Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka

Cycle Sri Lanka’s quieter backroads, passing Buddhist temples, tea estates and small villages before reaching the Indian Ocean

Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka

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Trip Fee

$ 4.350

Single Room Difference

$ 870

Date

18 - 31 October 2026

Trip Information

Hop on a bike and immerse yourself in the best of Sri Lanka: tea hills, safari parks, golden coasts, and a selection of nights in Superior Comfort accommodation (just when you need it!). Led by a knowledgeable local cycling leader, we take the quietest roads possible, with a chance to test yourself against the scenic hill regions of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. That’s complemented with visits to iconic landmarks, including the mighty rock fortress at Sigiriya, Dambulla’s sacred cave temples and Yala National Park, where we search for the elusive leopard. And where better to end than the gold-sand beaches of the south coast?

Activity Areas

Cycling
Cycling Bestsellers
E-Bike
Natural Wonders
Road Cycling

Region & Country & City

Asia: Kandy, Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Included in the Price

All accommodation: 8 Superior Comfort nights (hotels), 5 Comfort nights (hotels)
- All breakfasts, nine lunches and one dinner
- Immersive cycling itinerary with all transport and listed activities, including Yala National Park game drive
- Expert tour leader to enhance your adventure, plus cycling support team
- Group arrival and departure transfers available
- Local bike hire of a fully serviced Proformance ACL-02 touring/hybrid bike
- 10 days cycling with full vehicle support

Not Included In The Price

Request a single room if required, purchase travel insurance and arrange any visas and vaccinations. If you want to upgrade to an e-bike, these are available for an additional cost.

Map

Itinerary

Day 1 Adventure starts in Sigiriya

Welcome to Sigiriya, where our cycling adventure begins. There are no planned activities today, so there’s time to settle into the hotel and relax before we get on our bikes tomorrow. Around 6pm say ayubowan to your tour leader and fellow travellers at the hotel, where we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big welcome by arranging a group dinner for your first taste of Sri Lankan cuisine. Want to explore further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Day 2 Climb Sigiriya • Ride to Dambulla cave temple (4 hours cycling)

Rise early to climb the fifth-century rock fortress of Sigiriya. As we make our way up, we pass ancient frescoes on the rockface before continuing to the summit, where we explore the palace ruins and take in far-reaching views over the jungle. Return to the hotel for a late breakfast and then ride along gravel roads following an old irrigation canal to Dambulla, a second-century BCE Buddhist cave temple. On the way, we stop by the Kandalama reservoir, which is rich in bird life. Arriving in Dambulla, it is well worth the walk to view the five caves, which contain many ancient Buddha statues, some carved from the solid rock. Returning via the busy market town, we take another quiet backroad through chilli and rice fields before cycling back to our hotel.

Day 3 Ride to Polonnaruwa • Cycle tour of ruins (5 hours cycling)

This morning, we have a long ride along a quiet backroad, which is part of the Sigiriya nature reserve where you often come across monitor lizards and monkeys, before joining the highway to Polonnaruwa and riding to our hotel. After around 15mi (24km), we take a 15-minute bus transfer to avoid a stretch where wild elephants roam, before getting back on the bike to complete our ride. The second stretch of the ride winds through small villages and lush rice paddy fields. We pass a couple of tranquil reservoirs and an irrigation canal running parallel to the road - look out for mongoose, kingfisher, storks and birds of prey amongst the rural scenery. Later, we tour the ruined city of Polonnaruwa, which dates from the 10th to 13th century. You have the option in the evening to join your tour leader at a family-owned restaurant to experience local food and culture.

Day 4 Ride through foothills of spice-growing region (6 hours cycling)

We follow a 6mi (10km) long artificial dam and canal to the source of a local lake, the Amban Ganga River. The afternoon ride is flanked by the Kalanduwa hills on one side and Wasgomuwa Wildlife Park on the other. And as jungle gives way to plantations, we enter the spice-growing region of Sri Lanka. The ride starts at an elevation of 328ft (100m) and the destination is at an elevation of 820ft (250m). When we reach the main road, we dismount and board the bus for the journey as the road to Kandy can get very busy. On the way, we stop at a spice garden to learn more about the spices used in the piquant Sri Lankan curries. During today's ride, we also visit a special roadside tea shop near Polonnaruwa. After the stall fell into disrepair, our Sri Lankan tour leader Ruwan Balasuriya donated the prize money he won entering the our Leaders' Hall of Fame to help the owner family renovate the stall, making it a welcome stop for all passers by.

