Best of Sri Lanka Luxury 9 Day Bicycling Tour
Sri Lanka is like Thailand thirty years ago: unspoiled, beautiful, friendly and exciting! Today, we check out the best places to see in Sri Lanka, including the spotless, stunning beaches, inviting tea plantations, charming villages, impressive mountains, and see tons of wildlife in the Udawalawe National Park. Plus, we take one of the world’s most sceninc train rides to Ella, a hike to World’s End, and a visit to the famed Nine Arch Bridge – all in luxury comfort. E-bikes available!
Why visit Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is an up and coming destination, yet is still unspoiled by tourists, as so many of the world’s most beautiful places are. On your cycling holiday, you will rarely see another tourist until your evening’s lodging.
The locals are super friendly and welcoming and are delighted you are visiting their country!
Sri Lanka is spectacularly beautiful and hosts a range of ecosystems. You get to see the highlights on the 9 day Art of Bicycle Trips Best of Sri Lanka tour [ABT is an affiliate of Active Travel Adventures: email me for an Art of Bicycle Trips discount promo code!
Sri Lanka has a varied past and includes Dutch, British and Portuguese influences in addition to the indigenous population. This makes for a super interesting culture.
The food is wonderful and diverse in this mostly Buddhist nation. Omnivores as well as vegetarians and vegans will have no problem accommodating their preferences.
Where is Sri Lanka Located?
Sri Lanka is a large island nation located on the southearn coast of India.
It can be reached from London and many major Asian and Middle East airports. Scroll down to the bottom of this link to see all direct flights into CBO Colombo airport in Sri Lanka. Terri and Ken loved Sri Lanka airlines, fyi.
When to Visit Sri Lanka
Fortunately, Sri Lanka is a year ’round destination!
Given its tropical climate, Sri Lanka experiences two distinct monsoon seasons. The west and south-west coastal areas receive rainfall from May to September, while the northern regions and the east coast see rain between October and February. It’s worth noting that these rains are generally short, with occasional heavy downpours. To be safe, always pack your rain jacket each day.
Excluding the monsoon periods, the remaining months offer abundant sunshine and tend to be mostly dry. Temperature-wise, Sri Lanka maintains a fairly consistent climate year-round. Coastal areas typically range from 75-85°F /25 to 32°C, while mountainous regions experience temperatures of 60-70°F / 15 to 20°C. The island is also humid, with relative humidity levels varying between 60% and 90%.
In essence, Sri Lanka is a nearly year-round cycling destination, making it possible to enjoy biking throughout the year.
Ken and Terri went with my affiliate, Art of Bicycle Trips [ABT] because they’d had such an excellent previous experience with them. ABT offers outstanding guided and self-guided cycling holidays throughout Asia and in parts of Europe.
ABT offers ATA listeners an exclusive discount. Email Kit to get your Art of Bicycle Trips promo discount code.
Who Can Do a Sri Lanka Cycling Tour
YOU!!! If you are an experienced rider, you can opt for the high quality manual bike. Me? I would opt for the e-Bike to assist me up some of the more challenging hills.
This tour is rated moderate to challenging, so a 3-4 out of 5 for difficulty, depending on which type of bike you reserve.
Each day, you will cycle about 30 miles/ 50 km. This means, with plenty of stops, you will be in the saddle around five hours.
To me, an occasional rider and active hiker, I have to get my rear end used to sitting on a bike seat for a few hours more than I need leg strength training. Regardless, I recommend that you start training at least two months in advance.
If you need help devising a training routine, contact my affiliate Becki at Trailblazer Wellness. She’ll get on the phone with you for a free consultation to see if you are a good fit. If so, she can custom design an AT HOME online program to help make sure you’ll be ready for your Sri Lanka cycling adventure. Mention ATA to save 10%!
ABT offers this tour for as little as two riders and a maximum of 12. Your luggage is transported to each luxury inn, so all you have to do is carry what you need for the day’s ride. A support vehicle is available, too!
So you can create your own group of family and friends, or join an existing tour. This means this Sri Lanka bike tour is great for solo riders, couples and friends, and family members with old and strong enough riders.
