Cycling in Khor Fakkan

Cycling guide to Khor Fakkan

Khor Fakkan sits between the coast and the Hajar Mountains, and the routes recorded here split neatly into two kinds. The 109.3 km Fujairah coast loop takes in Al Hayawah, Al Mudaifi, Mirbah, Qurayyah, Sakamkam and Al Bithnah with only 106 m of climbing spread across the whole distance, making it the flattest option despite touching 571 m at its high point. Shorter but harder are the hill loops: 84.1 km with 1,045 m of gain through Ar Rufaysah, Al Qadsia, Madha, Nahwa and Hajar Bani Hamid, and an 86.5 km Shees loop with 1,229 m of gain via Ghadf, Al Ghamarah, Asimah, Al Tayyibah, Al Baha, Masafi, Daftah and Shis. A 75.3 km point-to-point links Al Ghamarah, Daftah, Shis, Madha and Mirbah back to Khor Fakkan with 268 m of gain, its main climb coming early. Madha, Nahwa and Al Nahwa Old Hamlet appear on three of the four routes, and Daftah and Shis on three.

Best time to ride

Recorded rides fall in October, November, February and March, with temperatures of 21–32 °C in autumn, 25 °C in February and 30 °C in March.

Terrain

The coast loop is essentially flat, with 106 m of gain over 109.3 km; inland the terrain is rolling to mountainous, with up to 1,229 m of gain in 86.5 km. Sustained climbs run 4.9–6.5 km at 3.9–4.5% average and 6.1–6.7% maximum, topping out at 336 m, 571 m and 579 m, with route high points of 419 m, 571 m, 581 m and 586 m.