Half Marathon Des Sables MDS LEGENDARY

Two arrival options for participants who come by plane:

1. Marrakech: numerous flight options available, with organized transfers to Ouarzazate on April 1st and 2nd, 2026, in the morning (5-6 hours of travel).
2. Ouarzazate: fewer flights available but offers direct arrival.

The name of your hotel will be communicated a few weeks before the start of the adventure.

If you are arriving and departing from Marrakech:

• Arrival: You can arrive earlier, but must have arrived by, April 2nd.
• Outbound transfers to Ouarzazate: Transfers will take place throughout the morning and until 12:00 PM from Marrakech on April 1st and 2nd (location and time details below).
• Return: You must choose a return flight after 2:00 PM on April 13th to allow enough time for the transfer from Ouarzazate.
• Return transfers to Marrakech: The buses for the return transfer will depart in the morning.

If you are arriving and departing from Ouarzazate:

• Arrival: You can arrive earlier, but must have arrived by April 2nd.
• Return: You can book your return flight at any time on April 13th.
• Transfers in Ouarzazate: Participants are on their own to reach their hotel from the airport on the outward journey, and vice versa on the return journey.

Marrakech / Ouarzazate shuttle schedules on April 1st and 2nd : 

- From the center of Marrakech (meeting point: the Kenzi Rose Garden hotel).

- 10:00 am: From Marrakech airport. 

- 12:00 pm: From Marrakech airport.

You'll need to book one or more nights at a hotel in Ouarzazate, depending on when you arrive.

These nights are to be booked on your own and at your own expense. Here's the contact details of our local travel agency partner who can help you with your reservations: ltstravel.maroc@gmail.com

The return journey at the end of the MDS follows the same logic.

If you wish, you can take advantage of the bus service between Ouarzazate and Marrakech. These buses will leave Ouarzazate at 06:00 am on April 13th, so you'll need to book a return flight from Marrakech after 02:00 pm.

If you are taking a return flight from Ouarzazate, in this case you are free for the hotel-airport transfer, or you can book your flight at your convenience.

All this information will be available on your MDS account, once you have registered. You will receive full details of the timetable by e-mail once you have registered.

If you have any doubts about booking your flight, don't hesitate to call us (+33 1 47 05 12 06).

Find our flight recommendations in our Frequently Asked Questions.

Airline tickets with cancellation and change insurance are necessary, given the restrictions that may apply in some countries.

For the MDS Legendary – 40th edition, we'll be announcing ideas for more eco-friendly travel soon. We'll be announcing dates and itineraries to travel to Marrakech from Europe's major cities.

These journeys are to be organized by you and not supervised by the organization. We will, however, share the itinerary planned by part of our team, for those who wish to draw inspiration from it, travel in the same spirit, or even share part of the route with us.

Here's a typical week's program for the MARATHON DES SABLES Legendary.

Day 1: Transfer by bus to the bivouac in the desert, installation and overnight stay in the bivouac.

Day 2: Day of technical, administrative and medical checks. Overnight in bivouac.

Day 3: First stage, overnight in bivouac.

Day 4: Second stage, overnight in bivouac.

Days 5 : Third stage, overnight in bivouac

Day Day 6 & 7: Fourth stage - “the long one” - lasting 2 days. Overnight in bivouac.

Day 8: Fifth stage, overnight in bivouac.

Day 9: Sixth stage, medal ceremony. Bus transfer to Ouarzazate, overnight in hotel with half-board accommodation.

Day 10: Free day in Ouarzazate, awards ceremony, gala evening. Overnight at hotel with half-board accommodation.

Day 11: End of adventure, transfer back to airport. 

If this is your first MDS, you probably have a lot of questions. Once you've registered, we'll send you a full checklist of equipment, but here are the main things you'll need per person:

• Backpack + 2 water bottles (Ultrabag 20L)
• T-shirt + running shorts  
• Trail shoes + anti-sand gaiters  
• Cap and sunglasses  
• Change: T-shirt + light shorts / long pants  
• Windproof jacket for the evening and morning  
• Comforter + mattress for the night
• Hygiene products (sun cream, soap, antiseptic, etc.)  
• Toilet paper  
• Food and cooking utensils (popote, lighter, fire pellet...) 

You can take a large suitcase with more clothes, which you can leave at the technical checkpoints and return to after the MDS adventure.

Find the list of mandatory equipment by clicking here.

The MARATHON DES SABLES Legendary is self-sufficient in food. For the duration of the adventure, competitors must carry all of their own equipment and food, except for water and the tent, which are provided by the organization. Competitors are also self-sufficient in food from the moment they arrive at the bivouac on Day 1!

Along the route, checkpoints are set up every 10 km or so to ensure water supplies. These refreshment points are also used to rest and eat. Participants also receive a water ration on arrival at the bivouac, for the evening and morning. 

Food requirements from April 3 to 11 will be as follows:

• April 3rd – Day 1: diner.
• April 4th to 10th – Day 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8: breakfast, lunch, diner.
• April 11th – Day 9: breakfast, lunch. 

Each participant must have a minimum of 2,000 k/calories per race day, from April 5 to 10 inclusive*. You'll need to select the foods that seem best suited to the effort involved, climatic conditions, transport and weight. More information in the race regulations.

More information in the race regulations.

*There is no minimum calorie requirement on the last day of the race (April 11). However, each participant must provide their own breakfast and lunch.