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Nazwa to Showka

131 km road cycling loop336 m climbing4–5½ hoursGPX

Nazwa, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A flat 131 km road cycling loop from Nazwa, Sharjah through Al Dafain, Sha'biyyat Bahayis and Filli, with 336 m of climbing. Most of it (120.8 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 31.7 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 31 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 98–129).

Route contributed by Marcus and Richard Chapman · Created from a ride on Saturday 22nd January 2022

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At a glance

Best for
Long endurance days for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
131.2 km
Loop
Elevation gain
336 m
3 m per km
Riding time
4–5½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
98% paved · 2% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly main roads
120.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 31.7 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 31 km
8 cafés and restaurants · 11 shops · 2 water points · 1 petrol station · 1 public toilet · 1 bike shop
Best months
Dec to Feb
Nazwa climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Nazwa

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
336 m
Distance
131 km
0100200300400m0 km50100131 km308 m · highest, at 61.4 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Nazwa
  2. Al Dafainkm 22
  3. Sha'biyyat Bahayiskm 29
  4. Fillikm 39
  5. Shariyahkm 63
  6. Shawkakm 63
  7. Musseilikm 71
  8. Al Fayahkm 98
  9. Mahafizkm 111
  10. Nazwakm 131

The ride starts and finishes in Nazwa beneath Qarn Nazwa (200 m). Heading south-east it passes through Al Dafain (21.6 km), Sha'biyyat Bahayis (28.8 km), and Filli (39.1 km), riding mostly on paved roads that are 87% main roads and 6% major roads. There is a petrol station at 24 km and shops including Sharjah Coop at 34.1 km and drinking water at 39.6 km. The climb begins at 58.3 km with 1.7 km gaining 40 m averaging 2.4%, reaching the highest point at 308 m (60.1 km), near Jabal Shauka (439 m) and Jabal Sakhbiri (360 m).

Why ride this route?

  • Tops out at 308 m, 60.1 km in.

Highlights

  • Longest climb: 1.7 km at 2.4%
  • Highest point 308 m near Jabal Shauka
  • Nazwa at start and end
  • Showka at 63 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Al Dafain 21.6 km
  2. Sha'biyyat Bahayis 28.8 km
  3. Filli 39.1 km
  4. Shariyah 62.9 km
  5. Shawka 63.4 km
  6. Musseili 71.3 km
  7. Al Fayah 98 km
  8. Mahafiz 111.2 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb58.3 km1.7 km · 40 m · 2.4 % · max 3.6 %308 m

High point 308 m at 60.1 km; low point 129 m. Passes beneath Qarn Nazwa, Jabal Shauka, Jabal Sakhbiri.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 92% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 31.7 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
87% main road · 6% major road · 2% track · 2% quiet street · 3% other roads and tracks
Main roads
120.8 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
31.7 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Mahafiz - Al Fayah Road (15 km), Al Dhaid-Maliha Road (5 km)
Surface
Paved: 98% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved.
Gradient
3% climbing · 2% descending · 96% 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 31 km, from km 98 to 129. Along the route: 8 cafés and restaurants, 11 shops, 2 water points, 1 petrol station, 1 public toilet and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 0 kmAl Fareed Restaurant · restaurant · 160 m off route
  2. 11.9 km2 December Cafeteria · café · 40 m off route
  3. 24 kmADNOC · petrol station · on the route
  4. 34.1 kmSharjah Coop · supermarket · 60 m off route
  5. 39.6 kmDrinking water · on the route
  6. 57.4 kmWadi al meqaitei · convenience store · on the route
  7. 57.4 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
  8. 60.8 kmToilets · 90 m off route
  9. 63.5 kmRestaurant · 40 m off route
  10. 64.9 kmShowka Bicycles · bike shop · 450 m off route
  11. 84.9 kmAl Majal · supermarket · 60 m off route
  12. 98.1 kmMavia Al Faya · restaurant · 60 m off route
  13. 129.3 kmNazwa Oiasis Restaurant · restaurant · 130 m off route
  14. 129.3 kmDesert Mountain Supermarket · supermarket · 130 m off route

Start and access

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

At the start and finish

Food and coffee
Al Fareed Restaurant (160 m), Ghadeer Saeed Café & Restaurant (260 m)
Shops
Desert Mountain Supermarket (270 m), Nazwa Valley Grocery (300 m)

Know before you go

  • 31 km with no café, shop or water from 98.1 km
  • 120.8 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 31.7 km on roads posted 80 km/h or more
  • 2% gravel or unpaved surface

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

11 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus and Richard Chapman
Date ridden
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 Nazwa (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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