Mauritius will stage the Beachcomber Trail once again on Saturday 25 July 2026, handing UK business travellers who like to pack their running shoes a strong reason to bolt leisure days onto an Indian Ocean trip.
The race, organised by Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, has drawn more than a thousand participants a year from Mauritius and beyond since it began, and returns after a pause with a new team relay format.
The timing is shrewd. Research from Airbnb and Strava suggests 74 per cent of Gen Z travellers are seeking rural “runcations”, while Contiki has confirmed active travel bookings are up 105 per cent year on year. For SMEs whose staff increasingly judge a work trip by what they can do around it, events like this are becoming a genuine factor in itinerary planning.
Three routes and a new relay option
The course threads through the island’s Wild South, mixing technical forest paths, beach sections and viewpoints along some of the region’s most remote trails, all mapped by experienced trail runners. Listed on the Rando-Trail and Nature (RTN) calendar, the event offers three routes to suit different abilities. Runners set off from Case Noyale for the 65km, Usine d’Union for the 25km and Ruines de Savinia for the 10km, before converging on a shared finish line on the beach at Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa, the recently relaunched resort on Blue Bay Lagoon.
New for 2026 is a relay version of the headline 65km race. Teams of three each take on one leg: Case Noyale to Alexandra Falls (17km), Alexandra Falls to Rochester Falls (15km) and Rochester Falls to Shandrani Beachcomber (33km). Full details and entry information are available on the official Beachcomber events site.
The 2026 edition also tightens its environmental rules. There will be no disposable cups and zero plastic, with biodegradable materials used throughout and every course marking systematically removed after the race.
Karine Perrier Curé, Chief Brand & Communication Officer at Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, shares: “More than just a race, the Beachcomber Trail is a shared adventure that has fostered a strong community of passionate runners. Over the years, many friendships have been formed along the trails, and the finish line has always been filled with emotion. This break has allowed us to rethink the event to return with an even more flexible edition, particularly with the relay format. We can’t wait to welcome runners back in 2026, with renewed energy”.
Why it works for UK business travellers
Mauritius is one of the easier long-haul destinations to combine with work. British Airways and Air Mauritius both operate non-stop flights from London, with a journey time of around 12 hours, and the island sits only three hours ahead of British Summer Time, so jet lag is minimal for anyone taking calls between training runs. British passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 60 days, according to official government travel advice.
Late July also falls in the Mauritian winter, when cooler, drier conditions favour distance running rather than poolside inertia. With research showing that 60 per cent of UK workers now extend business trips into holidays, a race weekend anchored to a resort finish line is a neat template for the active end of the bleisure trend. The relay format lowers the barrier further, letting colleagues of mixed abilities share the 65km rather than face it alone.
