Motatapu Trail Marathon

The Race

History

The Motatapu began in 2005 as a sporting event across the high country between Wānaka and Arrowtown, and about 1,000 people took part in the first edition, on either the mountain bike or the marathon course. The original trail marathon ran from Glendhu Bay to Arrowtown via Motatapu Station.

The route crosses three private stations, Motatapu, Soho and Glencoe, that are open to the public for one weekend a year. The name comes from te reo Māori: mota is a river and tapu means sacred. The organiser's history page says the tracks follow paths once used by Māori for seasonal food gathering and for carrying greenstone, and later by miners during the 1862 Central Otago gold rush.

The event has grown from two race options to five, including a 52 km Ultra Run and a mountain bike race. The 2026 edition drew about 2,700 people across all events. Jack Oates won the men's Trail Marathon in 2:58:09 and Mel Aitken the women's in 3:31:53, in conditions the organiser called perfect.

The course

The Motatapu Trail Marathon is a one-way trail run of 42.2 km. It starts at Motatapu Station near Glendhu Bay on Lake Wānaka, where no private vehicles are allowed and every runner arrives by bus. It finishes at Wilcox Green in Arrowtown, 29 km away in a straight line. The terrain is high-country farm track, gravel and river crossings across private stations.

The organiser gives a cumulative climb of 1,050 m and a highest point of 880 m. Satellite elevation along the route puts the high point at 878 m near 29 km, on Mount Soho Station, and the course spans about 500 m from about 380 m near the start to that high point. From the start it climbs 146 m in 2.5 km at 5.8 per cent, then rises with dips to about 700 m at 17 km and on to the high point, before descending 466 m over the last 13 km at 3.5 per cent to Arrowtown at about 410 m.

The elevation profile is SRTM along the route and the totals it implies are not published. The organiser's figures are the official ones.

Kilometre by kilometre

Start, 0 km. The bus drops runners at Motatapu Station. There is a gear trailer at the start for extra clothing, and bags are taken to the Info Tent at the finish. The start is at 09:30.

Km 0 to 9. The route follows Motatapu Road and climbs 146 m in the first 2.5 km at 5.8 per cent, the steepest sustained pitch of the day, then drops and climbs again over Motatapu Station. The first aid station and the first cutoff, at 11:30, are at 9 km, where the road sits at about 515 m.

Km 9 to 17. A steady climb of about 211 m over 7 km at 3.0 per cent to about 700 m at 17 km, where the second aid station and the second cutoff, at 13:15, are. Positions for aid stations three and four were not published.

Km 17 to 29. The long climb to the high point, about 878 m at 29 km on the profile and 880 m on the organiser's figure, crossing Mount Soho Station. This is high, exposed country, so weather and the mandatory gear matter.

Km 29 to the finish. A descent of about 13 km and 466 m to Arrowtown, through Glencoe Station at about 30 to 32 km and down Macetown Road from about 35 km, the steepest kilometre at about 7 per cent near km 34. It ends at Wilcox Green with food stalls, massage and entertainment. The course closes at 18:00.

The organiser says the course crosses river channels on private stations that are only accessible during the event, and runner reports describe several crossings, so water depth and current are event-day variables.

Course Map

A one-way line from Motatapu Station near Glendhu Bay across Motatapu, Mount Soho and Glencoe stations to Wilcox Green in Arrowtown. Tap a marker for the start, the finish, the two cutoffs and the high point, and scrub the slider or press play to move the orange marker along the course with the elevation profile beneath it.

Pacers

No pace teams were found on the organiser's pages. Do not assume any.

Entry

Entry is open, with four price phases, and prices include all fees and taxes. The 2027 phases are: Super Early NZ$190, about £81 (150 entries, sold out, deadline 31 July 2026), Early NZ$215, about £92 (200 entries, deadline 30 September 2026), General NZ$235, about £100 (150 entries, deadline 20 January 2027) and Late NZ$255, about £109 (uncapped, deadline 26 February 2027). Entries opened on 28 March 2026 and close on 26 February 2027, unless sold out beforehand. The minimum age is 18.

