0Sri Lanka by Bike – Cycle, Hike & Safari Sri Lanka’s Natural Wonder
Discover Sri Lanka by bike over 8 days, cycle touring from the capital, Colombo, through lush highlands to the coast. Along the way, you’ll enjoy South Asia’s best cycling, nature-packed hikes and safaris through national parks, luxurious hotels, delicious cuisine and the rich history and culture of Sri Lanka’s welcoming people.
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Highlights
6
Itinerary idea in detail
Includes international flights from a choice of UK airports, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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1
Today, we’ll pick you up early from your hotel in Colombo. Then, we’ll go to Colombo Fort station to catch a train heading towards Kandy, a hilly area. The train ride is very beautiful and lasts about 3-4 hours. When we get to Kandy around lunchtime, we’ll meet our support team and get our bikes. To start off, we’ll ride from the train station into the town center, avoiding busy streets. Along the way, we’ll see a river and some local villages. In the evening, we can visit the Temple of the Tooth, where there’s a special Buddha tooth. There, you can learn about its history in a prayer hall. Later, we’ll have dinner together in Kandy.
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2
Today, we’ll ride on quiet back roads, starting from Kandy. Soon after leaving Kandy, we’ll start climbing uphill. As we go, there will be fewer people around, and we’ll see more tea plantations. Keep an eye out for small shops by the road where you can buy tasty snacks like fresh dates and dried corn crackers. Today, we’ll also have some downhill stretches and encounter different types of road surfaces, but there won’t be much traffic.
We’ll end our ride at Gampola railway station, where we’ll catch a train to go higher up into the mountains. The train journey is really beautiful, and the seats are comfy. We’ll get off at Nana Oya and then take a short car ride to Nuwara Eliya. It’s colder up here, so make sure to bring warm clothes. But don’t worry, the hotel has a cozy fireplace and serves a delicious dinner.
If you’re in the shorter ride group, you can enjoy a leisurely breakfast before a quick van ride to the starting point of your ride. After that, both groups will follow the same route.
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3
Today, we’re going on a loop ride. First, we’ll have a fun downhill ride, then we’ll pedal up a hill through tea plantations. Along the way, we might see women wearing colorful clothes, carrying baskets on their heads and picking tea leaves.
When we reach the top, we’ll pass through Ambewela, an area known for its dairy farms. We’ll stop at a strawberry farm and, if we have time, visit a dairy. After a break for tea in charming Ambewela, we’ll ride along the ridge back to Nuwara Eliya, enjoying the beautiful green scenery.
In the afternoon, we’ll visit a tea factory on a plantation. There, we’ll see how tea is processed after it’s picked. We’ll also learn a bit about the history of tea in Sri Lanka and, of course, get to taste some tea.
Later, we’ll head back to our comfy hotel in Nuwara Eliya for another relaxing evening.
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4
Today starts very early as we’ll need to take a vehicle ride up to Horton Plains National Park. We’ll have some light snacks to kickstart our day. Once there, we’ll walk through grassy highlands to reach World’s End Lookout, where we can see amazing views over the valley from the cliff.
While walking, keep your eyes open as we might spot some deer and monkeys along the way. After the walk, we’ll have a local breakfast of roti and sambal back where we started. Once we’ve warmed up with a cup of tea, we’ll begin an exciting bike ride. We’ll start at 2100m above sea level and descend to about 930m.
The ride isn’t all downhill though; there will be some ups and downs to keep our legs moving. The route is beautiful, starting in cloud forests and grasslands, then descending through Eucalyptus and cedar trees, and finally ending up in tea plantation areas. The scenery is stunning, and by the time we reach our next comfortable hotel, you’ll probably be ready for a relaxing afternoon.
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5
“We’ll go on a drive through a really pretty area. Then, we’ll stop at a small town called Ella and ride bikes along a ridge with deep valleys on both sides. We might see people working in tea fields. After riding uphill for 15 kilometers, we’ll start going downhill until we reach flat ground. We’ll have lunch in a small village and you’ll notice the change in the area.
The people in the flatlands move slowly because it’s warm there. We’re in the southeast part of Sri Lanka now. We’ll get into a van and drive between two National Parks, Yala and Lunugamvehera. Sometimes we see elephants on the road, and we give them bananas.
In the afternoon, we’ll arrive at a beachside resort. You’ll have time to rest, take a walk on the beach, and have a drink while watching the sunset before dinner.”
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6
Today is safari day. We’ll listen to our local experts to decide if we’ll go in the morning or afternoon. They’ll consider where the animals are moving and the weather. This will give us the best chance to see wildlife.
