By DeadSea.com Editorial
Last reviewed: September 2026
The Dead Sea Marathon 2027 is scheduled for Friday, 5 February in Ein Bokek, Israel. The official program has six distances: 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 21.1 km, 42.2 km, and 50 km. The marathon and 50 km race start at 06:15. Registration rules, course details, and event-day instructions can change, so check the race organizer’s latest information before booking an Ein Bokek hotel or committing to travel.
Use the details below to choose a distance, book the right base, and understand how race day changes Ein Bokek. The article does not replace the event rules, medical instructions, a clinician, or a qualified coach.
What is the 2027 race schedule?
| Distance | Published start time | What to recheck |
|---|---|---|
| 42.2 km marathon | 06:15 | Course, cutoff, eligibility, and aid stations |
| 50 km ultra | 06:15 | Championship rules, cutoff, and entry conditions |
| 21.1 km half-marathon | 06:45 | Course, cutoff, and age rules |
| 15 km | 07:15 | Course, cutoff, and age rules |
| 10 km, wave A | 07:45 | Wave assignment and arrival instructions |
| 10 km, wave B | 09:45 | Wave assignment and arrival instructions |
| 5 km | 10:00 | Minimum age, cutoff, and surface conditions |
The published schedule says local shuttles along the Ein Bokek hotel corridor begin at 05:00 and run every 5 to 15 minutes. Parking is spread across the resort rather than concentrated in one lot. The event recommends reaching Ein Bokek about two hours before your start, but your actual arrival plan should follow the final instructions for your distance, parking area, kit, and security checks.
A start time is not an arrival time. Work backward from the final runner instructions and allow for parking, the hotel-corridor shuttle, security, baggage, and access to the start.
Which distance should you enter?
Choose the distance you have trained for, then verify its age rule, cutoff, surface, and current entry conditions. The published minimum ages differ: 12 for the 5 km, 14 for the 10 km, 15 for the 15 km and half-marathon, 17 for the marathon, and 18 for the 50 km race. Age categories are based on year of birth, so use the race page for your exact distance rather than calculating eligibility from this summary alone.
The event lists its course cutoffs as TBA alongside planning estimates. Treat the final cutoff in the runner bulletin as controlling. If you cannot meet the confirmed requirement safely from your training, select a shorter distance or do not start.
What is unusual about the course?
The race starts and finishes in the Ein Bokek resort area and sends runners onto embankments in the southern Dead Sea basin. The official course pages describe unpaved dirt or compacted gravel with potholes, cracks, and stones. Each distance finishes with a paved promenade section, but the length of that section varies.
Review the map and surface notes for the race you enter. The 5 km page, for example, describes one paved final kilometre, while the 15 km and half-marathon pages describe longer paved finishes. One course description should not be copied onto every distance.
Choose footwear from your training and the latest surface information. Race week is not the time to test a new shoe because a travel article labels the route as either road or trail.
The low elevation and flat profile make the setting distinctive, but they do not promise a personal best. Performance still depends on training, health, weather, pacing, fueling, crowding, and the course surface.
Where should runners stay?
An Ein Bokek hotel usually creates the simplest race morning because the start area and local shuttle corridor are in the resort. Use the Ein Bokek hotel guide to compare location, then confirm these points with the property:
- How far is the marked shuttle stop from the entrance?
- Can the hotel provide an early breakfast or packed meal?
- Can reception store luggage after checkout?
- What is the Friday checkout policy?
- Will parking, road access, or the hotel entrance change on race morning?
- Can a late Thursday arrival still collect a race kit?
Confirm the address and walking route instead of relying on a generic “near the marathon” label. The wider Israel Dead Sea hotel guide can help when Ein Bokek is full, but a stay outside the corridor adds a pre-dawn transfer that must be solved before race day.
The most useful race hotel is the one that confirms your early meal, shuttle stop, luggage plan, and Friday checkout in writing.
When and where is race-kit collection?
The current schedule lists kit collection at the Ein Bokek race compound on Thursday, 4 February from 16:00 to 21:00. A limited race-morning collection for exceptional cases is listed for Friday from 05:00 to 09:30. The event advises runners to use Thursday because a Friday queue can cause a late arrival.
