After seasons postponed by weather, the Northwest's biggest trail race will officially return to Mu Cang Chai on October 2–3, 2026 — right at the peak of the golden rice season. And once you're here, there will be one experience no athlete should miss: taking off from the top of Khau Pha Pass to take in the whole valley of ripe rice from above. 👉 Run the trail, then fly over it. Prices, slots and booking are in our guide to paragliding in Mu Cang Chai.
The comeback three years in the making
MCC Ultra Trail (Mucangchai Ultra Trail) is a familiar name in the trail-running community of Vietnam and the region. Two seasons in a row had to be postponed because weather conditions could not guarantee runner safety on the mountain courses — a hard but responsible call by the organizers. This year the race is determined to return: Mu Cang Chai, with terraced-field scenery ranked among the most beautiful in the world, is simply irreplaceable on the trail-running map. Notably, all registrations from previous seasons have been fully preserved with complete benefits for the 2026 edition. The list of Vietnamese and international athletes was already packed before registration even reopened — many have waited three years just to run these trails. That says more about Mu Cang Chai's appeal than any advertisement could.
Race details at a glance
- Dates: October 2–3, 2026 (Friday – Saturday)
- Start & finish: the central square of Mu Cang Chai town
- Distances: 12 km and 25 km for newcomers; four ultra distances of 55 km – 75 km – 100 km – 160 km for long-haul runners
- Difficulty: the 55 km route alone climbs about 2,900 m in total; the 160 km will have its own entry requirements
- Ultra start times: from the early hours of Saturday, Oct 3 (the 75 km will start at 3:00, the 55 km at 5:00), timed so runners hit the most scenic sections at sunrise
- Series: part of the Asia Trail Master circuit, drawing international points-chasing athletes
Official race website — mccultratrail.com.vn
The course will take runners through terraced fields, Hmong villages, forests and the huge ridgelines of the Hoang Lien range — and early October is exactly when the rice turns the whole valley gold. Trail running through Mu Cang Chai's golden season will be the kind of experience trail runners fly halfway around the world for.
Once in Mu Cang Chai, don't miss a world-class flying site
Visit Mu Cang Chai once and there is one view your legs — however strong — can never carry you to: the whole sea of golden rice seen from hundreds of meters up, under a paraglider wing. The launch sits right at the top of Khau Pha Pass — one of the “four great passes” of northern Vietnam, on Highway QL32, only about 34 km from Mu Cang Chai town center (the race start), passing Mam Xoi Hill and Kim junction on the way. Stand at the top of the pass looking down over Lim Mong valley in ripe-rice season and you will understand why the international paragliding community ranks Khau Pha among the most scenic flying sites in the world. And once airborne, that whole valley unrolls beneath your feet like a giant brocade woven from rice. Tandem paragliding flights run every day throughout the golden season, flown by Mebayluon's experienced pilots — no experience needed on your side: a few launch-run steps with your pilot and you're flying. See all of Vietnam's best flying sites in the Spots section of this website.
How to get to the Khau Pha flying site
Suggested schedule for race athletes
- Before race day (Thursday, Friday): a tandem flight is the perfect zero-leg-effort activity — scout the terrain you're about to run from above while keeping your legs fresh
- After the finish line (Sunday): what better reward for legs that just conquered dozens of mountain kilometers than… not needing them at all? Sit into the harness, let the Khau Pha wind lift you, and look back over the whole course you just ran
Special offer for MCC Ultra Trail athletes
🎉 10% off tandem paragliding for every MCC Ultra Trail participant — just show us your race participation (BIB, registration confirmation email, or your result) when booking. The offer runs with no time limit through all of 2026 — so whether you come early to recce the course or return to Mu Cang Chai months after the race, your discount is waiting. The golden season is Khau Pha's busiest time of year and weekend slots fill up early — especially on race weekend, when thousands of athletes and their families arrive together. Book ahead to be sure of your flight on the days you're in Mu Cang Chai. See you this October — on the trails, and in the skies above Mu Cang Chai.
