Cycle Serendib

Participants will be arriving throughout the day. You will be met on arrival at the Colombo International Airport as required and transferred to the hotel. In the late afternoon meet for a briefing and our first dinner together. Our hotel is located in a peaceful spot, only a short drive from the airport.

A relaxing start to the day allows time to enjoy the generous breakfast spread. In the mid-morning we transfer by vehicle to the northeast. The traffic thins out as we go and we find ourselves in the dry zone where subsistence farmers tend to their rice crops, aided by irrigation tanks constructed mainly during ancient times. We take to the bikes in a small town and enjoy a ride on deserted backroads, some paved, some unpaved. We arrive into a nicely appointed resort just outside Sigiriya Village and then take a short drive in the car to reach Sigiriya Rock. As the sun gets low in the sky, we climb this impressive rock fortress and learn about some of its history from our guide. The views atop the rock are stunning and then it is time for the descent and a tasty meal back at the resort.

The first part of our ride takes us on quiet back roads through villages and past the reservoir at the foot of Sigiriya Rock. Then we ride on a deserted trail along an irrigation canal where we can often see birds, including Kingfisher and Peacock. Sometimes a Mongoose can be seen running across the path. After a relatively short hill, we ride through the small town of Bakamuna and along another canal into the national park. The road coming through the park has a rough surface at times, but the shade provided by the forest is welcome. We emerge from the park on the levee of the huge reservoir that Polonnaruwa sits on and after riding its length, we arrive at our small-scale, boutique accommodation for the evening.

In the cool of the morning, we explore the ruins of the Kingdom of Polonnaruwa. This was a city that was well planned and beautifully constructed in the 11th century and is now a World Heritage Site. Bikes are the perfect way to explore and by being out nice and early, we will almost have the place to ourselves. Back at the hotel, we have a short time to relax before taking a transfer in the vehicle of less than an hour. After lunch, we hit the bikes again and ride a well made, quiet main road with some rolling hills. Our destination is the outskirts of Wasgamuwa National Park where we stay in a small guesthouse. A simple, but adequate and clean property.

A challenging day awaits as we make the journey out of the flatlands, into the hills, and up to 1200m above sea level. We get into the climbing in the second ride section after morning tea, although there is a short, sharp climb to test us out almost straight out the door of the resort. As the heart rate quickens and the lungs are put well and truly to work, we find ourselves in the picturesque Knuckles Nature Reserve. A winding road with many a switchback takes us high into the mountains where the views get more amazing at every turn. The road sees very little traffic and we are left to the sound of the birds and our own breath. As we near the top the air is noticeably cooler and after taking in some breathtaking views, we descend slightly before making one last effort on a tea trail of ups and downs to reach the villa that will be our home for the night. Actually, this property was formerly a tea estate bungalow and has retained its charm along with the acquisition of some creature comforts.

A thrilling descent awaits us this morning as we roll through tea hills and small villages into the valley. A short ride on the flat and then it is into the climbing again, although a much gentler gradient than yesterday. After gaining some elevation again, we ride ups and downs along the side of the valley before eventually coming out just east of Kandy. The roads get slightly busier with moto rickshaws and the like before we cross the river and tackle one last hill to arrive into our hotel, set by the main lake in Kandy. This is an atmospheric town that is worth a good walk and features some decent places to reward yourself with cake, coffee and maybe a cocktail or two.

We have a day to enjoy this charming city. If you are an early riser, the Temple of the Tooth holds something special for you, as the majority of visitors go in the evening. The hills surrounding Kandy offer some lovely views and there are a number of activities in which to partake. Our hotel is located centrally with views of the lake.

This is a challenging day as we get into the hills again. We take back roads and find ourselves climbing soon after leaving Kandy. As we go, the population thins out and the tea creeps in. We do enjoy some descending today and a wide variety of road surfaces, but always with minimal traffic. We finish our ride down at the Gampola railway station where we board the train to the higher elevations. The train ride really is stunning and the carriage is quite comfortable. We alight at Nan Oya and then travel by car the short distance to Nuwara Eliya. You will need your warm clothes up here, but the hotel does have an open fireplace and a great meal for dinner.

We have a lazy morning in Nuwara Eliya this morning. It is a much cooler climate up here and we can expect some mist and frost in the morning. A game of golf may tempt some, but others are likely to be content just exploring the town with its abundance of British colonial-era buildings. After lunch, we set off on the ride which will take us first around the lake and then down a fast, well-made road before we make a turn and get into what is now the familiar pattern of winding roads on a comfortable gradient. Once we meet the railway line, we follow that, passing through the high country train stations that are mere whistle stop locations, but are very important to those who live up here. Dairy cows can be seen grazing as we pass through Ambewella and we then turn around and come back to Nuwara Eliya on a different route, stopping at a fully operational tea factory on the way. That same open fire and hot soup await in the charming, colonial-era hotel.

A very early start is needed today for the transfer by vehicle up to Horton Plains. We then walk through the National Park to World's End Lookout where we take in the stunning views over the valley. Along the way, you may be lucky enough to see deer and monkeys. After the walk we hit the bikes and take a thrilling downhill ride through a fertile valley where farmers will be hard at work, and then pass through the bustling town of Bandarawela before settling in Ella, a small town that caters well to the weary traveller.

A few more climbs start us off today through stunning tea country and small villages. We see some amazing views this morning over the interesting shapes of the various peaks. After morning tea, we get into our huge descent back to the flat lands. Only those adverse to downhill riding will be without an ear to ear grin as the kilometers tick over a lot quicker than they have for the previous week. We call it a day at lunch and then transfer into the next destination which takes only 45 minutes. Kataragama is an important pilgrimage location for Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim peoples and has a long history dating back to the last century BC. Once you have had a chance to check in and change clothes, a Jeep will be waiting to take us into the Yala National Park through the northern entrance near our hotel. We can then take out time in this quieter end of the park, waiting by a reservoir or two in the hope of seeing a Leopard and almost certainly some Elephants.

An early start is essential as we are back on the flat lands where the day heats up quickly. We ride on a wide, paved, yet almost disused road that leads past the recently finished and also disused airport. The flat, wide open spaces are quite different to what we have experienced. After morning tea, we will be on rougher dirt roads for a little while and then onto some pleasant, paved roads along canals and through villages. We board the van after lunch for a 2 hour transfer up to the Sinharaja Rainforest where we are in a charming lodge for the evening.

Our final ride is one to remember as we pedal all the way from our rainforest lodge to the coast and the old port city of Galle, where the fort sits staunchly defending a city mostly composed of nicely restored houses and quaint cafes now. We take a walking tour to explore the fort in the late afternoon, then enjoy one last dinner together.

Today the tour concludes. For those who are not in a hurry to leave, Galle is a great place to spend another day or two. Explore the alleyways of the fort, sit and read in one of the many nice cafes or just enjoy the pool. For those departing today, road or rail transport to Colombo and beyond is readily available. If your schedule suits an early morning departure, it is also possible to travel to Colombo with our support vehicle.