Art of Bicycle Trips ‘Best of Sri Lanka’ 9 Day Cycling Tour Itinerary
Airport: CMB – Colombo Airport aka Bandaranaike International Airport
Your tour starts and ends in Negombo, so you fly into the city of Colombo, and can take a 15 minute taxi ride to your first hotel, where your tour will start.
You do not need to spend any additional days exploring Colombo as most of Sri Lanka’s attractions are outside of the city. However, Terri and Ken highly recommend taking extra days or even weeks to explore Sri Lanka, as it is now one of their favorite destinations – and this is a very well traveled couple!
Day One: Meet your guide in Negombo at the hotel and have a welcome dinner and overview of your tour. Negombo is a cute coastal town with a mix of Dutch and Portuguese architecture and a bustling fish market. Be sure to check out the canals, beaches and historic sites. You can even take a boat ride to the nearby Muthurajawela Marsh to see some amazing wildlife.
Day Two: Kandy An early coastal bike ride to check out the fish markets and beautiful beaches followed by a transfer to Kandy, in the tea-clad hills of the Kandy Plateau. Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth relic, an important and intricately decorated Buddhist site, believed to be Buddha’s tooth. All meals included. 40km / 24mi
Day Three: Nuwara Eliya One of the prettiest landscapes of the trip as you cycle through British tea plantations amongst the lush and pictureque hills. You ride up the gradual hills to the charming Victorian town of Nuwara Eliya, called ‘Little England’. You’ll have time to explore this delightful village. Breakfast and lunch included so you can choose whichever fun restaurant intriques you for dinner. 70km / 42mi
Day Four: Ella Sure to be a favorite day! You will pass through lush grasslands, dense forests, dairy farms, and windmills, and stop at Pattipola railway station, the highest railway station in Sri Lanka, situated 1,897 meters above sea level. Then a challenging 2.5 mile/4 km uphill climb to Horton Plains National Park, loaded with enchanting flora and fauna. You’ll then hike 5 miles/ 8 km to World’s End for a dramatic panoramic view of the park. If time permits, you’ll bike down to the Ohiyo rail station tfor lun ch before taking one of the world’s most scenic train rides to Ella. All meals included. 30km / 18mi plus the hike 5 miles/ 8 km Continued below…
Day Five: Ella A free day to rest up and to explore this delightful former British town. All meals included.
Day Six: Koslanda Hike to Little Adam’s Peak and Nine Arch Bridge, a railway viaduct that dates back to the British colonial era. And when you get back, ride uphill to Koslanda, noted for its exceptionally beautiful landscape. All meals included. 45km / 27mi
Day Seven: Udawalawe National Park Today you’ll bike through lush forests and and rural villages, where the friendly locals will be excited to see you on your way to the Park, home to a large herd of elephants as well as other wildlife. All meals included. 80km / 48mi
Day Nine: Colombo via Galle After a short transfer, you’ll cycle alongside the ocean, with its perfectly manicured and inviting beaches as you work your way to Galle, enjoying your last views of the lush landscapes and charming coastal villages. Upon arrival, you’ll tour the Galle fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site and is one of the best-preserved colonial-era fortifications in Asia. Then enjoy the Portuguese and Dutch architecture on the winding alleys as you seek out museums, cathedrals and other highlights of this coastal town.
Extend at Galle/Tangalle and spend the days at leisure or transport to the Colombo International Airport for your onward journey. We aim to reach Negombo by 6 pm. Breakfast included. 40km / 24mi
Don’t forget to EMAIL KIT to get your exclusive Art of Bicycle Trips discount Promo Code.
Other ABT Cycling Holidays You Might Enjoy
Be sure to check out ALL the amazing worldwide adventure holidays on the Active Travel Adventures podcast and this website. Use the SEARCH bar to find adventure ideas by activity, time of year and continent! You can always email me if you have any questions.
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Fresh Markets in Sri Lanka
You’ll eat only the freshest of foods while on your Sri Lanka biking holiday! Because of the varied cultures that mix in Sri Lanka, you’ll have no difficulty finding whatever type of food your body craves, whether you are an omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian or vegan!
Terri and Ken noticed that their cycling guide would use his machete to cut open a King Coconut right before they had a big climb ahead – I guess they were going to need an energy boost!
