diff --git a/.github/workflows/run-vsphere-tests.yaml b/.github/workflows/run-vsphere-tests.yaml
index f3d14cf30..a044258aa 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/run-vsphere-tests.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/run-vsphere-tests.yaml
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ env:
   VSPHERE_DATACENTER: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_DATACENTER }}
   VSPHERE_DATASTORE: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_DATASTORE }}
   VSPHERE_FOLDER: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_FOLDER }}
-  VSPHERE_TEMPLATE: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_TEMPLATE }}
   VSPHERE_NETWORK: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_NETWORK }}
   VSPHERE_RESOURCE_POOL: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_RESOURCE_POOL }}
   VSPHERE_USERNAME: ${{ secrets.VSPHERE_USERNAME }}
diff --git a/charts/rancher-turtles/Chart.yaml b/charts/rancher-turtles/Chart.yaml
index 9577fb632..178ccd431 100644
--- a/charts/rancher-turtles/Chart.yaml
+++ b/charts/rancher-turtles/Chart.yaml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ keywords:
 annotations:
   catalog.cattle.io/certified: rancher
   catalog.cattle.io/display-name: Rancher Turtles - the Cluster API Extension
-  catalog.cattle.io/kube-version: '>= 1.31.4-0 < 1.32.0-0'
+  catalog.cattle.io/kube-version: '>= 1.31.4-0 < 1.34.0-0'
   catalog.cattle.io/namespace: rancher-turtles-system
   catalog.cattle.io/os: linux
   catalog.cattle.io/permits-os: linux
diff --git a/examples/clusterclasses/aws/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml b/examples/clusterclasses/aws/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
index 3498e2615..dac93116c 100644
--- a/examples/clusterclasses/aws/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
+++ b/examples/clusterclasses/aws/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
@@ -208,13 +208,6 @@ spec:
   template:
     spec:
       kubeadmConfigSpec:
-        clusterConfiguration:
-          apiServer:
-            extraArgs:
-              cloud-provider: external
-          controllerManager:
-            extraArgs:
-              cloud-provider: external
         initConfiguration:
           nodeRegistration:
             kubeletExtraArgs:
diff --git a/examples/clusterclasses/azure/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml b/examples/clusterclasses/azure/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
index 7ac201a5a..64c25e3cf 100644
--- a/examples/clusterclasses/azure/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
+++ b/examples/clusterclasses/azure/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
@@ -265,12 +265,10 @@ spec:
       kubeadmConfigSpec:
         clusterConfiguration:
           apiServer:
-            extraArgs: {}
             timeoutForControlPlane: 20m
           controllerManager:
             extraArgs:
               allocate-node-cidrs: "false"
-              cloud-provider: external
               cluster-name: "TO_BE_REPLACED_BY_PATCH"
           etcd:
             local:
diff --git a/examples/clusterclasses/gcp/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml b/examples/clusterclasses/gcp/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
index 4cdb22ca2..1c4c74706 100644
--- a/examples/clusterclasses/gcp/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
+++ b/examples/clusterclasses/gcp/kubeadm/clusterclass-kubeadm-example.yaml
@@ -194,11 +194,8 @@ spec:
         clusterConfiguration:
           apiServer:
             timeoutForControlPlane: 20m
-            extraArgs:
-              cloud-provider: external
           controllerManager:
             extraArgs:
-              cloud-provider: external
               allocate-node-cidrs: "false"
         initConfiguration:
           nodeRegistration:
diff --git a/examples/go.mod b/examples/go.mod
index 3739144e9..b5d0d93e1 100644
--- a/examples/go.mod
+++ b/examples/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/rancher/turtles/examples
 
-go 1.24.4
+go 1.24.9
 
 require (
 	github.com/agnivade/levenshtein v1.2.1
diff --git a/exp/clusterclass/go.mod b/exp/clusterclass/go.mod
index af4bb5ccf..19833ca08 100644
--- a/exp/clusterclass/go.mod
+++ b/exp/clusterclass/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/rancher/turtles/exp/clusterclass
 
-go 1.24.4
+go 1.24.9
 
 require (
 	github.com/go-logr/logr v1.4.3
diff --git a/exp/day2/go.mod b/exp/day2/go.mod
index a1a57db57..e68d0ab27 100644
--- a/exp/day2/go.mod
+++ b/exp/day2/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/rancher/turtles/exp/day2
 
-go 1.24.4
+go 1.24.9
 
 replace github.com/rancher/turtles => ../..
 
