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Sri Lanka Cycling Ancient Capital 9 Days / 8 Nights

Trip Profile:

This Sri Lanka Adventure cycling holiday stars in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka to Muthurajawela lagoon bird watching tour by boat, Elephant Orphanage Pinnawala, Cave temple Dambulla, Polonnaruwa archaeological site and Kauwudulla / Minneriya or Hurulu Eco, National Park, and Jeep service, Sigiriya Lion Rock, Anuradhapura archaeological site. The tour finishes in Colombo.

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1: Colombo Arrival
Upon your arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, meet with our friendly guide and driver, and then transfer to Negombo to check-in to your hotel. Thereafter, meet with our supportive crew and do the bike fitting, trip briefing, and welcome dinner. Overnight in Negombo (D)

Day 2: Negombo - Anuradhapura (65km) 
After breakfast, we start riding directly from the hotel along the old coastal road. Keeping the sea on our left we pass the distinctive patchwork sails of the Karavas fishing community. Their boats pulled up along the beach or sailing just off the coast make for excellent photos as does the many fish markets you’ll cycle past. We leave the coast road after cycling for 30 km and head inland on quiet back roads that give you a flavor of Sri Lanka. After 50km we rack up the bikes and transfer 3 hours to Anuradhapura.

Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central Province, Sri Lanka and the capital of Anuradhapura District. Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Sri Lankan civilization. It was the third capital of the Kingdom of Rajarata, following the kingdoms of Tambapanni and Upatissa Nuwara.

The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was the center of Theravada Buddhism for many centuries. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka.

Day 3: Anuradhpura to Dambulla (60km)
From Anuradhpura to Dambulla, we cycle through paddy fields all along the roads. The riding will be flat and more interesting. When we arrive at Dambulla, we visit the Dambulla Rock Cave Temple. The Temple is in a cave under a range of granite hillocks which rise 160m above the surrounding plains. There are murals on the walls depicting scenes from the Buddha’s life some painted recently as the 18th 19th cen these covers an area of 2100 SqM.

Day 4: Dambulla Loop (40km)
Today we ride through the countryside on a mix of tarmac and red dirt roads passing orchards, paddy fields and elephant grass. Riding along the shores of Kandalama Lake we`ll have excellent views of the ancient 5th century rock fortress Sigiriya (Lion Rock), our destination. We`ll park the bikes and walk through the old water gardens before climbing 300m to the view the ruins of King Kasyapa`s summer palace on the summit. To distract us from the walk up we`ll pass the impressive frescos that depict more than 500 ladies. After our descent we`ll head to a local restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon visit Minneriya national Park by jeeps.

Minneriya National Park is an ideal eco-tourism location in Sri Lanka. The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas and is home to Sri Lanka`s favorites such as sambar deer, leopards and elephants.

However, the central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built in the 3rd century AD by King Mahasena). During the dry season, this tank is an incredible place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as the huge flocks of birds that come to fish in the shallow waters.

Day 5: Dambulla - Polonnaruwa (75km)

Riding from the hotel we have a bit of an ascent over the Kaladuwa Hills. The riding is on a good road surface, but wild elephants have been known to cross the road on the descent, so please beware. We`ll be riding on a tree-lined road in part of a forest reserve until we reach Polonnaruwa tank, a very large manmade lake, and lunch at a local hotel. We then ride through the historic park of Polonnaruwa, the 10th Century capital and best preserved of the ancient cities. Abandoned in the 13th Century, it was rediscovered in the 18th Century and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the chiseled stone monuments show us the glory of the ancient Rajarata Kingdom. After seeing the main sites we`ll have a 20 minute transfer to our hotel on the banks of the reservoir.

Day 6: Polonnaruwa - Knuckles Forest (80km)

After breakfast, we cycle out of Polonnaruwa and proceed to Knuckles. It is a real paradise for those who love to hike, offering numerous mountainous trails that journey across clear rivers, through dense forests, past flowing waterfalls and lush tea plantations, and alongside terraced paddy fields and colorful Kandyan home gardens. The chance to visit traditional small mountain villages in the area gives an interesting insight into the close-knit atmosphere that such a local community fosters and provides a welcome departure from fast-paced modern-day life.

Day 7: Knuckles Forest - Kandy (50km)

Today we leave our paradise of nature for Kandy, which nestled among hills and centered around a lake. We cycle along the picturesque views via Matale, the spice center of Sri Lanka. Though in the tropics, it can be cool and misty at altitude, so a waterproof jacket is recommended. We get closer to the town, we will be transferred the last part into Kandy, Sri Lanka`s second largest city, to avoid busy roads.

Day 8: Kandy (Free Day)

Kandy has long been an important religious center of the Sinhalese and a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists. Today you can explore the town center`s old shops, antique and gem specialists or the bustling market. A must do is to see the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sacred Kandy which houses the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - Sri Lanka`s most important Buddhist relic, a tooth of the Buddha.

Day 9: Kandy - Negombo Departure

Meet at your hotel and transfer about 3h.30min to Bandaranaike International Airport for your outbound flight back home. Say goodbye to your supportive crews!

TOUR INFORMATION

Tour Cost Based on Twin Sharing room (Please contact us: info@cambodiacycling.com) Single room Supplement US300 Bike Rental USD150 (Trek Marlin 7) Helmet We recommend the participants to bring their own helmet. Level of difficulty & route Moderate This itinerary covers some tarmac routes and some sections along small roads and dirt roads to avoid the busy traffic. Support Fully supported van including spare part, cool box and back up service Group Size Minimum 4 / Maximum 20 Staff Groups of 6 or more, a Cycling Tour Leader, plus English-speaking cycling guide, drivers and assistants. Groups below 5 will be led by our local guide and our local support team. Food All meals are included (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

Tour Price Includes:
- Arrival / departure group transfers by air-conditioned
- Air-conditioned van / bus during tour for participants & luggage
- Accommodation in 3* category hotels on Half Board basis
- Lunch - local restaurant / family house
- Water, fruits & snacks during cycling - coolbox
- Support vehicle with driver / spare bikes & parts
- English speaking national cycling guide
- Jeep service to visit National Park
- Entrance fees to archeological sites / temple / parks

Tour Price Excludes:
- Flight
- Visa fees
- Helmet
- Beverages during meals
- Tips for guide and drivers
- Personal insurance against accidents