pacertrip.

PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONMA / RACE GUIDE

International Marathon of Marrakech

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Marrakech
MA

ⵜⴰⵄⵎⴰⵕⵜ · CC BY-SA 3.0Herokk, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons · Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0Schorle, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsJakub Hałun, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons · Hamed Gamaoun, CC BY-SA 4.0Carlos ZGZ, CC0, Wikimedia CommonsPetar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Race date in 116 days: Jan 31, 2027 Sun
City · Distance: Marrakech · 42.195km · 21.097km
Entry fee: Fee TBDVaries by event and entry period
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2027Date Jan 31, 2027 · Entry ~ Jan 24, 2027

2026Date Jan 25, 2026 · Entry ~ Jan 19, 2026

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 7, 2026

About the race Runner stories How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The Marathon International de Marrakech was founded in 1987 and is held every January in Marrakech, Morocco, under royal patronage.

The 2027 race, the 37th edition, takes place on Sunday, January 31, and is expected to draw around 15,000 runners from around the world.

Starting from Koutoubia Square, the course is billed as a tour of the city's cultural and architectural landscape,

following avenues lined with palm, orange, and olive trees and the old city walls.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

#January Marathon#MarrakechInternationalMarathon#Marrakesh#Full marathon Marathon#Overseas Marathon#Marrakech Marathon#Morocco Marathon#African Marathon#Overseas Marathon Trip

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 6

Scott JenkinsRan in 2026 · Finish time 3:50:00

“My fourth joggling marathon complete. 3:50.”

Scott Jenkins ran the 2026 Marrakech Marathon using the joggling method, experiencing an early start, heat, aid stations and joining half-marathon participants. Scott Jenkins valued the trip and the unique race experience more than the time, and finished in 3 hours 50 minutes.

Read the original on Corstorphine Athletics

DavidRan in 2025 · Finish time 3:48:24

“I crossed the line in 3:48:24.”

After starting fast, the runner's legs became heavy in the second half, but the runner achieved the sub-3:50 goal, finishing in 3:48:24. Afterward, the runner also experienced narrow pathways and problems with the result processing.

Read the original on Goal Oriented Runner

Jonathan WRan in 2015 · Finish time 3:22

“I finished with a 3:22, not the 15 minutes I wanted to shave off but a solid ten minute personal best.”

In his third Marrakech race, Jonathan W aimed for 3:15–3:18. He didn't cut as much time as hoped, but finished in 3:22, taking 10 minutes off his personal best.

Read the original on Running in Morocco

Jonathan WRan in 2013 · Finish time 3:58:00

“I crossed the finish line in 3:58 and had a smile on my face.”

Jonathan W experienced the expo, aid stations, and the course passing the Menara Gardens and the city walls at the 2013 Marrakech Marathon. His feet began to suffer in the second half, so he adjusted his pace, but he finished in 3 hours 58 minutes and rated the local crowd support and well-organized event positively.

Read the original on Running in Morocco

SandrineRan in 2012 · Finish time 4H29 25

“I crossed finish in 4 hours 29 minutes 25 seconds!”

Sandrine ran with her sister until 30 km, then held on through the difficult section with encouragement from the crowd and finished in 4 hours 29 minutes 25 seconds.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Je passe la ligne en 4H29 25 !!!!

Read the original on Run, Reporter, Run !

BOUK honte-du-sportRan in 2010 · Finish time 3:45:50

“In the end, it was a wonderful marathon, with an impressive atmosphere, crowd support and scenery.”

BOUK honte-du-sport finished the 2010 Marrakech Marathon in 3 hours 45 minutes 50 seconds. At the beginning, BOUK honte-du-sport enjoyed the support from the spectators and Berber music, and had an impressive experience on the course with palm groves and sunshine. At aid stations, water was the main provision, and the distance markers were inaccurate in some sections. In the second half, BOUK honte-du-sport ran through pain in the legs and knees. After finishing, BOUK honte-du-sport received a medal and a bag containing fruit and dried fruit.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

Au final un ma-gni-fi-que marathon... pour son ambiance, son public, son cadre..une expérience marquante...

Read the original on Kikourou

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Le Marathon International de Marrakech Dimanche 29 Janvier 2023

Marathon Marrakech

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

From the 2026 edition

General entry

Entry cost TBD

Register for the 2027 Marrakech International Marathon online through the organizers' official registration page, where you select the full marathon.

The organizers have announced the race for January 31, 2027, with official online registration.

Check the applicable Entry fee and payment terms on the registration page.

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The 42.195km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

From the 2026 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:45

Time limitMarathon time limit 5 hours 30 minutes

Marathon time limit 5 hours 30 minutes — half marathon time limit is not specified on the official page

Event	Start	Time limit
Marathon42.195km	07:45	5h 30m
Half21.0975km	09:15	3h 00m

Non-residents abroad: half marathon €60 / Marathon €80 · Moroccans and residents abroad: half marathon 250dh or €40 (bib+T-shirt included) / Marathon 300dh or €60 (bib+T-shirt included)
Different grades are assigned depending on residency. 4- and 5-star hotel packages (accommodation + breakfast + airport transfer + bib included) are also sold separately.

START

Place de la Koutoubia

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Avenue Prince Moulay Rachid, Old Menara

approximately 150 meters from the fountain behind the Sofitel Marrakech hotel

Finish · Google Maps

Original course map · marathon-marrakech.com

Runners start · local time — Marathon 07:45 · half marathon 09:15 (January 31st Sun) · ‘Anyone can participate’ race: 09:00 on the previous day, 1/30th (Sat), same starting point

Course starts at Place de la Koutoubia and follows a historic route along avenues lined with palms, orange and olive trees, passing Marrakech’s old city walls.

