Margalla Marathon is Pakistan’s most challenging hill road marathon, designed to test the ultimate uphill endurance of runners on the spectacular roads of the Margalla Hills. The event features two race categories: the Full Marathon (42.2 km, 1,300m elevation gain) and the Half Marathon (21.1 km, 800m elevation gain). Starting from the iconic Chand Tara Monument on Garden Avenue in the heart of Islamabad and finishing at Pir Sohawa on the border of the Islamabad Capital Territory and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the course offers runners a breathtaking yet relentless climb to the finish.

The journey began in March 2021 with a 10K Hill Road Race, the first official event organized by Margalla Trail Runners (MTR). This inaugural race was dedicated to the memory of legendary mountaineers Ali Sadpara, John Snorri, and Juan Pablo Mohr, who lost their lives during a winter expedition on K2.

Building on its success, MTR launched the Margalla Half Marathon in March 2022, completing four successful editions by 2025. On 5 April 2026, MTR made history by introducing the Full Marathon, creating Pakistan’s first-ever road marathon with more than 1,000 metres of elevation gain. Today, the Margalla Marathon stands as one of the country’s most iconic endurance events and ranks among the world’s toughest uphill road marathons.