The seventh edition of Bison Ultra 2025 is scheduled on 8-Jun-2025, Sun, Registrations is OPEN now
Frequently Asked Questions
The 7th edition is scheduled on 8-Jun-2025, Sunday, 6.00 am for all Race Categories.
Yes, Bison Ultra is an ITRA member & the Bison Ultra course is ITRA certified
- Bison Ultra 60k: ITRA 2
- Bison Ultra 45k: ITRA 1
- Bison Ultra 32k: ITRA 0
- Bison Ultra 15k: ITRA 0
If you have your ITRA ID, include it during registration. You can also email us to add it to your results for publication on the ITRA website.
- The first five editions were executed with an average of 44 runners, primarily focusing on providing the most memorable experience for nature-loving trail runners. For the first time, the June 2024 edition had 160 runners.
- Bison Ultra 2025 will be limited to ~200 runners only.
- You will get the best attention from the organizing team and the volunteers. Don’t you agree that sometimes small is more beautiful?
- Get access to the most mesmerising private coffee estates, otherwise inaccessible to many, home to some of India’s finest coffee, fruits, and spices.
- You will be running through some of the greenest sections in the world and surrounded by various shades of nature. You can have a lonely tryst with the birds & the animal kingdom and find many quiet moments to meditate and rejuvenate your soul.
- The running terrain is located at an elevation of 3600-4600 feet, and the ultra-distance (up to 50k) runners will experience climbing up and down over approximately 1000 meters. Every direction you take will ensure you are constantly challenged. Take a break at regular intervals to admire the breathtaking scenery. Hey, remember! There is a cut-off rule for getting the personalised medal.
- You and the rest of the Bison Ultra runners will stay at Last Shola Cottages, Heavens Ledge Luxury Tent Campsite in Tents. Thousands of trees and plants surround these locations. It will be a grand opportunity for you to strike up a friendship, have a loud laugh, and engage in the most favourite runner-boasting conversations about your marathon achievements and travel experiences or much more than that.
- The combination of chilly mornings and a warm and humid daytime makes the trail ultra more challenging for the first-timer.
- Bison Ultra is brought to you by Coach Kay (learn more), a seasoned ultrarunner, high-performance endurance coach at the KaysFIT Academy, the founder and the race director, and the founder & race director of the OOTYULTRA (8th edition is scheduled on the 23-Mar-2025, Sunday.. learn more)
- And much more…
Bison Ultra will have 60k, 45k, 35k and 18k distances.
IMPORTANT WARNING: The trail distances are approximate because of the GPS device inaccuracies. We strongly advise all runners to plan to run an additional 1-2 km, as shown by your GPS watches, to factor in those inaccuracies. Kindly note the cut-off time is calculated based on the difficulty of the course and the GPS inaccuracies
| Distance | Elevation Gain (m) | Elevation Loss (m) | Time Cut off | Additional Cut-Off |
| Bison Ultra 60k | 1907 | 1926 | 10:00:00 | 8:30 hr @ 50k |
| Bison Ultra 45k | 1800 | 1814 | 8:30:00 | 6:30 hr @ 34.5k |
| Bison Ultra 35k | 1192 | 1205 | 6:30:00 | |
| Bison Ultra 18k | 620 | 634 | 5:00:00 |
Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the registration fees.
- The registration fee guarantees your participation in the race if you meet the qualification requirements (18k doesn’t have a minimum qualification) and DOES not include your accommodation.
- Bison Ultra finishers will get a finisher medal within the cut-off time set (all 18k finishers will receive the custom finisher medal)
- All runners will get an event Souvenir T-shirt.
- Event day photos will be shared with you through our photo aggregation partner, OneGlint, at an additional cost of Rs. 199/- for downloading all your photos one week after the race.
Bison Ultra is held inside the Gowri Estates, a private coffee plantation in Yercaud. The starting point for Bison Ultra is the beautiful and breathtaking Heavens Ledge (view Google Maps)
Place of stay
- The Last Shola and Heavens Ledge are highly-rated properties in the Gowri Estates where Bison Ultra is organized. The Last Shola Cottages (The Bison Ultra start point is located closer to Last Shola)
- The Heavens Ledge Luxury Campsite Tents (Also the Bison Ultra #ultramalaivasi Expo & Finish point venue, ~1.0 km from the Start). Race day post-run breakfast and lunch will be served here
- There are only limited number of rooms available. Usually these places gets sold within the first few weeks of launching the Bison Ultra registration.
