Sri Lanka By Bike

Today, we’ll pick you up early from your hotel in Colombo. Then, we’ll go to Colombo Fort station to catch a train heading towards Kandy, a hilly area. The train ride is very beautiful and lasts about 3-4 hours. When we get to Kandy around lunchtime, we’ll meet our support team and get our bikes. To start off, we’ll ride from the train station into the town center, avoiding busy streets. Along the way, we’ll see a river and some local villages. In the evening, we can visit the Temple of the Tooth, where there’s a special Buddha tooth. There, you can learn about its history in a prayer hall. Later, we’ll have dinner together in Kandy.

Today, we’ll ride on quiet back roads, starting from Kandy. Soon after leaving Kandy, we’ll start climbing uphill. As we go, there will be fewer people around, and we’ll see more tea plantations. Keep an eye out for small shops by the road where you can buy tasty snacks like fresh dates and dried corn crackers. Today, we’ll also have some downhill stretches and encounter different types of road surfaces, but there won’t be much traffic.

We’ll end our ride at Gampola railway station, where we’ll catch a train to go higher up into the mountains. The train journey is really beautiful, and the seats are comfy. We’ll get off at Nana Oya and then take a short car ride to Nuwara Eliya. It’s colder up here, so make sure to bring warm clothes. But don’t worry, the hotel has a cozy fireplace and serves a delicious dinner.

If you’re in the shorter ride group, you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast before a quick van ride to the starting point of your ride. After that, both groups will follow the same route.

Today, we’re going on a loop ride. First, we’ll have a fun downhill ride, then we’ll pedal up a hill through tea plantations. Along the way, we might see women wearing colorful clothes, carrying baskets on their heads and picking tea leaves.

When we reach the top, we’ll pass through Ambewela, an area known for its dairy farms. We’ll stop at a strawberry farm and, if we have time, visit a dairy. After a break for tea in charming Ambewela, we’ll ride along the ridge back to Nuwara Eliya, enjoying the beautiful green scenery.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit a tea factory on a plantation. There, we’ll see how tea is processed after it’s picked. We’ll also learn a bit about the history of tea in Sri Lanka and, of course, get to taste some tea.

Later, we’ll head back to our comfy hotel in Nuwara Eliya for another relaxing evening.

Today starts very early as we’ll need to take a vehicle ride up to Horton Plains National Park. We’ll have some light snacks to kickstart our day. Once there, we’ll walk through grassy highlands to reach World’s End Lookout, where we can see amazing views over the valley from the cliff.

While walking, keep your eyes open as we might spot some deer and monkeys along the way. After the walk, we’ll have a local breakfast of roti and sambal back where we started. Once we’ve warmed up with a cup of tea, we’ll begin an exciting bike ride. We’ll start at 2100m above sea level and descend to about 930m.

The ride isn’t all downhill though; there will be some ups and downs to keep our legs moving. The route is beautiful, starting in cloud forests and grasslands, then descending through Eucalyptus and cedar trees, and finally ending up in tea plantation areas. The scenery is stunning, and by the time we reach our next comfortable hotel, you’ll probably be ready for a relaxing afternoon.

“We’ll go on a drive through a really pretty area. Then, we’ll stop at a small town called Ella and ride bikes along a ridge with deep valleys on both sides. We might see people working in tea fields. After riding uphill for 15 kilometers, we’ll start going downhill until we reach flat ground. We’ll have lunch in a small village and you’ll notice the change in the area.

The people in the flatlands move slowly because it’s warm there. We’re in the southeast part of Sri Lanka now. We’ll get into a van and drive between two National Parks, Yala and Lunugamvehera. Sometimes we see elephants on the road, and we give them bananas.

In the afternoon, we’ll arrive at a beachside resort. You’ll have time to rest, take a walk on the beach, and have a drink while watching the sunset before dinner.”

Today is safari day. We’ll listen to our local experts to decide if we’ll go in the morning or afternoon. They’ll consider where the animals are moving and the weather. This will give us the best chance to see wildlife.

No matter when we go, the safari will be about 2.5 to 3 hours long. We usually see lots of animals, especially leopards. Our guide knows the park well, so we’ll avoid crowded areas and wait quietly for animals to come to us.

After the safari, you have the rest of the day to relax. The hotel has a big swimming pool, and the beach is safe with lifeguards from Australia. You’ll have your meals at the hotel, and they’re flexible with timing.

For our last day of riding, we’ll start by driving away from busy coastal roads. Then, we’ll hop on our bikes and pedal through farming villages in the Southern Province. You’ll see golden coconuts and small shops selling everyday things. You can grab a coconut to drink and chat with the vendors.

We’ll take a leisurely ride, stopping for coconuts, snacks, and drinks. Our ride ends at Wijaya Beach, a nice spot with pizza for dinner. It’s perfect for enjoying a cold drink by the ocean.

After a short ride in a vehicle, we’ll reach our hotel in Galle, Sri Lanka’s second-largest city. Tomorrow, we’ll explore Galle more with our guide. It’s a historic place famous for cricket in Sri Lanka.

The story of Galle Fort is really interesting and goes back to before the 16th century when the Portuguese built the first walls. Then, the Dutch came and made the fort stronger, and later the British took over. Throughout these changes, the people who lived there became a mix of different ethnicities because Galle was an important trading port. Today, many families in the fort have been there for generations. It’s a story worth spending two hours on, as we walk through the old streets and along the walls with the ocean crashing below.

After a lovely lunch in the fort, our tour comes to an end. The support vehicle will be ready to take you back to Colombo City. But if you want to stay longer at the beautiful beaches of Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, or Bentota, don’t worry. We can arrange transport for you. Please remember, we only provide transport to these specific areas. If you have other places in mind or need help booking a ride back, just give our customer service team a call. They’re happy to help with your travel plans.