KURDISTAN, IRAQ - THE 200KM ULTRAMARATHON EXPEDITION
IRAQ
You’ve never run
anywhere like this.
The world’s most meaningful 200 kilometres…
From the Zagros Mountains to the ancient Citadel of Erbil.
200 kms
Total Distance
4 STAGES
Multiple Stages
OCT 2026
October 25—31*
30 DEGREES
Average Temps
12 RUNNERS
Only 12 Spots Available
_____ THE ORIGIN
This run was born from grief.
Shaped by love.
"I didn't come back to Iraq as a humanitarian.
I came back as a runner — to retrace the same paths
that families fled along. To run for those who were forced to."— Tim Buxton
Founder, You Belong | Race Director
‘The Return’ Documentary
TAKE A GLIMPSE INTO THE cinematic short documentary capturing Tim’s 100-mile journey through northerN Iraq THAT TOOK PLACE IN 2025.
OVER A DECADE OF IMPACT
2014
Tim and his family move to Iraqi Kurdistan to lead a humanitarian mission. On arrival day, ISIS invades Mosul — 45 minutes away. 2 million people flee.
2014–17
On the frontlines. Providing housing, trauma care and education to thousands of displaced Yazidi and Kurdish families along Hamilton's Road and the Zagros foothills.
2018
Tim returns to Australia and establishes You Belong — a charitable organisation built on the belief that every refugee deserves more than survival. They deserve belonging.
2025
Tim returns to Iraq — not as a humanitarian, but as a runner. 168km across Northern Iraq, filming The Return documentary. On Day 1, heatstroke nearly ends it. He keeps going.
2026
IRAQ200 opens to the world. Just 12 places. The same route. The same roads. A different reason to run — but the same destination. The mountains of Kurdistan and Erbil — the ancient city that endures.
_____ THE ROUTE
FOUR STAGES. ONE ANCIENT LAND.
Beginning in Soran — the mountain refuge city at the base of the Zagros range on the Iranian border — the route descends through rugged canyon, desert highway, and mountain plateau before finishing in the heart of one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth.
The Canyon Pass
STAGE ONE
50km
Soran → Rwandz Canyon → Spelik Army Barracks
The Desert Highway
STAGE TWO
58km
Spelik → along the desert highway → Shaqlawa
The Mountain Descent
STAGE THREE
50km
Shaqlawa → descending into Erbil → The Citadel
The Ancient Marathon
STAGE FOUR
42km
Erbil City Marathon — alongside thousands of runners
ERBIL CITADEL
The Champs-Élysées Moment
On Day 4, after 160km of desert, canyon, and mountain — you don't cross a finish line alone. You merge into the Erbil City Marathon alongside thousands of local runners, in one of the oldest cities on earth. Your final 42km is a run in celebration of endurance, resilience and human resolve — a reflection of the Citadel of Erbil, the oldest continuously inhabited city if the world. There is no finish line like it in ultramarathon running.
JOURNEY THROUGH The LANDSCAPE YOU WILL TRAVERSE.
____ THE WEEK
SEVEN DAYS IN IRAQI KURDISTAN.
-
Arrival & Transfer to Soran
Fly into Erbil International Airport. Meet the IRAQ200x team at 12noon. Escorted convoy to Soran — your mountain basecamp at the foot of the Zagros range.Travel Day
-
Acclimatisation & Expedition Briefing
Rest, acclimatise to altitude and heat. Full expedition briefing, kit check, and cultural orientation. Your first real encounter with the mountains you're about to run.
Preparation Day -
Stage One — The Canyon
Soran → Rwandz Canyon → Spelik. The mountains open up. So do you.
50km Run -
Stage Two — The Desert Highway
Spelik → desert highway → Shaqlawa. The most remote and exposed stage. Road, heat, and sky.
58km Run -
Stage Three — The Mountain Descent
Shaqlawa → into the plains → Erbil Citadel. The ancient city comes into view. You've earned this sight.
50km Run -
Stage Four — The Ancient Marathon
Erbil City Marathon alongside thousands of runners. After 160km of desert and mountain, your final stage is run in celebration. Evening ceremony and dinner to close.
Marathon Finale -
Departure or Onward Journey
Plan to fly home on Saturday 31 October. Alternatively, continue your adventure and immerse yourself in more of the regions well-known historical and cultural experiences and locations.
Travel Day
A note on dates and programming.
IRAQ200x is an expedition set in a living, complex region. The Erbil Marathon — our Day 4 anchor — is an established international event, and our staging aligns with its annual calendar. Like any expedition in this part of the world, specific dates and programming can be subject to adjustment driven by regional dynamics, cultural calendars, and local conditions.
