → PBH
  • In-flight, welcome kit, route briefing, breakfast

Baggage

  • Allowance per international standard · oversize handled in advance
  • Hold luggage transferred direct to Day 1 hotel (Dawa at Hilltop)
  • Race-night bag transferred to finish-line hotel (Yarkay Thimphu)
Accommodation
Paro · Day 1–2
Dawa at Hilltop
Thimphu · Day 3
Yarkay Thimphu, IHCL SeleQtions
Rooming · Double, shared Rooms are shared, twin/double occupancy. Unless you register as a pair, you'll room with another participant, often someone you've never met. Pairing requests are honored where possible.

Off-course

  • All breakfasts, lunches, and dinners included (Day 1 lunch through Day 4 breakfast)
  • Welcome dinner, race-night dinner, finisher's dinner, all hosted
  • Bhutanese specialties: ema datshi, red rice, momos

On-course

  • Aid stations at each CP · water, electrolytes, fruit, energy gels
  • Hot food at CP 2 and CP 3 · noodle broth and rice porridge
  • Personal cup required · no disposables
Local Transportation
→
Airport ⇄ Hotel

Dedicated 15-seater shuttles · all transfers included.

→
Hotel ⇄ Race Start

Pre-dawn shuttle on race day. Coordinated departure.

→
Cultural Excursions

Tiger's Nest trailhead, Paro Centre, post-race sightseeing.

Visa & Entry

What we handle

  • Bhutan group visa application via the organizer
  • Sustainable Development Fee (SDF) payment coordination
  • Document compilation and submission to Bhutan authorities

What you submit

  • Passport scan, valid 6+ months from departure
  • Passport-style photo, taken within 6 months
  • Medical certificate (official form, by Aug 31)
  • International travel insurance (4,000m + evacuation coverage)
See full document matrix
Flight · Hotel · Trail · Done

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