The Two Oceans Marathon returns to Cape Town this weekend bringing thousands of local and international runners to the city.

But the Two Oceans is far more than just one race. The weekend event, often described as 'The World's Most Beautiful Marathon', features two main races: the legendary 56km Ultra Marathon and the popular 21.1km Half Marathon, both known for their challenging routes and spectacular scenery. Both races start on Main Road in Newlands, outside Newlands Swimming Pool.

Plan Ahead: Road Closures

With thousands of runners on the road, extensive road closures across Cape Town will be in place to ensure the races run smoothly and safely. Motorists should expect early morning closures across the southern suburbs, the south peninsula, and around UCT and Newlands, particularly on Main Road and routes leading to the peninsula.

Saturday 11 April: Ultra Marathon (56km)

The Ultra Marathon takes place on Saturday, 11 April. Runners head along Main Road through the southern suburbs before making their way toward the peninsula, passing through Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek.

From there the route turns inland through Noordhoek and climbs over the iconic Chapman's Peak Drive, one of the most scenic stretches of the race. The route then winds through Hout Bay and up Constantia Nek before heading across Rhodes Drive to finish at the University of Cape Town Upper Campus.

Key Road Closures for the Ultra Marathon 

• Chapman’s Peak Drive: Closed Friday 6pm – Saturday 12pm.
• Newlands & Claremont: Main Rd (Klipper Rd - Protea Rd) - closed 3am–7:30am.
• Constantia & Tokai area: Spaanschemat River Rd, Ladies Mile, Constantia Main Rd and Southern Cross Dr - closed roughly 5:45am–9:45am.
• Hout Bay - Constantia Nek: Hout Bay Main Rd and Hout Bay Rd affected 6:45am–12pm (convoy traffic in places).
• Rhodes Drive / M3 / UCT area: closures and lane restrictions 6:45am–1:30pm.

Great spectator spots include:

• Muizenberg beachfront for early race energy
• Chapman’s Peak Drive for dramatic scenery
• Hout Bay village for lively crowds
• Constantia Nek for one of the toughest climbs

Time Out Tip: If you are travelling during the race weekend, it is best to plan ahead, allow extra time, and aim for after mid-morning where possible. You can see the full list of road closures here. 

Sunday 12 April: Half Marathon (21.1km)

The Half Marathon takes place on Sunday, 12 April and is equally popular. The route heads south along Main Road through the southern suburbs before turning inland through Constantia.

Runners tackle the well-known climb up Southern Cross Drive before descending along Rhodes Drive toward the finish at UCT Upper Campus. 

Key Road Closures for the Half Marathon 

• Main Road corridor (Southern Suburbs): Newlands - Claremont - Wynberg - Retreat - Muizenberg. Closed roughly 3:30am–8am.
• Muizenberg - Kalk Bay - Fish Hoek: Main Rd local access only 5:45am–8:45am.
• Sun Valley & Kommetjie Rd area: Several local roads closed 6am–9:30am.
• Ou Kaapse Weg: Remains open both days but expect delays and Stop/Go traffic.

Top spectator locations include:

• Newlands and Claremont for the start atmosphere
• Constantia wine valley roads for scenic cheering points
• Southern Cross Drive for the toughest climb of the race
• UCT Upper Campus for the finish line celebrations

ICYMI: Marathon star coming to Cape Town! 

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