Sri Lanka Tip to Tip by Road Bike

Price from
US$ 3,400
Duration
12 Days / 11 Nights
Distance
842 km
Tour Code
LKA-SRB
Next departure
18-Nov-2023
Number of Cycling Days9
Average Distance Per Day: 94
0
150 Km
Average Climbing Per Day: 839
0
2,250 m
Total Cycling Distance842 kilometres
AccommodationIncluded
Bike HireStandard Road Bike: US$ 350, Carbon Road Bike: US$ 450
Single SupplementUS$ 775
Client Rating (based on 6 reviews)

About this Cycle Tour

Sri Lanka is an often overlooked holiday destination – mostly due to the recently ended civil war – but it is now a vibrant and safe island to explore with a commendable collection of ancient and natural sights and amazing beaches. For much of the past three decades, large areas of the north were off limits, but this final frontier is now open, and Sri Lanka is now ready for you to explore its hidden treasures from the northern most tip down to the southernmost point.

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Book Your Cycling Holiday

Itinerary

Day 1

Meet at the hotel for a trip briefing and welcome dinner.

Day 2

We start riding from the hotel inland along minor roads at a relaxed pace, experiencing rural Sri Lanka that most tourists seldom see. After lunch, we transfer to Jaffna, stopping to stretch our legs at Killinochi, the former headquarters of the LTTE, or Tamil Tigers.

Day 3

We ride through Jaffna with its small fishing port, passing the old Star Fort built in 1618. Crossing to Kyats Island, we head north. At Casuarina Beach at the northern tip of the island, we dip our rear tires and maybe ourselves in the Indian Ocean, a symbolic start to our journey south.

Day 4

Cycling south to Ponneryn, we cross another causeway, and our road sees little traffic now but saw some major battles during the conflict era. We stop for lunch at Iluppaikkadavai, where the road first greets the sea. We end our ride at a 700-year-old Baobab tree, brought by Arabian traders, on Mannar Island.

Day 5

We head back to the mainland riding inland through Giants Tank, a wetland habitat reserve. We reach our hotel for lunch and rest before heading out for an exploration of the ancient city of Anuradhapura.

Day 6

We start with a relaxed ride on a route dotted with temples and stupas. We turn off the main road towards Ritigala, a nature reserve. We end the morning ride at our hotel. In the late afternoon, we climb up Sigiriya Rock, a 5th century citadel.

Day 7

We cycle on quiet country roads past Kandalama Lake to Dambulla, the largest cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. We transfer to Melsiripura and then cycle through the spice growing region. We pass through Matale to start climbing up the Wattegama valley with terraced paddy fields and jungle covered hills.

Day 8

A rest day in picturesque Kandy -- an important Sinhalese religious centre. Explore the town’s old shops, antique and gem specialists, or the bustling market. A must do is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Day 9

The route will be hilly from here as we ride through the heart of tea country. We follow the Mahaweli River and cycle up to Hatton, one of the country's early tea plantation districts.

Day 10

More climbing, with a few rough sections of tarmac, up through tea estates. The last 30 km is on a good, straight flat road and ends close to Uda Walawe National Park.

Day 11

There is an option of an early morning safari in Uda Walawe park. Late morning, we start our last day cycling along scenic green paddy fields to Dondra Lighthouse, the most southerly point of the island. Here we again dip our tires in the ocean, marking the end of our tip to tip ride!

Day 12

Transfer to your Colombo hotel or extend your stay in Galle.

Elevation Profiles

Day 2 - Negombo - Jaffna Ride 74km. +530m / -420m.
Day 2 - Negombo - Jaffna Ride 74km. +530m / -420m.

Reviews

80% of the roads that we cycled on in Sri Lanka were much nicer and safer than I expected them to be. Visiting Sigiriya and seeing the Elephants in Udawalawe were highlights (off the bike) for me. And the bike riding was great. There was a challenging hill day, and a day with strong wind, and more heat/humidity than I'm used to, but I enjoyed everyday of riding. The scenery was beautiful and it was a great way to see the country. And the people leading the trip (riding with us & driving the van/truck, ect.) were big part of what made our experience so great. They were wonderful! Highly recommend.

Marin Elizabeth VothSeptember 2018

Loved the Sri Lanka tour - great guide with local knowledge, beautiful countryside, fantastic food and excellent support by a very good staff. Peter was excellent. We really enjoyed the tour. A nice mix of people on the tour.

Kathleen Suzanne KingSeptember 2018

Beautiful country special to explore by bike. Peter & his crew did an excellent job to make it an awesome unforgettable adventure.

Jeroen DierkesSeptember 2018

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