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index e26ca04b0..5e4a31d19 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/rancher/turtles
 
-go 1.24.4
+go 1.24.9
 
 require (
 	github.com/blang/semver/v4 v4.0.0
diff --git a/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml b/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml
index 4a14f372a..472c3db96 100644
--- a/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/config/operator.yaml
@@ -38,34 +38,43 @@ variables:
   SECRET_KEYS: "NGROK_AUTHTOKEN,NGROK_API_KEY,RANCHER_HOSTNAME,RANCHER_PASSWORD,CAPG_ENCODED_CREDS,AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID,AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY,AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID,AZURE_CLIENT_ID,AZURE_CLIENT_SECRET,AZURE_TENANT_ID,GCP_PROJECT,GCP_NETWORK_NAME,GCP_IMAGE_ID,VSPHERE_TLS_THUMBPRINT,VSPHERE_SERVER,VSPHERE_DATACENTER,VSPHERE_DATASTORE,VSPHERE_FOLDER,VSPHERE_TEMPLATE,VSPHERE_NETWORK,VSPHERE_RESOURCE_POOL,VSPHERE_USERNAME,VSPHERE_PASSWORD,VSPHERE_KUBE_VIP_IP_KUBEADM,VSPHERE_KUBE_VIP_IP_RKE2,DOCKER_REGISTRY_TOKEN,DOCKER_REGISTRY_USERNAME,DOCKER_REGISTRY_CONFIG"
 
   # Kubernetes Configuration
-  KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.31.4"
-  KUBERNETES_MANAGEMENT_VERSION: "v1.31.4"
-  RKE2_VERSION: "v1.31.7+rke2r1"
+  KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.33.5"
+  KUBERNETES_MANAGEMENT_VERSION: "v1.32.3"
+  RKE2_VERSION: "v1.33.5+rke2r1"
   RKE2_CNI: "none"
 
   # Azure Configuration
   #
   # Azure Kubeadm tests need specific k8s version.
   # This is due to the limited availability of published AMIs.
-  # For example: https://portal.azure.com/#@suseazuredev.onmicrosoft.com/resource/providers/Microsoft.Compute/locations/FranceCentral/CommunityGalleries/ClusterAPI-f72ceb4f-5159-4c26-a0fe-2ea738f0d019/Images/capi-ubun2-2204/overview
-  AZURE_KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.31.1"
+  # For example: https://portal.azure.com/#view/Microsoft_Azure_ComputeHub/ComputeHubMenuBlade/~/communityImagesBrowse
+  #              Filter `capi-ubun2-2404` images. Beware: not all versions are published on all regions.
+  AZURE_KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.33.5"
+  AZURE_AKS_KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.33.3"
 
   # AWS Configuration
   #
   # AWS Kubeadm tests need specific k8s version.
   # This is due to the limited availability of published AMIs.
   # For a complete list, run: clusterawsadm ami list
-  AWS_KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.31.0"
+  # Alternatively, seach for `capa-ami` in https://eu-west-2.console.aws.amazon.com/ec2/home?region=eu-west-2#AMICatalog:
+  AWS_KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.33.5"
   AWS_REGION: "eu-west-2"
   KUBERNETES_MANAGEMENT_AWS_REGION: "eu-west-2"
   AWS_CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_TYPE: "t3.large"
   AWS_NODE_MACHINE_TYPE: "t3.large"
   AWS_RKE2_CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_TYPE: "t3.xlarge"
   AWS_RKE2_NODE_MACHINE_TYPE: "t3.xlarge"
-  AWS_AMI_ID: "ami-012e88f0aa221423a" # Public upstream AMI
+  AWS_AMI_ID: "ami-0cd9e4e7906f4c9dd" # Private AMI present only in eu-west-2
 
