One of the world's most beautiful marathons is 3 hours from Johannesburg

A list of the world's most beautiful marathons has just been released and South Africa has made the cut!

The Big Five Marathon, which takes place three hours from Johannesburg at the Entabeni Big Five Reserve, came in tied eighth on Sportsshoes.com's annual list.

'No fences, rivers, nothing at all separates the runners from the African wildlife!' is what is used to describe this race across Limpopo's harsh yet stunning terrain.

Who made the marathon Top 10?

Ahead of South Africa's entry is the likes of the Loch Ness marathon in Scotland and the Great Wall marathon in China. Interestingly, the Big Five Marathon was the only African marathon to make the cut for the Top 10, which you can see below:

1. Big Sur International marathon, USA
2. Great Wall marathon, China
3. Loch Ness marathon, Scotland
4. Marathon du Mont Blanc, France
5. Angkor Wat Empire marathon, Cambodia
6. Niagara Falls International marathon, Canada/USA
7. San Francisco marathon, USA
8. Petra Desert marathon, Jordan
   = The Big Five marathon, South Africa
   = Queenstown marathon, New Zealand
   = Mount Desert Island Marathon, USA

The Kilimanjaro Marathon in Tanzania took 17th place, while the Victoria Falls Marathon in Zimbabwe/Zambia secured 19th spot on the list of 25.

What is the Big Five Marathon all about?

Open to a maximum of 300 runners for the marathon and half-marathon events, the Big Five Marathon is an exclusive race which aims to mix the love of running with a chance for some good old safari magic.

The 2025 edition took place on June 14th, while the 2026 race is scheduled for June 13th. It is held in Limpopo's Entabeni Game Reserve.

Time Out Tip: Be sure to pack the sunscreen as the elements get pretty rough in that part of South Africa.

Other wild marathons in South Africa

With the exclusive nature of the Big Five Marathon making it difficult to secure a spot, there are other options for those keen to run through the bushveld.

The main option is hosted by the Kruger Park Marathon Club, with their annual Skukuza Marathon usually taking place in August.

Not a keen runner but very keen on a bush adventure? We've got a list of the best safari escapes from Johannesburg just for you!

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