Races

PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONEG / RACE GUIDE

Pyramids Half Marathon

Name: Marakez Pyramids Half Marathon 2025
Uploaded: 2026-02-15
Description: This event takes place entirely within the Giza Pyramid complex, opening roads in the heritage site to runners with vehicle access restricted. Unlike the relatively flat 5 km and 10 km courses, the ha

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Giza
EG

Douwe C. van der Zee · CC BY-SA 4.0Petar Milošević / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0MusikAnimal / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0kallerna, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Race date in 35 days: Dec 12, 2026 Sat
City · Distance: Giza · 21.1km
Entry fee: EGP 4,000Varies by event and entry period
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2026Date Dec 12, 2026 · Entry Apr 6, 2026 ~

2025

2025Date Dec 13, 2025

Official website ↗

Instagram

D-day as of Nov 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.

This event takes place entirely within the Giza Pyramid complex, opening roads in the heritage site to runners with vehicle access restricted.

Unlike the relatively flat 5 km and 10 km courses, the half marathon has elevation changes.

In particular, the section descending toward the Sphinx and then climbing back up to the plateau adds difficulty beyond the distance.

The 2025 map still available on the official course page is for reference, and you will need to wait for a separate announcement of the final 2026 map.

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.

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

Race reports: 3

The Running GingerRan in 2025

“We raced through history in the most spectacular setting imaginable… the Pyramids of Gizah!”

In 2025, the runner ran the 5 km course inside the Giza Pyramids with their family. The runner found the scenery with the pyramids as a backdrop and the international atmosphere impressive, while also noting the congestion in the narrow sections at the start and that a fast time is difficult to achieve.

Read the original on The Running Ginger

さるまRan in 2024 · Finish time 2:15

“Even so, I kept running without stopping and finished in a very ordinary time of 2 hours 15 minutes.”

The runner took part in the half marathon, which runs near the pyramids. The long descents and climbs were challenging, but the runner finished in 2 hours 15 minutes and recorded their firsthand experience of the expo, transport and venue facilities.

Quoted from the original · translated

Original quote

それでも足を止めず走り続けて、2時間15分というなんとも微妙でなんとも平均すぎるタイムで完走しました。

Read the original on note

Špela (spelayla)Ran in 2020

“This was only the second event, therefore many improvements are still needed, however overall, the organisation was good.”

Špela took part in the 2020 Pyramids Half Marathon and ran around the Great Pyramid of Giza and the Sphinx. There are climbs at the beginning and end, with a long climb waiting in the latter part of the course, but there was enough water and food throughout the course. Transport to the race venue and traffic were inconvenient, but Špela rated the experience of running with the pyramids in view and the race organisation positively.

Read the original on Spell a World

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.

2025 Full recap
The TriFactory · Full recap
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.

General online application

After creating an account or logging in on the official website, select an item and make a payment,

you will receive registration confirmation immediately after the payment is processed.

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 21.1km

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

From the 2025 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:00

Time limit3 hours

10K·21K, 3 hours each (from the time of passing start line)

Event	Gather	Start	Time limit
Half21.0975km	05:00 Arrival · 06:45 start line Call	07:00	3h
10K10km	—	07:00	3h
5K5km	—	08:00	—

City center · not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet. The map shows the host city.

START

Pyramids Plateau, Giza

Cutoff
Start line 3 hours after passing

Half marathon opens.

Both the start and finish are located inside the Giza Pyramids Complex Visitor Center (Al Haram, Giza), making it a one-lap course around the controlled area.

Finish, the expo and the awards ceremony will also all take place within the same controlled area.

On race day, all runners must be inside the complex from 6:00 a.m. and no later than 7:15 a.m.

Typical race-season temperature: around 14°C (57°F): Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers

Participant benefits

Timing chip

Half

Medical support

Half

Restrooms

Half

Aid stations

Half

Finisher medal

Half

Event T-shirt

Half

Bag drop

Half

Hotels1.8km from the start · ★9.2

To the start line,
step by step.