   # GCP Configuration
   GCP_MACHINE_TYPE: "n1-standard-2"
+
+  # vSphere Configuration
+  VSPHERE_TEMPLATE: "turtles-ci/ubuntu-2404-kube-v1.33.5"
+
+  # Docker Configuration
+  DOCKER_KUBERNETES_VERSION: "v1.33.4"
   
   # CLI Tool Paths
   CLUSTERCTL_BINARY_PATH: ""
@@ -97,7 +106,6 @@ variables:
   CERT_MANAGER_REPO_NAME: "jetstack"
   CERT_MANAGER_URL: "https://charts.jetstack.io"
   CERT_MANAGER_PATH: "jetstack/cert-manager"
-  CPI_IMAGE_K8S_VERSION: "v1.31.0"
 
   # Ingress Configuration (Ngrok)
   NGROK_REPO_NAME: "ngrok"
diff --git a/test/e2e/const.go b/test/e2e/const.go
index da805d104..b735748fe 100644
--- a/test/e2e/const.go
+++ b/test/e2e/const.go
@@ -159,10 +159,12 @@ const (
 
 	BootstrapClusterNameVar = "BOOTSTRAP_CLUSTER_NAME"
 
-	KubernetesVersionVar      = "KUBERNETES_VERSION"
-	AWSKubernetesVersionVar   = "AWS_KUBERNETES_VERSION"
-	AzureKubernetesVersionVar = "AZURE_KUBERNETES_VERSION"
-	RancherHostnameVar        = "RANCHER_HOSTNAME"
+	KubernetesVersionVar         = "KUBERNETES_VERSION"
+	AWSKubernetesVersionVar      = "AWS_KUBERNETES_VERSION"
+	AzureKubernetesVersionVar    = "AZURE_KUBERNETES_VERSION"
+	AzureAKSKubernetesVersionVar = "AZURE_AKS_KUBERNETES_VERSION"
+	DockerKubernetesVersionVar   = "DOCKER_KUBERNETES_VERSION"
+	RancherHostnameVar           = "RANCHER_HOSTNAME"
 
