The Milky Way Marathon
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The Milky Way Marathon 2026
The Milky Way Marathon takes place at Drie Kuilen Nature Reserve in the Langeberg Local Municipality, Western Cape. The reserve sits at about 1100 m altitude and offers views of a night sky with very little light pollution, including southern hemisphere constellations and the Milky Way overhead.
Routes start and finish at Drie Kuilen and traverse the reserve's rugged Karoo terrain. The course uses a mix of jeep track and flowing singletrack and is clearly marked with aid stations along the way. Entry includes a medal and headwear and merchandise is provided with entries.
Distances offered:
- 42 km Marathon
- 21 km Half Marathon
The event uses staggered or grouped starts so runners move from daylight into night running. Around 10 km of the route is run in darkness, and there is a designated Dark Zone where participants switch off headlamps, follow glow sticks, and navigate by starlight. Compulsory kit includes a headlamp, rain jacket with hood, warm layers, beanie or buff, gloves, space blanket, whistle, water or a hydration pack, and a charged phone. Strip headlamps are not permitted. Hiking poles are recommended for technical sections and extra warm clothing is advised for night temperatures. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