The best way to arrive at the event venue will be by your personal vehicle.
There are limited government & private buses available.
- Tamil Nadu State Government operated buses:
- 7.45 am Yercaud Nagalur, Semmanatham (Srinivasa Resorts is nearby), orange bus stand (walk to Last Shola ~3 km)
- 11.45 am @Salem… Yercaud, Nagalur, Semmanatham, Orange bus stand
- 3.00 pm from Salem to Sengalaththupadi via Last Shola, arriving at 5.00 pm
- 5.10-5.10 @ Last Shola, Yercaud to Salem
- Private bus
- Salem MSNV (Muthu): 3.00 pm @ Salem, 4.30 Yercaud, 5.00 Semmanatham (last stop) 5.15 pm return
- Taxi or Auto
- from Yercaud to Last Shola or Srinivasa Resorts Rs. 500-1000 approx.
- from Salem Railway Station or bus station: please write to coachkay@kfita.in to learn more.
* The information published is only for reference; details may vary depending on the transport services provider’s schedule.
Day : Saturday (pre-race day)
The Bison Ultra expo will be a casual gathering of all runners and will be held at the Heavens Ledge.
3.00 to 5.00 pm: BIB Distribution
5.00 pm to 6.15 pm: Race briefing delivered by Coach Kay, the founder/race director of Bison Ultra.
This is a MANDATORY session for all runners and will have much information about the race, any last-minute route-related changes, and safety announcements.
If you are a 35k or 18k runner (STAYING at the Last Shola or Heaven Ledge)
- On Saturday: Lunch, Evening Tea & Dinner (served at Last Shola Cottage)
- On Sunday: Breakfast @ the Finish (served at Heavens Ledge)
If you are a 60k or 45k runner (STAYING at the Last Shola or Heaven Ledge)
- On Sunday: A light breakfast ~ 25-30k, Lunch @ Finish (served at Heavens Ledge)
For your family / friends or any other guest, you will have an option to buy additional food coupons.
On the #ultramalaivasi expo day on Saturday: Snacks and Dinner coupons can be purchased if you are not staying at Gowri Estates owned properties.
You must comply with the accommodation rules to use the above food arrangements.
You can bring your family members. Please contact the Estate Owners for access, accommodation, or food-related queries.
For any other queries, write to info@bisonultra.com.
PLEASE VISIT THE EVENT RULES PAGE FOR LATEST UPDATES
Cut-off time
- 60k: 10 hours (intermediate cut-off applicable, visit the event rules page)
- 45k: 8.30 hours (intermediate cut-off applicable, visit the event rules page)
- 35k: 6.30 hours
- 18k: no cut-off (but please respect the event finish rules, visit the rules page)
No finisher medal will be awarded for those finishing outside the cut-off time.
60k Qualification Requirements
Must be 18 years old on the race day Must be physically/medically fit and healthy Completed OOTYULTRA 2025 60k or Completed 50k Bison Ultra 2024 or Completed any other ultramarathon in after 1 Oct 2024 or Completed any full marathon (within 5 hrs 50 mins) after 1 Oct 2024 and 10 May 2024 Your entry will be automatically downgraded to 15k if you fail to submit the qualification race information, and no refund will be given. We may require individuals to provide a doctor’s clearance or fitness certificate in certain cases.
45k Qualification requirements
Must be 18 years old on the race day Must be physically/medically fit and healthy Completed OOTYULTRA 2025 60k or Completed 50k Bison Ultra 2024 or Completed any other ultramarathon in after 1 Oct 2024 or Completed any full marathon (within 5 hrs 50 mins) after 1 Oct 2024 and 10 May 2024 Your entry will be automatically downgraded to 15k if you fail to submit the qualification race information, and no refund will be given. We may require individuals to provide a doctor’s clearance or fitness certificate in certain cases.
35k Qualification requirements
Must be 18 years old on the race day Must be physically/medically fit and healthy Completed OOTYULTRA 2025 60k or 30k or Completed Bison Ultra 50k or 25k in 2024 or Completed any other ultramarathon or full marathon after 1 Oct 2024 or Completed any half marathon (within 3 hr) after 1 Oct 2024 and 10 May 2025 Your entry will be automatically downgraded to 15k if you fail to submit the qualification race information, and no refund will be given. We may require individuals to provide a doctor’s clearance or fitness certificate in certain cases.