 	ArtifactsFolderVar     = "ARTIFACTS_FOLDER"
 	UseExistingClusterVar  = "USE_EXISTING_CLUSTER"
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-eks-mmp.yaml b/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-eks-mmp.yaml
index 04b96dc2c..66d0230b8 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-eks-mmp.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-eks-mmp.yaml
@@ -74,4 +74,5 @@ metadata:
   namespace: "${NAMESPACE}"
   annotations:
     "helm.sh/resource-policy": keep
-spec: {}
+spec:
+  amiType: AL2023_x86_64_STANDARD
diff --git a/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-kubeadm-topology.yaml b/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-kubeadm-topology.yaml
index 83a1230fd..848621258 100644
--- a/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-kubeadm-topology.yaml
+++ b/test/e2e/data/cluster-templates/aws-kubeadm-topology.yaml
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ spec:
       value: ${AWS_CONTROL_PLANE_MACHINE_TYPE}
     - name: workerMachineType
       value: ${AWS_NODE_MACHINE_TYPE}
+    - name: amiID
+      value: ${AWS_AMI_ID}
     - name: awsClusterIdentityName
       value: cluster-identity
     version: ${AWS_KUBERNETES_VERSION}
diff --git a/test/e2e/suites/chart-upgrade/chart_upgrade_test.go b/test/e2e/suites/chart-upgrade/chart_upgrade_test.go
index 4c6cd66e0..b27004b04 100644
--- a/test/e2e/suites/chart-upgrade/chart_upgrade_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/suites/chart-upgrade/chart_upgrade_test.go
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ var _ = Describe("Chart upgrade functionality should work", Ordered, Label(e2e.S
 				TopologyNamespace:              topologyNamespace,
 				SkipCleanup:                    true,
 				SkipDeletionTest:               true,
+				AdditionalTemplateVariables: map[string]string{
+					e2e.KubernetesVersionVar: e2e.LoadE2EConfig().GetVariableOrEmpty(e2e.DockerKubernetesVersionVar), // override the default k8s version
+				},
 				AdditionalFleetGitRepos: []framework.FleetCreateGitRepoInput{
 					{
 						Name:            "docker-cluster-classes-regular",
diff --git a/test/e2e/suites/import-gitops/import_gitops_test.go b/test/e2e/suites/import-gitops/import_gitops_test.go
index 16410cb9b..6ce66c68a 100644
--- a/test/e2e/suites/import-gitops/import_gitops_test.go
+++ b/test/e2e/suites/import-gitops/import_gitops_test.go
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ var _ = Describe("[Docker] [Kubeadm]  Create and delete CAPI cluster functionali
 			CapiClusterOwnerNamespaceLabel: e2e.CapiClusterOwnerNamespaceLabel,
 			OwnedLabelName:                 e2e.OwnedLabelName,
 			TopologyNamespace:              topologyNamespace,
+			AdditionalTemplateVariables: map[string]string{
+				e2e.KubernetesVersionVar: e2e.LoadE2EConfig().GetVariableOrEmpty(e2e.DockerKubernetesVersionVar), // override the default k8s version
+			},
 			AdditionalFleetGitRepos: []turtlesframework.FleetCreateGitRepoInput{
 				{
 					Name:            "docker-cluster-classes-regular",
@@ -100,6 +103,9 @@ var _ = Describe("[Docker] [RKE2] Create and delete CAPI cluster functionality s
 			CapiClusterOwnerNamespaceLabel: e2e.CapiClusterOwnerNamespaceLabel,
 			OwnedLabelName:                 e2e.OwnedLabelName,
 			TopologyNamespace:              topologyNamespace,
+			AdditionalTemplateVariables: map[string]string{
+				e2e.KubernetesVersionVar: e2e.LoadE2EConfig().GetVariableOrEmpty(e2e.DockerKubernetesVersionVar), // override the default k8s version
+			},
 			AdditionalFleetGitRepos: []turtlesframework.FleetCreateGitRepoInput{
 				{
 					Name:            "docker-cluster-classes-regular",
@@ -144,6 +150,9 @@ var _ = Describe("[Azure] [AKS] Create and delete CAPI cluster from cluster clas
 			CapiClusterOwnerNamespaceLabel: e2e.CapiClusterOwnerNamespaceLabel,
 			OwnedLabelName:                 e2e.OwnedLabelName,
 			TopologyNamespace:              topologyNamespace,
+			AdditionalTemplateVariables: map[string]string{
+				e2e.KubernetesVersionVar: e2e.LoadE2EConfig().GetVariableOrEmpty(e2e.AzureAKSKubernetesVersionVar), // override the default k8s version
+			},
 			AdditionalFleetGitRepos: []turtlesframework.FleetCreateGitRepoInput{
 				{
 					Name:            "azure-cluster-classes-aks",
diff --git a/test/go.mod b/test/go.mod
index b607989c9..ca56ca0e5 100644
--- a/test/go.mod
+++ b/test/go.mod
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module github.com/rancher/turtles/test
 
-go 1.24.4
+go 1.24.9
 
 replace github.com/rancher/turtles => ../
 
diff --git a/tilt/project/Tiltfile b/tilt/project/Tiltfile
index 9c8c5ed22..d13964989 100644
--- a/tilt/project/Tiltfile
+++ b/tilt/project/Tiltfile
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ def get_port_forwards(debug):
 
 tilt_helper_dockerfile_header = """
 # Tilt image
-FROM golang:1.24.4 as tilt-helper
+FROM golang:1.24.9 as tilt-helper
 # Support live reloading with Tilt
 RUN go install github.com/go-delve/delve/cmd/dlv@latest
 RUN wget --output-document /restart.sh --quiet https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tilt-dev/rerun-process-wrapper/master/restart.sh  && \