Comrades Marathon 2026 – Seodium Draft

Extensions

Extensions within Africa post-Comrades Marathon 2026 are offered; there is a choice of Safari options.

Private Game Reserves | 16 – 19 June 2026 | 3 nights

Note: These extension trips start and finish in Durban.

Both reserves are malaria-free and are home to the Big Five Game (Rhino, Lion, Elephant, Leopard, African Buffalo)

3 Nights Extension Package includes:

• 3 nights at your chosen game reserve and accommodation
• Transfer from Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani Hotel in Durban to the game reserve and accommodation of your choice
• 2 game drives per day with a professional guide and tracker
• Refreshments on the game drives
• All meals and selected local beverages (minibar, soft drinks, house wines, local spirits and beers) are included at Thanda
• All meals and selected local beverages (basic teas and coffees) are included at Babanango
• Wi-Fi in public areas
• Transfer from your chosen accommodation to Durban King Shaka Airport
• Tips for guides, drivers and general staff
• Conservation / Community Levy

Not Included:

• Alcohol & soft drinks at Babanango
• Anything not mentioned in the inclusions above

NOTE: All Game Reserve extensions are guided by a professional guide and tracker. Extensions are not accompanied by Marathon Tours & Travel (MTT) staff unless we reach a minimum number of sales, or at our discretion. The Game Reserve staff will look after you, and MTT staff will be available via telephone.

Please refer to the last day of the itinerary for flight recommendations and group transfer times.

Thanda

Rates from £ 1,359 to £ 2,999 per person – please refer to our Packages & Rates section for more details

Thanda Safari is an award-winning 5-star experience, situated in a private game reserve in the heart of the Royal Zulu Kingdom of Kwazulu Natal, a 3 to 4 hour drive from Durban. The reserve provides a world of wilderness and wildlife, matched with a deep commitment to Zulu culture and environmental conservation. Thanda means ‘Love’ in the language of the Zulu people, and Thanda Safari lives this ethos in the management of its 14,000-hectare reserve and its community partnerships. Experience the ultimate safari camp experience with Thanda Safari, which has repeatedly been named the World’s Leading Luxury Game Reserve Lodge. Whether you stay in the Villa iZulu or a luxury tent in the camp, you will fall in love with Thanda.
For 2026, the Lodge is not available, but we can offer Villa iZulu or the Thanda Luxury Tented Camp. Comprised of fifteen non-electrified colonial-style safari tents, providing an authentic rustic bush experience (leaving a smaller carbon footprint). Each tent has an open-plan bedroom with an en-suite canvas bathroom with an indoor and/or outdoor shower, as well as a wooden viewing deck. No children younger than 7 years are permitted to stay at this property.

Babanango

Rates from £ 1,499 to £ 2,599 per person – please refer to our Packages & Rates section for more details

Babanango Game Reserve is a 4-star lodge experience, situated in a malaria free area of Royal Zulu Kingdom of Kwazulu Natal, a 3.30 to 4 hour drive from Durban. The reserve hosts a world of wilderness and wildlife, including the Big Five, matched with a deep commitment to Zulu culture, community and environmental conservation.

Nestled in the south of Babanango Game Reserve, Valley Lodge offers nine adjacent luxury rooms each of which are stylishly furnished with upscale amenities to guarantee an indulgent and delightful experience for guests. Every room is thoughtfully equipped with luxurious features such as heated bathroom floors and towel racks, ensuring a truly comfortable and pampering stay. Rooms offer views of indigenous gardens.

With a maximum capacity of 18 guests, the farm-style lodge ensures a cosy experience. Unlike others, it is fenced off for safety, privacy, and exclusivity. Guests can enjoy panoramic views from infinity and splash pools or relax by the fireplace. The library offers books on local history and bird species. In the evening, the outdoor boma with a fire pit creates a cosy atmosphere. The lodge’s culinary experience includes canape-style lunches, handcrafted cocktails, and traditional South African-style potjiekos and braais.

No children younger than 8 years are permitted to stay at this property.

During your stay you can enjoy three meals per day (breakfast, light lunch, dinner), and basic teas and coffees.

Not included are extras such as other activities, soft drinks, juices, premium coffees, alcoholic beverages, minibar, items of a personal nature & treatments which can be booked and paid for during your stay.

Perched high on the Babanango game reserve, Zulu Rock Lodge offers guests breathtaking views of the expansive landscape from its cliff-edge location. Zulu Rock Lodge offers six luxurious villa-style suites and a family villa. Unwind on the deck beside the elevated pool, while watching for wildlife as they gracefully roam the valley below.

Zulu Rock Lodge can accommodate a maximum of 16 guests, ensuring a personalised experience. With no fences to separate guests from nature, this bush lodge accommodation invites guests to immerse themselves in the stunning natural surroundings, embracing a true sense of oneness.