No matter when we go, the safari will be about 2.5 to 3 hours long. We usually see lots of animals, especially leopards. Our guide knows the park well, so we’ll avoid crowded areas and wait quietly for animals to come to us.
After the safari, you have the rest of the day to relax. The hotel has a big swimming pool, and the beach is safe with lifeguards from Australia. You’ll have your meals at the hotel, and they’re flexible with timing.
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7
For our last day of riding, we’ll start by driving away from busy coastal roads. Then, we’ll hop on our bikes and pedal through farming villages in the Southern Province. You’ll see golden coconuts and small shops selling everyday things. You can grab a coconut to drink and chat with the vendors.
We’ll take a leisurely ride, stopping for coconuts, snacks, and drinks. Our ride ends at Wijaya Beach, a nice spot with pizza for dinner. It’s perfect for enjoying a cold drink by the ocean.
After a short ride in a vehicle, we’ll reach our hotel in Galle, Sri Lanka’s second-largest city. Tomorrow, we’ll explore Galle more with our guide. It’s a historic place famous for cricket in Sri Lanka.
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8
The story of Galle Fort is really interesting and goes back to before the 16th century when the Portuguese built the first walls. Then, the Dutch came and made the fort stronger, and later the British took over. Throughout these changes, the people who lived there became a mix of different ethnicities because Galle was an important trading port. Today, many families in the fort have been there for generations. It’s a story worth spending two hours on, as we walk through the old streets and along the walls with the ocean crashing below.
After a lovely lunch in the fort, our tour comes to an end. The support vehicle will be ready to take you back to Colombo City. But if you want to stay longer at the beautiful beaches of Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna, or Bentota, don’t worry. We can arrange transport for you. Please remember, we only provide transport to these specific areas. If you have other places in mind or need help booking a ride back, just give our customer service team a call. They’re happy to help with your travel plans.
Accommodation options
While the itinerary price reflects the suggested accommodation, Audley trips are 100% tailor-made, and a specialist can help you select the option best suited to your tastes and budget.
Booking Policy
- 7 nights in premium hotel accommodation
- All Meals: 7x Breakfasts, 8x Lunches, 7x Dinners
- Snacks, local treats, hydration drinks, fruit and water while riding
- Quality well maintained bike and helmet
- Expert local guide and naturalist
- Full vehicle support
- All ticket, activity and entry costs included in the itinerary
- Grasshopper souvenir jersey and water bottle as mementos
We'll help plan your trip based on you like and want to do. We know a lot about the place you're gomg. so we can give you good advice. WIIether you're into history, food, or culture, ue'll make sure your trip is just right for you. With us. your travel will be easy and fun!
We carefully choose our expert guides and travel concierges to make sure you have an authentic experience. They're passionate about their work and will bring your destination to life with care and enthusiasm.
We design our luxury trips with responsible travel principles in mind. This means we prioritize experiences that benefit both you and the planet.
It is easy to customize your Highlights of Vietnam tours with us
What our clients say about us
Eriberto P
16 March 2024 ★★★★★We had an amazing time with Flipside! The easy riders were fantastic and made us feel so safe over the 3 days. The food and home stays were lovely over the trip and there were plenty of stops along the way. The evenings were so much fun with the group and easy riders! Everyone was so accommodating and friendly and made the experience unforgettable. We cannot wait to come again and highly recommend Flipside
Jeremy
28 April 2024 ★★★★★Flip side honestly exceeded my expectations! Of course the views of Ha Giang were amazing but the staff were absolutely incredible and the easy riders were amazing! I felt so safe on the back of Truong’s bike the whole time. We had a small group of 6 people, 4 of us with easy riders and my boyfriend and our friend drove themselves. The drivers were steady and kept a good, safe pace for the guys riding (we saw and heard how fast the other tour’s went and how many injuries they have). Every night was super fun and our riders had such a laugh with us. Flip side take you off the beaten track and we saw some amazing views and swam in some gorgeous waterfalls that we hiked down too, it was so special. The main highlight was day 4, where we met Thiên and Truong’s families. We had the best day wild swimming with them, swimming inside a hidden cave, and drinking too much happy water while teaching everyone Scottish country dancing. Special thanks to Duc Anh, Thiên and especially Truong. Amazing people that made the four days so special!!! Flip side really feels like a family and social enterprise and really supports the staff & the villages in the mountains, it was amazing to see and hear about from a tour company! 10/10
Steven
23 April 2024 ★★★★★I had a good time and I am Glad, that I decided me to book this tour I can recommed it, it was nice and uncomplicated to book We had a really good time
Naad
16 April 2024 ★★★★★We just returned from a 14 day trip to Vietnam with FLIPSIDE. The trip was perfect, thanks to Mr. Kevin and his team, who took care of every detail of the organization and were attentive throughout, ensuring that our experience was excellent. They even provided us with tips on some great hotels in Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An and Ho Chi Minh City. During our trip, we visited Hanoi, Halong Bay (two night by boat, highly recommended for a full experience), did the Ha Giang Loop for 4 days, explored Hoi An and went on a 3-day bike tour in the Mekong Delta. The guides spoke good English and took excellent care of us in each city: Tony in Hanoi and Halong Bay, Nghia in Ha Giang and Tom in the Mekong Delta, all of whom helped us enjoy the journey more. Vietnam is a wonderful country with delicious food and the people are charming. I absolutely recommend it. Many thanks to Mr. Kevin and Flipside Adventure Travel for their excellent work.
