Munay Loop via Al Uqdah and Hanging Garden Kalba

72 km road cycling loop1,144 m climbing2½–4 hoursGPX

Kalba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A mountainous 72 km road cycling loop from Kalba, Sharjah through Munay, Harrah and Al Uqdah, with 1,144 m of climbing over Al Fujayrah climb (505 m) and Jabal Al Khasfah. Most of it (64.6 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 37.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. The first 39 km has no café, shop or water.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Saturday 7th May 2022

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At a glance

Best for: Short, climbing-heavy rides for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance: 71.8 km; Loop
Elevation gain: 1,144 m; 16 m per km
Riding time: 2½–4 hours; moving time, estimated
Difficulty: Hard
Bike: Road bike; from the mapped surface
Surface: Paved; 95% paved · 0% unpaved · 5% no data
Traffic: Mostly main roads; 64.6 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 37.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water: Longest gap 39 km; 7 cafés and restaurants · 1 petrol station · 1 public toilet
Best months: Dec to Feb; Kalba climate, 10 years
Navigation: GPX download; free, no sign-in
Start and finish: Kalba

On the road: Munay Loop via Al Uqdah and Hanging Garden Kalba, Kalba

Elevation profile

Total ascent: 1,144 m
Distance: 72 km

Route description

Kalba
Munaykm 5
Harrah climbkm 17
Al Fujayrah climb (505 m)km 17
Harrahkm 18
Al Uqdahkm 31
Al Ghailkm 38
Jabal Al Khasfahkm 42
Minazifkm 59
Kalbakm 72

The route starts in Kalba and passes through Munay at 5.2 km, then Fayyad at 14.1 km. Early climbs include a 2 km 2.4% gradient starting at 7 km, followed by two short climbs at 12.1 km and 14.7 km of 3.2% and 2.5% average gradients respectively. The longest and steepest climb begins at 17.1 km, climbing 224 m at an average 7.6% gradient for 3 km, reaching 552 m height around 20 km.

After Al Uqdah at 30.8 km and lengthy descending sections, the route hits flatter ground near 39 km, the lowest point (3 m). Most roads are motorways (57%) and main roads (29%) without cycle lanes, including 39.9 km on Sharjah - Kalba Road. From the start until 38.7 km there is no café, shop or water supply. Café, petrol station and toilets are found just off-route around 40 km near WALFA CAFE and ADNOC petrol station. The route passes beneath peak Jabal Al Miqsha (400 m) near 10 km.

The surface is 95% paved. About 28% of the route is climbing, with 7.7 km over 5% gradient and the steepest 500 m segment reaching 20.6%. The longest descent is 11 km dropping 259 m from 27.1 km. Places along the way include Harrah, Shia, Al Saaf, Al Ghail, Al Maqt'a, Minazif, and Al Qilē'ī before returning to Kalba.

Why ride this route?

The most climbing per kilometre of the 17 rides from Kalba: 16 m per km.
Climbs the Harrah climb (3.1 km at 5.1 %), Al Fujayrah climb (505 m) (2.7 km at 7.2 %) and Jabal Al Khasfah (4.2 km at 6.4 %).
Tops out at 552 m, 20 km in.
An 11 km descent dropping 259 m.

Highlights

Climb to 552 m summit near 20 km
Jabal Al Miqsha peak at 10.3 km
Longest descent 11 km dropping 259 m
Passes 10+ named places on route

Along the route

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

Places passed

Munay 5.2 km
Fayyad 14.1 km
Harrah 18.1 km
Shia 18.5 km
Al Uqdah 30.8 km
Al Saaf 37.5 km
Al Ghail 37.5 km
Al Maqt'a 38.8 km
Minazif 59.2 km
Al Qilē'ī 60.1 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
Climb	Starts at	On this ride	Full ascent	Top on this ride
Unnamed climb	7 km	2 km · 48 m · 2.4 % · max 3.8 %	—	305 m
Unnamed climb	12.1 km	1.4 km · 43 m · 3.2 % · max 5.1 %	—	275 m
Unnamed climb	14.7 km	1.9 km · 46 m · 2.5 % · max 5.5 %	—	321 m
Harrah climb	17.1 km	3 km · 224 m · 7.6 % · steepest 500 m 9.9 %	3.1 km · 158 m · 5.1 %	552 m
Al Fujayrah climb (505 m)	17.1 km	—	2.7 km · 197 m · 7.2 %	485 m
Jabal Al Khasfah	42.2 km	3.9 km · 269 m · 6.9 % · steepest 500 m 10.8 %	4.2 km · 273 m · 6.4 %	290 m
Unnamed climb	51.7 km	1.4 km · 91 m · 6.6 % · max 12.5 %	—	268 m
Unnamed climb	54.2 km	1.9 km · 67 m · 3.5 % · max 6.3 %	—	229 m
Unnamed climb	56.4 km	1.9 km · 99 m · 5.3 % · max 8.5 %	—	313 m
Unnamed climb	60.1 km	1.9 km · 65 m · 3.5 % · max 5.4 %	—	307 m

High point 552 m at 20 km; low point 3 m. Passes beneath Jabal Al Miqsha.

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).

Al Fujayrah climb (505 m) · full ascent, starts at 17.1 km

2.7 km at 7.2% · 197 m

< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Harrah climb · full ascent, starts at 17.1 km

3.1 km at 5.1% · 158 m

Jabal Al Khasfah · full ascent, starts at 42.3 km

4.2 km at 6.4% · 273 m

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 90% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 37.3 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads: 57% motorway · 29% main road · 7% other · 5% major road · 2% other roads and tracks
Main roads: 64.6 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads: 37.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used: Sharjah - Kalba Road (40 km)
Surface: Paved: 95% of the route is mapped as paved and 5% has no surface data.
Gradient: 28% climbing · 33% descending · 39% flat
Steep sections: 7.7 km over 5% · 2.7 km over 8% · 1.7 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 20.6% at 0 km
Longest descent: 11 km from 27.1 km, dropping 259 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 39 km, from the start. Along the route: 7 cafés and restaurants, 1 petrol station and 1 public toilet.

Food, water and shops in ride order

36.9 kmKalba Health Center · clinic · 150 m off route
40.1 kmWALFA CAFE · café · 60 m off route
40.1 kmADNOC · petrol station · 50 m off route
40.3 kmToilets · 70 m off route
45.8 kmHabib Beirut · restaurant · 90 m off route

Worth a stop

45.8 km — Hanging Garden Kalba (attraction)

Know before you go

38.7 km without café, shop or water from start
64.6 km on main roads without cycle lanes
37.3 km on roads with 80 km/h plus speed limit

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

About this route

Ridden by: Marcus
Date ridden: Saturday 7th May 2022
Route line: Built from 2 GPS recordings 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 Kalba (Open-Meteo).
GPX: Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added: Thursday 27th August 2026
Page last updated: Tuesday 15th September 2026

Munay Loop via Al Uqdah and Hanging Garden Kalba