ShapeMiles
PricingLogin

United Arab Emirates › Abu Dhabi › GPS art route

Butterfly GPS Art Running Route in Abu Dhabi — 10.7 km

A 10.7 km loop through Abu Dhabi that draws a butterfly when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 28 m in total, and covers a footprint about 2 km wide by 1.8 km tall.

Navigate it in the app
Distance10.7 km
Elevation gain28 m
Elevation loss29 m
Estimated time66 min
DifficultyModerate
Average gradient0.3%

Video preview

A satellite flyover of the finished butterfly over Abu Dhabi, rendered from this exact GPX file.

Route map

Start point: 24.49284, 54.3576 — about 6.1 km north-west of the centre of Abu Dhabi. It is a closed loop, so any point on the line works as a start.

Elevation profile

Measured from the elevation data in the GPX file: 28 m of ascent and 29 m of descent across 10.7 km, an average gradient of 0.3%.

2 m-1 m0.0 km2.7 km5.4 km8.0 km10.7 km

Kilometre by kilometre

SplitHeadingElevation changeRange
km 1Runs east-south-east0 m-1–2 m
km 2Runs north-east0 m0–2 m
km 3Runs east0 m1–1 m
km 4Runs east-north-east0 m1–2 m
km 5Runs south-south-west0 m1–2 m
km 6Runs south-1 m0–2 m
km 7Runs west-north-west0 m1–2 m
km 8Runs south-west0 m1–2 m
km 9Runs north-north-west0 m0–2 m
km 10Runs north-north-west-1 m0–2 m
km 10.7Runs north+1 m0–1 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.

  1. 0.03 km — turn right, then continue east-south-east.
  2. 0.23 km — turn right, then continue south-east.
  3. 0.82 km — turn sharp right, then continue north-west.
  4. 1.06 km — turn left, then continue east.
  5. 1.22 km — turn left, then continue north.
  6. 1.34 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
  7. 1.47 km — turn sharp right, then continue south-south-east.
  8. 1.62 km — turn left, then continue east-north-east.
  9. 1.79 km — turn left, then continue north-north-west.
  10. 1.93 km — turn right, then continue north.
  11. 2.06 km — turn right, then continue south-south-west.
  12. 2.22 km — turn left, then continue south.
  13. 2.40 km — turn sharp left, then continue east-north-east.
  14. 2.68 km — turn left, then continue north.
  15. 2.82 km — turn sharp left, then continue north.
  16. 3.00 km — turn left, then continue north-north-east.
  17. 3.13 km — turn right, then continue north.
  18. 3.28 km — turn right, then continue north-east.
  19. 3.68 km — turn right, then continue south-east.
  20. 3.88 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-north-east.
  21. 4.17 km — turn right, then continue south.
  22. 4.40 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
  23. 4.71 km — turn left, then continue south.
  24. 5.00 km — turn left, then continue south.

Difficulty and terrain

Moderate. Flat profile, but 10.7 km of concentration on the line. Expect the distance, not the climb, to be the limiting factor.

Surface: Urban roads, park paths, and mixed city surfaces.

Safety: Check traffic flow, sidewalks, and route lighting before your run.

Best months: Year-round, based on local weather and race calendar.

How to run this shape

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

Other GPS art routes in Abu Dhabi

All 14 GPS art routes in Abu Dhabi

Questions about this route

How long is the butterfly route in Abu Dhabi?
The butterfly covers 10.7 km with 28 m of ascent and 29 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 66 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, elevation profile and kilometre splits on this page are free to view.
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 2 km east to west and 1.8 km north to south across Abu Dhabi.
Where does the route start?
The start point is at 24.49284, 54.3576 — roughly 6.1 km north-west of the centre of Abu Dhabi. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.
Butterfly GPS Art Running Route in Abu Dhabi — 10.7 km | ShapeMiles