Egyptian Marathon (Luxor)
Luxor, Egypt · January · Independent
Why people love it
- Start and finish at Hatshepsut Temple, passing the Colossi of Memnon and Habu Temple on each lap.
- Aid every 2.5 km (1.6 mi) with water, bananas, dates, electrolytes and cola.
- Nearly flat course and a dry January morning, about 9 °C (48 °F) at the start.
- Open entry, 91.20 EUR (about 105 USD) plus a 5% service fee.
Watch out for
- Four laps of the West Bank villages; some runners wish for two.
- Streets are not fully closed to traffic, and toilets and kilometre signs are few.
- Very small marathon field; 52 finished in 2010, so you may run alone.
- Few runners have written about it: six ratings on one site and a 2010 interview.
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 28% of the overall score.
Toughness: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.1
MarathonGuide shows 4.7 from 6 runners, praising the setting, organisers and volunteers. A small sample from one recent year. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Reviewers praise organisers and volunteers but ask for more toilets, clearer kilometre signs and closed roads. A 2010 runner found a minimal expo. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
Nearly flat with friendly locals and aid every 2.5 km (1.6 mi). Few runners, warm late morning, and no cutoff listed. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.6
Nearly flat with a small drop at the start, but four laps, open roads and warming air. · Low confidence
Course
Scenery, road surface, closures, and room to run. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Course sceneryBeautiful4.4
Hatshepsut Temple, the Colossi of Memnon, Habu Temple and West Bank villages, which runners cite repeatedly. · Medium confidence
- Room to runSome pinch points3.3
Four laps and a small field, but the half, 12 km (7.5 mi) and 5 km (3.1 mi) run the same course at the same time. · Low confidence
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
Village and main roads on the West Bank. Surface quality was not reported. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly open2.4
A reviewer asked for streets to be closed to traffic, so roads are only partly closed. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Course flatnessMostly flat4.4
One reviewer calls it nearly flat with a gentle drop at the start and rise at the end. No gain figure found. · Low confidence
- Net downhillEven3.0
Start and finish are at the same temple, so net change is about zero. · Low confidence
Support
Crowds, aid stations, the start, and pacers. Counts for 20% of the overall score.
- Start logisticsSome waiting3.2
07:00 start at Hatshepsut Temple with packet pickup at the host hotel. Toilets are few. · Low confidence
- Pacers and timingSome pace groups2.5
No pace groups were mentioned and timing details were not found. · Low confidence
- Crowd supportDecent2.7
Very small field. Locals and children cheer, but it is not a crowd-lined race; a 2010 runner saw few spectators. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.7
Aid every 2.5 km (1.6 mi) with water, bananas, dates, electrolytes and cola. Reviewers want more toilets. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 14% of the overall score.
- WindMostly calm3.7
No wind complaints in reviews. · Low confidence
- Air temperaturePleasant4.0
January mornings start near 9 °C (48 °F) and warm to the low 20s °C (70s °F). Reviewers praised the weather. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable4.4
Luxor in January is dry and sunny. A February 2010 race was hot at about 27 to 32 °C (81 to 90 °F). · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.4
Four laps from one start and finish point let supporters see runners several times. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.8
Luxor sits at about 75 m (245 ft). · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.3
The host hotel was full in 2010; other Luxor hotels are plentiful. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood4.2
Egypt is generally low-cost for hotels. No race-week rates were found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving2.5
The West Bank start is away from most Luxor hotels and needs transport. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.0
Charter and Cairo flights reach Luxor, but most visitors need a visa and a long trip. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.2
Expo day, then a 07:00 start at one site. A 2010 runner found the expo minimal. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood3.8
Luxor is a major sightseeing city, so race-week days can go to the temples. · Low confidence
Entry
How hard it is to get a place, and what you get for the fee. Counts for 8% of the overall score.
- Getting inEasy4.3
Open entry, closing 1 January 2027 or earlier if full, with a tiny marathon field. · Low confidence
- Value for moneyFair3.2
91.20 EUR (about 105 USD) plus a 5% service fee is high for a small field. Finishers get a medal, T-shirt and certificate. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Luxor, Luxor Governorate, Egypt
- Typical month
- January
- Latest or next date
- 8 January 2027
- Organiser
- Independent
- First held
- 1994
- Distances
- 42.2 km (26.2 mi)
- Course type
- laps
- Start time
- 07:00
- Surface
- Village and main roads on the West Bank of the Nile
- How to get in
- open
- Entry fee
- About $105
- Air temperature
- 9–23 °C (48–73 °F)
- Humidity
- Dry desert air
- Altitude
- 75 m (245 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Luxor International (LXR), 20 km (12 mi) away
- Where to stay
- West Bank near Hatshepsut Temple, Luxor East Bank
- Booking
- A 2010 runner found the host hotel full, and it was far from downtown. Extra transport is needed to visit other areas.
What racers and reviewers say
- MarathonGuide (Egyptian International Marathon)Raced 2025 · aggregator · Positive
6 runners average 4.7. Reviewers praise the expo, organisers, weather, volunteers, locals and the medal. They want more toilets, clearer kilometre markers, fewer laps, closed streets and age-group awards. One runner describes the course as nearly flat with a gentle drop at the start and a gentle rise at the end, with aid every 2.5 km (1.6 mi).
“Highly recommended marathon”
- PPTC (Pikes Peak Track Club, interview with a runner)Raced 2010 · blog · Positive
A US runner at the 17th edition. Four laps through villages past the Colossi of Memnon and the Valley of the Queens. Hot and sunny, with water and bananas at each station. Only 52 marathon finishers, a minimal expo at the host hotel and a papyrus certificate with a pyramid-shaped medal.
“The water and bananas at each aid station were very welcome.”
Runners from 32 countries started in front of Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari. An official source, so it speaks to the field and the setting only.
Raced Egyptian Marathon (Luxor)? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for Egyptian Marathon (Luxor)? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.