Cycling in Muscat

Cycling guide to Muscat

Riding from Muscat means heading inland. Both recorded loops leave the coastal strip around Madinat al Ilam, Qurum and al Wutayyah and climb away through Al Bajriyah and Al Amerat, then follow a chain of small settlements — Sayh adh Dhabi, Manzariyah, Fuad al Hadu, Saadi, Muhaydith, Jahlut, Madam and Shukayli — before the run back through Al Hajar and Wadi Adai. The longer option, Muscat to Ibra and back, covers 241.8 km with 1,878 m of climbing, taking in Dīm, ‘Arqī, Mazra‘ Sumayr, al Mazari, Makhādah, Sawāqim, Mazra‘at al Hātih, Fiyāḑ, Hayfadh, Hamah and Salil. The Wadi Dayqah loop shortens things to 139.6 km with 1,457 m of gain over much of the same ground. Neither route reaches high ground: the maximum elevations are 350 m and 382 m, so the climbing comes in repeated short rises rather than one long ascent.

Best time to ride

Both loops were ridden in January, with temperatures of 21-26 °C — comfortable for long distances on this terrain.

Terrain

Rolling rather than mountainous, with a high point of 382 m on the Wadi Dayqah loop and 350 m on the Ibra route. The longest climb on the 241.8 km loop is 3.4 km at 2.3% average and 3% maximum, topping out at 321 m; the steepest is on the shorter loop, 3.9 km at 5.2% average with a 9.2% maximum, cresting at 245 m.