Road · United Arab Emirates
Kalba Loop via Sakamkam and Yabsa Bypass Road
A hilly 95 km road cycling loop from Kalba, Sharjah through Madouk, Al Quala'a and Sakamkam, with 873 m of climbing over Ishwais climb (243 m). Most of it (55.4 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 17.2 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 27 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 66–93).
At a glance
- Best for
- Hilly days out for confident riders at ease in traffic
- Distance
- 95.1 km
- Elevation gain
- 873 m
- Riding time
- 4–5½ hours
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Bike
- Road bike
- Surface
- Paved
- Traffic
- Mostly main roads
- Food & water
- Longest gap 27 km
- Best months
- Dec to Feb
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start and finish
- Kalba
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 873 m
- 95 km
Route description
- Kalba
- Madouk
- Al Quala'a
- Al Sidrah
- Dhyatt
- Al Husen
- Owaid
- Ishwais climb (243 m)
- Sakamkam
- Kalba
This 95 km loop starts and finishes in Kalba, passing through places including Madouk at 6.2 km, Ihfarah at 22.9 km, and Al Ghail at 46.2 km. The route climbs away from Kalba between 25 and 32 km with three climbs totalling nearly 275 m gain, the steepest with a max gradient of 8.1%. It passes at low altitude near 50 km before heading north.
The ride continues through towns like Al Quala'a and Al Sidrah after 50 km, and through areas such as Yabsa Bypass Road near 75 km. The largest climb starts at 68.8 km, rising 235 m over 4.3 km with gradients reaching 13%, followed later by a longer climb of 7.8 km starting near 83 km gaining 209 m with a max gradient of 5.9%. Road surfaces are 97% paved, largely on minor, main, major roads and some motorway totaling about 55 km on main roads without cycle lanes. Cafés, shops and petrol stations are available early on, but there is no café, shop or water for 26.7 km between 65.8 and 92.5 km.
Why ride this route?
- Climbs Ishwais climb (243 m) (4.5 km at 5.3 %).
- Tops out at 370 m, 92.2 km in.
- A 6.3 km descent dropping 152 m.
Highlights
- Climb near Jabal Hafarah at 22 km
- Kalba at 50 km low point at 1 m
- Longest climb starts at 68.8 km
- Pass beneath Jabal Muthrad at 76 km
Along the route
Places passed
Climbs
| Climb | Starts at | On this ride | Full ascent | Top on this ride |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed climb | 25.2 km | 5.1 km · 112 m · 2.2 % · max 3.2 % | — | 169 m |
| Unnamed climb | 30.7 km | 2.5 km · 99 m · 3.9 % · max 8.1 % | — | 270 m |
| Unnamed climb | 36.3 km | 2.3 km · 63 m · 2.8 % · max 3.6 % | — | 265 m |
| Ishwais climb (243 m) | 68.8 km | 4.3 km · 235 m · 5.5 % · max 13 % | 4.5 km · 240 m · 5.3 % | 247 m |
| Unnamed climb | 82.9 km | 7.8 km · 209 m · 2.7 % · max 5.9 % | — | 346 m |
Ishwais climb (243 m) · full ascent, starts at 68.8 km
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%
Traffic, surface and gradient
This is not a cycle-track route: 58% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 17.2 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.
- Roads
- 28% minor road · 23% main road · 23% major road · 14% motorway · 12% other roads and tracks
- Main roads
- 55.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 17.2 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Main roads used
- Yabsa Bypass Road (10 km), Mohammed Bin Zayed City (6 km), Sharjah - Kalba Road (6 km), H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Freeway (5 km)
- Surface
- Paved: 97% of the route is mapped as paved and 3% has no surface data.
- Gradient
- 24% climbing · 22% descending · 54% flat
- Steep sections
- 2.6 km over 5% · 1.2 km over 8% · 0.6 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 22.8% at 0 km
- Longest descent
- 6.3 km from 7 km, dropping 152 m
Food, water and services
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 27 km, from km 66 to 93. Along the route: 71 cafés and restaurants, 14 shops, 11 petrol stations, 2 public toilets and 1 bike shop.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 14.7 kmADNOC · petrol station · 90 m off route
- 18.4 kmAl Gazal Cafeteria · restaurant · 80 m off route
- 39.5 kmHabib Beirut · restaurant · 70 m off route
- 45 kmStarbucks · café · 80 m off route
- 45.2 kmToilets · 100 m off route
- 45.2 kmADNOC · petrol station · 80 m off route
- 48.3 kmSharjah Coop · supermarket · 200 m off route
- 54.2 kmAl Zaytoon · pharmacy · 60 m off route
- 56.3 kmTamm Cafe · café · 110 m off route
- 58.7 kmAkbar Supermarket · convenience store · 310 m off route
- 59.3 kmToilets · 110 m off route
- 60.4 kmBike rental · on the route
- 60.8 kmMawadda gourmet · café · 180 m off route
- 61.1 kmENOC · petrol station · on the route
- 62.8 kmAl Sharq Pharmacy · pharmacy · 50 m off route
- 65.2 kmMap Cafe · café · 80 m off route
- 65.6 kmAl Madina Supermarket · supermarket · 70 m off route
Need to bail out?
- 67.5 km — Fujairah Station (station), 120 m off route
Worth a stop
- 39.5 km — Hanging Garden Kalba (attraction)
- 48 km — Visit Center of Khor Kalba Mangrove Reserve (attraction)
- 55.5 km — Kalba Fort (castle)
- 59.5 km — Bull fighting (Bullring) (attraction)
Know before you go
- 26.7 km without café, shop or water from km 65.8 to 92.5
- 55.4 km on main roads without cycle lane
- 17.2 km on fast roads (posted 80 km/h or more)
