The Best Running Travel Companies | Travel Awards – runnersworld.com

Runcations—trips centered on running (versus just squeezing in a few runs at a destination)—are as dreamy and endorphin-packed as they sound. But discovering the best running routes, top-notch refueling spots, and coolest post-run activities all on your own, in a new place can be, in a word, overwhelming.

So we looked at dozens of companies that offer guided running trips to essentially every corner of the globe. We poured through hundreds of traveler reviews, including those from RW readers, to identify the most raved-about tour outfitters. From there, we scrutinized itineraries for destination, group size, value, logistical expertise, and staff training. And after weeks of careful evaluation, we finally settled on 13 once-in-a-lifetime trips that deliver the crème de la crème of runcationing. From an epic high-altitude tour deep into the Himalayas to a guided, small group trek across the mountains of Morocco to an eco-friendly trail running party that passes two U.S. National Parks, and more, these trips offer once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The only part that’s overwhelming? Picking which one you’ll book first.

BEST INTERNATIONAL

Top Trip: From the Amazon to the Andes

This two-week running excursion through Ecuador’s biodiverse landscapes provides views of mountains, jungles, waterfalls, and volcanoes. After a day spent acclimating to the altitude in the country’s capital, Quito (it sits around 9,000 feet above sea level), you’ll visit the nearby Mitad del Mundo monument, where you can stand with one foot each hemisphere. Over the next week you’ll run up Fuya Fuya volcano (14,000 feet), around Cuicocha Lagoon, and up El Imbabura volcano (about 15,200 feet) before easing tired muscles in nearby thermal hot springs. The second half of the trip offers the literal high point: an 6.8-mile trek to the 15,486-foot peak of El Rumiñahu (and subsequent run down it). In between runs you’ll ride horses, explore jungles, and raft down the Jatunyacu river. Beyond the endorphin rush, there’s another feel-good perk: A percent of your fee (which includes guiding, meals, and accommodation) goes to sponsor a child from Children of Uganda. 14 days / 51.3 miles / $3,820 (price converted from Euros; could fluctuate based on exchange rate.)

Also from Go! Running: The 8-km Florentine Gems Group Running Tour where you can explore hidden corners of the Italian city, or the 2-day El Chico Trail Run trip in Mexico City, where guests refuel with baked lamb wrapped in cactus and “pulque,” an alcoholic fermented, agave-based drink.

BEST TRAIL RUNNING

Top Trip: Trail Running Best of Alta Via 1&2

If you enjoy Intense with a capital “I,” trail running, and supreme mountain vistas, put this trip through the Italian Dolomites (a UNESCO World Heritage site in the northern part of the country) on your list. The hut-to-hut experience (meaning, you stay in different mountaintop lodges, with beds and hot food, along the way) covers 16,400 feet of gain—no, that’s not a typo—over six stages. Along the way, you’ll run through history (day three charts a path through World War I battle sights) and otherworldly terrain (day five passes the lunar-like landscapes of Puez-Geisler / Puez-Odle Nature Park). Group sizes are small—typically eight to nine folks with one running guide. Cost includes guiding, accommodations, meals, airport transfer, and baggage transfers from hut to hut. 7 days / 53 miles /$1,650 (price converted from Euros; could fluctuate based on exchange rate. )

Also from Holomites: The 3-night Trail Running Sellaronda trip for travelers who want to quickly see the areas highlights, or the 7-night Trekking Deluxe trip for those who prefer the luxuries of a hotel to roughing it in a hut.

BEST PRO EXPERIENCE

Top Trip: Footsteps of Champions

Run on the paths where Eliud Kipchoge, Wilson Kipsang, and David Rudisha trained—and maybe even get the chance to meet Kenya’s next great legendary runner—on this 12-day adventure through the red clay roads of the Rift Valley. Midway through the trip, you’ll join hundreds of local—and sometimes famous (Kipchoge, Kipsang, and Rudisha have all made appearances)—runners to race up hills of Iten, a remote town widely acclaimed for the marathon talent it produces. An African safari to see the “Big Five” game animals (lion, rhino, leopard, elephant, and Cape buffalo) is also on the agenda, but it may pale in comparison. Cost includes lodging, meals, domestic airfare, ground transportation, excursion entry fees, and guides. 12 days / 35-70 miles / $3,795

Also from STRIVE: High school and collegiate runners can do the 8-week Peru college internship, or 4-week high school Peru trip with Spanish immersion.

BEST FOR NATURE LOVERS

Top Trip: Epic Iceland Trail Trip

Iceland, currently the darling of travel hot lists for its awe-inspiring natural beauty, is the site of this week-long trip that overflows with nature-centric sightseeing. You’ll run past the country’s most famous waterfall, Gullfoss (“The Golden Waterfall”), an active geyser, a black beach, and Iceland’s famed “Blue Lagoon”. Plus, you’ll get instruction on proper trail running form, which you can put to use during a trail running race on day six. Pick between four distance options ranging from 13K to 83K and cross the finish line at a geothermal beach in Reykjavík where you can soothe your aching muscles. Cost includes guiding, accommodation, some meals, on-the-ground transportation, and non-running activities. 7 days / 27-70 miles / $4,850 (Prices converted from Icelandic Króna; could fluctuate based on exchange rate.)

