Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMB
Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMB – 100K LANGBIANG
Lam Vien Square
Race guide
Updated 18 July 2026
The 100K Langbiang is the flagship distance of Vietnam Highlands Trail by UTMB, a 104 km loop through the pine-forested highlands around Da Lat that starts and finishes at Lam Vien Square. It is a genuinely mountainous course, stacking up 5,573 m of climbing and topping out at 2,124 m, all of it run at altitude on ground that rarely drops below 1,300 m. Named for Langbiang, the peak that dominates the region and features early in the route, this is the highest and hardest of the Vietnam Highlands races. The combination of relentless vertical gain, sustained elevation and a tropical highland climate makes it a race of attrition rather than speed. A generous string of checkpoints, most of them crew-accessible, breaks the loop into stages, but the clock and the climbing keep the pressure on from the start.
The Course: A High-Altitude Loop
The 100K Langbiang starts at Lam Vien Square at 1,472 m and immediately begins gaining height, reaching Pine Forest (13.6 km, 1,635 m) and then the marquee climb to Langbiang (24.9 km, 1,905 m). This early section takes you up toward the course's 2,124 m high point, so the biggest single ascent of the day arrives while the field is still fresh. From Langbiang the route descends to Suoi Vang Lake (35.3 km, 1,480 m). The long middle and back half link a chain of highland checkpoints: Da Nghit (44.7 km, 1,489 m), Hoa Son (57.3 km, 1,312 m), Maple Left (69.8 km, 1,378 m) and Lam Ha Basecamp (76.7 km, 1,285 m), before the late climbs over Elephant Hill (85.6 km, 1,422 m) and up to Pinhatt Em (97.5 km, 1,662 m). The finish drops back to 1,387 m at 104.2 km. Across the loop the elevation never falls far, so the 5,573 m of gain is delivered as wave after wave of climbing rather than one or two decisive summits.
Where the Race Is Won and Lost
Two zones decide this race. The first is the opening haul over Langbiang to the 2,124 m high point inside the first 25 km. It is tempting to attack it while fresh, but overspending here on the biggest climb of the day leaves you exposed across the long, lumpy middle section where the checkpoints sit far apart. Cresting Langbiang controlled, then managing the descent to Suoi Vang Lake (35.3 km), sets up the whole rest of the loop. The second decisive zone is the finale from Elephant Hill (85.6 km, 1,422 m) up to Pinhatt Em (97.5 km, 1,662 m). After more than 85 km and thousands of metres of climbing, that late rise to Pinhatt Em is where the race is truly settled, coming just before the final descent to the line. Runners who have paced the middle section well and kept fuelling can push here; those who emptied themselves early face a long, slow grind to the finish.
Pacing, Crew and the Cut-Offs
The cut-offs frame a long day and night on the trail. Suoi Vang Lake closes Saturday at 11:00, Hoa Son at 16:00, Maple Left at 18:30 and the finish at 06:00 on Sunday. That final cut-off well into Sunday morning tells you to plan for a full night of running, with a dependable headtorch, spare batteries and warm kit for the dark hours at altitude. Crew access is a real advantage on this course: the start, Pine Forest, Langbiang, Suoi Vang Lake, Da Nghit, Hoa Son, Maple Left and Lam Ha Basecamp are all crew points, so you can be met and resupplied through most of the loop. The later checkpoints at Elephant Hill and Pinhatt Em are not crew-accessible, however, so carry enough food and fluid to cover the demanding final climbs self-supported. Use the crew stops through the middle to keep eating and drinking steadily, because sustained effort at over 1,300 m burns through reserves faster than lower-altitude racing.
Conditions to Expect
The Da Lat highlands are cooler than lowland Vietnam thanks to the altitude, which stays above 1,285 m throughout and climbs to 2,124 m. Days can be warm and humid under the sun, but nights at this elevation turn cold, and with the race running through to a 06:00 finish you will spend many hours in the dark and chill. Pack layers for the night sections even though you start in warm highland daylight. Underfoot the route mixes pine-forest trail, dirt tracks and steeper mountain paths, and highland weather can bring mist, dew and rain that leave the ground slick and slow. The sustained altitude also takes a quiet toll over 104 km, sapping pace and appetite more than the profile alone suggests. Set conservative time targets, keep fuelling and drinking through the crew points, and respect how much the combination of 5,573 m of climb, thin highland air and a long night can slow you before the finish at Lam Vien Square.
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Checkpoints & cut-offs
✓ Course data verified against the official source (2026-07-17) · official source
0 km · 1472 m · —
13.6 km · 1635 m · —
24.9 km · 1905 m · —
35.3 km · 1480 m · Sat 11:00
44.7 km · 1489 m · —
57.3 km · 1312 m · Sat 16:00
69.8 km · 1378 m · Sat 18:30
76.7 km · 1285 m · —
85.6 km · 1422 m · —
97.5 km · 1662 m · —
104.2 km · 1387 m · Sun 06:00
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