Marathon des Sables 2027

250 miles, loads of sand and the desert within reach! 🏜️

If you're looking for a gentle little stroll to test your new sneakers on the pavement, keep moving, because here we're talking about the desert's absolute legend ☝️. The Marathon des Sables is the ultimate adventure waiting for you every year in early April in the Sahara of Morocco 📆, a land of contrasts where the thermometer flirts with 45°C during the day 🥵 before plunging sharply to 10°C once the moon is up 🥶. Nicknamed the "toughest race in the world", this event takes you on around 250 km spread over 6 stages in total food self-sufficiency 🍽️, meaning you carry all your food and kit on your back for a week 😳. Picture yourself crossing endless dunes and the rocky plateaus of the province of Errachidia, while taking in the breathtaking landscapes of south-eastern Morocco. It's here, between Ouarzazate and the far reaches of Algeria, that the desert becomes your playground and your biggest challenge, far from the usual comfort of your Sunday trail run 🌵. You're in for a sporting, human, unforgettable adventure ✨.

The big start is usually given at the bivouac of Tafraoute Sidi Ali 🏕️, where you discover the vastness of a territory covering more than 9 million km², almost the size of the United States 🤯. The first 32 km stage throws you straight in at the deep end with varied terrain, followed by a second day of 40 km and a third of 32.5 km to test your endurance before the big one 😅. Because yes, the real decider is stage 4: 100 km to be completed in 48 hours, when your mind takes over as soon as your legs say stop 💪. After taking half a day and a good night's rest, you follow up with a marathon for stage 5, then a half-marathon for the sixth stage to finish in style towards the finish line 🏁. To shine in this race in Morocco, you need the mindset of a Berber warrior, like Rachid El Morabity, the local hero from Zagora, who holds the record with 11 victories on his home turf 🏆.

By running the Marathon des Sables, you'll discover a unique biodiversity—but one that only reveals itself to the most discreet trail runners! 🤫 Who knows, a Barbary lion might be hiding behind a bush 🦁, watching you pass with a blasé look while you fight not to sink into the sand 😂. The local heritage is just as rich, with the famous rammed-earth kasbahs dotting the Drâa valley, which have served as backdrops for cult films like Lawrence of Arabia 🎥. Between two dunes, you might feel a bit like Russell Crowe, but without the armor and with a lot more sand in your socks 🫣. Be sure to wear gaiters if you don't want to end up with hourglasses instead of feet ⏳. And running with extra weight could really hinder you if something goes wrong 😬. As a fun fact, in 1994, the Italian Mauro Prosperi got lost during a sandstorm and survived nine days alone in the desert by eating bats found in an abandoned marabout before being found in Algeria ⛰️.

After the effort 🏃‍♂️, the atmosphere at the bivouac under the traditional black Berber tents, called "khaïmas", is unique in the world 🌍. You share incredible moments of solidarity there while enjoying your freeze-dried meal 🍽️, a far cry from the flavors of a real prune tajine or a royal couscous that you'll devour when you return to Ouarzazate 🤤. This extraordinary race offers you a total immersion in a culture where hospitality is sacred, even in the middle of nowhere 🗺️. You might even learn a few words of the Tachelhit dialect to thank the locals near an oasis 🙏. The city of Ouarzazate, nicknamed the "gateway to the desert" 🚪, will be your final stop to celebrate your victory after braving the sand wind, the "chergui" 🥇.

Now that we've planted our grain of sand 🏖️, all that's left for you is to take on the Marathon of Grains of Sands 😎.