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Al Aqah to Nazwa

156 km road cycling route1,117 m climbing6–8 hoursGPX

Al Aqah, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A rolling 156 km road cycling route from Al Aqah, Fujairah to Nazwa through Sharm, Al Hutain and Al Hilal, with 1,117 m of climbing over Jabal Al Khasfah and the Kalba climb. Most of it (126.8 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 63.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 57 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 66–123).

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Sunday 9th January 2022

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At a glance

Best for
Long endurance days for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
155.7 km
Point to point
Elevation gain
1,117 m
7 m per km
Riding time
6–8 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
98% paved · 1% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly main roads
126.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 63.8 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 57 km
80 cafés and restaurants · 28 shops · 1 water point · 14 petrol stations · 9 public toilets · 3 bike shops
Best months
Dec to Mar
Al Aqah climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start → finish
Al Aqah → Nazwa

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Al Aqah to Nazwa, Al Aqah

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,117 m
Distance
156 km
0100200300400500m0 km50100156 km484 m · highest, at 100.1 kmStartFinish

Route description

  1. Al Aqah
  2. Sharmkm 3
  3. Al Hutainkm 17
  4. Al Hilalkm 40
  5. Rughaylatkm 47
  6. Hitteenkm 53
  7. Al Quala'akm 55
  8. Jabal Al Khasfahkm 62
  9. Kalba climbkm 93
  10. Nazwakm 156

Starting at Al Aqqah, the route passes through many places including Sharm (2.7 km), Haqil (5.5 km), Khor Fakkan (16.6 km), Kalba (53.5 km), and Musseili (112.9 km) before reaching Al Dafain at 140.6 km. It features climbing concentrated mostly in the second half with four main climbs: one 4.7 km at 5.2% average gradient, another 3.4 km at 3.1%, a 2.5 km at 3%, and a longer climb of 5.4 km at 2.8%, peaking near 480 m at 98.5 km. The route is mostly flat (73%) with climbs (14%) and descents (13%).

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs Jabal Al Khasfah (4.2 km at 6.4 %) and the Kalba climb (5.2 km at 2.9 %).
  • Tops out at 483 m, 98.5 km in.

Highlights

  • Peak at 483 m at 98.5 km
  • Longest climb 4.7 km at 5.2%
  • Passing Khor Fakkan at 16.6 km
  • Along Sharjah - Kalba Road for 43 km

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Sharm 2.7 km
  2. Haqil 5.5 km
  3. Nehay 5.5 km
  4. Al Badīyah 6.6 km
  5. Zubarah 10 km
  6. Lulayyah 11.2 km
  7. Al Mudaifi 14.9 km
  8. Al Rifa'a 16.3 km
  9. Al Hayawah 16.3 km
  10. Khor Fakkan 16.6 km
  11. Al Hutain 16.9 km
  12. Al Yarmouk 17.5 km
  13. Al Burdi 17.5 km
  14. Al Musalla 18.7 km
  15. Al Qadsia 18.7 km
  16. Madha 24.1 km
  17. Mirbah 25.7 km
  18. Sha'biyyāt Qirat 26 km
  19. Qurayyah 27.5 km
  20. Ishwais 38.5 km
  21. Al Hilal 39.8 km
  22. Sakamkam 39.8 km
  23. Al Sharia 1 40.4 km
  24. Al Sharia 41 km
  25. Al Faseel 42.8 km
  26. Al Mahatta 43.3 km
  27. Safad 43.5 km
  28. Owaid 43.8 km
  29. Ghalala 45.1 km
  30. Merashid 46.2 km
  31. Al Gurfaa 46.5 km
  32. Rughaylat 47.1 km
  33. Sour Kalba 48.9 km
  34. Suhaila 49.9 km
  35. Al Husen 50.2 km
  36. Darweshia 50.5 km
  37. Al Bhaies 50.8 km
  38. A'quola 50.8 km
  39. Al Mughaider 51.2 km
  40. Dhyatt 51.8 km
  41. Al Khuwair 52.1 km
  42. Hitteen 52.5 km
  43. Al Sidrah 53.1 km
  44. Al Bateen 53.1 km
  45. Al Qadesia 53.1 km
  46. Kalba 53.5 km
  47. Al Bardi 53.8 km
  48. Al Aoud 53.8 km
  49. Al Nighala 54.4 km
  50. Al Mafraq 54.8 km
  51. Khawr Kalba 55.1 km
  52. Al Quala'a 55.4 km
  53. Al Maqt'a 58.1 km
  54. Al Saaf 59 km
  55. Al Ghail 59.3 km
  56. Minazif 79.5 km
  57. Al Qilē'ī 80.5 km
  58. Munay 86.7 km
  59. Musseili 112.9 km
  60. Filli 123 km
  61. Sha'biyyat Bahayis 133.6 km
  62. Al Dafain 140.6 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideFull ascentTop on this ride
Jabal Al Khasfah62.1 km4.7 km · 247 m · 5.2 %4.2 km · 273 m · 6.4 %260 m
Unnamed climb74.2 km3.4 km · 107 m · 3.1 % · max 6.6 %—268 m
Unnamed climb79.5 km2.5 km · 74 m · 3 % · max 4.9 %—305 m
Kalba climb92.5 km5.4 km · 153 m · 2.8 % · max 8.1 %5.2 km · 151 m · 2.9 %480 m

