Puerto Vallarta by UTMB®
Puerto Vallarta by UTMB® – Nakawé 53K
Malecón Puerto Vallarta
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The Nakawe 53K is the longest of the Puerto Vallarta by UTMB courses covered here, a 53 km route with 2274 m of positive climb that starts and finishes at sea level on the Malecon of Puerto Vallarta. It is the most serious mountain challenge of the group: a steep climb straight off the start, a long undulating high section through the Jalisco jungle around 900 m, a high point of 994 m, and then a big descent back to the coast. With cut-offs beginning as early as Fri 06:10 at just 6.5 km, the Nakawe is a race against both the terrain and the clock from the very first climb. The profile demands a runner who can climb hard early, hold effort across rolling high ground, and still descend safely to the sea at the end. Get the pacing wrong on the opening ascent and the long day that follows becomes a survival exercise.
The course: straight up, a high traverse, then down
The Nakawe starts on the Malecon at 3 m and climbs immediately and hard: Aguacatera at 6.5 km already sits at 589 m, meaning almost 590 m of gain in the first 6.5 km. From there the route holds high ground, rolling through El Hundido at 16.9 km (592 m) before climbing again to El Jorullo at 24.8 km (942 m) and topping out at the 994 m high point. San Pedro (27.6 km, 888 m) and La Venada (33.1 km, 936 m) keep the course up in the highlands through the middle third. After La Venada the race turns decisively downhill. The route drops all the way to Canopy at 45.8 km (168 m) and then continues to the Puerto Vallarta finish at 53 km and 1 m above sea level. That final third is a long, sustained descent of well over 900 m from the high country back to the coast, the mirror image of the brutal climb that opened the day.
Where the race is won and lost
Two sections define the Nakawe. The first is the opening climb from the Malecon to Aguacatera, nearly 590 m of gain in 6.5 km. It is steep, it comes cold off the start, and it sets the tone: burn too many matches here chasing an early cut-off and you compromise the entire rest of the race. The second climb, from El Hundido up to El Jorullo and the 994 m high point, is where the accumulated fatigue starts to show on a course that keeps you working high for many kilometres. The long descent from La Venada (936 m) down through Canopy (168 m) to the sea-level finish is the third decisive zone. Losing more than 900 m over the last 20 km will destroy under-prepared quadriceps and can turn a strong high traverse into a painful crawl to the coast. The runners who succeed here climb the opening ascent conservatively, stay steady across the rolling high ground, and keep enough in reserve to run the descent under control.
Pacing, cut-offs and fuelling
The Nakawe has an aggressive cut-off schedule that reflects an early start. You must clear Aguacatera (6.5 km) by Fri 06:10, El Hundido (16.9 km) by Fri 09:00, El Jorullo (24.8 km) by Fri 11:30, La Venada (33.1 km) by Fri 12:45, Canopy (45.8 km) by Fri 16:10, and finish by Fri 17:30. The early-kilometre cut-offs mean the opening climb must be done at a firm, sustained hike or run even though it is the steepest ground of the day, so there is no room to start too cautiously either. Aid points are well distributed: Aguacatera (6.5 km), El Hundido (16.9 km), El Jorullo (24.8 km), San Pedro (27.6 km), La Venada (33.1 km) and Canopy (45.8 km) before the finish. The longest carry is the 12.7 km from La Venada to Canopy, which covers the top of the long descent, so leave La Venada fully fuelled and watered for that stretch. Given the tropical heat and the 53 km distance, disciplined regular fuelling and electrolyte intake from the first aid station is essential to avoid falling apart in the late descent.
Conditions to expect
Like the other Puerto Vallarta courses, the Nakawe is run in the heat and humidity of the Jalisco Pacific coast, starting and finishing at sea level on the Malecon. The early cut-offs point to a start in the dark or early morning, which can mean cooler, more runnable air on the opening climb before the day heats up, so plan for a temperature swing across the many hours you will be out. The lower sections near the coast, including the long descent to the finish at 1 m, are typically the hottest of the whole route. The terrain carries you from the urban seafront up into jungle highlands that hover near 900 m for much of the middle of the race before dropping back to the ocean. Expect the surface, exposure and shade to change repeatedly across 53 km. This is a course that rewards all-round mountain fitness: a strong early climb, endurance to hold effort across the high traverse, and the durability to descend more than 900 m to the coast at the end. Prepare for the heat and the descent specifically, and the Nakawe 53K stands out as the most complete of the Puerto Vallarta distances.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 3 m · —
6.5 km · 589 m · Fri 06:10
16.9 km · 592 m · Fri 09:00
24.8 km · 942 m · Fri 11:30
27.6 km · 888 m · —
33.1 km · 936 m · Fri 12:45
45.8 km · 168 m · Fri 16:10
53 km · 1 m · Fri 17:30
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