Races

PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONNA / RACE GUIDE

Namib Race

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Swakopmund
NA

Tim & Annette · Copyrighted free useDaniel Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0Sonse · CC BY 2.0Daniel Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0Daniel Kraft · CC BY-SA 3.0

Race date in 554 days: May 21, 2028 Sun
City · Distance: Swakopmund · 250km
Entry fee: $4,350Varies by event and entry period
Status: OpenSee how to enter ↗

2028Date May 21, 2028 · Entry ~ Jan 22, 2028

2026

2026Date Aug 16, 2026

Official website ↗Marathon · Rössing National Marathon

Instagram YouTube

D-day as of Nov 14, 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 is a self-supported stage race of 250 km in 6 stages through the Namib Desert, the oldest desert in the world, starting from Swakopmund, Namibia.

The course crosses dunes, salt flats, and Atlantic beaches.

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

Richard BehringerRan in 2024

“This was the 3rd RTP race that I have finished, and this one was especially tough because of the heat and soft sand.”

They wrote that the heat rose sharply from stage 2, which made it tough, but the beach finish was beautiful.

Read the original on RacingThePlanet

Kristina HuffmanRan in 2024

“Heat does not begin to describe the course conditions.”

It was their third desert crossing, and they advise packing bouillon for salt and a variety of food.

Read the original on RacingThePlanet

Jeff PelletierRan in 2021 · Finish time 24:12:22

“We also finally had a chance to run through some of the iconic Namibian sand dunes.”

Strong winds changed the course, but they finished 4th overall and say the campfire at the stage 2 camp and the local staff's singing stood out.

Read the original on RacingThePlanet

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.

Namib Race2026: Course Video
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.

First come, first served

Entry cost $4,350

You secure your place by paying a US$1,500 deposit on the official website.

You can pay by card or bank transfer, and installment payments are available by contacting the organizers by email.

Organizer's page

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 250km

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

From the 2027 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 8:00

Event	Start	Entry fee	Field size
Namib Race (6 stages, self-supported)250km	08:00	$4,350	150

START

Camp 1, Namib Desert

gathering in Swakopmund

FINISH

Atlantic Ocean beach, Swakopmund

Runners start · local time — Stages 1 to 5 start at 8:00 am and stage 6 at 10:00 am (2028 schedule; times are subject to change)

The Namib Race is part of RacingThePlanet's 4 Deserts series of desert stage races.

It replaced the Sahara Race (Egypt) in 2016, and 2028 marks its 9th edition.

You carry seven days of food and mandatory gear on your back for 250 km over six stages, while the organizers supply tents, water and medical staff.

The course leaves the salt flats, crosses dune country and the Moon Valley (a lunar-looking landscape),

drops into dry river canyons and skirts Rössing Mountain on a double-marathon-length long march before finishing on the Atlantic beach.

The high point is 550 m, with about 2,000 m of total ascent and descent.

Stages 1 through 4 are marathon distance;

stage 5 is the double. The field is capped at 150.

In 2026, 132 runners from 37 countries started, and with a field drawn from more than 40 countries, the atmosphere is genuinely international.

Typical race-season temperature: around 19°C (65°F): Short sleeves — hydrate for the warmth

Participant benefits

Medical support

Water stations

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Hotels259m from the start · ★9.7

To the start line,
step by step.

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

From the 2027 edition

Bib pickup

Check-in takes place at the briefing on 20 May, together with the administrative, medical, and gear checks.

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startSwakopmund (host town)
Getting to the finishSwakopmund

Source · checked Nov 6, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Swakopmund (host town)

Transfer to Camp 1 on 20 May after briefing and check-in. Official page names Walvis Bay Airport as arrival airport via Johannesburg or Cape Town; transfer to Swakopmund is self-arranged.

Swakopmund is about 350 km west of Windhoek.

Map

Getting to the finish

Swakopmund

Stage 6 finishes at the Atlantic; competitors overnight at the Event Hotel.

Map

Source · checked Nov 6, 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.

Swakopmund is the gathering point.

You need to be at the hotel by the day before the race starts;

for the 2026 edition, the notice said to arrive by 14 August.

The 2028 schedule runs like this: runners arrive on 19 May, 20 May brings the briefing and gear check followed by the transfer to the Stage 1 camp,

and Stage 1 starts at 8:00 am on 21 May.

The official website names Walvis Bay Airport as the arrival airport, reached via Johannesburg or Cape Town,

and you'll need to arrange your own transport from there to Swakopmund.

May is the dry winter, so inland temperatures can reach 35°C during the day, while nights turn chilly.

On the coast, mornings and evenings bring fog and wind.

Past runners say the heat and the soft sand were the hardest parts.

Some found bouillon helped when they craved salt;

others warn that eating the same snack over and over gets old.

The stage 5 long march stretches over two days, so pack a night light and warm layers.

The official website doesn't give stage cutoffs as numbers, only a pace guideline, so read the information you get after registering carefully.

Flights, airport transfers and insurance aren't included in the entry fee.

Times are local to Swakopmund. 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.

Hansa Hotel

Hotel · 155m · 2-minute walk

9.0/10(471)

View on Booking.com

Flying Dress Photoshoot in Golden Desert Dunes

$179

Namib Race

About Namib Race — 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

Namib Race runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

See it on video,feel it through their stories.

Namib Race2026: Course Video

How to enter Namib Race — registration routes

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

First come, first served

Namib Race course map and elevation

Your 250km

Camp 1, Namib Desert

Atlantic Ocean beach, Swakopmund

Participant benefits

Medical support

Water stations

Finisher medal

Event T-shirt

Where and when to collect your Namib Race race bib

To the start line,step by step.

Bib pickup

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

Getting to the finish

From race morning to after the finish.

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

Hansa Hotel

Flying Dress Photoshoot in Golden Desert Dunes

Moon Landscape Private Tour with Brunch

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Coastal Dune Tour

Swakopmund Luxury Suites

Namib Desert: Night Walk to Track Geckos & Scorpions

Sunset Tour Where Desert Meets the Ocean

Hotels near the Namib Race start line in Swakopmund

Hotels that make race morning easy

Hansa Hotel

Swakopmund Luxury Suites

Prost Hotel Swakopmund Namibia

Swakopmund Plaza Hotel

Artemis Hotel Swakopmund

Eazy Sleep Accommodation

Suite 24 at Stadtmitte Central Self-Catering

Tours and activities around the Namib Race in Swakopmund

Time for you, before and after the finish

Flying Dress Photoshoot in Golden Desert Dunes

Namib Desert: Night Walk to Track Geckos & Scorpions

Township Walking Tour with Local Guide

Where runners eat in Swakopmund

Eating well is part of the trip

Moon Landscape Private Tour with Brunch

What to see in Swakopmund after the race

Seeing Swakopmund with the medal on

Sandwich Harbour 4x4 Coastal Dune Tour

Sunset Tour Where Desert Meets the Ocean

Marine Big 5 Luxury Catamaran Tour

Living Dunes Wildlife Tracking Tour

Signature Coastal Seal Tour at Cape Cross

Little Five Desert Wildlife Tour by Quad Bike

Sandwich Harbour: Small-Group Beach 4x4 Tour & Sandboarding

Flights, hotels, airport transfers and budget for Namib Race

Trip prep too,light and in one place.

Runner stories and questions about Namib Race

With runners who dream ofthe same start line.

Frequently asked questions about Namib Race

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

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

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

To the start line,
step by step.

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

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

With runners who dream of
the same start line.