Sri Lanka by Bike - Bike, Hike & Safari Sri Lanka’s Natural Wonders
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Discover Sri Lanka by bike over 9 days, cycle touring from the capital, Colombo, through lush highlands and rainforests to the coast. Along the way, you'll enjoy South Asia's best cycling, nature-packed hikes and safaris through national parks, luxurious hotels, delicious cuisine and the rich history and culture of Sri Lanka's welcoming people.
Overview
Take a 9-day guided adventure in paradise. Not only does this trip to Sri Lanka include some of the most beautiful bike touring in South Asia, but it also includes great hikes through national parks, a jeep safari with the chance to see leopards, luxurious lodgings, mouthwatering food and a cultural experience like no other.
Sri Lanka, a small island with a big heart, is well known for its highland tea plantations that we will spend some days riding through. We also take in the city of Kandy with its sacred Buddha tooth relic and pleasant climate. Pedal by Yala National Park where we often see animal and birdlife and spend some time on the southern coast with its crashing surf, relaxed pace of life and historic Portuguese forts.
This is the perfect bike tour to see some of the best of Sri Lanka in just over a week. You'll get a taste of the highlights & hidden treasures and be blown away by the diversity this small island nation boasts.
Pedal-assist E-bikes are an available option on this tour for $245.
283 Km riding. The terrain is a mix of sealed and unsealed roads on secondary roads and quiet country lanes. There are a few sustained climbs (although not too steep) at times and some thrilling descents. There is always a support vehicle on hand to give you a lift if you need a break from the riding.
Highlights
Explore Horton Plains National Park and take a walk to World’s End for dramatic mountain views.
Take a tea tour to learn about the interesting process, then make tasty Sri Lankan curry in a cooking class.
A jeep safari through Yala National Park reveals elephants, leopards, wild boar, buffalo, and monkeys.
Hike through the UNESCO World Heritage Sinharaja Rainforest to see and learn about the area’s wildlife.
Day to Day
We start today with an early pickup from your Colombo Hotel before we drive to a small village station to board the train that takes us up into the hills towards Kandy. The scenic journey takes 3-4 hours before we arrive around lunchtime, to meet our support team and our bikes. To warm up our legs, we’ll cycle from the train station into the center of town, pedaling down small roads to escape the traffic. Our ride takes us along a river and its local villages. In the evening, there is time to visit the Temple of the Tooth, where the sacred Buddha tooth relic is placed with supporting stories illustrated in a prayer hall. Tonight we’ll enjoy our first dinner together in Kandy.
Today we pedal back roads and find ourselves climbing soon after leaving Kandy. As we go, the population thins out and the tea creeps in. As we weave our way through tea plantations, keep an eye open for roadside shops selling delicacies such as fresh dates and dried corn crackers. We then enjoy some descents today and a wide variety of road surfaces, always with minimal traffic.
We finish our ride down at the Gampola railway station where we board the train for the higher elevations. The train ride is stunning, and the carriage is quite comfortable. We alight at Nana 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.
A very early start is needed today for the transfer by vehicle up to Horton Plains National Park, and we’ll enjoy some light snacks to get us started. From there, we will walk through the grassy highlands to World's End Lookout where we take in the astonishing views over the valley from the clifftop. Keep your eyes peeled while you walk, as we may be lucky enough to glimpse deer and monkeys.
Here we’ll enjoy a picnic breakfast in this serene spot before hitting the bikes for a thrilling downhill ride through a fertile valley where farmers will be hard at work. We will pedal through the bustling town of Bandarawela, stopping briefly for lunch before settling in Ella, a small town that caters well to the weary traveler. The afternoon is free for exploration of the estate.
Enjoy the sunrise over dewy tea plantations, taking in the postcard views of Ella from arguably the most picturesque location in town. Today we stay off the bikes to pursue alternative active adventures. We’ll start off with a tea tour at our luxurious hotel set in the hills on 98 acres of tea plantation. Here you’ll have the chance to experience the tea production process from start to finish, with a walk through the plantation alongside a tea plucker, a visit to the factory to glimpse the tea withering process, and finish off the tour with a tasting session to sip on Pure Ceylon Tea.