Day 5 Free day in Kandy

Enjoy a free day to explore. Kandy has so much to offer, including the wonderful botanical gardens, the Temple of the Tooth, and streets lined with curio shops. The surrounding hills are dotted with wonderful temples. Walk around the lake in the heart of the city to see huge water monitor lizards, fruit bats, palm squirrels, and birds such as kingfishers, pelicans and night herons. Also don't miss the fruit and vegetable market for a chance to see busy Kandy in full swing.

Day 6 Challenging ride through tea estates to Nuwara Eliya (9 hours cycling)

For those who feel like a challenge, it’s 52mi (84km) – climbing up to 6,562ft (2,000m) above sea level – to reach this most favoured hill station. A short drive from the hotel will take us to the beginning of the ride, enabling us to bypass Kandy's busiest roads. For the first part of the ride, we take the old road, a far more pleasant route, and one of the few places where you see terraced paddy fields. Beyond is tea country, reputed to produce the finest teas on the island. We cycle through thousands of acres of tea crops, where you will spot the tea pickers moving swiftly between the bushes in their vibrant clothes. For anyone who doesn't do hills, we strongly recommend the train ride to Nuwara Eliya. Tickets for the train journey are dependent on availability, they can only be purchased on the day and unable to reserve in advance. If unavailable, we can use the bus instead.

Day 7 Morning ride to Nuwara Eliya town and tea factory • Afternoon free (3hr 30min cycling)

Nuwara Eliya was a popular hill station during the British era and is situated in the cool highland air at 6,200ft (1,890m). Known locally as Little England, it is dotted with British-style houses and parks and even features a golf club and racecourse. After a leisurely breakfast, we take a short bus transfer into Nuwara Eliya town and then ride to a tea factory through little villages and patches of vegetables. As we twist and turn on the rolling, windy road, we get to see the town from different viewpoints. After understanding the journey from leaf to cup, we ride back to the hotel through lush green tea plantations. We then have a free afternoon to explore Nuwara Eliya.

Day 8 Hill country ride to Ella (4 hours cycling)

In the morning, we cycle through hill country towards Ella, stopping for tea in Bandarawela, a trading centre where exotic fruits from the east coast are traded for hill country vegetables. After a refreshing tea break, we take backroads through hundreds of acres of tea plantations and cycle along the edge of the Central Highlands to reach Ella. On arrival into Ella, we stop for a late lunch before check-in. We have the chance to watch the sunset from the Ella Gap viewpoint. On a clear day, you can see the coast shimmering in the distance. In the evening, we join a local family to share authentic Sri Lankan cuisine and learn firsthand from our hosts about their customs and culture.

Day 9 Descent, stopping at the rock-cut Buddha statues at Buduruvagela • To Tissamaharama (8 hours cycling)

Descending 3,281ft (1,000m), we leave the breath-taking scenery of the Uva Province for the gentle rolling hills of the dry zone, taking a break en route at the impressive Rawana Ella waterfall before stopping at the rock-cut Buddha statues at Buduruvagala. The 49ft (15m) rock carving of Buddha is flanked by small figures depicting his helpers and a very rare image of Maitreya, the future Buddha, which dates from the 10th century. The tranquillity here is enhanced by the lotus-covered lake; we relax on the banks and eat fresh fruit before riding to lunch. Here we can retreat from the heat of the day, before the final 19mi (30km) to Tissamaharama, the capital of the old Ruhuna kingdom.

Day 10 Morning ride to Kataragama Temple • Afternoon drive to Yala National Park for safari (3hr 30min cycling)

In the morning, we cycle to Kataragama temple, which lies 10mi (16km) northeast of Tissa. People of all faiths come to seek favour with the god Skanda, who is reputed to restore people's health. The colourful and noisy pooja (ritual) is always busy, with thousands of pilgrims during the festival season from July to August. Tissa is close to Yala National Park, the best park in Sri Lanka to see leopards. After lunch, we have a safari in the park, where we may see elephants, deer, wild boars, sloth bears, Asian jackals, lots of birdlife and, if we’re very lucky, a leopard. We explore the lesser-visited Block 5 area, which has denser vegetation than the open plains but the same chances of seeing the elusive leopards and sloth bears, all without having to compete with multiple other game vehicles. After, we return to Tissa for the night Please note: the sanctuary may be closed for four to six weeks from September to October allowing the park authorities to check the animals. We therefore go to a nearby alternative, usually Lunugamvehera or Udawalawe National Park.

