The BEST Adventure Races in the World

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Do you think you can complete one of the world’s best adventure races? From 100 km trails to multi-day events, this is what adventure racing is all about!

Recently I’ve become a bit obsessed with adventure races. Like millions of others around the world, I’ve been sat on the couch stuffing my face with junk food while watching The World’s Toughest Race: Eco-challenge Fiji on Amazon Prime.

For those of you who haven’t seen it yet, when they say “the world’s toughest race”, they really mean it. This is an 11-day race over 671 kilometres through the harsh jungle terrain of Fiji. Not only that, it’s a multiple discipline race, so there’s swimming, running, cycling, climbing. Basically, any type of adventure sport, they’ve thrown it in here for good measure.

The thing is, the World’s Toughest Race isn’t about being the quickest or the strongest. You don’t need to run the 100 metres in 11 seconds or bench press 100 kgs. It’s about endurance and perseverance. It’s about putting one foot in front of the other when your body is screaming for you to stop. It’s about pushing your personal boundaries to the absolute limit and overcoming them.

For some people like me, that’s when you feel truly alive.

Inspiring the next generation of adventure racers

To really highlight what the World’s Toughest Race was all about, there were a couple of contestants I completely fell in love with. One guy, Mark Macy, was deep into his 60s racing with his son. The problem – he had early onset Alzheimer’s. This was his last race, a way for him and his son to connect one last time together.

Watching him race with his son when we could hardly remember how to put on a pair of gloves was equal parts heartbreaking and inspiring. I couldn’t help but feel he was inspiring the next generation of adventure racers, bringing in new people to the sport.

There was another team called the ‘Stray Dogs’, all of who were in their 60s, the oldest being 68. I was screaming at the TV saying: “you should be enjoying retirement!”, yet there they were, hiking 40 km through the jungle, dog tired but still going.

It awoke something in me. It made me realise that even though I’m 34 now, it’s not too late to take up a new challenge. Now that I’m obsessed with adventure racing, I’m really determined to do one. For those of you like me, here are some of the world’s best adventure races. From beginner adventure races to team endurance races, it’s time to push the boundaries and challenge yourself. The question is, will I see you at the start line?

What is adventure racing?

As the name suggests, adventure racing isn’t your bog-standard race. Unlike triathlons which are done on the road, adventure racing is usually off road through the wild terrain.

It usually involves three core disciplines of kayaking, trekking and mountain biking. Saying that, they can also involve things like rock climbing, paddleboarding, white water rafting, and a whole host of other adventure activities too.

Events last anywhere from a few hours to over 10 days, so they’re tough. Really really tough. But they are among the most rewarding extreme races in the world. Each one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something to tell your grandkids about.

Oh, and they’re always in some of the most beautiful places in the world too. That’s just another reason why I really want to do one!

How do you get into adventure racing?

Looking at a 600 km expedition race and thinking “no chance” is a completely normal reaction. I had exactly the same one. The good news is there’s a proper ladder to climb, and the bottom rung is only a few hours long.

Start with a short race like Questars, which runs a series across the Chilterns, Cotswolds, South Downs and New Forest. You’re out for a few hours, covering maybe 30 to 45 km of biking, paddling and running, with a mix of marked route and navigation. You can enter in pairs.

From there, step up to a two-day event, then something like ITERA-Lite. That’s the natural progression most UK racers follow. The skill that catches people out isn’t fitness, it’s navigation. In a proper adventure race there’s no marked route and no GPS, just a map, a compass and your own decisions. Do a navigation course before you do anything else. Everything else you can train.

You’ll also need a team. Most expedition races want four people, they usually have to include at least one woman to be officially ranked, and several want you to bring your own support crew as well. Start recruiting early, because finding three people who’ll commit to a week in the wilderness is harder than the training.

Quick overview

Best Adventure Races Around the World

Race to the Stones, UK

This is an endurance race that’s been on my radar for a while now. Race to the Stones is a 100km race through the beauty of the English countryside.

