How long is the cat silhouette route in Addis Ababa?

The cat silhouette covers 17.5 km with 216 m of ascent and 210 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 118 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 3.3 km east to west and 3.4 km north to south across Addis Ababa.

Where does the route start?

The start point is at 9.01826, 38.8311 — roughly 9.3 km east of the centre of Addis Ababa. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.

Ethiopia › Addis Ababa › GPS art route

Cat silhouette GPS Art Running Route in Addis Ababa — 17.5 km

A 17.5 km loop through Addis Ababa that draws a cat silhouette when you upload it to Strava. The line follows public streets and paths, climbs 216 m in total, and covers a footprint about 3.3 km wide by 3.4 km tall.

Navigate it in the app

Distance17.5 km

Elevation gain216 m

Elevation loss210 m

Estimated time118 min

DifficultyChallenging

Average gradient1.2%

Route map and elevation

Elevation profile

Loading elevation…

Along the line: 216 m of ascent and 210 m of descent across 17.5 km, an average gradient of 1.2%.

Start point: 9.01826, 38.8311 — about 9.3 km east of the centre of Addis Ababa. 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-south-east	-2 m	2363–2374 m
km 2	Runs east-south-east	+4 m	2358–2371 m
km 3	Runs east-south-east	-6 m	2365–2375 m
km 4	Runs south-south-east	-23 m	2340–2365 m
km 5	Runs east	+27 m	2342–2369 m
km 6	Runs east-north-east	+1 m	2362–2370 m
km 7	Runs north-east	+15 m	2370–2385 m
km 8	Runs north	+15 m	2385–2400 m
km 9	Runs east-north-east	+3 m	2388–2403 m
km 10	Runs north	+38 m	2403–2449 m
km 11	Runs north-west	+7 m	2440–2465 m
km 12	Runs west-north-west	-11 m	2425–2451 m
km 13	Runs north-north-west	+9 m	2435–2448 m
km 14	Runs west	+1 m	2443–2455 m
km 15	Runs south	-38 m	2410–2448 m
km 16	Runs south-south-west	-12 m	2398–2410 m
km 17	Runs west-south-west	-10 m	2387–2398 m
km 17.5	Runs south-west	-14 m	2374–2388 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 right, then continue west-south-west.
0.25 km — turn left, then continue north.
0.39 km — turn right, then continue south.
0.53 km — turn left, then continue east.
0.68 km — turn left, then continue east.
0.80 km — turn right, then continue south.
0.96 km — turn left, then continue north.
1.11 km — turn right, then continue west.
1.35 km — turn right, then continue south-west.
1.53 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
1.68 km — turn right, then continue north-north-east.
1.94 km — turn right, then continue east.
2.17 km — turn sharp left, then continue west-south-west.
2.37 km — turn left, then continue north-north-east.
2.50 km — turn sharp left, then continue south-south-west.
2.63 km — turn sharp left, then continue east.
2.77 km — turn right, then continue south.
3.00 km — turn right, then continue south.
3.13 km — turn left, then continue east.
3.36 km — turn right, then continue south.
3.52 km — turn right, then continue south.
3.72 km — turn left, then continue east-south-east.
3.87 km — turn sharp left, then continue north-north-east.
4.09 km — turn sharp right, then continue north-north-east.

Difficulty and terrain

Challenging. About 12 m of climb per kilometre. Rolling terrain that rewards steady effort rather than even pacing.

Best months: October to February: average highs of 20–22°C and about 18 mm of rain a month (Open-Meteo historical archive 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 cat silhouette appears on your activity map.

Questions about this route

How long is the cat silhouette route in Addis Ababa?: The cat silhouette covers 17.5 km with 216 m of ascent and 210 m of descent. At a steady 6:00/km, allow about 118 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 3.3 km east to west and 3.4 km north to south across Addis Ababa.
Where does the route start?: The start point is at 9.01826, 38.8311 — roughly 9.3 km east of the centre of Addis Ababa. The route is a loop, so you can begin anywhere along the line.