Sigiriya

Our cycling trip in Sri Lanka far exceeded our already high expectations. From the incredible cycling (mixture of tough and relaxing), to the delicious food (most amazing local curries), to the lovely fellow guests and staff, to excellent accommodation, to varied and enjoyable non-cycling activites…it had it all! One of the main factors for the success of the trip was Suresh, the trip leader, who managed the itinerary superbly and added so many enjoyable local-flavoured extras.

Andrew Watt Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka

Cycling Back Roads of Sri Lanka, outstanding experience. The scenery is stunning, as you move from the irrigated rice fields of the lower elevations to the tea plantations in higher elevations and pristine beaches at the coast. Plenty of wildlife, including many different bird species, water buffalo, crocodiles, wild elephants and a leopard. The cycling was a good pace, with some hills to keep us challenged, especially the 18km climb to Nuwara Eliya. Plenty of opportunities to experience Sri Lankan style cuisine and culture of the country. The Exodus Trip Notes describe the tour accurately.

Rob Wilkinson Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka

Cycling is the perfect way to see this country – you get a much better sense of the physical beauty, the diversity of landscapes and culture of the country when cycling through the villages and meeting people, than with other forms of travel. There were loads of interesting visits and activities – there wasn’t much downtime but it was great to visit the temples, walk up hills, learn to cook Sri Lankan food, take a safari. The itinerary packs a lot into the fortnight – the rolling rural areas, the hill station/tea plantations, elephants, beach, and heritage sites like Galle. It might be a bit fast- paced for some people but personally I loved waking up each day knowing that there would be new and exciting experiences. I’m not a regular cyclist and as the trip rating says it was quite challenging at times with a lot of hills. If you haven’t done this sort of trip before you do need a good level of fitness and to be prepared to play catch-up with the more experienced cyclists in the group, but it was well worth the effort.

Vivienne Avery Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka