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Al Andalus Ultimate Trail

Loja, Andalusia, Spain
30 Jun, 2025 (Mon)

Trail running

234 km

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Price from
1551 USD
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About the event

The Al Andalus Ultimate Trail offers international travelers a unique opportunity to participate in a 5-stage, 228km ultra-marathon race through the stunning landscapes of Andalusia, Spain. This unforgettable experience includes daily running challenges in the Poniente Granadino, with each stage ending in different villages where participants can immerse themselves in the local culture and ambiance of the beautiful Granada Province. With hot weather, diverse terrain, and scenic natural parks, the AAUT has become a highly respected event within the global running community, attracting participants from around the world. Upon completing the race, participants earn a 5-point UTMB qualifier, making it a must-do for trail running enthusiasts seeking a memorable experience with competitors and friends from different corners of the globe.
STAGE 1 - Monday, June 30 - Loja to Alhama de Granada 38KM
STAGE 2 - Tuesday, July 01 - Alhama de Granada to Játar 48KM
STAGE 3 - Wednesday, July 02 - Játar to Jayena 39KM
STAGE 4 - Thursday, July 03 - Jayena to Alhama de Granada 67KM
STAGE 5 - Friday, July 04 - Alhama de Granada to Loja 42KM

Races offered by this event

You have 34 weeks to prepare

234 km / 5 days/ 6000m+

30 Jun, 2025 (Mon) - 09:45
Trail running
5 Stages
234 km
7200 m of elevation gain
Solo
On site
Trail

Course details

Course highlights

STAGE 1: LOJA TO ALHAMA DE GRANADA Start at the hotel Hotel El Mirador in Loja. Cross the road to begin the climb. Hard climb through desert landscape. Very little shade until CP1 at aprox 11km Undulating arid track until CP2 at aprox. 20 km. Gradual descent until CP3 at aprox. 30 km. Continue 3 km by road then a steep climb for 2km around the Los Tajos olive farm. Aprox. 3 km until the finish at the Alhama de Granada municipal pool. STAGE 2: ALHAMA DE GRANADA TO JÁTAR Start at Alhama de Granada Municipal Sports Center. Pass through spectacular Alhama gorge. Continue along sections of the GR-7 footpath to CP1 at approx. 10km. Continue on GR7 track through Játar and start of single-track to CP2 at approx. 21km. Begin in Sierra Almijara mountain range continuing along a scenic technical single-track to CP3 at approx. 31km. Difficult mountain track climb. Very little shade until CP4 at approx. 42km. Approx. 6km of undulating track to finish outside of Játar in El Nacimiento campsite, birthplace of famous local mountain spring water. STAGE 3: JÁTAR TO JAYENA Start at Játar El Nacimiento campsite. Climb the scenic tarmac road towards Lake Bermejales. Continue on tarmac and farm track to CP1 at approx. 11km. Follow gravel road and mountain track through La Resinera to a steep climb and CP2 at approx. 17km. Mountain tracks continue through beautiful scenery. Rejoin the GR7 and CP3 at approx. 27km. Continue through the Natural Park. At approx. the 37km mark, start 600m of single-track. 1.5km of track leads to the finish at El Bacal campsite outside of Jayena. STAGE 4: JAYENA TO ALHAMA DE GRANADA Depart El Bacal campsite and follow single-track alongside the River Turillas to the edge of Jayena. Turn left to begin hard climb towards forest airstrip. Single-track leads to the road into the town of Fornes and CP1 at approx. 9km. Follow undulating tarmac road onto the track of Lake Bermejales. Continue on track to Arenas del Rey. Pass Arenas del Rey chapel and continue on lakeside track. Intermediate water available at approx. 17km. Continue on lake track to spillway and CP2 at approx. 23km. Begin hard ascent with little shade towards Agron Tower and CP3 at approx. 30km. Descent on track to the town of Cacin and CP4 at approx. 40km. Continue through poplar groves and continue on tarmac past Cacin. Begin ascent on track to CP5 at approx. 49km. Continue on single track for 2.5km to tarmac with little shade towards the town of Alhama de Granada. Road junction at 53km leads to more shadeless track and CP6 at approx. 58km. Descent on farm track leads to broken asphalt road and ascent to final single-track. Finish in El Motor campsite at approx. 67km. STAGE 5: ALHAMA DE GRANADA TO LOJA Start at El Motor campsite outside of Alhama de Granada and follow single-track around the lake. Continue through Alhama gorge to town. Pass the farmer’s market and Stage 1 finish. Ascent on track, past road crossing, then descent to CP1 at approx. 10km. Long ascent on mountain track to CP2 at approx. 20km. Continue on track to CP3 at approx. 31km. Long descent of approx. 11km to race finish at the Hotel El Mirador.

