Your Ultimate Spectator Guide to the 2026 Sanlam Cape Town Marathon

Being a spectator at the Sanlam Cape Town Marathon is not a passive experience. This city shows up, and on 24 May, the streets, the promenade, and the parks come alive in a way that makes race day as much of an event for the crowd as it is for the 27,000 runners taking on 42.2km. Here is how to make the most of it.

Plan Ahead and You Will Thank Yourself

Race day brings road closures across the city, so getting around takes a little thought. Leave the car at home and use our official transport options to get into the city. Western Cape Train Service will operate a special event train on 24 May, with return trips costing just R20. Spectators should use the Southern Line to reach spots along the route, while runners can connect to the start via a free shuttle between Thibault and Stadium Stop. Train tickets can be purchased at the Expo or on the day at train stations.

The Cape Town Marathon tracking app is your must-have on the day, using each runner’s average pace to predict when they should reach key checkpoints along the route, and confirming their time and pace as they pass through. It is the smartest way to make sure you are in the right place at the right time.

The Start | Beach Road, Green Point (0km)

It all begins here, and the atmosphere is electric. The Wheelchair athletes set off from the Stadium at 07h50, followed by the Elite wave at 08h00, the AbbottWMM Age Group World Championship wave from Beach Road at 08h05, and the final wave departing at 09h06. Get here early, grab a good spot on Beach Road, and soak it all in. The Rainbow Marimba Band sets the tone from the very first step, filling the air with colour and rhythm before the field has even warmed up.

The Highway | N2 Off-ramp (6.5km)

Not your typical spectator spot, but one of the most visually striking on the entire course. Head to the pedestrian bridge via the Hyde Street off-ramp and watch thousands of runners stream along the highway below. It is a perspective on the scale of this event that you simply cannot get anywhere else. First runners expected at around 08h19.

Rondebosch | Palmyra and Rondebosch Park (15–17km)

By the time the field reaches Rondebosch, the race is well and truly underway. At 15.5km, watch the elite athletes fuel up at the refreshment table, a quiet but telling moment in any marathon. The neighbourhood crowds here are warm and vocal, and the adidas Activation Zone at Rondebosch Park at 17.2km turns the street into a proper party. Tony Browne brings a live guitar performance and the Huey Helicopters Art Car keeps the energy moving. 

Rondebosch Common | Sanlam Activation Zone (20–22km)

One of the most visually striking spots on the course, Rondebosch Common is a protected national monument that sits at the geographical and emotional heart of the race. Devil’s Peak forms a dramatic backdrop behind the runners as they loop around the Common, and it is one of the easier spots to reach if you are coming from the south, making it a great base to settle into for a while. Look up and you will spot Kites by Phil soaring above, while a charity lane below adds to the noise and energy. Multiple vantage points around the Common mean there is always a good spot to be found.

Salt River Circle (26.7km)

Pure Cape Town. A Gatsby float, live music, and a crowd that needs no encouragement to make noise. If you want to experience something that could only happen at this race in this city, Salt River Circle is it. First runners expected at around 09h18.

Woodstock | Albert Road (27–29km)

Woodstock brings its own flavour to race day. Bridges for Music sets up a DJ before the turn into Russel Street, a PRASA train hoots from the tracks at Woodstock Station, and Dani’s Funky Kombi rolls through with the kind of energy that makes tired legs feel a little lighter. The Old Biscuit Mill and Woodstock Exchange are right on your doorstep if you need a coffee between waves.

Darling Street | City of Cape Town Activation Zone (30km)

If there is one stretch of the course that reminds you how remarkable this city is, it is this one. Runners pass the Castle of Good Hope, the Grand Parade, and the City Hall, where Nelson Mandela stood on the balcony and addressed a free South Africa for the first time in 1990. His statue stands there still, a powerful backdrop to a powerful moment in the race. The Minstrels bring their vibrant costumes and music to the castle, creating a scene that is as joyful as it is moving.

Company Gardens (30.7–32.1km)

The Gardens section is where the marathon finds its drama. A shaded uphill climb, the longest and steepest of the day, winds through one of Cape Town’s most historic green spaces. But the entertainment here is extraordinary. Protea performers, Xhosa dancers and drummers, a samba band, kids’ marimba bands, African dancing puppets, and a giant meerkat line the route, turning what is the toughest stretch of the race into something genuinely magical to witness. Come here, stay a while, and cheer loudly.

Long Street | adidas Activation Zone (32.1–33.3km)

After the climb through the Gardens, runners hit Long Street and begin to fly. The downhill here brings out a different gear in even the most fatigued athletes, and the adidas activation, complete with a live LED screen broadcasting the race and a coffee tuktuk for the crowd, makes this one of the most vibrant viewing spots on the course.

Green Point Main Road | KFM Activation Zone (34.2km)

The KFM cheer zone is broadcast live on air, which means the energy here has a little extra edge. Your cheers might just make it onto the radio. A brilliant spot to give your runner the boost they need as the finish line starts to feel within reach.

Sea Point Promenade | The Loop (36.3–41.4km)

The Loop of Death. If you have spoken to anyone who has run this race before, they have mentioned it. Equal parts infamous and beloved, it has become a rite of passage and a shared joke among Cape Town Marathon runners. Runners head out 3km along the ocean before turning back towards the finish, which means you get two chances to cheer your runner from the same spot. Tony the Love Bus is parked up with disco balls spinning and a DJ going full send, because at 37km, every bit of noise helps.

The Finish | Vlei Road, Green Point (42.2km)

Save some energy for the finish line, because this is where race day reaches its peak. The blue carpet is where it all comes together, where months of training meet the moment everything was for. Public seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis so arrive early. The first wheelchair athlete is expected at around 09h30, with the final cut-off at 15h50. Whenever your runner crosses, be there, be loud, and make it count.