Celebrated as the oldest path in Britain, the 100km route follows the historic trail past Wayland’s Smithy, Uffington White Horse and Barbury Castle before reaching the iconic ancient Stone Circle at Avebury.

Race to the Stones is one of the most accessible endurance races in the UK. Instead of being for elite athletes, it’s for your average Joe like you and me. They really want to showcase that ultra-marathons are open for everyone. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to complete the race, all that matters is finishing.

If you’re interested in adventure racing in the UK then this is a great place to start. Personally, I would say this is one of the best beginner adventure races to kick things off!

Website – Race to the Stones

ITERA and ITERA-Lite, UK

If you want a proper adventure race without leaving the country, this is the one. ITERA is Britain’s expedition-length adventure race, and it’s part of the Adventure Racing World Series. Teams of four navigate their way across hundreds of kilometres of mountain, moor and coast by bike, boat and foot, carrying everything they need.

For most of us, ITERA-Lite is the more realistic entry point. It’s two to three days of non-stop multisport, and the 2026 edition heads to the South West of England taking in moorland, coastline and a fair bit of countryside in between. It’s also hosting the UK and Ireland 4 Nations Championship.

What I like about the format is that most checkpoints are optional, so your team plans a route that plays to whatever you’re actually good at. If you can’t paddle, don’t come, though. That part isn’t optional.

Website – ITERA

Jungfrau Marathon, Switzerland

The Jungfrau Marathon in Switzerland is dubbed as “the world’s most beautiful marathon.” When you see the pictures from here it’s very easy to understand why.

This course is high up in the Swiss Alps with stunning views of Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau all around you. At 1,829 metres, it’s bloody tough too.

The Jungfrau-Marathon leads through constantly changing scenery. It goes alongside the turquoise waters of Lake Brienz, through traditional mountain villages and past an awe-inspiring mountain backdrop. And the atmosphere and enthusiasm along the entire route, underscored by flag throwers, alphorn players and bell ringers, are what bring this event together to a fascinating whole.

There’s a reason why this is one of the most popular mountain marathons in the world!

Website – Jungfrau Marathon

Wilderness Traverse, Canada

Wilderness Traverse is a 24-Hour adventure race in Ontario, Canada. In teams of 3 or 4, this course is over 150 kms of rugged Canadian back-country. It involves 30km of canoeing, 35km of trekking and 85km of mountain biking, so it’s not for the fainthearted. At 150 kms though, it is a much more accessible extreme race compared to some of the others listed here.

As the event details say: “You will love it. You will hate it. You will feel powerful. You will want it to end. Then, when it’s all over and you’re back to your regular day-to-day life, you will crave to do it again.”

Now that sounds like my kind of race! This is billed as one of the best outdoor adventure races, and you can’t find a more beautiful place to do it in.

Website – Wilderness Traverse

Vacation Races: Global Adventures – Iceland

This is an adventure holiday and a race all rolled up into one. Vacation Races: Global Adventures is a week-long adventure travelling through Iceland. It includes trailing running, hiking, soaking in the hot springs, standing next to glaciers and so much more.

Each day will involve a trail run through the stunning landscapes of Iceland. Some runs will be 5 km, some 10 km, but all will be in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

After each run, everyone comes together for a team lunch, followed by either some free time or another amazing adventure. This is a really great way of meeting like-minded people and making some friends for life.

As I said, this is like an adventure holiday with a load of running and other activities thrown in there. It will be an amazing challenge though. Oh, and Vacation Races do tours to other destinations like Costa Rica, so check them out too.

Website – Vacation Races: Global Adventures

GODZone, New Zealand

GODZone is New Zealand’s biggest multi-day, non-stop, expedition-style adventure race, and it very nearly disappeared for good. The 2024 event was cancelled five months out and the organisers pulled the plug on the whole thing. Then a new charitable trust stepped in, fronted by Richie McCaw of all people, and brought it back after a two-year gap.

