Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka

Explore the rich history and culture of Sri Lanka by bike

Although a compact island, Sri Lanka is incredibly diverse. Exploring on two wheels is the best way to see this rural country and to experience the way of life of the friendly people. We travel from ancient cities and the fortress at Sigiriya to the hill country towns of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. In the south, we visit Yala National Park, where we search for leopard, before ending on the beaches of the beautiful south coast. Most of the route is a continuous ride, and transfers are kept to a minimum.

In many regions of Sri Lanka, bicycle is the most common form of transport, so travelling by bike yourself is a great way to mix with the people and gain access to their world. This trip covers a substantial part of the island, taking in as much as possible of the scenic and cultural variety that Sri Lanka offers. A combination of ancient cities, great rides through beautiful hill country, varied wildlife, and a chance to relax on wonderful beaches, will certainly display the many delights of Sri Lanka.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit, and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural and social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally-owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food and support of other local enterprise.
• We financially co-sponsored a local Tsunami relief project, which enabled 25 families to be rehoused and for two schools to be equipped with toilets, running water and outdoor swings.
• In collaboration with a German operator and the village temple, we have helped towards 10 large water tanks and an eye clinic in a remote village with a donation of 200 pairs of glasses.
• We assisted a principal agent of UNICEF in development of day care and education of school children of the estate sector labourers in the hill country.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
  
• We visit culturally important sites like the 2nd century Buddhist temple at Dambulla, the rock fortress at Sirigiya and the Temple of the Tooth at Kandy. Here, our entry fees make a vital contribution to their upkeep whilst also celebrating Sri Lankan history.
• During this trip (depending on the time of year), we visit Yala National Park, or alternatively Lunugamvehera or Udawalawe National Park, where clients may have the opportunity witness elephants, deer, leopards, and other Sri Lankan wildlife. A proportion of the trip costs will go towards the upkeep and maintenance of the National Park.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• The Exodus Travels Foundation has launched the Community Kickstart Project to help our destination communities recover and rebuild following the impact of COVID-19. In Sri Lanka, we’ve contributed to the Yala Park Driver Support initiative, more details can be found here.

 Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally-sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants.
• This trip favours locally-owned and run accommodation and establishments with strong environmental policies. For example, Hotel Sigiriya uses scheduled light switching, recycling and waste regulations and water saving cisterns.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own re-usable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Please be aware there are a large number of stray dogs in Sri Lanka, and you may encounter some during your trip. Our local operators are aware of this and we are monitoring any animal welfare concerns.
• Cultural respect:
• One should not touch someone’s head as this is considered disrespectful.
• It's polite to use your right hand when shaking hands or handing money and small objects to someone else.
• It is common practice to remove one’s shoes before entering someone’s home.
• Especially when visiting temples, men’s and women’s clothing should cover shoulders and be on or below the knee.

Visa

Sri Lanka

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/sri-lanka
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/sri-lanka
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SriLanka.html

Travellers from most countries can obtain a visa (ETA) before travel through http://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/. It costs US$50 per applicant. We strongly recommend you obtain your visa (ETA) online prior to travel to avoid any complications and delays on arrival.

You should also be aware of local laws and customs in Sri Lanka (see: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/local-laws-and-customs). The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is an offence; please note, people have been refused entry to Sri Lanka because of visible tattoos of Buddha.

Vaccination

Sri Lanka

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice. Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available; the best form of prevention is to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts and 10 lunches included.

We suggest allowing about 7,000 rupees (US$20) per day for lunch and dinner. You can eat out very cheaply in Sri Lanka, but if you mainly eat at the more expensive restaurants, you will spend more than the suggested amount.

Sri Lankan cuisine is a fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries by Malays, Arabs, Indians as well as the Dutch, Portuguese and English. Despite (or perhaps because of) these influences, Sri Lankan cuisine is often referred to as simply rice and curry. This is the staple dish in most restaurants and is usually a serving of rice accompanied by assorted meat and vegetable curries as well as various pickles, sambols (condiments), and a handful of tiny poppadum – all using the contrasting flavours of coconut, chilli, curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note, the availability of certain products is minimal or non-existent in Sri Lanka. For example, wheat- or dairy-free options outside of hotels are limited. Please be prepared for this and you may need to bring these from home. Spicier food can be avoided easily and lots of the hotels will serve Western options alongside traditional food.

Mineral water is provided by our local operator in large containers throughout the trip so please bring a bottle with you to refill. Please note, restaurant service can be quite slow.

Weather

With a location near the equator, Sri Lanka has a hot and humid climate. At the higher elevations, however, it is cool; the humidity is lower in the northern and central parts of the country. The average annual temperature is 32C (90F) in the lowlands and 21C (70F) in the higher mountainous regions, though it can get chilly in the hill country at night.

Rainfall is determined by seasonal and regional variations. The monsoon season in the southwest lasts from May to November, when the rainfall can be exceptionally heavy. In the northern dry zone, most of the annual precipitation, roughly 1,016mm (about 40in) occurs during the monsoon season, which begins in the first week of November, though we do not really visit this region and so are largely unaffected by this monsoon. The hills and lowlands of the southwest normally have some rainfall throughout the year, with the heaviest occurring in May and June and again in October and November.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 4 (Moderate/ Challenging).

• Average daily distance: 40mi (65km)
• Number of cycling days: 10 (including one optional ride)
• Vehicle support: Fully supported

The terrain is hilly, particularly around Nuwara Eliya and the hill country, but the support vehicle is available if required. Routes mostly follow quiet backroads with occasional unsurfaced sections, which may be rough in places. Rides are designed to run door-to-door without transfers. Keeping to the backroads means there is less traffic but it will become busier when approaching towns.

April Departures, Sinhala and Tamil New Year:

A unique celebration to the people of Sri Lanka, this important New Year national festival, known as Avurudu in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil, is not celebrated by any other nation. The Sinhala and Tamil New Year festivities are observed by both Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus across Sri Lanka for two days on the 12 - 13 April 2024 and 13 – 14 April 2025 (may vary slightly year on year). If you are travelling in Sri Lanka over these dates you can expect to see religious ceremonies, family activities, traditional foods, colourful decorations and a general feeling of good will toward neighbours and friends. Parties can go on into the night and it can be quite loud during this period. Your Leader will be happy to show you some of the activities where your itinerary allows. Please note, during the New Year public holiday, most shops, monuments and attractions will be closed however, your Leader will modify the itinerary as required to ensure minimal disruption