Why Nainital Became Ultrawarrior's Spiritual Home
After the success of the Rishikesh debut in February 2019, Rungreen wanted a host city that would test runners with real elevation, temperature swings, and the kind of trail variety only the Kumaon hills can deliver. Nainital — perched around 2,084 m above sea level with its emerald lake, oak-forested ridges, and colonial bridle paths — was the obvious answer. Three editions later, Nainital has become the spiritual home of the Ultrawarrior Series.
Edition 1 – May 2019: 115 Warriors, A Format Is Born
The first Nainital edition in May 2019 brought 115 runners to the lakeside town. Pre-monsoon temperatures hovered between 12°C and 22°C — perfect trail conditions. The course climbed from the Mall Road area through Sherwood-style oak forests up toward Tiffin Top and Snow View, with technical descents that surprised even seasoned road marathoners. The format that crystallised here — multi-distance, single-day, hill-station based, capped field — became the Ultrawarrior signature.
Edition 2 – November 2020: 165 Warriors, Returning After Lockdown
November 2020 was a turning point for Indian endurance running. After months of pandemic restrictions, runners were starved of real-world races. The second Nainital edition welcomed 165 warriors with strict COVID-safety protocols: staggered start waves, contact-free aid stations, mandatory masks until clear of the start village, and on-course thermal screening teams. It proved that small-batch hill races could be run safely even during a pandemic — and reaffirmed the community's hunger for outdoor adventure.
Edition 3 – September 2021: 200+ Warriors, A New Benchmark
By September 2021, Ultrawarrior Nainital had crossed the symbolic 200-participant mark. The third edition added a longer distance category, expanded the technical mountain section, and saw participants travel from over 15 Indian states. Post-monsoon trails were lush, slippery, and unforgiving — exactly the kind of warrior test the series was built around.
Inside the Nainital Course
- Start village at the lakeside Mallital area at ~2,000 m elevation
- Ascending bridle path through oak and rhododendron forests
- Ridgeline section to Snow View (~2,270 m) with Himalayan vista
- Technical single-track descent to Naina Devi temple area
- Final lakeside loop back to the finish arch at the Flats
Aid stations served warm lemon-honey drinks, fresh seasonal fruit, electrolytes, and the now-famous Kumaoni bhaang ki chutney with rotis at the finish village.
Community Impact & Plantation Drives
True to the Rungreen Foundation's mission, every Nainital edition was paired with a plantation drive on the Sunday following the race. Native species — oak, rhododendron, kafal — were planted along degraded hillsides with help from local panchayats and participating runners. Across three editions, several hundred saplings were added to the Kumaon ecosystem.
From Nainital to Mukteshwar – The Next Chapter
The lessons learned across three Nainital editions — capped field sizes, hill-trained medical teams, Kumaoni hospitality, plantation tie-ins — are the foundation on which Mukteshwar Ultra 2026 is being built. If you ran Nainital, you already know what to expect. If you didn't, this is your chance to write your own warrior story. Register today.
Plan a Hill Trail Race with Rungreen
Looking to organise a trail run in the Indian hills? Rungreen's marathon and trail event management team covers route design, forest department permissions, hill-trained medical, timing, and finish-line production. Get in touch.
