A New Series Opens in the Ijen Geopark
This is the inaugural edition of the Ijen Geopark Run brand and the opening leg of the new Geopark Run Series 2026-2027, held inside the Ijen UNESCO Global Geopark area of Banyuwangi, East Java. [1] Race day is Sunday 23 August 2026, with race pack collection scheduled for 21-22 August in Banyuwangi city -- so runners should plan to arrive a couple of days early.
Paltuding Camp and the Volcanic Highlands
The start/venue area is Bumi Perkemahan Paltuding, in the Curah Macan area of Tamansari, Licin, Banyuwangi -- the same volcanic mountain region used for other Ijen sport-tourism events. [1] Because the course sits in the Ijen crater highlands rather than the lowlands, conditions run cooler than the humid tropical heat typical of most Indonesian road races, based on how organisers and related events describe the terrain.
Three Distances, Limited Early-Bird Slots
Categories on offer are 5K, 10K and Half Marathon (21.1K). [1] Organisers describe roughly 2,000 total slots with a limited 'Super Early Bird' batch of only 100, and registration ran from 22 May to 19 July 2026 -- a relatively tight window that suggests the organisers are managing capacity carefully for a first-year event.
What the Neighbouring Trail Race Tells Us
There's no participant feedback yet for the road-race distances specifically, since this is a first-year event under this name. But a related trail event in the same Geopark area, the Ijen Green Trail Run 2025 (8/14/25/50km categories), drew finishers who described the terrain as demanding. German category winner Thimo Kilberth called the course "berat, tapi sangat indah" (tough, but very beautiful), especially climbing toward the Ijen crater. [2] 50km winner Akhmad Nizar described the trek as genuinely challenging, running through Gunung Ranti and Ijen. [3] Those are trail impressions, not road-race ones, but they speak to the character of the surrounding landscape.
Getting to Banyuwangi
Banyuwangi, at the eastern tip of Java, has its own airport (Banyuwangi International Airport / Blimbingsari) with connections from Jakarta and Surabaya, plus ferry links to Bali just across the strait. [1] That makes the region reasonably accessible for a race set inside a national park highland area, though the Paltuding venue itself requires a further drive up from the city.
Should You Run It?
If cool volcanic-highland air and a UNESCO Geopark backdrop appeal more than a flat, familiar road course, the Ijen Geopark Run on 23 August 2026 is a distinctive first-year option -- especially at the shorter 5K/10K distances. Runners who prefer proven logistics should note this is a debut event with no road-race reports yet, even though the surrounding trail-running community speaks well of the area.