High point 483 m at 98.5 km; low point 2 m. Passes beneath Jabal al MInab, Jabal al Habil, Jabal al Balush.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

A point maximum far steeper than the climb’s average is usually an elevation-data spike, so the steepest 500 m of the profile is shown instead (or nothing, where the profile is too coarse).

Jabal Al Khasfah · full ascent, starts at 62.1 km

4.2 km at 6.4% · 273 m
50100150200250m5.6%13%0 km1234.2 km289 msteepest 12.6%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Kalba climb · full ascent, starts at 92.5 km

5.2 km at 2.9% · 151 m
350400450m1.9%2.1%4.1%4.5%0 km123455.9 km484 msteepest 4.5%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 81% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 63.8 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
28% motorway · 28% major road · 27% main road · 12% minor road · 5% other roads and tracks
Main roads
126.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
63.8 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Sharjah - Kalba Road (43 km), Kalba Beach Road (5 km), Omar Bin Al Khattab Street (5 km), Qidfa Bypass Road (5 km)
Surface
Paved: 98% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient
14% climbing · 13% descending · 73% flat
Steep sections
4.6 km over 5% · 1.1 km over 8% · 0.5 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 11.4% at 73.9 km
Longest descent
3.9 km from 100.1 km, dropping 106 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 57 km, from km 66 to 123. Along the route: 80 cafés and restaurants, 28 shops, 1 water point, 14 petrol stations, 9 public toilets and 3 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 6.4 kmToilets · 90 m off route
  2. 6.7 kmIce Palace · restaurant · on the route
  3. 11.5 kmCafé · 50 m off route
  4. 13.7 kmADNOC · petrol station · 70 m off route
  5. 15.2 kmBin Moosa Medical Pharmacy · pharmacy · 120 m off route
  6. 18.4 kmin minde cafe · café · on the route
  7. 21.8 kmAl Madha Petrol · petrol station · 160 m off route
  8. 43.3 kmThumbay Hospital Fujairah · hospital · 610 m off route
  9. 44.5 kmLe Royal Cafe · café · 30 m off route
  10. 45.9 kmBike rental · 290 m off route
  11. 50 kmTamm Cafe · café · 90 m off route
  12. 50 kmADNOC · petrol station · 70 m off route
  13. 57.8 kmSharjah Coop · supermarket · 220 m off route
  14. 60.6 kmToilets · 30 m off route
  15. 66.3 kmHabib Beirut · restaurant · 160 m off route
  16. 93.6 kmToilets · 110 m off route
  17. 106.8 kmShowka Bicycles · bike shop · 440 m off route
  18. 126.6 kmAl Majal · supermarket · 70 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 39.5 km — Fujairah Station (station), 600 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Worth a stop

  • 0 km — Snoopy Island (attraction)
  • 6.4 km — Al Badiyah Fort (castle)
  • 14.9 km — Khorfakkan Beach (picnic site)
  • 19.9 km — Resistance Monument (monument)
  • 46.6 km — Bull fighting (Bullring) (attraction)
  • 50.3 km — Kalba Fort (castle)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café, shop, or water 56.5 km from 66.3 to 122.8 km
  • 126.8 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 63.8 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • 1% gravel or unpaved surface

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

6 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Al Aqah (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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