At Zulu Rock Lodge, every moment is crafted to inspire awe and tranquillity. From the panoramic views that greet you each morning to magical encounters with wildlife, this sanctuary reconnects guests with the beauty of nature. Whether embarking on a thrilling safari adventure or savouring the peacefulness of the lodge, Zulu Rock Lodge promises an unforgettable experience with cherished memories to last a lifetime.

No children younger than 8 years are permitted to stay at Babanango properties.

Itinerary

Tuesday 16 June 2026

After breakfast, at 10:00 am you will be collected from Southern Sun Hotel Elangeni & Maharani in Durban to your chosen game reserve and accommodation. The group transfer will be an approximately 3-and-a-half-hour drive along the Indian Ocean. After arriving, you will depart for your first game drive in four-wheel Land Rovers or similar. An early morning or late afternoon safari is the best time to look for the Big Five. With 1,000’s of hectares to explore and led by experts of the African bush, you’ll see an array of wildlife, birds, and plant life. (Lunch and Dinner included)

Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 June 2026

Each day is an early morning wake-up (5:30am/6:00am) with coffee available before departing for your morning game drive. This is a great time to view many animals visiting the water holes and/or predators hunting for their food. We will return around 9:00am for breakfast and spend the middle of the day relaxing and/or enjoying optional activities such as bush walks that you can book on site. We will head out for our last game drive at 3:00pm and return for dinner. (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner included)

Friday 19 June 2026

After breakfast, you will be collected from your accommodation for the group transfer to Durban King Shaka International Airport. There will be 2 morning departures.

Departure 1 will depart at 08:00am and arrive between 11:30pm to 12:30pm

Departure 2 will depart at 11:30am and arrive between 15:00pm to 16:00pm

If neither group transfer to Durban King Shaka International Airport suits your plans or should you need a transfer to Richards Bay Airport, we can arrange a private transfer. Please contact us for the additional cost if an individual transfer is required. (Breakfast included)

Itineraries are subject to change.

FAQs

All information is subject to change and will be updated and advised with our client’s final itinerary and instructions.

Registration & Booking

Conditions of sale

Please note we cannot sell a race entry without an accommodation package. Race entry is not refundable.

If you wish to make any changes to your reservations, administration and/or service fees might apply. For our general T&C’s please see here.

How to book during the pre-booking before the package release stage

To pre-register, click on the book now button, ensuring that you select the correct number of runners. Please read all the important information. If you have any questions, please contact us.

How to book after package options are released

Our team will contact you, advise package choices with prices and invite you to book a specific package. At this stage, you will need to select the correct number of rooms and types for all members in your party, plus all the required extras. When you book, we will require a further deposit.

If you reside in Australia, please contact our Australian office to book.

If you reside in North America, please contact our USA office to book.

If you reside in China, please contact our China office to book.

Payments

When you confirm your booking, we will take a deposit payment. Subsequent payments are taken automatically.

Travel Advice

The exact date for this event is still to be confirmed. Do not book any flights until confirmed details are known and we have advised you of the package choices.

Before you travel, check the ‘Entry requirements’ section for South Africa’s current entry restrictions and requirements. Advice for the UK is available here – South Africa travel advice.

Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend travellers to take out comprehensive travel insurance with sufficient healthcare cover. Make sure that you are insured for existing medical conditions, any activities you plan to do and any equipment that you plan to take. Travel insurance covers you if anything doesn’t go to plan before you travel as well, so we recommend sorting it at the time of booking. For more information, click here.

Security Policy

Marathon Tours & Travel’s security policy requires that anyone staying in our room block must be registered as part of our package. If a registered client attempts to house a non-registered guest and/or invite them to attend any of our scheduled activities, the registered guest’s tour package will be forfeited and parties may be denied access to future tours. Please note that no exceptions will be made as this policy will be strictly enforced.

Guaranteed Comrades Marathon Entry for International or Rest of Africa Runners

We are pleased to offer you guaranteed entry for the Comrades Marathon 2026. You can buy the entry at an additional cost if you also buy the accommodation package with us.

Starting Times and Bib Numbers

Marathon Tours & Travel are the only official international tour operator permitted to sell official entries for the Comrades Marathon 2026. We have no influence over the allocation of starting times and bib numbers, these are allocated based on strict qualifying criteria.

Closer to the event, we will ask for your expected pace and other details to complete the registration process for the Comrades Marathon 2026. The organisers will allocate you a starting time and bib based on the information you provide. Please refer to the qualification rule.

All race rules must be followed.

Time Limits & Cut Offs

The race will have batch wave starts and be timed “mat-to-mat”. The cut-off times for these points will be confirmed in the final race instructions. For more specific information please refer directly to the Comrades website.

