Ohrid Ultra-Trail Samotska Trail 42km: UNESCO Lakeshore Start, Galicica Ridgeline, and Dual-Lake Views Above North Macedonia

The Samotska Trail is the 42km distance of the Ohrid Ultra-Trail weekend, held annually in May in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The course starts at 08:30 from St. Naum Monastery on the southern lakeshore of Lake Ohrid (~695m elevation), climbs steeply through Galicica National Park with dual-lake views over Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa, and finishes in Ohrid town square. Nominal distance: 42km / 1,950m D+ (Airtable); 2026 ITRA-measured: 41.23km / +1,641m. The course is set entirely within the UNESCO World Heritage landscape of Lake Ohrid. 8th edition in 2026 (event since 2020). 200-place cap, 11-hour time limit. UTMB 50K Index qualifying race. EUR 42 entry (early bird EUR 32). NOT FAR: OHD Airport 13 minutes from Ohrid.

The official site describes the Samotska Trail 42km as a fast trail suitable for many trail runners -- positioning it as the approachable entry point to the Ohrid Ultra-Trail weekend. The 42km has an 08:30 daytime start (vs the 105km midnight start), a shorter 11-hour time limit relative to the 105km cutoffs, and a 200-place cap (vs the 105km's larger field). Nominal elevation: ~1,950m D+ over 42km (~46.4 m/km) -- a meaningful mountain race by European standards. The 2026 ITRA-measured elevation was lower (+1,641m over 41.23km = 39.8 m/km), suggesting the 2026 course was a lighter edition. The course includes an initial steep climb phase, ridgeline running through Galicica National Park, and a descent into Ohrid. Experienced trail runners will find this a well-organized destination race at the moderate-challenging end of the 40km mountain category.

The Samotska Trail 42km is a UTMB 50K Index qualifying race, listed as Samotska Trail Marathon 40K on the UTMB Index. It also counts as a scoring race in the Europe Trail Cup circuit (europetrailcup.com) and the Alpe Adria Trail Cup circuit (alpeadria-trailcup.com). Both circuits include trail races across Southeastern and Central Europe; Ohrid is one of the southernmost and most distinctive venues on these calendars. ITRA 4 points are awarded for the 42km distance. The race is part of the same weekend as the 105km distance, which also provides circuit and index points.

The Samotska Trail starts at 08:30 from St. Naum Monastery on the southern shore of Lake Ohrid -- a culturally significant 10th-century Orthodox monastery set on the lakeshore, approximately 29km south of Ohrid town. The course follows the lakeshore before ascending steeply (a 5-8km climb) above the lake toward the Galicica National Park ridgeline. The ridge section offers dual-lake views over both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa simultaneously -- an unusual geographical feature unique to this part of North Macedonia. The course then descends to the finish in Ohrid town square. The race note: the official site URL uses 40k-en despite the distance being 41-42km in 2026 -- the 40K name is historical. Aid stations: approximately 4 across the course. The course runs through and around the UNESCO World Heritage Site designation covering both Ohrid town and Lake Ohrid.

Ohrid Airport (OHD) is the closest airport at approximately 13 minutes from Ohrid town -- this is a NOT FAR race. However, OHD has limited scheduled services and may require connections. Skopje Airport (SKP) is the main international hub at approximately 2.5-3.5 hours from Ohrid by car or bus -- this qualifies as FAR for logistics planning. Tirana Airport (TIA) in Albania is approximately 3.5-5 hours away. Buses from Skopje to Ohrid run frequently and are budget-friendly; the journey takes approximately 2.5-3 hours. Ohrid is a major tourist city with strong hotel and apartment accommodation; book early as May-June is peak lakeside season. The race starts from St. Naum Monastery, ~29km south of Ohrid town -- a taxi or organized race transfer from Ohrid to the start is recommended.