Cycling in Al Ain
4 cycling routes from Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 42 to 93 km, 280 km mapped in all, with up to 910 m of climbing in a day. Hilly riding (12 m of climbing per km on average), mostly road routes, 36% of the riding on main roads without a cycle lane. 1 named climb; the high point is 1,039 m on Around Al Ain. Best months to ride: Dec to Feb.
At a glance
- Routes
- 4
- Lengths
- 42–93 km
- Biggest day
- 910 m
- Terrain
- Hilly
- Surface
- Mostly paved
- Bike
- Road bike
- Difficulty
- Moderate to Hard
- Named climbs
- 1
- Best months
- Dec to Feb
- Longest gap
- 30 km
- GPX
- Every route
Know before you go
Added up from the recorded routes and OpenStreetMap; nothing estimated.
- Surface
- Paved almost throughout.
- Roads
- 36% of the riding on main roads without a cycle lane.
- High point
- 1,039 m on Around Al Ain.
- Climbs
- 1 named climb · 4 ascents of 500 m or more.
- No services
- 30 km on Jebel Hafeet from Al Ain.
- Ridden
- Feb, Apr, Oct, 25–32 °C recorded.
Cycling guide to Al Ain
Al Ain in Abu Dhabi features several cycling routes with distances ranging from 41.5 km to 92.8 km, all within the UAE. Riders can explore loops and point-to-point rides passing places like Al Bateen, Al Salamat, Ni'mah, and Mbazzarah Al Khadra. The routes often include a significant climb on Jebel Hafeet, with elevation gains approaching 850 m and a summit above 1030 m. Cyclists encounter up to 33 km on main roads without cycle lanes and may experience stretches of over 29 km without services. The routes are mostly paved, with surface shares above 97%.
More on best time to ride, terrain
Best time to ride
The recorded months for riding are February, April, and October, with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 32°C.
Terrain
The terrain includes substantial climbing, especially on the Jebel Hafeet ascent lasting about 10 km with average gradients around 7-8% and maximum gradients exceeding 11%. Highest points are just over 1030 m, with overall elevation gains up to 928 m on longer routes. Routes combine flat sections with pronounced mountain climbs.