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

From the 2025 edition

Dec 9 Wed – Dec 11 Fri

Bib pickup

The race pack includes the runner wristband required for entry on race day.
At collection, you can also purchase a shuttle-bus ticket (200 EGP), a spectator pass, and a vehicle pass.
Someone else may collect the pack on your behalf if they bring a copy of your photo ID and your registration confirmation email.

Mall of Arabia, El Sheikh Zayed City, Giza

official Expo

Google Maps

Dec 9 Wed: 12:00–20:00
Dec 10 Thu: 12:00–20:00
Dec 11 Fri: 14:00–18:00

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startGiza Pyramids Complex Visitor Center (Great Pyramids of Giza), Al Haram, Giza
Transit cardUse the same Cairo Metro rechargeable smart card as in central Cairo — buy it at any metro ticket window/vending machine and tap it at the gates; Giza station (Line 2) is the closest metro stop to the pyramids, but you'll still need a taxi/microbus for the last several kilometers to the plateau. Where to buy
Getting to the finishGiza Pyramids Complex Visitor Center — same gated area as the start

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

More details

Getting to the start

Giza Pyramids Complex Visitor Center (Great Pyramids of Giza), Al Haram, Giza

One-lap course starting and finishing inside the gated Pyramids Visitor Center. Private cars, taxis, and Uber/ride-hail cannot enter the main gated Visitor Center area — they can only drop runners at the pedestrian gate, requiring a walk in.

All runners must be inside the complex between 6:00 AM and no later than 7:15 AM race morning.

Map

Getting to the finish

Giza Pyramids Complex Visitor Center — same gated area as the start

Finish line, expo, and award activities are all within the same gated Visitor Center complex as the start.

Map

Start shuttle

Official race shuttle buses run from four pickup points — Sheikh Zayed, Downtown, Heliopolis, and New Cairo — departing 6:00 AM for the Pyramids and returning at 12:00 PM to the same points. Shuttle tickets cost 200 EGP, purchasable on the race website or at the Mall of Arabia (Sheikh Zayed/6 October) during race-pack pickup.

Since taxis/Uber can't reach the gated start, the shuttle (or a private car dropping at the pedestrian gate) is the most reliable option — reconfirm exact pickup points closer to race day.

Transit card

Cairo Metro card (same system as greater Cairo; no separate Giza-specific card)

Ticket windows or vending machines at any Cairo Metro station, including Giza station Not accepted at the gates — get the local card above

Giza is served by the same Cairo Metro network (Line 2 terminates at Giza station), so there's no separate local card — it's the standard Cairo Metro card (~EGP 80 for the card itself, plus loaded credit; fares run EGP 10-20 by distance/stations). Visa cards can be used at ticket booths on Lines 1 and 2 to buy/recharge, but this is for purchasing, not tapping a personal bank card at the gate.

The Giza pyramids are still 8-12 km from Giza metro station, so plan for a taxi or microbus for the final leg, which will be cash-based.

Where to buy

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 5km takes place on Friday, December 11, and the 10km and half marathon on Saturday,

December 12. Course is a single-lap course inside the Giza Plateau, passing the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Sphinx.

Each distance has its own course.

Bib must be collected in person at the official expo held during the days before the race.

The race kit includes a PUMA running shirt, drawstring bag, access wristband, bib with a MyLaps timing chip attached,

food from course, entry to the Giza pyramid complex, a tourism-police permit and a finisher medal.

Timing uses the MyLaps system, also used at the Olympics and the Boston Marathon.

Times are local to Giza. 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.

شقة علي النيل اطلاله خيالية

Accommodation · 602m · 9-minute walk

8.1/10(16)

View on Booking.com

Cairo: VIP Moroccan Hammam & Relaxing Massage

Traditional Moroccan Hamam + Relaxing Massage · EGP 1,456

View on GetYourGuide

Private Nile River Dinner Cruise & Show in Cairo

EGP 4,037

Pyramids Half Marathon

About Pyramids Half Marathon — 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