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My second scouting trip to Brazil is coming to an end. It’s been amazing, and some important decisions have been made.

Earlier this year, I had to postpone the premiere of the Rainforest Ultra from 2025 to 2026. Even so, I still wanted to make a recce trip to Pará to explore more trails and hold as many in-person meetings as possible.

While planning everything, my main point of contact has been ICMBio, the Brazilian government agency responsible for national parks and protected areas. They’ve been fully on board with the project, and without their guidance and support, the Rainforest Ultra simply wouldn’t be possible.

After I arrived, we exchanged ideas, and I proposed a strategic change. Instead of splitting the ultra between the FLONA National Forest and the RESEX Tapajós-Arapiuns, we’ll host the full 200 km inside the RESEX in 2026, then switch to the FLONA in 2027. After that, we’ll alternate between the two. This approach makes the logistics a bit easier and, more importantly, allows us to cover a larger area in both locations. In the long run, it means more communities can benefit from what we’re doing.

This time, my jungle trip took me to a part of the RESEX I had never visited before. We traveled all the way to the southern end and began our journey in a village called Escrivão. From there, we made our way downstream to Suruacá, the place we had originally planned to use as the starting point for the Rainforest Ultra.

Together with a team from ICMBio, I was able to cover the 100 km we needed and hold meetings in 30 villages. Along the way, our job was to record the GPS track, mark important waypoints, take photos, and film. In each village – both regular and indigenous – we sat down with the leadership to explain what we’re planning and why. Every single time, from the tiniest villages with fewer than 10 families to the larger ones with over 100, the feedback was positive. Everyone is excited about the Rainforest Ultra!

A project like this can only succeed if, in the long run, around 50 international athletes take part and pay an entry fee that’s standard for an exotic ultra of this kind. But getting things off the ground is just as important – and postponing the race again, from 2026 to 2027, is not an option. To help make it happen, I’ve significantly reduced the entry fee for non-Brazilian athletes. The 100 km distance now starts at EUR 2,000, and the 200 km distance at EUR 2,200. This price includes all transportation, accommodation, and meals after landing in Santarém. Considering that the in-country program runs from August 28th to September 8th, and that a two-day survival course is included, I hope this feels like an appealing package. For athletes choosing the 100 km distance and leaving right after (on September 5th), entries start at EUR 1,800. We’re also launching a program with local sponsors to include as many athletes from the FLONA and the RESEX as possible. In addition, we’ll offer special entry packages for residents of the State of Pará and for participants from the rest of Brazil. More details on that will follow soon.

When it comes to the trails, both the RESEX and the FLONA will offer incredible experiences. The RESEX routes will feature more beach sections and more creek crossings than the FLONA, but you’ll still get plenty of shaded jungle trails and paths through local communities. We’ll run right past a giant Samaúma (Kapok tree) and through stunning scenery every single day.

If you used to follow the “old” Jungle Marathon, I can confirm that we won’t be going through any swamps. That said, we will have creek crossings that require swimming. Non-swimmers can opt for a canoe crossing and take a time penalty.

Stage distances will range from 25 to 40 km. The respective information on the website will be updated after an important meeting in December with the Association of RESEX Communities.

There isn’t much elevation overall, and most inland trails are firm underfoot. So if you’re fit and can handle the distance, the heat, the humidity, and the weight of your backpack, you’ll be able to run a lot. Some beaches will feel a bit like running in the desert, but most have sections of reasonably hard-packed sand that allow you to keep a good pace.

I’m super stoked, and I hope I can “infect” a good number of ultra runners who are crazy enough to give a jungle ultra a go. I won’t sugarcoat it: running in this climate is hard. You’ll be completely soaked after about a minute of moving – whether you’re running or hiking. Sleeping isn’t easy either, partly because of the heat and partly because you’ll be in hammocks. Your skin will take a beating from the salt in your sweat, and your feet will almost certainly develop blisters sooner or later. But at the same time, you’ll get to know an incredible place and its fantastic people. You’ll experience its beauty up close and understand firsthand why protecting this part of the world is so important. It will be an adventure you will never forget.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Unfortunately, the inaugural edition of the Rainforest Ultra will need to be postponed from 2025 to 2026. The main reason is simple: I haven’t had enough athletes sign up to make the event viable.

It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why. Most likely, I haven’t reached a wide enough audience. I probably made the mistake of assuming that social media and some advertising would be enough – after all, that approach was successful when I launched a new winter ultra in Sweden four years ago. But perhaps that worked because it was a winter race, and after over 20 years organizing the Yukon Arctic Ultra, that’s what most people associate me with.

Of course, the current global political climate and economic uncertainty aren’t helping. And maybe the Amazon rainforest, with all its intensity and challenge, feels a bit too daunting for some.

That said, a “DNF” as an organizer isn’t the end of the road. It just means I have to learn, adapt, and push forward. To give the Rainforest Ultra the focus it deserves, I’ve decided to quit my job as a sales consultant and I will close my online shop, Racelite.de, on June 15th. This will allow me to dedicate more time to promoting the Rainforest Ultra and connecting with the ultra running community.

If you were planning to sign up this year but were waiting to see how things developed, please reach out. Your feedback is incredibly valuable. And to those who are interested but unsure, I’d love to hear from you as well – whether it’s concerns about the jungle environment, travel logistics, entry costs, or anything else. The more I understand what’s on your mind, the better I can make the Rainforest Ultra a success in 2026.