Draw your own shape
Outline the area you actually need, not just a rectangle. Cut out the sea or the city and keep the desert.
Navra on the web / Offline map packs
Offline maps,
cut to your route.
Pick the area on a big screen, shape it around the route, see what it will cost in storage and plan the pack before the signal disappears.
Why a big screen
Offline map packs
Coverage in the UAE is better than most people expect, right up to the point where it is not. A dune crossing, a wadi in the Hajar or the back of a long gravel track can all be dead zones. An offline map is the difference between a phone that still shows your position on a clear map and one that shows a blue dot on grey.
The usual way to get one is to pan around on a tiny screen and hope you covered the right ground. It is easy to save the main drive and forget the approach road, the fuel station or the exit.
On the web you can see the whole plan at once. Draw a shape around the area, or follow the route with a corridor, and watch the estimate before committing. The result is a pack that matches the drive, not a random rectangle.
What you get
Build a pack that matches the drive
Corridor along a route
Pick a saved route and choose how wide a strip to keep on either side. Long linear drives stay small and still include the approach and the exits.
See the size first
Check the estimated storage before you commit, so a pack never fills a phone by surprise.
Choose the map style
Offline tiles belong to a map style. Decide between a road, satellite or terrain view for the pack while you can compare them on a large screen.
Print a map as backup
Output the same area as a printable page for the glovebox. Paper does not run out of battery.
Download on the phone
The phone does the actual downloading, on Wi-Fi, before you leave. Check the app for how planned areas appear there.
Step by step
Plan a pack for a weekend in the dunes
Open your route
Start from a route in your library, or find the area on the map by name or coordinate.
Choose a shape
Draw an outline around the drive, or use a corridor along the route. Include the meeting point and every likely exit.
Pick the map style
Select the view you will drive with. Terrain suits dunes and mountains, satellite suits open ground.
Read the estimate
Look at the size. If it is too large, tighten the shape or narrow the corridor.
Name and save the pack
Give it a name you will recognise, such as Liwa weekend or Sweihan loop.
Download on the phone
Open Navra on your phone over Wi-Fi, download the area, then check it with mobile data switched off before you leave.
Phone or computer
When to use the phone instead
The phone is where the map is actually stored and used, so the final download and the airplane mode test always happen there. Offline map downloads are a Navra Pro feature, so confirm your plan in the app first. If you are already at the trailhead with signal, it is quicker to save an area directly in the app.
Offline maps help your own navigation only. Live convoy positions need an internet connection, so agree meeting points and a regroup plan with the group before you lose signal.
Straight answers
Frequently asked questions
Can I download an offline map from the web app straight to my phone?
You plan and shape the area on the web. The map tiles themselves are downloaded and stored on the phone, so do that in the Navra app on Wi-Fi before you leave coverage.
Are offline maps free?
Offline map downloads are a Navra Pro feature. The core app is free. Current plans and local prices are shown in the app and the official stores.
How big should the area be?
Big enough to include the meeting point, the whole route, fuel and every sensible exit, and no bigger. A corridor along the route keeps long drives small.
Do offline maps show live convoy positions?
No. They support your own navigation without data. Live convoy sharing needs an internet connection.
Should I still carry a backup?
Yes. Phones fail in heat and sand. Print the map or carry a second device, and tell someone your route and your expected return time.
Cut the map. Keep the route.
Open the web app, shape an offline area around your next drive, then download the map in the app on your phone before you leave.