In the afternoon, we’ll be welcomed by a small white statue of the Buddha as we begin hiking the trail to Little Adam’s Peak, an easy going climb. This spot is the younger, smaller brother of Adam’s Peak further out of town, but will still provide us with spectacular sunset views of the far hills and tea plantations below. This evening we’ll enjoy a cooking class and whip up some Sri Lankan curry.
We start off today with a few more climbs through stunning tea country and small villages. Catch some amazing views this morning from your bike over the impressive shapes of the various peaks. After morning tea, we glide on two wheels into our huge descent back to the flatlands. Only those averse to downhill riding will be without an ear to ear grin as the kilometers tick by a lot quicker than they have for the previous few days.
As we reach flat roads, the heat increases, so we have lunch and then take a 40-minute vehicle transfer to the hotel in Kataragama. A quick turnaround is in order and we then board a jeep that will take us through the nearby Yala National Park in the hopes of seeing elephants, leopards and almost certainly deer, wild boar, buffalo, monkeys, and peafowl. This is an enthralling way to round out the day and we can expect to be back at the hotel a little before 7 in time for dinner.
An early start helps us make the most of the cool morning temperatures. As things start to warm up a little, we will stop to eat our takeaway breakfast from the hotel. The ride is on flat, open road today which is a welcome rest after the recent terrain. We get into slightly narrower roads after breakfast as we pass through an unpaved section, then follow a nicely paved, quiet back road along a canal.
After passing through more populated areas in the late morning, we finish the ride with lunch in a small town named Embilipitiya and then take a transfer of around 2 hours to reach our accommodation at the beautiful Sinharaja Rainforest. Here you’ll enjoy the hum of the rainforest and the sounds of wildlife there. Keep your eyes peeled for some interesting, colorful birds flitting around!
Today we swap the bikes for our hiking shoes as we explore the stunning Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve on foot. Our expert guides and their wealth of wildlife knowledge will put us in good stead to explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site and see some of the unique wildlife in the area. We will transfer in the van (depending on the season) to ensure we are in the best spot to start and end the hike. We expect to be out for about 4 hours, with a few special stops along the way for some snacks to keep the energy levels up. We'll head back to the hotel around mid-afternoon so we can enjoy the quaint charm of our unique accommodation.
Today's ride is one to remember as we pedal 50 kilometers down from the rainforest towards the coast and the old port city of Galle. The ride starts with a brilliant, 25km descent with only short sections of plateau or incline. What starts out as a patchy, tea estate road then becomes a smooth, well-made road without too much traffic and with just the right degree of twists and turns to keep it interesting.
Once we’ve made it down to the coast, we’ll take a transfer to the perfect beach spot for devouring lunch before transferring the rest of the way to Galle. Later we’ll take a walking tour of the Galle Fort: a 16th-century Portuguese structure set on the Bay of Galle which sits staunchly defending the city.
Our final ride of the tour is a relaxed affair, exploring the surrounds of historic Galle. We'll begin and end at the door of your hotel making the most of our last time on the bikes and returning with time to freshen up and say our goodbyes before check-out and conclusion of the tour.
From here we will include a group transfer back to Colombo or you stay on in Sri Lanka's southern coast. Our team is happy to help you with your onward travel plans.
Dates & Price
EARLY RIDER PRIZE: Be in the first 4 to book a departure and get 5% OFF the tour price*
*Not applicable with guaranteed, private, or self-guided tours, other discounts, trip credit, or special offers
WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT
GRASSHOPPER STYLE
Our classic Sri Lanka by Bike tour is the best way to take in the natural beauty and rich culture of this amazing island. This carefully crafted itinerary brings you to all Sri Lanka’s highlights as well as its well-protected national parks, and provides plenty of connection with the authentic Sri Lankan life that surrounds you. Along the way, stay in great accommodation, eat tasty local meals, and learn about the wildlife, history and culture of Sri Lanka from your expert local guide. This will be an unforgettable discovery of the Pearl of India.
