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Kalba to Khor Fakkan

106 km road cycling loop1,317 m climbing4–5½ hoursGPX

Kalba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A hilly 106 km road cycling loop from Kalba, Sharjah through Al Farfar, Ishwais and Al Musalla, with 1,317 m of climbing over Dibba Al-Hisn. Most of it (71.5 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 56.2 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. The first 35 km has no café, shop or water.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Saturday 30th December 2023

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At a glance

Best for
Hilly days out for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
106.2 km
Loop
Elevation gain
1,317 m
12 m per km
Riding time
4–5½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
97% paved · 1% unpaved · 2% no data
Traffic
Mostly main roads
71.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 56.2 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 35 km
19 cafés and restaurants · 18 shops · 1 water point · 4 petrol stations · 4 public toilets
Best months
Dec to Feb
Kalba climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Kalba

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,317 m
Distance
106 km
0200400600800m0 km255075106 km627 m · highest, at 63.2 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Kalba
  2. Al Farfarkm 10
  3. Ishwaiskm 24
  4. Al Musallakm 44
  5. Al Rifa'akm 50
  6. Dibba Al-Hisnkm 51
  7. Ar Rufaysahkm 54
  8. Bulaidhakm 81
  9. Al Ghizaimrikm 94
  10. Kalbakm 106

This 106 km loop ride starts and finishes in Kalba, heading through several settlements including Al Farfar at 10 km, Yabsa at 16.6 km, and Khor Fakkan near 50 km. The first notable climb begins at 14.6 km and goes for 3.6 km, gaining 130 m at an average gradient of 3.6%, near Jabal Muthrad (380 m). The route passes multiple places such as Qurayyah (35.4 km), Madha (38.4 km), and Shis (65.9 km). The highest point is 623 m at 64.3 km, not far from Jabal Daftah (878 m).

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs Dibba Al-Hisn (11.1 km at 5.9 %).
  • Tops out at 623 m, 64.3 km in.
  • A 9.6 km descent dropping 230 m.

Highlights

  • Peak near Jabal Muthrad (380 m) at 15.4 km
  • Highest point at 623 m at 64.3 km
  • Jabal Daftah (878 m) near 67.9 km
  • Climb of 13.8 km with 599 m gain from 50.5 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Al Farfar 10 km
  2. Yabsa 16.6 km
  3. Sakamkam 22.8 km
  4. Al Sharia 1 23.3 km
  5. Al Hilal 23.3 km
  6. Ishwais 24.1 km
  7. Qurayyah 35.4 km
  8. Sha'biyyāt Qirat 36.6 km
  9. Mirbah 37 km
  10. Madha 38.4 km
  11. Al Musalla 44.4 km
  12. Al Qadsia 44.6 km
  13. Al Burdi 45.4 km
  14. Al Khaledya 47.3 km
  15. Al Mudaifi 49.2 km
  16. Al Rifa'a 49.6 km
  17. Al Hayawah 49.8 km
  18. Khor Fakkan 49.9 km
  19. Al Hutain 50.1 km
  20. Al Yarmouk 51.1 km
  21. Ar Rufaysah 53.5 km
  22. Shis 65.9 km
  23. Ghadf 73.7 km
  24. Daftah 75.2 km
  25. Al Rimmani 80.6 km
  26. Bulaidha 81 km
  27. Ghura 81.7 km
  28. Murrah 84.8 km
  29. Al Bithnah 86 km
  30. Sa'if 86.4 km
  31. Al Ghizaimri 93.6 km
  32. Far`ah 94.8 km
  33. Madouk 97.3 km
  34. Saham 103 km
  35. Al Manzafah 103.6 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
Unnamed climb14.6 km3.6 km · 130 m · 3.6 % · max 7.2 %—246 m
Unnamed climb41.3 km1.9 km · 55 m · 2.9 % · max 5.2 %—68 m
Dibba Al-Hisn50.5 km13.8 km · 599 m · 4.3 % · steepest 500 m 11.8 %11.1 km · 657 m · 5.9 %623 m
Unnamed climb66.9 km2.5 km · 83 m · 3.4 % · max 8.2 %—622 m
Unnamed climb94.8 km8.8 km · 225 m · 2.6 % · max 5.5 %—362 m

High point 623 m at 64.3 km; low point 2 m. Passes beneath Jabal Muthrad, Al Jabal Al Ahmar, Jabal Abu Ziba.

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).

Dibba Al-Hisn · full ascent, starts at 50.5 km

11.1 km at 5.9% · 657 m
100200300400500600m3.6%5.0%3.8%5.7%7.4%5.3%3.5%2.6%6.8%3.2%3.2%0 km12345678910111213.3 km681 msteepest 8.0%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 67% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 56.2 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
67% major road · 26% minor road · 2% quiet street · 2% main road · 1% other roads and tracks · 2% unmapped
Main roads
71.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
56.2 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Road (18 km), Khorfakkan Road (15 km), Yabsa Bypass Road (9 km), Port Road (8 km)
Surface
Paved: 97% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved and 2% has no surface data.
Gradient
28% climbing · 32% descending · 40% flat
Steep sections
6.7 km over 5% · 2.1 km over 8% · 0.7 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 22.5% at 0 km
Longest descent
9.6 km from 0.1 km, dropping 230 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 35 km, from the start. Along the route: 19 cafés and restaurants, 18 shops, 1 water point, 4 petrol stations and 4 public toilets.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 35.4 kmEmarat · petrol station · 60 m off route
  2. 41 kmAl Madha Petrol · petrol station · 140 m off route
  3. 42.5 kmToilets · 30 m off route
  4. 44.7 kmin minde cafe · café · 380 m off route
  5. 49.7 kmفيفا · supermarket · 80 m off route
  6. 50 kmAl Fouj · café · 100 m off route
  7. 50.2 kmADNOC · petrol station · 90 m off route
  8. 50.7 kmAl Enwan medical center · hospital · 90 m off route
  9. 54.3 kmWishi · restaurant · 100 m off route
  10. 55.3 kmSharjah Coop · supermarket · 90 m off route
  11. 67.2 kmToilets · 60 m off route
  12. 67.4 kmAlsad Ice Cream - Branch 2 · ice cream · 50 m off route
  13. 67.4 kmMohamed Al Yoha Supermarket · supermarket · 60 m off route
  14. 67.7 kmEmarat · petrol station · 100 m off route
  15. 75.1 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
  16. 80.5 kmAl Safa Supermarket · supermarket · 40 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 23.4 km — Fujairah Station (station), 560 m off route

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

Worth a stop

  • 55.1 km — Reservoir. Observation deck (viewpoint)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café, shop or water for 35.4 km from start
  • 71.5 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 56.2 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • 2.1 km of gravel or unpaved surface

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

5 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 Kalba (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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