Each phase ends when its cap is reached or its date passes, whichever comes first. The Early phase closes on 30 September 2026, so the General price of NZ$235 applies from 1 October 2026, and the Late price of NZ$255 from 21 January 2027 if the race has not sold out first.

Entry policies, including transfers and cancellations, are on the organiser's entry-policies page. All entrants must carry the mandatory gear. The organiser's site does not state a total cap for the marathon.

Fast runner standards

There is no good-for-age route and no qualifying standard.

Race Weekend

Number collection

Number collection details for 2027 were not published on the organiser's pages read for this guide. Check the athlete-info pages for the pick-up location, dates and required ID before choosing where to stay, because in a point-to-point race the collection point can decide which end of the course you base yourself at. There is no large commercial expo.

The gear trailer at the start is for clothing and non-mandatory items only, and bags travel to the Info Tent at the finish.

Getting to the start

All Trail Marathon athletes must travel to the start by bus, and there is no spectator or private vehicle access to the start line. A free bus service runs from Wānaka. Bus departure times and the pick-up point were not on the fetched page, so check the organiser's race-day information before you travel.

The race starts at 09:30 at Motatapu Station near Glendhu Bay. The organiser provides a gear trailer at the start, and bags are transported to the Info Tent at the finish in Arrowtown. Put non-mandatory items in the bag, and carry the mandatory gear on your body.

Stay in Wānaka the night before, because the bus leaves from there. Allow time for gear checks and a toilet stop before the start. After the finish, Arrowtown guests walk. Queenstown guests are about 20 minutes away by road, and Orbus Route 2 links Arrowtown with Frankton. Post-race transport from Arrowtown back to Wānaka was not found, so confirm it before booking accommodation.

Nutrition on course

The organiser lists four self-service aid stations along the course. They offer water, electrolyte drinks, energy bars and toilets, and refills are cup-free, so carry a soft flask or bottle and refill it. The first two stations are at the cutoff points, 9 km and 17 km, and the positions of the others were not found.

With about 8 km between the first two stations and long gaps further on, carry enough fluid and food to reach the next station. The brand of electrolyte drink and energy bars was not confirmed, so do not assume a brand.

Spectating

There is strictly no spectator or vehicle access to the start line, and the route crosses remote private land. Supporters can only meet runners at the finish at Wilcox Green in Arrowtown, where there is a finish party with food stalls and entertainment. No mid-course viewing points were found.

The 2026 winners finished in 2:58:09 and 3:31:53 after the 09:30 start, and the last finishers arrive by 18:00. Arrowtown is small, so the easiest option is to stay there and walk to Wilcox Green.

Post-race food

The finish at Wilcox Green has food stalls, massage and entertainment, according to the organiser. The specific vendors were not listed. For a sit-down meal afterwards, Arrowtown's main street, Buckingham Street, has cafés and pubs within a few minutes' walk of the finish. Check opening hours, since a race-day rush is likely.

Where to Stay

The bus to the start leaves from Wānaka, so the night before the race belongs in Wānaka, and the night after belongs in Arrowtown or Queenstown, close to the finish.

Booking advice is in the timeline below.

Recommended hotels

Booking timeline

Enter first. The Early phase ends on 30 September 2026, and each price phase has a cap, so the price rises as places sell. Book Wānaka accommodation as soon as your entry is confirmed, because the free bus starts in Wānaka and early March is a busy time in Central Otago. Book flights into Queenstown at the same time. Plan the post-race base separately: Queenstown or Arrowtown for the night after the race, and a cancellable rate at both ends.

See & Do

The finish sits in Arrowtown, so the gold-rush sights are next to it, and Wānaka's lakefront is the day-before option.

After the Race

March is early autumn in Central Otago, with settled weather, warm days and cold nights. The trips below start gently on the lakefront and build to longer drives once the legs recover.