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Robert Pollhammer

Learnings from the recce part 1

Here are some learnings from my November 2024 recce (part 1):

Acclimatization and effort
Although I didn’t acclimatize perfectly, I managed to handle the daily stages. Due to the altitude, the climbs were demanding, i.e. I did have to work harder compared to when I am hiking and running at home, in the German Alps. This highlights the importance of acclimatization, especially for athletes who don’t have the opportunity to train at high altitudes regularly.

Training for elevation
It’s expected but worth emphasizing: even if you don’t have access to mountains at home, it’s essential to train your legs for both uphill and downhill terrain. If you come to this ultra without incorporating elevation into your training, you’re unlikely to succeed.

Trail characteristics
The Trans Bhutan Trail TBT traverses the heart of the country. While the elevation peaks close to 4,000 meters, most trails wind through forests. Open areas and pastures offer breathtaking views, but many kilometers are under tree cover. This makes it feel less like a high-alpine ultra marathon than you may expect. It’s stunning nonetheless and it’s super interesting to see the changing colors as we move east. Initially, it feels like fall (which it is) but within a couple of days the trail features section that feel like a jungle and green is the predominant color again.

Trail challenges
The trail’s difficulty reminded me of alpine trails. Elevation gain is one factor, but equally critical is the need for experience running or hiking narrow single tracks with steep drop-offs on one side. If you’re afraid of heights or uncomfortable on such trails, this ultra may not be suitable for you. There are many sections where a misstep could have severe consequences, and it’s impractical to install ropes or position rescue crews everywhere. Therefore, it’s more important to be comfortable with technical, challenging trails than to be a seasoned ultra-runner.

Hiking vs. running
I designed this ultra to be achievable for hikers. After the reconnaissance, I still believe it’s possible. We hiked all the uphills, but on some downhills, we moved at speeds close to trotting. Keep in mind, I carried a heavy backpack (about 10 kg) and frequently stopped to take waypoints with my GPS and discuss trail features.

For the longer stages, we’ll begin at 6 am and aim to finish by 5:30 pm. In some cases, we’ll offer guide-assisted escorts for athletes who don’t meet a specific cutoff. This means participants can continue to the finish without being unranked the next day. However, solely hiking is challenging, especially if you struggle to make up time on the technical downhills, which include rocky trails, thousands of steps, roots, and wet sections.

I’ll soon confirm the stage lengths, checkpoint distances, and daily elevation gain so you can plan accordingly.

Shorter distance option
To accommodate varying skill levels, I am planning on introducing a shorter-distance option. Participants in this category will cover fewer kilometers each day (e.g. 30 km instead of 40 km). They’ll then be transported to the daily camps to join the others. This allows more time at camp to immerse in the local culture while maintaining the same overall itinerary.

I estimate the shorter race will cover 120–150 km over six days. Details about the exact distance and logistics will follow soon.

Bhutan Ultra recce trip 2024

From November 14th to 29th, I was in Bhutan to scout the 200 km stretch of the Trans Bhutan Trail in the eastern part of the country. The early days of my trip were a whirlwind of meetings, coupled with the adjustment to the high altitude.

I flew from Munich to Delhi with Lufthansa, then continued to Bhutan with DrukAir. The DrukAir flight was a pleasant experience, featuring modern aircraft, friendly staff, and a delicious meal. Arrival at Paro International Airport was nothing short of spectacular. The landing maneuver is challenging, and if you’re not afraid of watching a large plane navigate through a narrow valley, I highly recommend booking a window seat.

The airport itself is equally remarkable – I’ve yet to come across a smaller airport as charming as this one. The attention to detail by the Bhutanese authorities is impressive, making it a fitting introduction to the country. After all, your journey in Bhutan begins with the airport, and it sets the tone for what lies ahead.

Really nice artwork greeting you at Paro International Airport, Bhutan

As is customary in Bhutan, I was warmly greeted by my guide, Kencho, who welcomed me with a big smile and a traditional white scarf. For those wondering, most Bhutanese – especially in the more populated areas of the West – speak excellent English. After arriving in Paro, we drove straight to Thimphu, a journey that takes about an hour.

In the following days, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Trans Bhutan Trail team, the De-Suung (a unique organization in Bhutan), as well as representatives from various government sectors, including Tourism, Land Management, and local businesses.