Bring the required registration confirmation and valid identification. Collection for another runner requires the organizer’s current authorization process. Bib exchanges are not allowed unless formally approved through the registration system.
Build Thursday around collection. Travelers coming from the coast can use the Dead Sea from Tel Aviv guide for the ordinary route. Visitors coming through the capital can use the Dead Sea from Jerusalem guide. Recheck road and weather conditions before departure, especially when rain creates flash-flood risk.
What safety information should runners follow?
Read the current medical and runner instructions in full. They cover illness, training, hydration, food, equipment, emergency contacts, and participation rules. A destination article cannot adapt them to your medical history, medication, pace, or the forecast.
Do not start if you are unwell or not trained for the distance. Discuss health concerns and race readiness with a qualified clinician, and use a certified coach for an individual training plan. During the race, follow officials, remain on the marked route, keep your bib visible, and report to event staff if you withdraw.
The Dead Sea weather guide gives regional context. It is not the race-morning forecast, and February averages do not rule out wind, rain, heat, or a road disruption.
Medical disclaimer: This page provides general travel and event-planning information. It is not medical, nutrition, hydration, or training advice. Follow the event organizer and seek qualified personal advice where needed.
Can you float after the race?
A Dead Sea float is a visitor activity, not a proven recovery treatment. Exertion, dizziness, blisters, chafing, and open skin can make the water a poor immediate choice. Finish, cool down, follow the medical team’s directions, and assess how you feel before deciding whether to enter.
If you later choose to float, use an official beach during lifeguard hours. The Ein Bokek Beach guide is a starting point for access, and the floating guide explains basic technique. Enter slowly, remain on your back, keep the water away from your eyes and mouth, never dive, and do not enter with open wounds.
Spectators should follow the same beach rules. Race-day atmosphere does not change supervision, posted access, or lifeguard hours.
What can companions do on race day?
The simplest plan is to remain in Ein Bokek, watch from an authorized public area, and use the resort after confirming access. Spectators cannot enter the race tracks or accompany runners on foot or by bicycle.
Plan a distant attraction for another day. Masada and Ein Gedi require their own reservation, opening, route, and weather checks. Race traffic or road controls can also make an apparently short excursion impractical.
For a two-night visit, use Thursday for arrival and kit collection, Friday for the race and unhurried recovery time, then reserve Saturday or Sunday for one confirmed attraction. The winter visit guide helps shape the extra day without assuming every trail is open.
Race-week checklist
- Confirm registration, distance, wave, age rule, and eligibility.
- Read the latest runner and medical instructions.
- Save the final map, start, cutoff, and aid-station details for your distance.
- Collect your kit on Thursday with the required documents if possible.
- Get the hotel’s early-meal, shuttle, luggage, and checkout answers in writing.
- Recheck weather, road, parking, and shuttle notices.
- Wear tested shoes and clothing.
- Keep your bib visible and follow officials and course staff.
- Keep post-race floating optional.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Dead Sea Marathon 2027?
It is scheduled for Friday, 5 February 2027 in Ein Bokek. The marathon and 50 km race start at 06:15, followed by the half-marathon at 06:45, the 15 km at 07:15, two 10 km waves at 07:45 and 09:45, and the 5 km at 10:00.
What distances are offered?
The published program lists 5 km, 10 km, 15 km, 21.1 km, 42.2 km, and 50 km races. Each has its own age rule, cutoff, surface, and competition details, so read the page for your distance before registering.
Is the Dead Sea Marathon a road race?
Much of the course uses unpaved dirt or compacted gravel embankments, while the finishing sections return to paved promenade. The balance varies by distance, so one road or trail label is too crude for footwear and training decisions.
Where should I stay for the race?
Ein Bokek is the simplest base for most runners because the event and local shuttles operate there. Choose a property that confirms the shuttle stop, early breakfast, luggage storage, and Friday checkout.
Can I collect my kit on race morning?
Limited race-morning collection is currently listed for exceptional cases, but the event recommends Thursday collection because queues can make runners late. Verify the final window and required confirmation before travel.
Is floating after the marathon good for recovery?
This page does not make that medical claim. Dead Sea water can sting blisters, chafing, and open skin, while post-race illness or dizziness needs proper assessment. If you later choose to float, use a supervised beach and follow posted rules.
