SAUDI ARABIA NOV 28 / DEC 08 2025
THE FIRST EVER DESERT 42KM MARATHON INSIDE THE RUB AL KHALI
EQRUN EXPLORATION
Face the world’s most inhospitable desert
Join Max Calderan for a EXPLORATION EXPERIENCE in the Rub al Khali
28 NOV / 08 DEC 2025 | SAUDI ARABIA | 42 KM + 40 KM
JOIN THE EQRUN EXPLORATION | 1st EDITION
- Duration 11 days of experience
- Saudi Arabia - 7 days in the desert
- 28 NOV - 08 Dec 2025
The explorer Max Calderan opens the secret gates of the world’s largest sandy desert, located in Saudi Arabia, to all: the Rub Al Khali, also known as the world’s most inhospitable desert.
La EQRUN EXPLORATION is an extreme desert experience combining walking and running, accessible to anyone who wants to test themselves with an extreme run in the Rub’ al Khali Desert, starting from the Rub Al Khali Desert Center (Empty Quarter).
This is a truly groundbreaking event — the first of its kind. Until recently, the thought of running through the heart of the world’s largest and most unforgiving sandy desert would have been unimaginable.
A unique opportunity to experience an extraordinary place, full of mysteries and legends, in the company of the legendary Max Calderan and his explorations in the desert.
Participants can be runners, walkers or travelers: this desert adventure with Max Calderan is open to everyone, even those who simply want to enjoy breathtaking scenery and short walks in the silence of the Rub’ al Khali.
Spots are limited – Secure your place in this extreme desert adventure today.
- Duration 11 days of experience
- Saudi Arabia - 9 days in the desert
- 28 NOV - 08 Dec 2025
- 6,850 € pp (Saudi flight and visa excluded)
THE DISTANCES
42 KM in a single stage + 40 KM spread over 4 days.
Total distance: approximately 82 KM across 5 stages.
Suitable for runners and walkers:
- Stage 1: 42 km – start from the heart of the Rub Al Khali (extreme endurance running in the desert)
- Stage 2: 10 km
- Stage 3: 10 km
- Stage 4: 10 km
- Stage 5: 10 km
An ideal experience for those wondering how to prepare for a desert race or wanting to test their desert survival and endurance skills.
THE OFFER
Customized race package for true lovers of adventure and extreme desert racing.
6,850€ per person (Saudi flight and visa not included)
Included:
- 3 nights hotel accommodation in Riyadh (half board, double room)
- 9 nights in the Rub Al Khali Desert in a private tent
- Food and water (breakfast, light lunch, dinner) throughout the stay in the desert
- 24/7 medical organization and support during the experience
- Visit Diriyah Heritage UNESCO site in Riyadh
- Insurance: you can postpone participation in the 2026
Participates in the first marathon in the Rub’ al Khali, the biggest sand desert on the planet.
THE EMPTY QUARTER DESERT
The Rub Al Khali is the largest sandy surface in the world, located mainly in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with a maximum length of 1,200 km and a width of 650 km.
At the heart of this vast and inhospitable landscape lies a mystery that has fascinated explorers and historians for centuries: the lost city of Ubar, often called “the Atlantis of the Sands.”
The first non-Saudi explorers to document these lands were British explorers Bertram Thomas and St. John Philby in the 1930s. Between 1946 and 1950, Wilfred Thesiger mapped large areas of the desert.
In 2020, Italian explorer Max Calderan was the first to make the complete crossing of the Rub’ al Khali on foot, covering 1,100 km in 18 days, traversing the largest and most remote area of the desert.
THE CAMP IN THE DESERT
Throughout the EQRUN EXPLORATION, every day unfolds in a different location — a new spot to dine, unwind, and sleep under the stars, sharing the adventure and the warmth of the desert fire with fellow explorers.
- Accommodation in private tent with mattress
- Local food: breakfast, mid-day snack, dinner Coffee, tea, water always available.
- Each participant keeps the same tent throughout the experience
- Self-sufficiency is not required: water and food are provided daily.
- No internet connection for 9 days, but the team remains connected to the outside world at all times via satellite phone and GPS.
- Continuous medical supervision to ensure safety throughout the extreme endurance running experience in the desert.