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Al Qudra to Abu Dhabi

161 km road cycling out-and-back route118 m climbing5½–8 hoursGPX

Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Road

A flat 161 km road cycling out-and-back route from Al Qudra through Al Layyan, Al Samha and Mugatrah, with 118 m of climbing. 87% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane. There is a 79 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 79–158).

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Saturday 29th November 2025

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At a glance

Best for
Long endurance days for fit, experienced riders
Distance
160.5 km
Out and back
Elevation gain
118 m
1 m per km
Riding time
5½–8 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
99% paved · 0% unpaved · 1% no data
Traffic
Mostly cycle paths
11.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 4.6 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more · 140.2 km on cycle paths or lanes
Food & water
Longest gap 79 km
15 cafés and restaurants · 3 shops · 1 water point · 2 petrol stations · 3 public toilets · 2 bike shops
Best months
Dec to Feb
Dubai climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Al Qudra

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Al Qudra to Abu Dhabi, Dubai

Elevation profile

Total ascent
118 m
Distance
161 km
020406080100m0 km50100161 km89 m · highest, at 0.0 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Al Qudra
  2. Al Layyankm 43
  3. Al Samhakm 79
  4. Mugatrahkm 144
  5. Al Qudrakm 161

Starting from Al Qudra in Dubai at 88 m elevation, the route heads out on a largely flat profile descending to 2 m at 63.6 km. It is an out-and-back ride covering 160.5 km total with minimal climbing and descending, featuring just 0.1 km over 5%, 8%, and 10% gradients respectively.

Surface is almost entirely paved (99%) with no gravel or unpaved sections. Most of the ride is on cycle paths (140.2 km, 89%), followed by 10.2 km on main roads, 4.9 km on quiet streets, and small sections on paths, motorway, and tracks. Main roads without a cycle lane total 11.3 km, including 4.6 km on roads with 80 km/h or higher speed limits. The longest named roads are Abu Dhabi Cycle Network Route 3 (91.7 km), Al Qudra Cycle Path Route 1 (31.1 km), and Route 3 (17 km).

Key intermediate places are Al Layyan at 43.1 km, Al Samha at 79.2 km, and Mugatrah at 143.6 km. Facilities at the start and finish in Al Qudra include restaurants, convenience stores, bike rentals, drinking water, toilets, and a medical centre. From 79.3 km to 158.3 km there is a 79 km stretch with no café, shop, or drinking water available.

Why ride this route?

  • 87% on cycle paths or lanes.

Highlights

  • Al Layyan at 43.1 km
  • Al Samha at 79.2 km
  • Mugatrah at 143.6 km
  • Mostly flat profile with 148 m elevation gain

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Al Layyan 43.1 km
  2. Al Samha 79.2 km
  3. Mugatrah 143.6 km

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Much of the route is separated from traffic: 87% is on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane.

Roads
89% cycle path · 6% main road · 3% quiet street · 1% path · 1% other roads and tracks
Main roads
11.3 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
4.6 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Cycle paths
140.2 km on cycle paths or roads with a cycle lane
Main roads used
Abu Dhabi Cycle Network Route 3 (92 km), Al Qudra Cycle Path Route 1 (31 km), Al Qudra Cycle Path Route 3 (17 km), Ghanadhah Street (5 km)
Surface
Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved.
Gradient
0% climbing · 0% descending · 100% flat

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 79 km, from km 79 to 158. Along the route: 15 cafés and restaurants, 3 shops, 1 water point, 2 petrol stations, 3 public toilets and 2 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmSpicy Village Restaurant · restaurant · 120 m off route
  2. 0 kmZad Foodstores · convenience store · on the route
  3. 0 kmDrinking water · 50 m off route
  4. 0 kmToilets · 60 m off route
  5. 0 kmTrek · bike rental · 70 m off route
  6. 0 kmADNOC · petrol station · 70 m off route
  7. 76.6 kmToilets · 110 m off route
  8. 76.8 kmAJ1881 · restaurant · 70 m off route
  9. 79.3 kmADNOC Oasis · convenience store · 130 m off route
  10. 79.3 kmADNOC · petrol station · 60 m off route
  11. 158.1 kmAlqudra Ambulance Medical Centre · clinic · 90 m off route

Start and access

Starts and finishes at Al Qudra. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Bikes and repair
Trek (70 m), Careem (50 m)
Food and coffee
Spicy Village Restaurant (120 m)
Shops
Zad Foodstores (20 m), Geant at ADNOC (80 m)

Know before you go

  • 79 km longest stretch without café, shop or water from 79.3 km
  • 11.3 km on main roads without cycle lane
  • 4.6 km on roads with speed limits over 80 km/h

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

21 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 Dubai (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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