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RMB ULTRA-TRAIL CAPE TOWN 2025

RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town hosts a variety of trail races that traverse the beautiful mountain trails of the Cape Peninsula - a world-class destination that features on many trail runners’ bucket lists. The City is shaped by two oceans and Table Mountain National Park, a dramatic mountain chain that stretches from Table Bay in the north to Cape Point in the south.

RMB UTCT offers a distance to suit every trail runner - UTCT100 miler, UT100, PT55, TM35, EX23 AND KS16.

The 100 miler takes participants from the northern mountain range of the Mother City to the more remote southern mountains, taking in additional trails from Silvermine to Kalk Bay, Kommetjie, Simon’s Town and beyond, covering 7 516m of vertical gain.

The other races traverse sections of the Northern mountain range including Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, Signal Hill, Llandudno, Hout Bay, the Constantia Winelands, upper slopes of Kirstenbosch Nature Reserve and Devil’s Peak, which form part of the iconic natural world heritage site and one of the Natural Seven Wonders of the World.

UTCT100 MILERDATE: Friday 21 November 2025START TIME: 17h00CUT OFF: 45 hours - 13h00 on Sunday 23 November 20257516m D+No qualification required

THE FLAGSHIP 100-MILER ROUTE, WITH 7516M ELEVATION GAIN, VENTURES FROM THE NORTHERN MOUNTAIN RANGE OF THE MOTHER CITY TO THE MORE REMOTE SOUTHERN MOUNTAIN, TAKING IN ADDITIONAL TRAILS FROM SILVERMINE TO KALK BAY, SIMON’S TOWN, KOMMETJIE AND NOORDHOEK.

Since the inaugural event in 2014, RMB Ultra-trail Cape Town® has become a major international race, with participants coming from 47 counties and boasting one of the world’s best international athlete fields. The event has also become synonymous with a week-long festival of running where the local community welcomes runners from across the globe to Cape Town. The 100-miler route ventures from the northern mountain range of the Mother City to the more remote southern mountains, taking in additional trails from Silvermine to Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town, Kommetjie and Noordhoek.

UT100DATE: Saturday 22 November 2025START TIME: 04h00CUT OFF: 26 hours - 06h00 on Sunday 23 November 20244972m D+No qualification required

A FRONT-LOADED, TECHNICAL ROUTE OFFERING TWO SIGNIFICANT CLIMBS ON TABLE MOUNTAIN AND KARBONKELBERG WITHIN THE FIRST 50KM, WITH 4972 M OF ELEVATION GAIN.

The 100km Ultra-trail is a front-loaded route with two major climbs on Table Mountain (Platteklip Gorge) and the remote trails of Karbonkelberg (Suther Peak) within the first 50km. The second half, while equal in elevation gain, consists of more sustained gradients and takes runners through the leafy vineyards and green belts of Constantia to Alphen Trail. From here runners will head up to Cecelia Forest and the contour path through to Newlands and Rhodes Memorial, the Blockhouse and the home stretch back to Gardens RC that provides incredible views of the City, the Atlantic Ocean, Table Mountain and Lions Head.

PT55DATE: Friday 21 November 2025START TIME: 07h00CUT OFF: 15 hours - 22h00 on Friday 21 November 20252706m D+No qualification required

STARTING FROM LLANDUDNO, THE RACE OFFERS RUNNERS THE CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE TECHNICAL TRAILS INCORPORATING SUTHER PEAK, MANGANESE MINES, AND VLAKKENBERG, EVENTUALLY WINDING THROUGH ALPHEN TRAIL, CECELIA AND NEWLANDS FOREST VIA THE CONTOUR, TO FINISH AT GARDENS RC.

Starting in Llandudno, runners embark on a scenic journey through Sandy Bay and Rocket Road to tackle the challenging climb to Suther Peak. After descending from Karbonkelberg to Hout Bay, they leave the Aid Station and make their way up to Manganese Mines, traversing the contour before descending via Vlakkenberg, passing through De Hel to reach the Alphen Trail Aid Station. This section of the route takes in Constantia’s breathtaking vineyards and lush greenbelts. From the Aid Station at Alphen Trail, runners will traverse through the technical sections of Cecilia forest and Newlands forest through to Rhodes Memorial, the Blockhouse and the home stretch back to Gardens RC that provides incredible views of the City, the Atlantic Ocean, Table Mountain and Lions Head.

TM35DATE: Sunday 23 November 2025START TIME: 06h00CUT OFF: 11 hours - 17h00 on Sunday 23 November 20251954m D+No qualification required

SHORTER IN KILOMETRES BUT DEFINITELY DELIVERS A TOUGH CHALLENGE IN THE FORM OF UNRELENTING ASCENTS AND DESCENTS, COVERING OVER 1950 M OF ELEVATION GAIN.

The TM35 race has two significant climbs on Table Mountain (first half) and Devil’s Peak (second half), while the middle of the race consists mainly of technical descents with some flat runnable sections - take note along the Newlands contour of the climb known as the 400 stairs. The 35km splits from the 100km route at the end of Woodhead Dam where they make their way to Nursery Ravine which sees them rejoin the 100km and 55km route along the technical sections of Newlands forest followed by a steep drop down into the University of Cape Town. The final 10km requires digging deep with an intense climb to get up to the Blockhouse and lower traverse of Devils Peak. Reaching it marks the home stretch, with the reward of incredible views of the City, the Atlantic Ocean, Table Mountain and Lions Head.

EX23DATE: Saturday 22 November 2025START TIME: 09h00CUT OFF: 6.5 hours - 15h30 on Saturday 22 November 20251144m D+No qualification required

THE TM23 STARTS AT THE BEGINNING OF ALPHEN TRAIL GREENBELT (ACROSS FROM THE ALPHEN HOTEL) AND OFFERS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE GREEN BELTS AND TRAILS OF TABLE MOUNTAIN. THE RACE OFFERS RUNNERS A GLIMPSE OF WHAT MAKES RMB ULTRA- TRAIL CAPE TOWN® SPECIAL.

Runners start at the beginning of the Alphen Trail greenbelt (across from the Alphen Hotel) and head out towards the greenbelts of Constantia. Runners climb through the technical sections of Cecilia and Newlands Forests, followed by a steep drop down into the University of Cape Town’s upper campus. The final 10km requires digging deep with an intense climb to get up to the Blockhouse and lower traverse of Devils Peak. Reaching it marks the home stretch, with the reward of incredible views of the City, the Atlantic Ocean, Table Mountain and Lions Head.

KS16DATE: Friday 21 November 2025START TIME: 08h30CUT OFF: 6.5 hours - 15h00 on Friday 21 November 2025665m D+No qualification required

THE KS16 STARTS FROM THE BEAUTIFUL BEAU CONSTANTIA WINE FARM IN THE HEART OF THE CONSTANTIA WINE BELT AND OFFERS RUNNERS AN INTRODUCTION TO THE TRAILS OF TABLE MOUNTAIN. THE RACE OFFERS RUNNERS A CHANCE TO BE A PART OF THE RMB UTCT TRAIL FESTIVAL.

Runners exit the Beau Constantia Wine Farm and head up to Constantia Nek where they climb up to the Scouts Hut Aid Station. From here they cross Table Mountain and drop down Kasteelspoort onto the pipe track above Camps Bay. The pipe track offers some technical, tricky running back towards Kloof Nek, and ultimately back to Gardens Rugby club via city trails.