DC Nubra flagged off 122-km Silk Route Ultra from Kyagar

NUBRA: The fifth edition of the 122-km Silk Route Ultra was flagged off from Kyagar village in Nubra on Friday, sending runners on a high-altitude course that will take them from an elevation of 3,140 metres to the 5,370-metre Khardung La Pass before the finish in Leh.

Deputy Commissioner Nubra Mukul Beniwal flagged off the race, which is organised as an extension of the Khardung La Challenge route under the Ladakh Marathon.

The course passes through Sumur, Lakjung, Tirith, Khalsar and Khardung before the runners begin the steep ascent to Khardung La. From the pass, the route descends towards Leh, where the race will conclude.

The event also draws on the history of the Silk Route, an ancient trade corridor that connected communities across Central Asia and facilitated the movement of goods and people across the region.

With the race traversing steep and high-altitude terrain, organisers have put in place safety measures and aid stations along the route. Environmental safeguards have also been arranged to limit the impact of the event on the fragile mountain landscape.

The Silk Route Ultra is part of Ladakh’s growing high-altitude endurance sports calendar and forms an extension of the route associated with the Khardung La Challenge.

The combination of a 122-km course, a climb to 5,370 metres and a finish in Leh makes the race one of the more demanding endurance events on the Ladakh Marathon circuit.