Just shy of 10 years ago, a young still-at-varsity farmer started the Oxpecker Trail Run. Her vision was to create a multi-day trail run that incorporated the beauty of the region she grew up in – the farms and bushveld surrounding Spioenkop mountain – with the atmosphere of a trendy pop-up market found in popular tourist towns.

At Oxpecker, you run in the morning then spend the afternoon and evening enjoying craft beers, gins and ciders, and snacking non-stop on world-class catering.

…the Oxpecker Ultra afforded Oxpecker fans another opportunity to run on the same trails used for the iconic Berg & Bush mountain bike event – while also providing an ultra-distance challenge.

Now, going into its ninth year, Oxpecker is one of the most popular trail runs in South Africa, selling out mere minutes after opening entries year after year. The event has also expanded to include the Oxpecker Ultra, an extension in brand and distance.

Taking place in 2023 for the first time, the Oxpecker Ultra afforded Oxpecker fans another opportunity to run on the popular trails around Spioenkop – the same trails used for the iconic Berg & Bush mountain bike event – while also providing an ultra-distance challenge of 25 or 50km.

Oxpecker Ultra is back in 2024, taking place on 20 April and aiming to yet again provide trail runners with a unique and fun twist on the ultra-trail format.

Oxpecker Ultra actually begins the day before you run, when you arrive at the race village situated on the banks of the Tugela River. Your room is a luxury tent with comfortable bedding, electricity and river views, and night one is spent not in nervous anticipation of what’s to come but rather in idyllic calm as the babbling river soothes you to sleep.

Your run – the 25 or 50km distance – will prove a challenge, but the handbuilt trails, unique bushveld terrain and Central Drakensberg scenery will make it all worthwhile.

The organisers have created a route to inspire and entertain runners, not push them to the brink of physical exhaustion (though it’s advised that you arrive in decent physical shape!). The cut-off time is also incredibly generous; runners need to cross the line before 5pm, in time for a sundowner treat of champagne and freshly baked cake.

And to add to the festivities, you can also choose your type of finish line. As the end of the run approaches, runners are given the option of a traditional run over the line, or they can jump onto an inflated tube (from a tractor tyre) and float down the Tugela River – surely the only river-finish amongst South Africa’s multiple ultra-marathons!

Oxpecker Ultra concludes with an evening sharing war stories on the banks of the river with the sun setting and nature’s dusk chorus cheering your trail running success.

Event details:
Saturday, 20 April 2024
Emseni, R600, KwaZulu-Natal (near Winterton)
25 or 50km
oxpeckerultra.com

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