The official website describes this course as one of the faster international marathons.

The finish is on Prince Moulay Rachid Avenue, formerly Avenue de la Menara, about 150m from the fountain behind the Sofitel Marrakech Hotel.

World Athletics Label: Elite Label
AIMS Certified: Member race of the AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races)
Typical race-season temperature: around 10°C (50°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Medical support

Marathon · Half

Water stations

Marathon · Half

Aid stations

Marathon · Half

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Bib

T-shirt (resident level only)

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Passport required — a passport is required to enter Morocco, so you must bring it when collecting Packet Pickup as well
January 29th (Friday) and 30th (Saturday), 09:30~19:30

Tent in Kotubia Square

Official Partner Booth

Google Maps Directions

Stations & transport near the venue

Just carry small-denomination cash and pay the driver directly when you board the ALSA city bus — there's no tram in Marrakech, so there's nothing to tap or preload for a short trip.

Getting to the start

Koutoubia Square (Place Jemaa el-Fna), central Marrakech medina — no metro/subway in Marrakech; Gare de Marrakech (ONCF) train station is ~2-3km away, reachable by taxi or the airport shuttle line

All races (marathon, half marathon, 5km) start from Place de la Koutoubia.

Bib pickup at the Marathon Village on Koutoubia Square Jan 29-30, 2027, also reportedly available at Marrakech Train Station from Jan 24, 2027.

Getting to the finish

Same central medina area — Koutoubia Square/Jemaa El Fna

Flat single-loop course through the medina, past the ramparts, returning to the Koutoubia area.

More details

No shuttle bus, parking,

or road-closure information found on official site (homepage, How to get there, Races, Marathon Village, Regulations pages all checked).

Note: a separate Fun Run departs from Place de la Koutoubia at 09:00 Saturday, different location from marathon/half-marathon start.

More details

Marrakech Menara Airport has a public shuttle bus (not race-specific) running ~3x/hour to the train station and Jemaa El Fna, ~MAD30/adult.

Per a 2026-edition source, event shuttle buses departed from the Koutoubia car park ('Parking & Lavage', behind the Koutoubia mosque) —

likely tied to Marathon Village access rather than a guaranteed race-morning runner shuttle.

No official race-day shuttle schedule for participants from hotels was found.

IC card

Ikhlas card

On the bus itself or at ALSA sales kiosks/offices at major bus hubs and the airport bus stop

Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

More details

Marrakech has no tram or metro — city buses (operated by ALSA) are the only public transit, and they're cash-only, with fares roughly 6-12 MAD per ride.

The rechargeable Ikhlas card (15 MAD issue fee, cash top-ups only) is a loyalty card for regular riders and rarely pays off for a short visit.

Many runners will find shared petit taxis (15-30 MAD) or ride-hailing apps like Careem/inDrive more practical.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026 Source · checked Aug 17, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

The official website states that bottled water is placed and served at the aid stations in accordance with International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) regulations.

Marrakech is generally described as having a mild climate in January,

but prepare for the temperature difference between the early-morning start and the daytime conditions.

BIB pickup takes place in the tents at Jemaa el-Fnaa Square on the day before and the day before that, January 29–30.

A passport is required to enter Morocco, so you must also bring it when collecting your BIB.

Times are local to Marrakech. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels that make race morning easyHotels to rest in right after the finish

7 places

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Distances are straight-line from the finish.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Near the startNear the finish

The start and finish are 2.4km apart.

Les Jardins De La Koutoubia

Hotel · 238m

9.0/10(1652)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Islane

Hotel · 26m

6.8/10(308)

View on Booking.com

Hotel Salsabil

Hotel · 153m

6.7/10(1039)

View on Booking.com

"LE 21", EXCLUSIVE LUXURY DUPLEX 400m FROM JEMAA EL FNA PLACE -HAMMAM-JACUZZI-KOUTOUBIA VIEW-ROOF TERRACE -SPEED WIFI

Accommodation · 256m

9.9/10(42)

View on Booking.com

El Fenn

Accommodation · 234m

9.8/10(16)

View on Booking.com

Riad Bel Haj

Riad · 230m

9.5/10(648)

View on Booking.com

Riad La Lumière D'étoile

Riad · 251m

9.5/10(298)

View on Booking.com

Savoy Le Grand Hotel Marrakech

Hotel · 695m

8.0/10(12056)

View on Booking.com

22 - Grand Palace Marrakesh

Accommodation · 716m

9.0/10(36)

View on Booking.com

Appartement de prestige au quartier de l’Hivernage, Marrakech

Accommodation · 713m

8.8/10(28)

View on Booking.com

2-bedroom luxury contemporary apartment Hivernage

Accommodation · 701m

8.5/10(14)

View on Booking.com

appartement luxueux /confort , l’hivernage(Guéliz) au cœur de Marrakech

Accommodation · 719m

8.3/10(24)

View on Booking.com

Velvet House 2 Pool and Premium Comfort

Accommodation · 722m

7.5/10(10)

View on Booking.com

Luxury Villa GoldPalm Marrakech

Accommodation · 479m

9.8/10(8)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

53 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

RECOVERY & SPA7SIT-DOWN TOURS7CARB LOADING7LOCAL TRANSIT7FAMILY PASS7TRAIL & OUTDOOR7CITY TOURS7EASY WALKING4

Moroccan Traditional Hammam Spa Experience (Hotel Transfer Included)

₩40,577

International Marathon of Marrakech

About International Marathon of Marrakech — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run