Petra Desert Marathon is a marathon and ultra half marathon (22.3 km) that took place for the first time on Saturday, September 26, 2009. The race is run in and around the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.Petra was the capital of the Nabataean dynasty at the time of Christ and lies hidden among the rugged cliffs of the Jordanian desert. The ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Petra Marathon is a part of the extreme marathon series hosted by Adventure Marathon. 

The course of the race is more challenging than average marathons because of the many steep ascents and descents.The Petra Desert Marathon is a challenging adventure marathon set in the beautiful desert region of Jordan. Starting in the ancient city of Petra, the route takes runners on a remarkable route through the area surrounding Petra. From the lunar-like mountain landscape to the arid desert, runners navigate challenging terrain in the dry, desert heat.The Petra Desert Marathon is a hilly course with an ascent of roughly 1,200m and a descent of 1,100m.