2:09 Events Limited

Petra Desert Marathon, Jordan

Date: 6 September, 2025

The Petra Desert Marathon, which starts at at the rock city of Petra is rapidly becoming one of those iconic races on everyone's bucket list. This beautiful yet challenging adventure marathon set in the stunning desert region of Jordan is worth every penny. Starting in the ancient city of Petra, the route takes runners on a remarkable route through the mountain and desert area surrounding Petra. From the lunar-like mountain landscape to the arid desert, runners can expect challenging terrain in …

The Petra Desert Marathon, which starts at at the rock city of Petra is rapidly becoming one of those iconic races on everyone's bucket list. This beautiful yet challenging adventure marathon set in the stunning desert region of Jordan is worth every penny. Starting in the ancient city of Petra, the route takes runners on a remarkable route through the mountain and desert area surrounding Petra. From the lunar-like mountain landscape to the arid desert, runners can expect challenging terrain in the dry desert heat. The race likes to say it is a 'run back in time' which is how it feels visiting and exploring this iconic location on foot

The event consists of a full and a half marathon and is part of a 5-night tour package which also includes social events, excursions, hotel accommodation, a dip in the Dead Sea and entry to the historic site of Petra.
  
The race route:
 
The start line is in the Street of Facades in the ancient city of Petra where you will find yourself surrounded by tombs, caves and monasteries carved out of the mountainside. From there a 2 kilometre uphill section on paved road leads you out of the Petra Archaeological Park boundaries via the main hilly tarmac road and out towards the desert. 

After 6K, the route leaves the asphalt road and continues into the desert. Half marathon runners take a direct route to the river bed gorge “Siq Al Bard” while marathon runners have to do a loop around the hilltop “Al Musirh”. From Siq al Bard at Little Petra, the route returns back on a tarmac road heading towards the village of Ammarine. Just before the village the course divides: half marathon runners continue straight through the village while marathon runners turn left on the road leading to Wadi Araba to do an 8 kilometre stretch that runs past incredible rock formations rarely visited by normal tourists.

Just after the 30K mark the marathon runners find themselves back at Ammarine village where the marathon and half marathon course merge once again. From here, the route goes uphill to a mountain ridge for the next five kilometres, but the effort is rewarded with an astonishing view back out over most of the marathon route and the mountains covering Petra. On this mountain ridge, the surface becomes gravel for 3 kilometres before you reach the final leg, a 4 kilometre descent on paved roads towards the finish line.

Age limits:
 
Marathon 18 years old / Half Marathon 16 years old
 
Course time limits:

All runners have 7 hours to complete the race, anyone still on the route after the cut-off time will be picked up by a race official or medical car and driven back to the finish area.

There is a five-hour cut off at the 30km mark (13km mark for the half marathon) meaning that runners who haven’t passed this point at 11:30 will not be allowed to finish the race.

Visas:

UK passport holders can obtain a visa upon arrival in Jordan at the airport, it costs JOD40 (approx £45). 

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For further information email 2:09 Events on info@209events.com