How long is the unicorn head route in አዲስ አበባ?

The unicorn head covers 18.8 km with 268 m of ascent and 270 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 129 minutes plus stops.

Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?

Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, climb figures and kilometre splits on this page are free to view; the interactive elevation profile is part of the subscription too.

How accurate is the drawing?

The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 4 km east to west and 2.7 km north to south across አዲስ አበባ.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 9.0303, 38.70625 — roughly 4.5 km west of the centre of አዲስ አበባ. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.

ኢትዮጵያ › አዲስ አበባ › GPS art route

Unicorn head GPS Art Running Route in አዲስ አበባ — 18.8 km

A 18.8 km loop through አዲስ አበባ that draws an unicorn head when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 268 m in total, and covers a footprint about 4 km wide by 2.7 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance18.8 km

Elevation gain268 m

Elevation loss270 m

Estimated time129 min

DifficultyChallenging

Average gradient1.4%

Route map and elevation

Elevation profile

Loading elevation…

Along the line: 268 m of ascent and 270 m of descent across 18.8 km, an average gradient of 1.4%.

Start point: 9.0303, 38.70625 — about 4.5 km west of the centre of አዲስ አበባ. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Kilometre by kilometre

Split	Heading	Elevation change	Range
km 1	Runs east	+7 m	2398–2416 m
km 2	Runs south-south-east	-13 m	2403–2423 m
km 3	Runs north-north-east	-2 m	2401–2412 m
km 4	Runs south-east	-11 m	2379–2401 m
km 5	Runs south-east	-33 m	2358–2391 m
km 6	Runs north	+31 m	2358–2390 m
km 7	Runs north-north-east	+30 m	2388–2418 m
km 8	Runs east-south-east	+17 m	2418–2438 m
km 9	Runs east	+7 m	2432–2445 m
km 10	Runs south-east	-38 m	2402–2442 m
km 11	Runs north-east	+31 m	2404–2435 m
km 12	Runs north-west	+23 m	2431–2457 m
km 13	Runs north-west	+12 m	2457–2469 m
km 14	Runs west-north-west	+15 m	2469–2490 m
km 15	Runs west	-3 m	2480–2487 m
km 16	Runs south-west	-24 m	2451–2481 m
km 17	Runs south-west	-9 m	2438–2457 m
km 18	Runs west-south-west	-40 m	2408–2448 m
km 18.8	Runs west-south-west	0 m	2401–2408 m

Turn-by-turn outline

The 24 direction changes below are the ones that define the drawing. Hitting them accurately matters more than pace — the shape only reads well if the corners are sharp.

0.05 km — turn left, then continue east.
0.20 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
0.36 km — turn right, then continue south-east.
0.62 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
0.87 km — turn sharp right, then continue south-east.
1.01 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
1.21 km — turn right, then continue east-south-east.
1.36 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-north-east.
1.50 km — turn right, then continue east.
1.62 km — turn right, then continue south.
2.27 km — turn sharp left, then continue north.
2.78 km — turn sharp right, then continue east-south-east.
3.11 km — turn sharp right, then continue south-west.
3.24 km — turn left, then continue south-east.
3.42 km — turn left, then continue east.
3.57 km — turn left, then continue south-south-east.
3.92 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
4.19 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
4.34 km — turn left, then continue south-south-east.
4.62 km — turn right, then continue south-south-east.
4.77 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
5.15 km — turn left, then continue north-east.
5.38 km — turn right, then continue east-north-east.
5.58 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.

Difficulty and terrain

Challenging. About 14 m of climb per kilometre. Rolling terrain that rewards steady effort rather than even pacing.

Best months: ኦክቶበር–ፌብሩዋሪ፦ አማካይ ከፍተኛ ሙቀት 20–22°C፣ ወርሃዊ የዝናብ መጠን ወደ 18 ሚሊ ሜትር (ምንጭ፦ Open-Meteo 2020-2024)።

How to run this shape

Download the GPX file with your subscription and load it onto your watch, or open it in the ShapeMiles app.
Start anywhere on the loop — beginning near a landmark makes the finish easier to find.
Keep GPS recording continuous. Pausing mid-run leaves straight lines that cut across the drawing.
Follow the corners precisely; short detours are what blur the shape.
Upload to Strava and the unicorn head appears on your activity map.

Questions about this route

How long is the unicorn head route in አዲስ አበባ?: The unicorn head covers 18.8 km with 268 m of ascent and 270 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 129 minutes plus stops.
Do I need a paid plan to download the GPX?: Yes. The GPX file is included with a ShapeMiles subscription — sign in and subscribe to download it. The file works with Garmin, Coros, Suunto, Strava and any app that reads GPX, and your subscription also covers turn-by-turn navigation in the app and route generation for your own city. The map, climb figures and kilometre splits on this page are free to view; the interactive elevation profile is part of the subscription too.
How accurate is the drawing?: The track follows real, runnable streets and paths, so the shape is recognisable once uploaded to Strava. The drawing spans about 4 km east to west and 2.7 km north to south across አዲስ አበባ.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 9.0303, 38.70625 — roughly 4.5 km west of the centre of አዲስ አበባ. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.