Also from Arctic Running: The Volcano City Trail Tour, their most popular day tour, which takes runners on a 6-km journey through—yes, through—a lava tunnel and around the ridge of a volcano, or one of the daily City Sightseeing Running Trips.

BEST US CITY TOURS

Top Trip: Hops & Grain Brewery Run, Austin

This collaboration between the outfitter’s Austin branch and the Hops & Grain Brewery gives you a (literal) taste of the local culture. Beer and running pair beautifully in this weekly midday 5K, which ends at the brewery, where you can tour the facility and taste the goods—your first beer is free. According to Steve Messana, operating partner and COO of Hops & Grain, runners especially love sipping “The One They Call Zoe” (a pale lager) and “A Pale Mosaic” IPA. 1 day / 3.1 miles / $30

Also from City Running Tours: The New Your City tour, which explores Central Park and the Brooklyn Bridge, or the San Fransisco tour with views of Alcatraz and the sea lions at Pier 39.

BEST ULTRA RUNNING

Top Trip: Kilimanjaro Stage Run

The outfitter’s signature event circumnavigates Tanzania’s iconic dormant volcano, traveling 162 total miles at elevations ranging between about 4,000 and 6,000 feet. For obvious reasons, you need to be a skilled trail runner with prior experience tackling distances longer than a marathon before booking this trip. If you’re up for the challenge, the views are seriously worth it—you’ll traverse lush rainforests, rivers, villages, and open plains, all in the shadow of Africa’s tallest mountain. Cost based on double occupancy and includes guiding, camping equipment rental (excluding sleeping bag), meals, accommodations, airport transfer, post run party, tree seedling donation for local reforestation, t-shirt, and certificate. 11 days / 162 miles / $2,315

Also from Summit Expeditions and Nomadic Experience: The Half-Day Guided Trail Run around the lower slopes of Kilimanjaro, or the 12-day Tanzania Running and Wildlife Safari trip that mixes—you guessed it—running and a safari.

BEST ADVENTURE FOR UNDER 40s

Top Trip: Run Morocco: Gorges & Sahara

About 61 percent of Rogue Expeditions’ clients are under 40, which makes this 10-day adventure especially appealing for younger athletes. The journey starts and ends in Marrakech; in between you’ll run the northern foothills of the Atlas mountains, along the palm oases of the Ounila Valleys, by the dramatic Mars-red rock formations of the Todra Gorge, and across the sandy dunes of the vast Sahara (the guides carry plenty of fresh water and rides are always an option if the desert heat becomes too intense). On top of all that running, the schedule also packs plenty of time for local experiences like visiting kasbahs and markets (bring an extra bag for souvenirs) and enjoying fresh Moroccan fare like tagines and couscous dishes. 10 days / 75 miles / from $2,795

Also from Rogue Expeditions: A 5-day Bend, Oregon trip to explore the areas mountains and breweries, or the 9-day Alpe-Adria through Slovenia & Croatia.

BEST FOR FAMILIES

Top Trip: Caribbean Run Package

This cruise/running trip combo gives the whole family the option to runcation together, regardless of whether every family member is a runner. Each stop on the six-island tour (in 2020 you’ll visit Puerto Rico, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Tortola, and St. Thomas) features an organized 5K or 10K; some stops include themed runs (think superheroes or “Where’s Waldo?”). The festivities continue on-board with morning yoga, meditation sessions, group dinners, and, at the end of the week, a medal ceremony. “My non running sister came along [on my first trip], and we had an absolute blast,” Nikaeda Griffie from Akron, Ohio, tells Runner’s World on Facebook. “Visiting beautiful islands in new places is amazing, but there is something special about being able to run there, too! We had such an awesome experience that my mother joined us for our second RFFC cruise.” Rates are per person based on double occupancy, and cost includes accommodations, meals, entertainment, and on-board activities. Run packages cost an additional $349 and include participation in running events, tech tee, medal, and swag bag. 8 days / 11-22 miles / from $889

Also from Run for Fun: The week-long Alaska trip with running events planned for Icy Strait Point, Juneau, Skagway, and Ketchikan, or the Canada/New England trip with runs in the ports of Halifax, Saint John, Bar Harbor, Portland, and Newport.

