Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB in Grindelwald
From 15 to 19 July 2026, the 14th Eiger Ultra Trail by UTMB fills the trails around Grindelwald, with runners circling the Eiger and the Grindelwald basin beneath the mountain's north face. Grindelwald is a short trip from Wengen, so you can base yourself in the quiet of the village and still catch the race.
The event
The Eiger Ultra Trail is one of the marquee stops on the UTMB World Series, and its courses read the terrain of the Jungfrau region directly. The E250 UNESCO trail race sets off first, on 15 July, taking on the longest and most demanding loop through the World Heritage landscape. The main competitive distances follow on 18 July: the E101, E51, E35 and E16, ranging from a full mountain ultra to a shorter, sharper climb-and-descent for those new to the format.
Every course circles the Eiger and the Grindelwald basin, passing the Faulhorn ridge and running beneath the sheer wall of the Eiger north face. The scenery does a lot of the work, but the racing is serious: this is a qualifying event that draws elite and amateur runners from across the world.
A short trip from Wengen
Grindelwald sits about 30 minutes from Wengen. Take the train down to Lauterbrunnen on the valley floor, then continue on toward Grindelwald, and you arrive with the day still ahead of you. The courses are at their most spectator-friendly where they pass through Grindelwald itself, so you can find a spot in the village, watch the field come through, and be back in Wengen for a quiet evening.
For anyone tempted to run rather than watch, the trails around Wengen, Männlichen and Kleine Scheidegg make good training ground in the days before or after the race.
Practical information
Dates: 15 to 19 July 2026, the 14th edition
Where: Grindelwald, Jungfrau region
Race days: E250 on 15 July; E101, E51, E35 and E16 on 18 July
Getting there from Wengen: train to Lauterbrunnen, then on to Grindelwald, about 30 minutes
Format: participation trail race, spectator-friendly through Grindelwald
Plan your stay
Race weekend books up early across the region, and staying at Victoria Lauberhorn, a Faern Collection Hotel, keeps you a short train ride from the start lines while the village itself stays calm. The hotel sits in the centre of car-free Wengen, next to the railway station, so the trip to Grindelwald and back is simple. Book your July stay in good time.