Back home, I live in the mountains at an altitude of around 900 meters, so I could definitely feel the difference. I also underestimated the impact of the time difference, which made it initially challenging to sleep when I needed to.

The plan was to give myself nearly the exact amount of time to acclimatize that our athletes will have in 2025. On day two, it was time to test myself with a hike to the legendary Tiger’s Nest temple. It was as breathtaking as the photos suggest and the hike involves an altitude gain of about 700 meters, going as high as 3,120 m. I was pleased to find that I had no issues and was able to fully enjoy the temple. One key takeaway from the experience was that it’s a good idea to wear warm socks – at least inside the temple. There are rooms where you must remove your shoes, and if your feet get cold quickly, warmer socks can make a big difference.

A visit to Tiger’s Nest will also be included in our athlete program.

The famous Tiger’s Nest Temple or Taktshang as it’s called in Bhutanese

If you’re not already familiar with Buddhism, I recommend reading a book about it before you visit Bhutan – if it’s something you’re interested in. Buddhism is deeply woven into the fabric of life here, and you’ll hear countless fascinating stories about its many aspects. Arriving with some foundational knowledge will not only help you understand more, but it may also spark questions you’d like to ask your guide.

After Day 2, I spent less time hiking than I had originally planned, which worried me a bit. I feared that I might struggle when it came time to tackle the six stages of the Trans Bhutan Trail that we’ll use for the race. However, I became absorbed in meeting people and working from my “office” at the hotel.

Each day was full of excitement, and the feedback I received was overwhelmingly positive. Then, on November 19th, it was time to head east. En route, we stopped at Dochula Pass, where, on a clear day, you can see numerous Himalayan peaks.

Some of the 108 Chorten on Dochula Pass at 3,116m

Afterward, we descended to Punakha-Dzong, marking my first real experience of a temperature shift. While Thimphu had been relatively cool—even on sunny days, in Punakha it felt like spring. As we waited outside, we found ourselves searching for shade to stay cool.

The famous Punakha-Dzong, a castle that dates back to 1637

By the way, our athletes will visit several more cultural sites on their journey east. While I was occupied with meetings, our participants will have the opportunity to explore these sites and also enjoy a variety of hikes and runs.

Our final destination that day was a nice hotel in Trongsa, where we stayed for one night before embarking on Day 1 of our Trans Bhutan Trail recce. The goal was to experience each stage the same way the athletes will.

Night view of the Trongsa-Dzong, our start line

I will now update our gallery with images from all 6 stages. Also, I will continue updating several other sections of our website – with more information about the trail, our checkpoints and learnings from my trip.

Last but not least, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Trans Bhutan Trail team for their exceptional preparation of this trip and for their outstanding collaboration on the project!

Welcome to the Bhutan Ultra

My name is Robert Pollhammer and I am the Race Director of this new and exciting race. I have been organising ultras for more than 20 years and I still love it. My longest standing event is the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra. I also love the mountains. So, it’s been very exciting when I was asked to present my ideas for an ultra race in Bhutan in 2020! Initial planning was going really well but then Covid-19 happened and the project came to a halt. I was able to keep the dream alive and we finally kicked things off again earlier this year. Good things take time!

So, thanks to the Bhutan Ultra, from 2025 onwards, I will be able share my passion for mountain trails with ultra runners from all over the world.

I could not have planned the Bhutan Ultra without Discover TBT, the Bhutanese agency in charge of anything to do with the Trans Bhutan Trail (TBT). It has been a real pleasure working with Discover TBT and it will be amazing to host our athletes with their support.

Bhutan is special and so is the TBT. There is the concept of Gross National Happiness and the fact that it’s one of the world’s few carbon negative countries. There probably is no place on earth where the environment is protected as well as it is in Bhutan. Add to that an incredible cultural heritage and stunning landscapes. The more you find out about Bhutan, the more you will want to see it with your own eyes. The TBT is one way to do it. It is an historic trail that connects the West with the East of the country and it was only recently re-established. The Bhutan Ultra will take place on the second part of the TBT, i.e. it will take us through the East. The great thing is that our participants will also discover the West as part of the days that are allocated for acclimatization. So, our athletes will get to see a lot of Bhutan and experience its nature, culture and people in a unique way.

The Application & Waiver is ready. Anybody interested in signing up, please email me at info@thegreatoutdoors.de and I will provide you with the paperwork. Also, please feel free to email me if you have any questions.