18k Qualification requirements
Must be minimum 16 years old on the race day (parental consent required) Must be physically/medically fit and healthy Must be capable of running or walking a 10k in 1 hour and 45 mins. We may require individuals to provide a doctor’s clearance or fitness certificate in certain cases.
To learn more… visit event rules, terms, and conditions.
First edition
- Bison Ultra 2020, Pre-Race Day experience
- Bison Ultra 2020, Race Day, Start & Finish
- Bison Ultra 2020, Route & Trails
Second edition
- Bison Ultra 2021, Pre-Race Day Experience
- Bison Ultra 2021, Race Day, Start & Finish
- Bison Ultra 2021, Route & trails
Third Edition
- Bison Ultra 2022, Expo
- Bison Ultra 2022, Finish
- Bison Ultra 2022, Start
- Bison Ultra 2022, Race Day up to 5k
- Bison Ultra 2022, Race Day Part II
Future Editions
The photos of all future editions of Bison Ultra will be shared on the OneGlint platform for a small fee. You can access them by following this link (https://memzo.ai/w/kaysfitacademy)
You can email info@bisonultra.com with the subject line “Bison Ultra – query”.
Accommodation Options
- Bison Ultra runners can book accommodation at Last Shola Cottages or Heavens Ledge Luxury Tents Campsite (highly rated). As of 28-Feb, this property is sold out.
- The estate owners decide the accommodation for their estates, and the Bison Ultra organizing crew or KaysFIT Academy does not interfere in their booking process. All runners must comply with the resort rules, safety guidelines, booking terms, and conditions.
- There are a few decent resorts nearby, and it is generally recommended to find places in Yercaud and bring your own vehicle or carpool to reach the race venue.
- There will be limited parking slots available on expo/race day, and parking tickets will be sent out on a first-come, first-served basis. Runners staying at Last Shola or Heavens Ledge will get preference for parking
- Visit the accommodation page to learn more.
Bison Ultra Registration fees
| Category –> | 60k (ITRA 2) | 45k (ITRA 1) | 35k (ITRA 0) | 18k (ITRA 0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry ticket price for all Indian Nationals (INR)* (with 10% discounted amount shown) | ||||
| Entry ticket price for Foreign Nationals (INR)* (with 10% discounted amount shown) | ||||
| EXCLUSIVE OFFER FOR THE FIRST 25 RUNNERS TO RECIEVE 15% DISCOUNT (Please note this is applicable only on individual tickets – not for group entries) DUE TO LIMITED ENTRIES, EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT OF 10% IS GIVEN TILL WE REACH A REGISTRATION COUNT OF 50 RUNNERS | ||||
| * All runners will receive a beautiful Bison Ultra Race T-Shirt. CUSTOM finisher medal* (Regarding custom finisher medal and cut-off rules, visit race rules page) | ||||
| * Receive a 10% discount for a group of 10 runners and above. Save up to 4% on transaction charges by making direct bank payments. Please write to info@bisonultra.com | ||||
| * 18% GST extra + applicable card & platform charges. | ||||
| Category –> | 60k (ITRA 2) | 45k (ITRA 1) | 35k (ITRA 0) | 18k (ITRA 0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry ticket price for all Indian Nationals (INR)* | 6000 | 5000 | 4300 | 3300 |
| Entry ticket price for Foreign Nationals (INR)* | 6500 | 5500 | 4800 | 3800 |
| * All runners will receive a Bison Ultra Race T-Shirt. CUSTOM finisher medal* (Regarding custom finisher medal and cut-off rules, visit race rules page) | ||||
| * Receive a 10% discount for a group of 10 runners and above. Save up to 4% on transaction charges by making direct bank payments. Please write to info@bisonultra.com | ||||
| * 18% GST extra + applicable card & platform charges. | ||||
Before registration..
- Your Bison Ultra entry ticket is non-refundable. You are allowed to transfer to another runner identified by you before 10-May-2025
- Do not register if you are not clear about the event rules. We encourage you to email info@bisonultra.com to clarify doubts before buying your entry ticket.
- Read and understand the Bison Ultra event terms and conditions and accommodation rules here
- Please write to info@bisonultra.com if you want to make direct bank transfers or have any queries regarding group registrations.