Chapter 12 in Marlborough was the comeback race, an eight-day event across nine stages with a 613 km course for the full-fat version and 524 km for the slightly gentler one. Teams trekked, mountain biked, kayaked, packrafted and even went canyoning.

Next up is Chapter 13 in Aoraki/Mt Cook from 25 February to 5 March 2027, with registration based in the alpine village of Twizel. Teams of four, plus your own support crew, and you won’t see the course until just before the start.

Everyone knows New Zealand is an adventure playground for adults. This is that idea taken to its absolute limit.

Website – GODZone Adventure

Annapurna Ultra, Nepal

The Annapurna 100 is Nepal’s original ultra, and it’s had a big shake-up. It’s now a single-day race of around 100 km, starting at Annapurna Base Camp and dropping all the way down to Pokhara. The field is capped at 100 runners, and the 2026 edition takes place on 27 September.

The organisers have redesigned the course so that almost all of it is on mountain trails and trekking paths, with only a short stretch of road near the finish. That’s after a brutal previous edition where only a handful of starters made it round.

I’ve been to Nepal before and it’s honestly one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. The mountain views are out of this world and the trails are so peaceful too. This one really would be a once in a lifetime experience.

Website – Annapurna 100

Patagonian Expedition Race, Chile

This is considered as one of the best adventure races in the world. The idea of the race is all around “expedition, exploration, adventure, autonomy and teamwork.” It’s a bit like the Eco-challenge race, but instead of moving around the world it’s always been in Patagonia.

With a team of 4, the race covers more than 600 kms while doing kayaking, mountaineering, mountain biking, trail running and trekking. You’ll also need to know a fair bit about orienteering, sleep management and strategy because this is such a testing endurance race.

With a team of 4, the race covers more than 500 kms of kayaking, mountaineering, mountain biking, trail running and trekking. You’ll also need to know a fair bit about orienteering, sleep management and strategy, because the route is only revealed 24 hours before the start.

Here’s the thing though. The last edition ran back in November 2018 and the race has been on pause ever since. The organisers still say the 14th edition will be announced soon, so if this one is on your list, sign up to their mailing list rather than booking flights. I really hope it comes back. There’s nothing else quite like it.

Website – Patagonian Expedition Race

FAQs

How much does an adventure race cost?

It varies enormously. Race to the Stones starts at around £160, the Jungfrau Marathon opens at CHF 179, and Wilderness Traverse is $1,500 CAD for a team of up to four. At the other end, a guided week like Vacation Races Iceland costs $5,400 per person including accommodation and activities. Then add flights, kit and, for expedition races, feeding a support crew.

Do you need to be an elite athlete?

No, and that’s the whole point. Race to the Stones has a completion rate of over 90% and welcomes walkers as well as runners. Expedition races are a different matter, but even there the winners aren’t always the fastest people, they’re the ones who navigate well and don’t fall apart at 3am.

Can you do an adventure race on your own?

Short ones, yes. Questars takes pairs and solos. Expedition races almost always require teams of four who must stay together for the entire race, and most also require at least one female team member for the team to be ranked.

What’s the hardest adventure race in the world?

It depends who you ask. The Adventure Racing World Championship is the sport’s pinnacle, and the 2026 edition on Corsica covers 500 km with 18,000 metres of climbing. GODZone is regularly described as the most technically challenging. The Patagonian Expedition Race earned the nickname “the last wild race” for good reason, though it hasn’t been staged since 2018.

Is there a second series of The World’s Toughest Race?

Sadly not. Amazon cancelled the follow-up, which was due to be filmed in Patagonia, and the series has never returned. The Fiji season is still the only one.

Would you be interested in doing one of these adventure races? If so, which one? Let me know in the comments below!

Looking for something a little closer to home? Then check out the best adventures in London, and the best hikes near London. These guides are packed full of fun things to do on a weekend away!

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