Pirin Ultra

Pirin Ultra takes runners into the Pirin Mountains above Bansko, a UNESCO-listed national park of rocky limestone ridges, high lakes and wide grassy slopes, on courses that range from a short mountain trail race to a non-stop crossing of the whole range.

The event started in September 2016 and grew quickly: by 2018 its 66 km race was on the Skyrunner World Series calendar. The two longest courses carry no markings at all, so runners navigate by the official GPS track, and the longer races ask for ITRA points before you can enter, which says plenty about the terrain. Every runner also passes a medical check before collecting a race kit.

Bansko is the base for the whole weekend, and alongside the mountain races there is a free fun run for children and adults. The ninth edition in 2025 drew more than 900 participants from 45 countries, according to the Bulgarian News Agency.