Sures M
3 April 2024 ★★★★★The flipside Ha Giang loop tour was a absolutely incredible experience which left us both completely speechless until now! Diving into the heart of the loop and being given a real experience of the life in which the local people live here was truly amazing. The company puts real emphasis into helping local communities within the loop. You are able to make donations, if you wish, to local families in need and the experience visiting the family really does change your perspective on things. Furthermore, you are taken off the main tracks and see parts of the loop no one else does. However, you still see the incredible scenery and pass through the loops most popular tracks so don’t miss out in incredible views. The easy riders ensure you make plenty of stops for delicious coffee/drinks and have the chance to take plenty of photos and videos to capture the moment! Me & my girlfriend had Ǎn and Dukang (I hope I’ve spelt that correctly) as our easy riders and they were genuinely amazing people. You connect with them over the three/four days and make a real friendship with them! They’re fantastic drivers and go above & beyond to make sure you have a brilliant time. Food was delicious and we never felt hungry as there was so much! The homestays were great too, couples on our tour were given private rooms when possible (which was both nights for us). The flipside team do an amazing job and deserve the most recognition possible! I hope one day to return & do the loop again. It was truly amazing. Thank you to everyone at Flipside, with particular thanks to Ǎn & Dukang! Legends!!
Stolecki G
10 April 2024 ★★★★★We just completed a 26 day tour of Vietnam: Hanoi, Ha Giang Loop Tour by motorbike, Halong Bay cruise, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh, Cu Chi tunnels, Mekong cycle tour. We arrived by boat in the Cambodian capital and from there, we went to Siem Reap to visit the temples of Angkor. Finally, we traveled to Bangkok, visiting the city's temples, floating markets and parks. We were met for all the transfers, including 4 internal flights, a boat transfer and the cruise. Everything was perfectly organized by Kevin. All tour guides were excellent and very attentive, and the drivers and vehicles were also great. Despite choosing budget hotels, they were good quality. We felt safe and secure throughout the trip. The only accommodation that felt a bit out of place was the one in Bangkok. Flipside Adventure Travel is an agency we highly recommend as they organize tailored tours with half board, diverse activities and at a reasonable price. This experience was particularly special as it was our first trip to Asia.
Armer S
12 June 2024 ★★★★★Flipside Adventure Travel organized a fabulous 3-week trip for us to Vietnam and Cambodia. We visited Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh, traveled by boat on the Mekong River with a bike tour and explored Saigon, Hoi An, Halong Bay and the Ha Giang Loop. A choice was perfectly offered in different hotels and accommodations, allowing everyone to manage their desires and budget. Our travel consultant, Stephen was always ready to answer us on WhatsApp when we needed it. We were really taken care of! Also, when bad weather made us cancel our scuba diving, Stephen quickly found us another plan. The guides were nice and spoke English well; the drivers were good and we loved our trip. Highly recommend Flipside Adventure Travel!
Vernola S
18 January 2024 ★★★★★Our trip to Vietnam was fantastic, one of the best I've ever had. Flipside Adventure Travel was very well organized throughout. We were fortunate to have a wonderful guide, Tony, who was incredibly helpful, kind and patient. The group of fellow travelers were also great. They ranged in age from about 30 to 50 years old and were easy to get along with and friendly. We always made stops at clean restrooms, dined at wonderful restaurants, and stayed in excellent hotels. The itinerary struck a good balance between sightseeing, shopping, downtime, group activities, communal meals, and individual dining choices. I particularly enjoyed visiting Halong Bay, Ha Giang Loop, Saigon, Mekong Delta, Hoi An, trying Vietnamese cuisine, watching water puppetry and more. I would definitely travel with them again and highly recommend this company.