BEST FOR OFF-THE-BEATEN TRACK ADVENTURES

Top Trip: Bhutan Snowman Run

This 15-day, camping-centric trip deep into the Himalayas provides high-altitude running over boulder-strewn mountain paths, around glacial lakes, and through dense forests and alpine meadows blooming with edelweiss. Along with glimpses into traditional Bhutanese culture (you’ll encounter yak herders and remote villages), you’ll experience some serious indulgence: two massages, and a hot stone bath. The trail is based on the first half of the renowned Snowman Trek, one of the hardest in the world, but fret not—daily runs are padded with frequent stops and photo opportunities. There is also an acclimatization phase of the trip before you hit the trail, during which you’ll visit Tiger’s Nest Monastery (the one that famously seems to cling to the side of a vertical mountainside). Cost includes guiding, accommodations (based on shared rooms; single rooms extra charge), most meals, in-country transport, and non-running activities like the massages and hot stone baths. 15 days / 112 miles / $7,990

Also from Tour de Trails: The 13-day Coast to Coast, Pub to Pub England trip or the weeklong Sail & Trail: Croatia boating and running adventure.

BEST WOMEN ONLY

Top Trip: Moab Mindful Running Retreat

This 4-day women-only program in Moab combines restorative yoga, mindfulness workshops, and of course, ample trail running through the area’s gorgeous red-hued cliffs and soaring arches and along the Colorado River. The company’s “no-tech” policy shifts the focus away from mileage and pace and instead emphasizes mindful running—factors like body awareness, good posture, efficiency, and flow. Daily runs are based on time, not distance, but runners should be able to comfortably cover 8 miles; there’s also a beginner-friendly version of this trip designed with less mileage. Cost includes accommodations, meals, daily guided runs, workshops, one restorative yoga class, and gift bag. 4 days / 22-28 miles / from $1,995

Also from Run Wild Retreats: The 7-day Canadian Rockies Trail Running + Wellness Retreat that ventures into Banff National Park or the Telluride Trail Running + Wellness Retreat which includes a massage at The Peaks Spa.

BEST SOLO TRAVEL

Top Trip: Madeira 5-Day Adventure

Portugal’s Madeira Island may be small (its land area is a scant 309 square miles) but it more than makes up for its size in topography. You and up to 13 other folks—feel free to come alone; about 75 percent of participants are single travelers—will run past iconic mountains, along ancient viaducts, under waterfalls, and on coastal paths with views of the deep blue Atlantic. Your base is the Quinta do Furão hotel, which is perched on a hilltop in Santana. After each day’s run, you can enjoy a glass of Madeira from its restaurant’s impressive wine cellar. Cost includes accommodation, meals, on-the-ground transportation, and non-running activities built into the itinerary like surfing, snorkeling, and yoga. 5 days / 35-40 miles / from $1,195

Also from Trail Run Adventures: A 15-day camping-slash-running Bhutan Expedition.

BEST ECO-FRIENDLY

Top Trip: Trailfest

There’s something to be said for taking care of the earth while you enjoy it. This 3-day trail-centric camping trip takes place just outside Utah’s Zion National Park and Bryce National Park. Each morning you’ll run a trail race (distances vary but expect 10-13 miles per day) before spending the afternoon exploring the park and listening to live music with around 700 other eco-minded racers. Instead of cups, athletes hydrate with reusable pouches; food is typically served on reusable dishes; trash is sorted and diverted; race medals are recycled; and runners relieve themselves in composting toilets. “If you love nature, sustainability and great medal you have to choose Vacation Races for your #racecations!!!” Katharina Blohm of Goodyear, Arizona, tells Runner’s World on Facebook. Cost includes running events, camping, most meals, non-running events, shirt, jacket, and medals. 3 days / 30-35 miles / $775

Also from Vacation Races: The week-long Iceland trip with daily 5k and 10k trail around geysers, mountains, and waterfalls, or the 3-day Wine Country Adventure which pairs trail running and wine-tasting.

BEST GUIDES

Top Trip: Costa Brava

Run the World Adventures is all about truly authentic local experiences: On this week-long trek through northeastern Spain’s stunning Costa Brava region, you’ll eat local food (think paella, Spanish vino, and olive oil), experience local history (medieval village tours, anyone?), and stay at boutique hotels run by local families. This philosophy also extends to their staff. Company co-founders and husband-and-wife duo Pablo Rodriguez and Cristina Moret live in Girona, Spain (where the trip begins), and Rodriguez guides every trip.

“The running is incredible!” Bret Lang of El Dorado Hills, California, tells Runner’s World on Facebook of the Costa Brava trip. “However, that’s just half of it. The culture and history lessons you get along the way are amazing and after running you are free to explore each town and then meet up again for a gourmet nightly dinner. This vacation combines our love of running with our love of eating/drinking and exploring! Not to be missed.” Run the World Adventures also offers a 4-day version of the trip. Cost includes guiding, accommodations (extra charge for single rooms), and meals. 7 days / 84 miles / $1,470 (price converted from Euros; could fluctuate based on exchange rate)

Also from Run the World Adventures: Morroco Atlas to Sahara. One of their Moroccan guides, Abdu Oukioud, won third place in Wanderlust Magazine’s “2018 World Guide Awards,” (a competition that, according to the magazine’s website, received more than 4,000 nominations).

More RW Travel Awards

Contributing Writer Jenny is a Boulder, Colorado-based health and fitness journalist.