The 2025 Ultra Gobi 400km Course Map (incl. GPS files)
We are proud to present the official course map for the 2025 Ultra Gobi 400km. The map is drawn in the traditional style of ancient landscape art, blending cultural heritage with the spirit of modern endurance racing. You will find the links to download the GPS files at the end of the article.
A tribute to traditional Chinese landscape painting
The Ultra Gobi course has always been part of the same area as the ancient Silk Road. The same deserts and barren lands our runners cross today once echoed with the camel bells of merchant caravans. Depicting today’s race route with elements from an ancient map is our tribute to the meeting of civilizations. A thousand years ago, silk, porcelain, and Buddhism moved along this path. Today, athletes from all over the world follow it again, leaving a new mark of cultural exchange.
The map is also a nod to China’s long tradition of landscape painting. Ancient artists “searched out every magnificent peak before putting brush to paper,” capturing the spirit of mountains and rivers in silk and ink. Ultra Gobi athletes do the same with their footsteps, measuring the land with endurance and determination, and writing their own epic on the earth itself. One captures the world in ink, the other through the journey — both show reverence for nature.
Navigation will be key for a successful finish this year
Self-navigation is at the heart of Ultra Gobi. To finish the race, runners must not only endure extreme conditions, but also navigate a complex and ever-changing environment, passing through every checkpoint in the correct order. This year’s course includes long stretches through dry riverbeds, wide open plateaus, and remote valleys, each offering its own challenges.
Download and study the course
Below you will find the files to download and study the racecourse of the 2025 Ultra Gobi 400km.
