New: MDS Trek Is Coming to Peru in 2027!

 

In 2027, the Marathon des Sables is expanding its Peruvian adventure with a brand-new format: MDS Trek Peru.

Designed for hiking enthusiasts and adventurers looking to push their limits, this 60 to 100 km trek offers a multi-day immersion in the heart of the Ica Desert, surrounded by majestic dunes, vast landscapes, and breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean.

The key difference compared to the MDS 120? How much gear you carry.

On the MDS Trek, participants hike with a lightweight backpack containing their water, food supplies for the day, and mandatory safety equipment. The rest of their belongings, including food, sleeping bags, and spare clothing, are transported by the organization to the bivouac.

Food self-sufficiency remains at the heart of the experience: each participant brings their own meals for the four days spent in the desert, but enjoys greater freedom when choosing their supplies, without having to worry about the weight of every item.

At the bivouac, dedicated facilities enhance this new experience: more spacious tents, provided mattresses, showers, and hot water for preparing meals. Everything is designed to help participants recover after each stage while preserving the authentic experience of spending nights in the heart of the desert.

A format designed to let you fully embrace the MDS adventure, with less weight on your shoulders, but just as much of a challenge to take on.

The MDS Trek Peru will take place over three stages, with one unique feature: the possibility to adjust certain distances according to your fitness level and personal preferences.

The program:

• Stage 1: Approximately 25 km
• Stage 2: Choose between 20, 30, or 43 km
• Stage 3: Choose between 20 or 27 km

With a total distance ranging from 60 to 100 km, each participant can shape their own adventure at their own pace. The distances for the second and third stages can be chosen on the day itself, depending on how participants feel and how much energy they have.

Entirely dedicated to walking, the MDS Trek will feature generous time limits adapted to hikers, allowing participants to fully enjoy the experience without the pressure of racing.

But the challenge remains very real: tackling several consecutive days of physical effort in the desert, managing food supplies, adapting to the terrain, and pushing personal limits.

For participants looking to take on the original Marathon des Sables challenge, the MDS 120 Peru stays true to its DNA: crossing the desert while carrying all their equipment and food supplies.

Open to both runners and walkers, this format offers three distances: 70, 100, or 120 km.

Over four days of self-sufficiency, participants must manage their effort, food supplies, and equipment, with only their backpack as a companion.

At the bivouac, they will experience the traditional MDS 120 tents, in an adventure where every preparation decision and every kilometer covered truly matters.

Two different approaches, but one shared ambition: to see the adventure through to the finish.

Beyond the differences between the two formats, MDS Peru 2027 promises an exceptional shared experience.

Participants in the MDS Trek and MDS 120 will take on their challenges during the same week, follow some shared sections of the course, and stay at a bivouac overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

Between stages, encounters at camp, words of encouragement, and moments of togetherness, everyone will experience what makes the Marathon des Sables so special: mutual support, camaraderie, and pushing beyond personal limits.

The adventure will also continue in Paracas, with four nights in a hotel during the trip and a gala evening to celebrate the kilometers covered and the unforgettable memories made together.

With the introduction of MDS Trek, the Marathon des Sables now offers two ways to explore the vast landscapes of the Peruvian desert.

On one side, the MDS 120 and its challenge of complete self-sufficiency. On the other, the MDS Trek, a walking-only adventure with a lighter backpack and adapted bivouac facilities.

Two formats, two ways to push your limits, but one shared MDS adventure.

See you from November 27 to December 4, 2027, in the heart of the Ica Desert.

Registration opens on December 9, 2026, at 12:00 PM (noon).