Sri Lanka, the ‘Teardrop of India’, is a collection of ancient and natural delights that will bedazzle visitors as you move from religious to monarchical to colonial sites. Left behind by Buddhism, Hinduism, the British, Dutch, Portuguese, and Indians these influences are seen throughout our trail of historical and cultural sites.
From Negombo to Colombo
3 Hours Before Flight Time
Welcome to Sri Lanka! We meet your flight and transfer to our accommodation in Negombo for a welcome dinner.
We transfer to fertile Mawanella to start our ride through coconut and rubber plantations. We climb up to and through the Balana Gap then ride down to the Royal Botanical Gardens for a short break. We end our day in the beautiful UNESCO World Heritage town of Kandy, home to the Temple of the Tooth.
The Golden Temple of Dambulla, our second UNESCO Heritage site, is our destination today. This famous rock temple dates to the 1st century BC, and we explore the caves that sheltered King Walagamba during his 14 years of exile.
We pedal out of Dambulla and to the unique ancient 5th century rock fortress of Sigiriya (Lion Rock). We ride along the shores of Kandalama Lake with great views of Sigiriya, another UNESCO World Heritage site. We overnight in Polonnaruwa.
We head to Minneriya National Park for a jeep safari. The park is the habitat of wild elephants, which we may see. We cycle back to Polonnaruwa on a smooth tree-lined road through a forest reserve. We explore our fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site, Polonnaruwa, the 10th century capital.
After a transfer, we ride to Anuradhapura, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Considered sacred to Buddhists, we’ll see the Bo Tree said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment.
After breakfast, transfer to Colombo for onward travels.