Start address

Hotel El Mirador, Avenida Andalucía, Loja, Spain

Finish address

Hotel El Mirador, Avenida Andalucía, Loja, Spain

Route map

route map

What’s included in entry

These are included in your entry
Finisher medal
Shuttle from Airport
Massage
Event T-shirts
Toilets
Goodie bag
Nutrition Stations
finishers-t-shirts
Parking
Medal engraving
Drink Stations
Shower
Photo Service
Pre-race meal
Post-race meal
Accident insurance
Medical Assistance

Frequently Asked Questions

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News: Trail running

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Al Andalus Ultimate Trail : Sunny, Tough and Friendly

20 Dec, 2012 (Thu)

§staticmap(13408,5,450,250)Hello, on July 8th 2013, you’ll be organizing the Al Andalus Ultimate Trail. Can you tell us where it is located? A.A.U.T. runs through a beautiful section of the Granada province in Andalusia, Spain. The race is based in the town of Loja. Loja is located about 1h from Malaga airport and 30 minutes from Granada airport. How old is the race and why was it created in the first place? The first race was in 2007 to test out the route. We took a year to make improvements on the event, and in 2009, we did the first official Al Andalus Ultimate Trail. 2013 will be the 5th edition. The race was created to bring attention to an absolutely beautiful area of southern Spain where the economy is in crisis. The race stimulates local economy and creates sustainable tourism, especially sports related, the most positive kind of tourism. The runners cross 7 villages over 5 days. It is also an excellent experience for runners making the move into ultra-marathon stage races. It is a runner’s race. You don’t carry a pack when you run other than what you need for that stage, leaving you free to enjoy the beautiful landscapes while pushing yourself in the grueling July sun. Credit : Al Andalus Ultimate TrailWhat kind of route have you set up for the runners? How would you describe it? The route is a mix of technical single track, off-road trail, and a bit of tarmac when entering and exiting villages. We are fortunate to have desert, mountain, and forest terrains in the area. Stage 1 (39km) is the most desert-like; Stage 2 (48km) goes into the mountains of the Sierra Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama natural park; Stage 3 (39km) continues through the park; Stage 4 (67km) is in the park and includes a big lake area and some rural terrain. Stage 5 (37km) cuts back to the start via mountain tracks below the desert plateau. Prior to the race, we make sure the route is very well-marked with official race markings. We also provide stage maps for each day. There are checkpoints every 10 – 12km, route marshals, and a sports medical team to ensure the safety and security of the competitors. How many runners do you expect and what type of runners do you plan to attract? We limit the field to 100. We prefer the more communal, friendly atmosphere that happens with smaller groups. Runners vary from elite professional to people attempting their first stage race. This race is popular because it is a semi-supported race. We see each stage as a separate race. Some novices choose to miss a stage and recover for a day before doing another, while the elite front-of–the-pack are in an all-out race every day for 5 days. The 10-time winner of the Marathon des Sables, Lahcen Ahansal, won AAUT 2010. He said the running is tougher than the MdS, and since it is not a self-sufficient race, runners can get through this test and enjoy the beauty of the experience at the same time. Credit : Al Andalus Ultimate TrailDo you organize other races during the Week? If so, on what distances? There are no other races during the AAUT week, but we begin preparations for our other race, Ultima Frontera, immediately after. This is a companion race in October that many AAUT runners also do – 55km, 83km, and 166km distance options in one stage. AAUT offers 3 UTMB points. Ultima Frontera offers 2 points for the 83km and 4 points for the 166km races. At that time of the year, what kind of weather can we expect? The race is in July, which is very hot, sunny, and dry. Temperatures average 35°C-40°C during the day, and, like the desert, it can be cool at night. You can bring a 2- season sleeping bag to go in your race kit bag, which is transported ahead to campsites built daily. You can also specify a single tent for yourself for a small fee, as many prefer to sleep alone or outside when it is hot. Have you planned festivities around the marathon? There are daily stage prizes that feature local, artisanal goods. We provide a traditional paella party at the Stage 3 campsite and a pool party after Stage 4. We eat in the race stage finish towns to support the local businesses. We provide boiling water so runners can prepare dehydrated meals to eat as soon as they finish, they then get more food later in the evening in the villages. This is why this race is seen as a very good example of sports tourism. There is also a gala dinner on the final night with prize presentations and live, local music. The race finished, what advice would you give a runner who has never been to Loja before? A good restaurant, a fancy sightseeing? Although the race finishes at the race hotel/headquarters where we have the gala dinner and prizes, many runners stay on and do tours around Loja and bigger cities like Granada, Cordoba, Sevilla, and Malaga. We are 40 minutes from the beach coastline of Malaga province. The town of Alhama de Granada has Arab baths, an amazing gorge to hike, and delicious tapas. One thing that makes AAUT different is we welcome friends and family supporters and will organize accommodations for them to follow the race. Many end up volunteering, sleeping on the campsite, following on bicycles, and staying in local spa hotels. We can help with the logistics for this. Loja, like the majority of towns in this area has very good bars and restaurants, historical sites and good shops. In a single sentence, what would you tell the readers of ahotu Marathons to make them register for the Al Andalus Ultimate Trail? The Al Andalus Ultimate Trail is one of the toughest, most satisfying international stage races, the best value, and (from what people tell us) a most welcoming and supportive race experience. We quickly establish a sense of community. No one gets lost in the crowd, and there is no pressure to socialize. The balance makes it memorable for everyone. 80% of our current entries for 2013 have participated in previous editions. Credit : Al Andalus Ultimate Trail Al Andalus Ultimate Trail is Paul Bateson, Eric Maroldo, Michelle Cutler, and Barbara Price. Bateson originally designed the event based on his experience as a road cyclist. He has been racing for over 40 years, he is 90% deaf, and hopes to inspire people, handicapped or not, to try new things. Paul just won the overall road series for 2012 as well as set a record for (over 60) for the 50km uphill-only Pico Veleta race, 5h 8mn and 35th overall from 500. He and Maroldo race and train in this province throughout the year.
Ahotu event page:
5 min read

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