Great Wall Marathon, Half & 8.5k 2024

The Terracotta Army – 22nd – 24th May (3 Days)

Visit the bustling city of Xi’an – home to the famed terracotta sculptures, an expansive city wall, and more. Travel from Beijing to Xi’an on the famous Bullet Train, a sleek and long airplane-shaped high-speed train, which travels up to 300 km per hour. Stay at the Grand Dynasty Hotel, located right at the edge of the distinctive Muslim Quarter in Xi’an.

Prices from £529

Avatar Mountains – 22nd – 27th May (6 Days)

See otherworldly rock formations, caves, and mountains – including the mountains that inspired the movie Avatar! The next chapter of your journey through China starts with an evening flight from Beijing to Zhangjiajie in China’s Hunan province. Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, we will drive directly our 4-star hotel for check-in. From here you will explore the Tianmen mountains. Full itinerary available before booking.

Prices from £1349

Made in China – 22nd – 28th MAY (7 Days)

Take the bullet train to take in the Terracotta Army before heading south to the rice terraces in Longsheng and dreamlike scenery of Yangshou. See the Terracotta army and enjoy the Tang Dynasty Show before travelling from Xian to Longsheng. Enjoy hiking in Longsheng and biking in Yangshou. Full itinerary available before booking.

Prices from £1419

The Great Wall Marathon 2024

For international participants, race entry is only possible in conjunction with a multi-day tour package. The packages include all the ingredients for a fantastic getaway: accommodation, social events, sightseeing, and select meals and transportation per the itinerary. Packages also generally include ample amounts of free time, during which you can choose to join organized excursions or explore the region at your own pace. Enjoy the sights and sounds of modern Beijing, discover one of the world’s oldest civilizations and the cultural legacy of ancient dynasties, and run the most challenging race of your life at The Great Wall Marathon!

Our Two Tour Package Options

If you want to stay closer to the race venue and get a taste of China outside the great metropolis, have a look at the 6-day option. It’s the more relaxed tour option as your Jizhou base is closer to the Great Wall. If you want to spend all nights in Beijing, have a look at the 7-day itinerary. This 7-day tour package offers you the definitive Beijing experience! While the drive to the race venue is a bit longer, you will have ample time to explore Beijing in your pace and visit some of the incredible city’s classic sights.

Extension Tours & Excursions

On the 7 day tour visit classic Beijing highlights such as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven and sample exquisite local cuisines in the many markets and street stalls of old Beijing. You can top-off your Beijing stay with our optional excursions that take you to the Summer Palace, the former summer residence of the Imperial family, and Beijing Zoo to see the giant panda at the city zoo. Or how about visiting the impressive Ming Tombs or watching a classical Chinese Acrobatics show? Whatever your interests, the excursions offer a wide range of attractions that give visitors a great taste of Beijing.

Choice of Hotels

For the standard 6-day package, participants have a choice of accommodation: standard, comfort, or deluxe hotels. For the 7-day package, there is a choice between two comfort hotels (based on location) and a deluxe hotel. In general, guests should expect the standard hotels to be clean and basic, with no added amenities. The comfort hotels will have limited amenities, while the deluxe hotels are more similar to name-brand Western hotels.

Race Date: May 18th​, 2024

Race Time: 7:30 AM

The Course:

This demanding course includes 5,164 steps on the Great Wall at Huangyaguan, which includes steep up and down portions. More than six (6) kilometers of the full marathon are run on the Great Wall. All other races are on the Great Wall for about three (3) kilometres. Most of the course runs through the small farmlands and villages of Tianjin Province. Many runners/walkers opt to carry a camera during their event and not be concerned about their finish time. For many, this is an experience of a lifetime, not a race!

Temperature:

Expected temperatures range from 61F to 95F degrees. Humidity is high while running in the valleys.

Time Limit:

The course time limit is eight (8) hours. There is also a six (6) hour cut-off at 34K for the Marathon. Runners must reach this point within six hours in order to continue.

Difficulty:

Difficult. The wall section consists of steps of varying height, width and some steps are made of brick. Extra precaution should be taken when running this part. A few places on the wall section see no steps at all, but instead a ramp of rocks and concrete. These ramps can be slippery and extra attention must be paid to your footing! In some of the villages the surface is gravel and dirt roads. More information on Race website here.