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Around Khor Fakkan

113 km road cycling loop1,907 m climbing4½–6½ hoursGPX

Khor Fakkan, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A mountainous 113 km road cycling loop from Al Ghamarah, Sharjah through Daftah, Al Qadsia and Nahwa, with 1,907 m of climbing over Jabal Half and Jabal Daftah (603 m). Most of it (93.2 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 47.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 47 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 24–71).

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At a glance

Best for
Hilly days out for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
112.9 km
Loop
Elevation gain
1,907 m
17 m per km
Riding time
4½–6½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
96% paved · 1% unpaved · 3% no data
Traffic
Mostly main roads
93.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 47.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 47 km
13 cafés and restaurants · 15 shops · 2 water points · 3 petrol stations · 4 public toilets
Best months
Nov to Mar
Khor Fakkan climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Al Ghamarah

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Around Khor Fakkan, Khor Fakkan

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,907 m
Distance
113 km
0200400600800m0 km255075100113 km628 m · highest, at 17.1 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Al Ghamarah
  2. Jabal Daftah (641 m)km 4
  3. Daftahkm 4
  4. Al Qadsiakm 28
  5. Nahwakm 46
  6. Jabal Halfkm 47
  7. Al Musallakm 81
  8. Jabal Daftah (603 m)km 83
  9. Al Hutainkm 84
  10. Al Ghamarahkm 113

The route starts from Al Ghamarah, quickly reaching Daftah at 4.1km and then Shis at 12.5km, where the first climbs begin. Significant climbs include a 5.4km climb of 241m average 4.5% from 3.6km, a short 1.1km ascent near 12.8km, and a longer 18.7km climb of 606m with a max gradient of 18.7% starting at 83.1km, reaching the highest point at 629m towards the last third of the route. The profile features 39% climbing and 34% descending, with the longest descent stretching 9.1km from 65.8km and a total elevation gain of 1907m.

Surface is mostly paved (96%), with just 1% gravel or unpaved and some unmapped sections. Roads consist of 53% major road, 32% main road, 8% minor roads, 4% quiet streets, and 1% paths. Nearly all (93.2km) on main roads lack cycle lanes and 47.3km are on roads with speed limits above 80 km/h. Key roads include Khorfakkan Road (30.7km) and Madha Road (26.4km). The route passes numerous towns, including Qidfa, Al Nahwa Old Hamlet, Nahwa, Madha, and Masafi near the finish. The longest stretch without café, shop or water is 47km between km 24.1 and 71.1.

Why ride this route?

  • The longest of the 6 rides from Khor Fakkan.
  • Climbs Jabal Daftah (641 m) (5.7 km at 5 %), Jabal Half (8.7 km at 4.1 %) and Jabal Daftah (603 m) (10.7 km at 5.8 %).
  • Tops out at 629 m, 101.8 km in.
  • A 9.1 km descent dropping 351 m.

Highlights

  • Climb to 629m at 101.8km high point
  • Passes beneath Jabal Daftah (878m) at 10.5km
  • Longest descent 9.1km from 65.8km
  • Wadi Shi Archaeological Site near 25.1km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Daftah 4.1 km
  2. Shis 12.5 km
  3. Ar Rufaysah 24.7 km
  4. Al Qadsia 28 km
  5. Qidfa 33 km
  6. Al Nahwa Old Hamlet 43.8 km
  7. Nahwa 46.1 km
  8. Sa‘d 47.5 km
  9. Madha 74.1 km
  10. Al Musalla 81 km
  11. Al Burdi 82.9 km
  12. Khor Fakkan 83.3 km
  13. Al Hutain 83.5 km
  14. Al Yarmouk 83.7 km
  15. Ghadf 108.6 km
  16. Masafi 110.5 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 Daftah (641 m)3.6 km5.4 km · 241 m · 4.5 % · max 8.3 %5.7 km · 281 m · 5 %604 m
Unnamed climb12.8 km1.1 km · 41 m · 3.9 % · max 8.5 %—581 m
Unnamed climb37.4 km2.2 km · 50 m · 2.2 % · max 3.2 %—114 m
Unnamed climb39.8 km4.3 km · 126 m · 2.9 % · max 5.1 %—244 m
Jabal Half47.1 km4.6 km · 226 m · 4.9 % · max 9.3 %8.7 km · 354 m · 4.1 %417 m
Unnamed climb59.5 km3 km · 66 m · 2.2 % · max 3.8 %—421 m
Unnamed climb77.9 km2.1 km · 57 m · 2.7 % · max 5.3 %—68 m
Jabal Daftah (603 m)83.1 km18.7 km · 606 m · 3.2 % · steepest 500 m 12.6 %10.7 km · 619 m · 5.8 %629 m
Unnamed climb107 km3.5 km · 90 m · 2.6 % · max 3.3 %—451 m

