Due to the dangerous conditions of the Rainforest Ultra it is an absolute must that you carefully read and follow all the rules. You need to be aware of all risks involved when participating in a race like this. You are doing it at your own risk.
Rules can only prevent problems to a certain extent. It will be your responsibility to take the warning very seriously and prepare yourself for the challenge ahead of you.
Every athlete must sign the Rainforest Ultra waiver.
Every foreign athlete must have English speaking skills, sufficient to follow a briefing in English, to understand the information contained in the English rainforest-ultra.com website and the Application & Waiver.
The mode of transportation (foot) must be kept for the entire distance.
Athletes must sign in and out at each checkpoint. We start the clock at the start of each daily stage and we stop it when the athlete finishes the respective stage. The time that is spent at a checkpoint (CP) is part of the overall stage time.
Upon arrival at a checkpoint athletes will undergo a quick medical assessment. Athletes who are deemed unfit to continue will be held at the checkpoint until the medical team decides it’s okay to let them go. If it is unsafe to let an athlete continue, he/she will be brought to the finish line or hospital in Santarém or Belterra for further medical treatment.
No outside assistance to advance up or down the trail.
It is the athlete’s responsibility to take along all gear necessary for a safe race, e.g. appropriate footwear, food, water, head torch, sufficient clothing for all weather conditions. It is also the athlete’s responsibility to make sure all clothing and gear is functioning.
The following gear is mandatory for the 100 and 200 km races:
Not having mandatory gear will result in disqualification. Athletes who forget essential gear at a checkpoint will get a time penalty of 6 hours per item. This also goes for equipment that is lost on the trail.
The racers must carry all their gear the whole distance. They may deposit non-mandatory gear in their travelling drop bag.
No littering. Racers must not leave anything behind on the trail. No gear, no trash or anything else. Athletes must mark all their food items with their race bibb number. Random checks may be done any time during the race.
Athletes who need to poo or pee are asked to do so off the trail. Toilet paper needs to be transported out by the athlete. Failure to comply with this rule results in immediate disqualification.
The race officials have the right to remove or disqualify a racer at any time during the event. Possible reasons may be: the physical condition of the racer, insufficient gear, littering, cheating.
Athletes can give us a travelling drop bag with a volume of max. 80 litres. It will be available at each daily start/finish line. The volume restriction will have to be enforced due to transport space restrictions!
Drop bags can be handed in each night until 8:00 PM at the latest. The bags need to be packed well and CLEARLY marked with name and bib number.
Time limits: Athletes must reach each daily finish line before nightfall (approx. 6:30 PM). Athletes who are too slow will either be pulled at a checkpoint or guided to the finish line by the trail sweep crew – depending on what is safest.
In medical emergencies, if it is safe for us and the respective athlete to evacuate her/him off the course with our own crew, we will do so.
If specialists are required for the evacuation by air, boat or land these costs will have to be covered by the athlete.
Athletes need to have insurance that covers any evacuation costs by local authorities and subsequent medical treatment and transportation, including operations and extended stays in the local or any other hospital. All participants need to prove that they have sufficient health insurance for the Rainforest Ultra. Should a participant fail to provide the required confirmation, a participation in the race is not possible. The cancellation fees as per Application & Waiver apply.
If weather or trail conditions are life threatening due to storms or other problems we may stop the race at any time. Athletes will then have to stop at the nearest checkpoint.
Road and trail use: Athletes may have to cross or use jungle dirt roads on some occasions. Also, some of the trails we are on may have motorcycle traffic. Athletes need use these roads and trails with caution and yield to motorized vehicles.
Sleeping between Checkpoints: Athletes are not allowed to sleep between checkpoints.
Teams have to arrive at the checkpoints and finish complete and at the same time. Should 1 or 2 team members have to be evacuated the rest of the team will become part of the individual racers category.
Medical Certificate: Each athlete needs to provide a Medical Certificate. This certificate needs to prove that the athlete is fit to take part in an ultra-race that is hosted in a jungle environment. In addition to the certificate, each athlete must fill in a medical form.
Food: Athletes have three options when it comes to food.
Option #1: Full self-sufficiency from the moment of the arrival in Santarém, i.e. athletes take enough expedition meals with them for each day of their stay in Brazil (breakfast, lunch and dinner). This can be complimented by buying fruit and drinks at the villages we stay in.
Option #2: Athletes eat the meals that will be prepared by cooks in the villages we stay in. During race days that’s breakfast and dinner. On non-race days there will also be lunch and coffee in the afternoon.
Option #3: Athletes eat the meals prepared by cooks in the villages we stay in on non-race days only. During the race they use their own expedition meals.
Rainforest ultra will not provide snacks at any of the checkpoints.
Water: All checkpoints provide water. Athletes do need to leave each checkpoint with at least 3 litres of water.
Not hydrating enough can cause serious problems! Due to the extreme amount of sweating it is very important to take salt tablets.
© 2025 Rainforest Ultra.