Day 11 Ride through Bundala National Park and by the lagoon for spectacular birdlife • Continue riding on the coast to Hambantota • To Ahangama (3 hours cycling)

Leaving early to avoid the heat of the dry zone, we ride along the boundary of Bundala Bird Sanctuary. We hit the main road for the final 19mi (30km) to Hambantota, a series of sandy bays fanning out from this typical coastal town. We then take a transfer from Hambantota to Ahangama by coach. For the next two nights we stay in Ahangama.

Day 12 Free day on beach • Optional ride to Koggala

Today you can pick your own adventure. Either relax at the hotel or join a late-morning ride (15.5mi/25km) along rural roads to Wandurugama village, where you stop at a colonial manor house for high tea and authentic Sri Lankan snack. Today it is known as Thalpe Walawwa Heritage Villa, occupied by a leading family within the local ancient Sri Lanka society. Quite a few prominent personalities were born and spent their childhood in this beautiful residence. After the visit, return to the hotel via Koggala Lake (approximately a three-hour ride). This afternoon is free to explore the beach, laze by the pool or join an optional boat ride through mangrove swamps to a cinnamon plantation and monkey island on Koggala Lake. In the late afternoon, we can view the stilt fishermen climb their poles to catch a few bites for supper. From November to April, we can also go whale watching off Dondra head, near Mirissa, which is one of the best places in the world to see blue and sperm whales. Huge pods of dolphins often accompany the boats.

Day 13 To Colombo via Galle Fort

After an early breakfast, we travel to Galle, where there is time to discover its historic fortified old town. Galle Fort reflects centuries of colonial history, with much of its fortifications developed by the Dutch in the 17th century. Wander along the old ramparts and through the narrow streets before finding your own spot for lunch. We meet back at the bus in the mid-afternoon for the approximately two-hour drive to Colombo. On arrival, the rest of the day is free to relax at the hotel or explore independently. This evening, we can choose from one of Colombo’s many restaurants for our final dinner together.

Day 14 Adventure ends in Colombo

You've explored Sri Lanka from the saddle, summited mighty Sigiriya and been on safari in Yala National Park, but today the adventure comes to end. Alternatively, if you’re craving a little R&R, speak to your sales representative about a post-trip adventure in the Maldives or time relaxing on the golden sands of Sri Lanka.

Travel Dates

18 - 31 October 2026 $ 4.350

25 October - 07 November 2026 $ 3.570

01 - 14 November 2026 $ 4.575

04 - 17 November 2026 $ 3.600

06 - 19 November 2026 $ 4.575

08 - 21 November 2026 $ 3.795

15 - 28 November 2026 $ 3.795

18 November - 01 December 2026 $ 4.575

19 November - 02 December 2026 $ 3.600

22 November - 05 December 2026 $ 4.620

06 - 19 December 2026 $ 3.795

13 - 26 December 2026 $ 3.955

27 December 2026 - 09 January 2027 $ 4.800

10 - 23 January 2027 $ 4.430

17 - 30 January 2027 $ 4.430

24 January - 06 February 2027 $ 4.430

31 January - 13 February 2027 $ 5.015

07 - 20 February 2027 $ 4.430

14 - 27 February 2027 $ 4.430

21 February - 06 March 2027 $ 4.430

24 February - 09 March 2027 $ 4.430

26 February - 11 March 2027 $ 3.975

28 February - 13 March 2027 $ 4.430

07 - 20 March 2027 $ 4.110

14 - 27 March 2027 $ 4.430

21 March - 03 April 2027 $ 4.030

28 March - 10 April 2027 $ 4.110

11 - 24 April 2027 $ 3.900

16 - 29 April 2027 $ 4.030

18 - 31 July 2027 $ 3.980

25 July - 07 August 2027 $ 4.110

01 - 14 August 2027 $ 3.980

19 September - 02 October 2027 $ 4.430

26 September - 09 October 2027 $ 4.430

03 - 16 October 2027 $ 4.430

10 - 23 October 2027 $ 4.430

17 - 30 October 2027 $ 4.430

24 October - 06 November 2027 $ 4.430

31 October - 13 November 2027 $ 4.430

03 - 16 November 2027 $ 4.350

05 - 18 November 2027 $ 4.350

07 - 20 November 2027 $ 4.350

14 - 27 November 2027 $ 4.350

17 - 30 November 2027 $ 4.350

18 November - 01 December 2027 $ 4.350

21 November - 04 December 2027 $ 4.350

05 - 18 December 2027 $ 4.350

12 - 25 December 2027 $ 4.350

23 December 2027 - 05 January 2028 $ 4.430

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