High point 629 m at 101.8 km; low point 11 m. Passes beneath Jabal Daftah, Jabal al Qitayliyah, Jabal Muhammad Bin Salim.

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 Daftah (641 m) · full ascent, starts at 3.6 km

5.7 km at 5% · 281 m
400450500550600650700m3.1%6.5%9.4%0.6%0 km123456.3 km681 msteepest 9.4%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

Jabal Half · full ascent, starts at 47 km

8.7 km at 4.1% · 354 m
100150200250300350400m3.5%6.8%7.4%5.3%2.9%3.0%0 km123456788.8 km419 msteepest 7.4%

Jabal Daftah (603 m) · full ascent, starts at 83 km

10.7 km at 5.8% · 619 m
100200300400500600m3.5%5.8%3.2%5.3%8.7%4.6%4.1%1.7%12%0%0%-3.8%-0.8%-1.7%6.4%0 km1234567891011121314151617.2 km591 msteepest 12.1%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 83% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 47.3 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
53% major road · 32% main road · 8% minor road · 4% quiet street · 1% other roads and tracks · 3% unmapped
Main roads
93.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
47.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Khorfakkan Road (31 km), Madha Road (26 km), Madha - Al Qitaylah Road (7 km), E199 (6 km)
Surface
Paved: 96% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved and 3% has no surface data.
Gradient
39% climbing · 34% descending · 27% flat
Steep sections
9.6 km over 5% · 2.3 km over 8% · 0.4 km over 10%
Longest descent
9.1 km from 65.8 km, dropping 351 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 47 km, from km 24 to 71. Along the route: 13 cafés and restaurants, 15 shops, 2 water points, 3 petrol stations and 4 public toilets.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0.7 kmAl Aswaq · supermarket · 60 m off route
  2. 3.5 kmDrinking water · 160 m off route
  3. 11 kmAlsad Ice Cream - Branch 2 · ice cream · 40 m off route
  4. 11 kmMohamed Al Yoha Supermarket · supermarket · 50 m off route
  5. 11.2 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  6. 23.2 kmSharjah Coop · supermarket · 60 m off route
  7. 24.1 kmWishi · restaurant · 80 m off route
  8. 31 kmToilets · 120 m off route
  9. 71.1 kmDrinking water · 90 m off route
  10. 77.6 kmAl Madha Petrol · petrol station · 70 m off route
  11. 79.1 kmToilets · 50 m off route
  12. 82.4 kmin minde cafe · café · 240 m off route
  13. 83.3 kmConvenience store · 210 m off route
  14. 83.3 kmAl Enwan medical center · hospital · 90 m off route
  15. 100.2 kmEmarat · petrol station · 70 m off route
  16. 110.5 kmEmarat · petrol station · 290 m off route
  17. 110.5 kmMasafi Hospital · hospital · 150 m off route

Worth a stop

  • 25.1 km — Wadi Shi Archaeological Site (archaeological site)
  • 40.3 km — Wadi Madha Picnic Point (picnic site)
  • 87.6 km — Reservoir. Observation deck (viewpoint)

Start and access

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

At the start and finish

Shops
Al Aswaq (630 m)

Know before you go

  • 93.2 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • 47.3 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • 47 km no café, shop or water between 24.1 and 71.1 km
  • Gravel or unpaved 1% of route

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

About this route

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 Khor Fakkan (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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Also over Jabal Daftah (641 m)

Also over Jabal Half

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