Offer includes the bib for the MDS adventure and 4 nights in a double room.
MDS CAPPADOCIA - TURKEY 2026
3rd edition – from June 13 to 20, 2026
MDS CAPPADOCIA – TURKEY
IN THE HEART OF THE VALLEY OF LOVE
Registration opens: July 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM | UTC +2
THE CONCEPT
Get ready to experience a magical escape in Cappadocia from June 13 to 20, 2026.
Head to the heart of Turkey to discover the Valley of Love.
On the agenda: a week of adventure in Cappadocia with 3 stages to complete at your own pace.
You will spend 3 nights at the MDS bivouac, right in the midst of stunning and unique rock formations, and 4 nights in a hotel (2 nights before and 2 nights after)
Discover the MDS Cappadocia 2025 film
Features
Unlike the classic MDS events in the desert, the terrain in Cappadocia is not sandy.
Here, there are no endless dunes, but a mineral, technical, and varied ground.
Participants will move along rocky trails, steep plateaus, narrow single tracks, and sometimes on technical sections with unstable stones.
The relief alternates between steep climbs, technical descents, and fast rolling stretches on hard terrain.
This course requires vigilance, good effort management, and agile footwork. A different but equally intense experience, offering a unique challenge in the heart of a spectacular landscape.
FORMATS
You will have the possibility to choose between 3 different distances: 70, 100 or 120km, spread over 3 stages.
Here is the breakdown:
- Stage 1: approximately 25 to 30km
- Stage 2: approximately 20, 40 or 60km
- Stage 3: approximately 25 to 30km
The stages can be completed at your own pace: walking or running.
The program of the adventure
The offers
What is included in the offer:
- Transfers between the airport, the hotel and the desert
- 4 nights in a double hotel room (2 nights before the race, 2 nights after)
- Race bib for the adventure
- 3 nights at the MDS Bivouac, in a single tent
- Finisher medal and gift
- Dinner and Gala evening
When registering, you will be able to inform the name of the people with whom you would like to share your accommodation. If you don’t provide any information, you will be assigned with other participants who speak the same language as you.
THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME
Join the adventure serenely
We have set up ultra-flexible registration, cancellation and postponement conditions, so that you can book with complete peace of mind.
Free postponement
If you have any doubts as the adventure approaches, you can postpone your participation free of charge up to and including March 15, 2026.
Cancellation conditions
Our registration conditions allow you to cancel free of charge until 5 months before the event.
Refund in case of cancellation
In case of cancellation of the event by the organization, you will be refunded 100% of the amount you paid within 60 days.
Details of cancellation and postponement conditions are available in the regulations:
CAPPADOCIA
Cappadocia is undoubtedly a place you must discover at least once in your lifetime! Located in the heart of Anatolia, Cappadocia is known for its fairy chimneys and troglodyte dwellings carved into the rock. The Cappadocia region is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Over the centuries, the sandy dunes of Cappadocia have been replaced by fascinating cone-shaped rock formations. This new MDS destination will delight trekkers and runners alike, offering a terrain that is more runnable with less sand compared to other MDS events.
CAPPADOCIA – TURKEY INFO 2026
HOW TO GET THERE?
You need to book your flight tickets to arrive at Kayseri Airport (ASR), Turkey.
Transfers between the airport and the hotel will be organized on Saturday, June 13 and Saturday, June 20. The journey takes about 1 hour.
WEEKLY PROGRAM
Saturday: arrival at the hotel.
Sunday: technical and medical checks.
Monday: transfer by bus, first stage, night at the bivouac.
Tuesday: second stage, night at the bivouac.
Wednesday: rest day, night at the bivouac.
Thursday: third stage, night at the hotel.
Friday: free day, Gala evening.
Saturday: transfer to the airport, end of the MDS adventure.
Depending on your desires, you can extend your stay if you wish to continue discovering Turkey.
DISTANCES
You can choose between 3 distance formats: 70, 100 or 120 km, spread over 3 stages.
These distances are given as an indication and are likely to be revised downwards according to the type of terrain and the difference in altitude of the routes.
WHAT SHOULD I BRING?
If it’s your first MDS, you probably have a lot of questions. Once you register, we'll send you a full checklist of the material, but here is the principal to have per person:
- Backpack plus 2 water bottles (type Ultrabag 20L)
- T-shirt + running shorts
- Trail shoes (gaiters are not recommended for this destination. As the MDS Cappadocia is not very sandy, their use could actually lead to blisters)
- Cap and sunglasses
- Change: T-shirt + light shorts / leggings
- Windbreaker jacket for the evening and morning
- Sleeping bag + mattress for the night
- Hygiene products (sun cream, soap, antiseptic...)
- Toilet paper
- Food and kitchen utensils (cooking utensils, lighter, fire pellets...)
You can bring a large suitcase with more clothes, which you will leave at the hotel and find after the MDS adventure.
PRICES
The rates for MDS Cappadocia – Turkey 2026 are as follows:
- €2,350 per person
- €2,250 per person from July 9 to July 31, 2025
- €2,300 per person from August 1 to August 31, 2025
A €100 discount is offered to the first 100 registrants.
INCLUDED IN THE REGISTRATION
- Transfers between the airport, the hotel and the desert
- 4 nights in a hotel, double room (2 before the race, 2 after)
- Bib for the adventure
- 3 nights in bivouac, in individual tent
- Finisher medal and gift
- Gala dinner and evening
ULTRA-FLEXIBLE REGISTRATION CONDITIONS
Cancellation conditions:
- Free cancellation until January 11, 2026 (inclusive).
- From January 12 to February 15, 2026 (inclusive), 25% of the total registration fee will be retained by the organization in case of cancellation.
- From February 16 to March 15, 2026 (inclusive), 50% of the total registration fee will be retained by the organization in case of cancellation.
- After March 15, 2026, no refund will be possible. However, it will still be possible to postpone your registration according to the event’s terms.
Postponement conditions:
- Until March 15, 2026 (inclusive), postponement to the next edition is possible free of charge.
- From March 16 to May 3, 2026 (inclusive): a €250 fee applies for postponement.
- From May 4, 2026 onward: no postponement possible.
SAFETY
During the race, you will be surrounded by medical and organizational teams from start to finish of each stage.
The routes are marked with stakes every 50 to 100 meters, making it virtually impossible to get lost.
Each participant will be equipped with a GPS tracker with an emergency button, allowing the organization to locate you at any time.
A medical tent will be available at the bivouac, where you can go at any time.
PAYMENT METHODS
You can pay by:
- Credit card
- In 1, 3 or 5 instalments
- Bank transfer
- 1 instalment
The number of instalments may vary depending on the date of registration. The registration will be 100% validated once the total amount of the registration is paid.
ABOUT US
Since 1986, the MARATHON DES SABLES has offered adventure enthusiasts the opportunity to live a unique experience in some of the most beautiful deserts in the world.
Over the years, new formats have been introduced. Today, everyone can experience the MDS in their own way, whether walking or running, but with an unchanged promise: to step out of their comfort zone, push their limits, and immerse themselves in a world of intense emotions, surrounded by breathtaking landscapes.
The MARATHON DES SABLES is not just a sporting challenge; it is a powerful and unforgettable human adventure.
REGULATIONS
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Equip yourself for the MDS
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