Qualification Requirement

All entrants are required to meet the Comrades Marathon 2026 qualifying criteria. Failure to meet the qualifying criteria will result in your entry being rejected. Generally speaking, you need to have completed a standard marathon in a time of sub-5 hours between September and May. For more specific information, please refer directly to the Comrades website.

Race Day Options

2026 Runner Option for Race Day

(Limited availability and currently only open to MARATHON Tours & Travel (MTT) Comrades UP RUN 2026 clients)

14 June 2026

Cost £49

Local friends of MTT are delighted to offer a support service for our runners.

This is a pre-bookable service, added at extra cost to the main MTT Comrades accommodation package.

This option provides runners with 3 support locations along the route.

Our Runner Support Option includes:

• 3 MTT branded support points along the Comrades Marathon route on race day.
• We will provide you with 3 bags, tags for your bottles and a personalised wristband.
• Before race day drop off your bags and bottles with us at Southern Sun Hotel Elangeni & Maharani and you will see them again on the route!
• Supporters will be at 2 of those support points, to give you that added motivation and cheer you on.
• Include in your bags any personal items, gels, spare socks, shoes, ‘just in case items’ etc, whatever you like to have access to but don’t want to have to run with!
• Bags will be available for collection from us at Southern Sun Hotel Elangeni & Maharani the day after Comrades.
• Supporters will be able to meet and cheer on their runners as they pass the first point.
• Private portaloo facilities will be made available to you at each of the support points.
• Please note details are subject to change, final details and instructions will be communicated nearer to the time.

2026 Supporter Option for Race Day

(Limited availability and currently only open to MARATHON Tours & Travel (MTT) Comrades UP RUN 2026 clients)

14 June 2026

Cost £ 169

Local friends of MTT are delighted to offer a full support day for our VIP’s, the supporters. Enjoy the Comrades gees (vibe) with us!

This is a pre-bookable service, added at extra cost to the main MTT Comrades accommodation package.

This option provides an opportunity for family and friends of runners participating in the 2026 Comrades Marathon to spend the day in safe hands and with great company, our local team will take care of the logistics while you cheer on and encourage runners. You can expect a long and busy day, so if a sleep-in or leisurely day by the hotel pool is more your scene, then please don’t book this. If however you want an experience that permits you inclusion into your runners experience too and be that welcoming face to your runner then we would love you to join us!

Our Supporter Option includes:

• Transport from Southern Sun Hotel Elangeni & Maharani in Durban to 2 catered points along the Comrades route. Departing between 04:00am to 04:30am.
• Transport to the 1st supporter point expects to arrive at approx. 05:30am. Situated in the Hillcrest area.
• Breakfast items will be served, tea/coffee/water and soft drinks.
• Comfortable seating will be provided.
• Supporters will be able to meet and cheer on their runners as they pass the first point.
• At approximately 09:00am, supporters will be transported to the 2nd point. Location TBA but likely to be approx. 30km to go marker.
• Supporters will enjoy an al fresco lunch consisting of items such as filled wraps, fresh salads and fruit.
• Most special dietary requirements will be catered for, please advise us beforehand of these.
• Private portaloo facilities will be made available to supporters and their runners.
• There will be numerous vehicles taking supporters to the finish in Pietermaritzburg at several different times in the afternoon. Upon arrival you can meet up with MTT and your runners.
• The logistics are taken care of for you but please exercise patience. Some things like weather and roadworks are out of control, country roads can be congested and you may need to walk short distances to/from vehicles but our local team know the roads and areas and will look after you to the very best of their ability.
• If you didn’t start the day with friends you will certainly leave with some and in the knowledge that you were there for your runner!
• This supporter’s package does not include transport back to Durban but MTT clients receive this as part of the main MTT Comrades accommodation package.
• Please note details are subject to change, final details and instructions will be communicated nearer to the time.

Comrades Marathon Resources & Inspiration

Known simply as “Comrades” among runners and South Africans alike, the Comrades Marathon is the world’s oldest and largest ultra marathon. If you’re wondering whether you have what it takes to tackle this iconic race, hear first-hand from Marathon Tours & Travel UK’s Head of Running Product, Marie Howarth, as she shares her experience of running Comrades and what makes it such a life-changing event.

To help you prepare for race day, we’ve also gathered a selection of helpful videos and resources from experienced Comrades runners, including returning Comrade and YouTuber ManVMiles:

• 23 Lessons from a First-Time Finisher – Tips and insights to help you conquer the UP RUN (2024)
• What It’s Like Running Your First UP RUN – A first-hand look at the experience of race day (2024)
• What It’s Like to Run Your First Comrades – Follow the journey of a first-time finisher on the DOWN RUN (2023)