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Showka to Sour Kalba via Yabsa

132 km road cycling loop1,366 m climbing4½–6½ hoursGPX

Showka, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A hilly 132 km road cycling loop from Showka, Ras Al Khaimah through Shawka, Esfini and Far`ah, with 1,366 m of climbing. Most of it (104.7 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 67.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 62 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 67–129).

Route contributed by Marcus and Richard Chapman · Created from a ride on Saturday 2nd December 2023

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At a glance

Best for
Long endurance days for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
131.6 km
Loop
Elevation gain
1,366 m
10 m per km
Riding time
4½–6½ hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
99% paved · 1% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly main roads
104.7 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 67.3 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 62 km
57 cafés and restaurants · 17 shops · 2 water points · 6 petrol stations · 3 public toilets · 2 bike shops
Best months
Dec to Feb
Showka climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Showka

Map and elevation profile

On the road: Showka to Sour Kalba via Yabsa, Showka

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,366 m
Distance
132 km
0100200300400500m0 km50100132 km482 m · highest, at 122.6 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Showka
  2. Shawkakm 2
  3. Esfinikm 25
  4. Far`ahkm 42
  5. Sakamkamkm 56
  6. Al Shariakm 60
  7. Safadkm 64
  8. Tarif Kalbakm 74
  9. Al Uqdahkm 85
  10. Showkakm 132

This 131.6 km loop course begins near Showka and proceeds through many places including Shariyah, Kadrah, Esfini, Rima, and further on to Munay before returning. The route covers a total elevation gain of 1178 m, with several climbs that vary in length from 1.9 km to 5.5 km and have average gradients from 2.2% to 3.9%, with maximum gradients reaching up to 11.7%. The highest point is at 485 m elevation near 120.1 km of the route. The road surface is 99% paved with just a small 1% gravel or unpaved section. Roads are a mixture of motorway, main, major, minor roads, quiet streets, and a short track stretch. There are 104.7 km on main roads without cycle lanes and 67.3 km on roads with speed limits of 80 km/h or above.

Why ride this route?

  • Tops out at 485 m, 120.1 km in.
  • An 8.8 km descent dropping 343 m.

Highlights

  • Cycle beneath Jabal Ash Shibkah (265 m)
  • Climb near Jabal Muthrad (380 m)
  • Pass Jabal Ash Shahayrah (532 m) near 122 km
  • Highest point at 485 m around 120 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Shariyah 2.3 km
  2. Kadrah 12.8 km
  3. Esfini 24.8 km
  4. Rima 27.7 km
  5. Mamduh 29.4 km
  6. Madouk 39.8 km
  7. Far`ah 41.8 km
  8. Al Ghizaimri 42.9 km
  9. Al Farfar 43.1 km
  10. Yabsa 49.9 km
  11. Sakamkam 55.8 km
  12. Ishwais 56.6 km
  13. Al Sharia 1 59.1 km
  14. Al Hilal 59.4 km
  15. Al Sharia 60.4 km
  16. Al Faseel 61.7 km
  17. Owaid 62.7 km
  18. Ghalala 63.7 km
  19. Safad 63.7 km
  20. Al Gurfaa 64.8 km
  21. Sour Kalba 67 km
  22. Rughaylat 67.5 km
  23. Tarif Kalba 74.3 km
  24. Ihfarah 77.6 km
  25. Al Saaf 79.6 km
  26. Al Ghail 79.8 km
  27. Al Uqdah 85.1 km
  28. Minazif 101.3 km
  29. Al Qilē'ī 102.2 km
  30. Munay 108.6 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 climb31 km2.5 km · 59 m · 2.3 % · max 3.7 %454 m
Unnamed climb47.9 km3.2 km · 103 m · 3.2 % · max 5.5 %217 m
Unnamed climb79.8 km5.5 km · 121 m · 2.2 % · max 3.3 %162 m
Unnamed climb85.9 km2.4 km · 95 m · 3.9 % · max 8.3 %267 m
Unnamed climb92.8 km1.9 km · 58 m · 3 % · max 11.7 %268 m
Unnamed climb95.7 km4 km · 134 m · 3.4 % · max 9.3 %301 m
Unnamed climb101.5 km2.2 km · 66 m · 3 % · max 4.7 %307 m
Unnamed climb114.6 km5.3 km · 148 m · 2.8 % · max 7.2 %479 m

High point 485 m at 120.1 km; low point 2 m. Passes beneath Jabal Ash Shibkah, Jabal Muthrad, Jabal al Qusīy.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 80% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 67.3 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
36% motorway · 31% main road · 15% minor road · 15% major road · 4% other roads and tracks
Main roads
104.7 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
67.3 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Sharjah - Kalba Road (35 km), Yabsa Bypass Road (9 km), H.H. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Freeway (8 km), Kalba Ring Road (6 km)
Surface
Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient
26% climbing · 21% descending · 53% flat
Steep sections
4.1 km over 5% · 1 km over 8% · 0.6 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 17.9% at 0 km
Longest descent
8.8 km from 34.9 km, dropping 343 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 62 km, from km 67 to 129. Along the route: 57 cafés and restaurants, 17 shops, 2 water points, 6 petrol stations, 3 public toilets and 2 bike shops.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 1.8 kmRestaurant · 50 m off route
  2. 2.1 kmWadi al meqaitei · convenience store · 70 m off route
  3. 2.1 kmDrinking water · 110 m off route
  4. 12.6 kmKadrah Health Center · clinic · 80 m off route
  5. 24.4 kmHospital · 140 m off route
  6. 25.5 kmConvenience store · 80 m off route
  7. 30.8 kmDrinking water · 190 m off route
  8. 58.7 kmZOOM · convenience store · 50 m off route
  9. 58.7 kmENOC · petrol station · 50 m off route
  10. 62.6 kmBin Moosa Pharmacy · pharmacy · on the route
  11. 63.8 kmAl Madina supermarket · supermarket · 240 m off route
  12. 64.4 kmBike rental · 130 m off route
  13. 65.2 kmToilets · 100 m off route
  14. 65.8 kmCafe Di Roma · café · 80 m off route
  15. 66.6 kmADNOC · petrol station · 80 m off route
  16. 80 kmKalba Health Center · clinic · 780 m off route
  17. 115.5 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  18. 123.3 kmToilets · 130 m off route

Need to bail out?

  • 57 km — Fujairah Station (station), 90 m off route

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

Worth a stop

  • 65.2 km — Bull fighting (Bullring) (attraction)

Start and access

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

At the start and finish

Bikes and repair
Showka Bicycles (590 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café, shop, or water for 62.3 km from km 66.6 to 128.9
  • 104.7 km on main roads with no cycle lane
  • 67.3 km on roads with speed limits 80 km/h or higher
  • 1% gravel or unpaved surface

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

14 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 Showka (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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