This is not uncertainty we hide from — it is the nature of operating in a place most events never attempt. Tim has spent a decade navigating these exact complexities, with deep relationships across government, community, and local stakeholders throughout Iraqi Kurdistan. If adjustments are needed, they will be communicated early, clearly, and with your full interests in mind.
What will not change: the route, the depth of the experience, and the reason this expedition exists.
_____ THE IMPACT
THIS IS NOT A RACE.
What is your entry really buying?
01
ACCESS TO A WORLD MOST WILL NEVER SEE
Iraqi Kurdistan is one of the most geographically dramatic, culturally layered, and historically profound places on earth. You will run through it — not past it. Tim's decade of relationships opens doors no tour operator can.
02
A physical reckoning with real meaning
200km is not a distance you run for a medal. Every kilometre along Hamilton’s Road was walked by families fleeing conflict. Running it is an act of witness. The terrain is brutal. The meaning behind your ‘why’ makes it worth every step.
03
YOU’LL COME BACK GENUINELY DIFFERENT
Not "changed" in the way a motivational poster promises. Different in the way that happens when you've done something that required everything you had, in a place that reminded you what human resilience actually looks like.
04
IN THE COMPANY OF ELEVEN EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE
12 places. Deliberately small. The kind of group that forms because a specific story called to them. You will finish knowing people you could not have met anywhere else, forged by something you survived and conquered together.
05
A STORY THAT WILL EARN ITS PLACE IN HISTORY
You ran through Iraq. Not as a tourist. Not as a soldier. As a runner — immersing yourself in a land the world long ago wrote off, uncovering its hidden remarkable beauty. Writing a story that will that will grow deeper and more powerful over time.
06
BE PART OF A MOVEMENT THAT CHANGES LIVES
A portion of proceeds will support humanitarian efforts delivered by local refugee organisations and You Belong’s vital work with Waymakers: refugees forging new beginnings with strength and dignity in Australia.
“
EVERY DAY FELT LIKE A LORD OF THE RINGS ADVENTURE. I’LL NEVER FORGET THE EVENING FEASTS with OUR CREW & LAUGHING and singing WITH NEW LOCAL FRIENDS AFTER A LONG DAYS RUN.
I CAME HOME A DIFFERENT PERSON.
-TROY JONES, Iraq100 Runner [2025]
A PLACE THAT EARNS IT’S PRICE.
$8,500*
USD
Per person - All Inclusive Expedition
[*$11,900 AUD]
What’s Included
Your expedition experience includes:
4-stage, 200km ultramarathon expedition participation
Full in-country logistics and transport
6 nights premium accommodation across all stages
All meals included throughout the expedition
Entry to the Erbil Marathon (Day 4 finale)
Dedicated ultramarathon support crew
Qualified medical support and safety team
3-month guided training programme and personal coaching with Mario Buchs
Cultural immersion experiences with local guides
Professional expedition photography and film documentation
Finisher kit and commemorative expedition supplies & surprises.
JUST 12 SPOTS AVAILABLE!
LIMITED TO 12 RUNNERS FOR THE INNAUGURAL EDITION
A True Endurance Expedition
At $11,900 AUD, IRAQ200x sits in the world of expedition travel, not race tourism.
Comparable experiences include guided expeditions such as:
Antarctic crossings
Himalayan base camp treks
Polar desert adventures
Organising a 200km ultramarathon journey through Iraqi Kurdistan requires extensive planning, experienced logistics teams, safety infrastructure, and deep partnerships with local communities.
The investment reflects what it truly takes to deliver an experience that is safe, meaningful, and unforgettable.
Travel
International flights and travel to Iraq (Erbil International Airport) are not included.
Participants are encouraged to arrive two days prior to departure to allow time for orientation, briefings, and welcome gatherings.
Running With Purpose
A portion of every expedition place directly supports You Belong, the organisation founded by Tim following years working alongside displaced communities in Iraq.
The landscapes you run through — and the communities you support — are part of the same shared story.
Payment Structure
$2,000 USD non-refundable deposit secures your place upon acceptance
Final balance due 90 days prior to departure
Flexible payment plans available
Join the Expedition
The IRAQ200 is limited to a small group each year.
Not to create exclusivity — but because journeys like this are best shared with a tight-knit team willing to embrace challenge, curiosity, and courage together.
Those who complete the expedition become part of a rare fraternity of endurance adventurers — people who have crossed mountains, shared stories with local communities, and run deep into a region few outsiders truly experience.
And when the journey concludes at the Erbil Marathon, you won’t just be a finisher.
You’ll be one of the few who can say, “I ran across Iraq.”
_____ APPLY NOW
CLAIM YOUR PLACE.
Just 12 places in the inaugural expedition. Application-based. Tell us who you are and why IRAQ200x is calling you. Our team will be in touch within 48 hours.
