Big Five Marathon

The Big Five Marathon Logo

15 June 2024
Marathon and Half Marathon

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The wildest of them all...
The Big 5 Marathon is based in the Entabeni Game Reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Here you will have the chance to not only participate in a challenging marathon but also be surrounded by the famous big five African game; Elephant, Buffalo, Rhinoceros, Lion and Leopard. The marathon is limited to 250-300 people including supporters so get in quick so you don’t miss out on this incredible event.

Minimum age for marathon and half marathon is 18 years old on race day.  
Minimum age for game drives 6 years old.  Minimum age for bush walks 12 years old. 
 

 
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Big Five Marathon Packages

Our Packages Include
  • Guaranteed entry into the Big 5 Marathon
  • 6 Nights or 7 Nights Accommodation 
  • Full board included (starting with dinner on day 1, ending with breakfast on departure day)
  • Games drives as per the itinerary
  • Group transfer by bus to and from the Airport to Entabeni
Please contact Judy for package costs judyw@travelmanagers.co.nz   
Testimonial from LISA TAYLOR
Big Five Marathon... wow what can I say! My husband and I were lucky to run The Big Five in June and what an amazing marathon. It’s not every day that you get to run with the beautiful scenery of the African savannah and alongside many of the animals that make up the Big Five.
The course, whether it be the full or half, challenges in every way by throwing altitude, deep sand, rocky terrain and steep inclines at you. It builds character and humbles you, and receiving the medal at the end confirms the pain was well worth it. Yellowwood Valley is a name I promise you will never want to remember again once climbing it!!
Set in the Entabeni Safari Conservancy you are totally surrounded by wildlife and most days get the option to do game drives to seek out the big five. The rangers and staff are very friendly and knowledgeable and without them race day wouldn’t be the same. They man the water stations, keep watch over the wildlife so we can run freely, entertain and cheer you on with such enthusiasm you can’t help but break into a smile.
At the finish line I swore I would never run this marathon again as I was completely spent… two days later I changed my mind. Sign us up again next year Judy!!
Finally a big thanks to Judy and her team for all their help with organising our travel to South Africa and securing our entry to this unforgettable event.
 

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Event information
Qualifying and cut-off times
There is no qualifying times for The Big Five Marathon however the cut off time for the event is 7 hours

Aid stations
There will be drink stations approximately every 4 kms. Bananas and electrolyte drinks will also be served at selected drink stations.

Weather conditions
The weather is likely to be very dry, sunny but cool during the event. The average temperature is likely to be between 15-20 degrees Celsius but this will vary with sun, shade, wind and altitude.

The Course
Every step of the marathon is inside the Entabeni Game Reserve. Throughout the course you will be able to experience spectacular 360 degree views of African Savannah. The Big 5 game are among some of the many wild animals which you will pass as you make your way through the course. Don’t spend too much time admiring the scenery though.
There is a lot of variation in the course. The first 11km has a lot of climbing, followed by 5km of quick descent. After 8km of flat running there is a steep climb from kilometres 25-30km. Although the last 12km has some climb the hardest part of the race is behind you. The total elevation is 1145m.

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Contact Us

027 4446190
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