7 days: Hidden Treasures

Schedule:

• Meet at the Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB)

• Optional: visit Kandy

• Overnight stay at Thilanka Hotel (or similar), Kandy (BB)

Upon your arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, you will be transferred to Kandy, the capital of the mountain hills, where you will spend your first night. Relax at your accommodation or visit this beautiful city as you will head to Nuwara Eliya the next morning. In the evening you’ll have a pre-dinner meeting with your cycle guide(s) in order to discuss the cycling programme.

Schedule:

• Train ride from Kandy to Nanu Oya (Subject to availability!)

• Cycling:

  • Route: Nanu Oya – Nuwara Eliya

  • Distance: Approx. 7 km

  • Time: Approx. 30 min

  • Grading: Moderate

• Overnight stay at Heaven Seven Hotel (or similar), Nuwara Eliya (BB)

You will take a scenic train ride from Kandy to Nanu Oya (Subject to availability!) and thereafter cycle around 7 km from the station to your hotel in Nuwara Eliya. This hilly paradise is known for its vast green tea plantations, colonial estates and its cool climate. It boasts some of the best mountainous scenery available in the country and will no doubt be a pleasure to explore. Spend the rest of the evening roaming around the city. Often referred to as “Little England”, Nuwara Eliya is a doorway to a different time. This city was heavily influenced by the colonial planters who lived here and provides a truly unique look into Sri Lanka’s past. Many of the structures here retain its old colonial style including the Golf Club which dates back to 1889.

Schedule:

• Morning Trek Horton Plains National Park

• Cycling:

  • Route: Horton Plains – Kalupahana

  • Distance: Approx. 23 km

  • Time: Approx. 3 hrs

  • Grading: Moderate

• Dinner and overnight stay at River Garden Cottages (or similar), Belihuloya (HB)

Following a relatively relaxing previous day it’s time to get back on the road. After breakfast and a warm pot of Sri Lankan tea you will be transported to Horton Plains. Situated around 2100 m above sea level, Horton Plains is a large plateau situated snugly in the misty mountains of Nuwara Eliya. Keep an eye out for Sambar deer and Leaf Monkeys during the ascent. Since cycling is not allowed here, we will conduct a nature walk through the Horton Plains National Park which is around 10,000 hectares. Elk, deer, squirrels, wild boars, hares and porcupines reside within the park along with an array of migratory birds. You will then get back on your bike and descend through what’s known as “Satan’s Steps”. This steep descent gets its name from the hairpin turns along its path. After a brief stop at Sri Lanka’s highest waterfall, Bambarakanda, a further 6 km descent awaits you.

Schedule:

• Cycling:

  • Route: Belihuloya – Hambegamuwa

  • Distance: Approx. 71 km

  • Time: Approx. 5 – 6 hrs

  • Grading: Moderate

• Optional: afternoon safari Udawalawe National Park

• Dinner and overnight stay at Big Game Camp (or similar), Udawalawe (FB)

It’s time to experience some of Sri Lanka’s most renowned wildlife highlights. You will cycle from Belihuloya to Udawalawe, home to one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved national parks. You will ride alongside the Samanala wewa (reservoir) which has the second-largest hydroelectric scheme in Sri Lanka. Once in Udawalawe you will have the option of taking an afternoon safari in the national park which is populated by large herds of elephants. The Udawalawe National Park is the only place in the world where an elephant sighting is guaranteed on every drive.

Schedule:

• Cycling:

  • Route: Godakawela – Weddagala

  • Distance: Approx. 44 km

  • Time: Approx. 5 hrs

  • Grading: Hard

• Dinner and overnight stay at Sinharaja Adventure Resort (or similar), Sinharaja (HB)

After a comprehensive tour of a range of terrains in the dry zone it’s time to make a foray into the Wet Zone of Sri Lanka. The beautiful and enigmatic Sinharaja Forest Reserve is your destination today. Roughly translated as ‘Kingdom of the Lion’, it is known to be the country’s most treasured rainforest and is considered a biodiversity hotspot. It has also been named a World Heritage Site. After breakfast near Udawalawe you will begin your cycling journey to Sinharaja while a mixture of rugged terrain will challenge you on this trail. However, the shift in climate will help you cope with the strains of this trail. The cool atmosphere of the Wet Zone together with the breath-taking bird and flora species you may encounter en route will make this an unforgettable cycling experience.

Schedule:

• Cycling:

  • Route: Neluwa – Galle

  • Distance: Approx. 62 km

  • Time: Approx. 5 – 6 hrs

  • Grading: Moderate

• Visit Galle Dutch Fort

• Overnight stay at Joe’s Resort (or similar), Unawatuna (BB)

From the cool climate and the natural setting of the Sinharaja rainforest to the historical port city of Galle. Today you will head back south to visit one of Sri Lanka’s most significant port cities and the capital of the Southern Province. Galle served as an important hub for the colonists who once occupied these lands and is filled with several historical and cultural sites that point to its eventful past. You will descend through forest patches along a fairly soft and moderate track while exposing yourself once again to the heat of the Dry Zone. Be sure once again to keep yourself hydrated throughout the journey. The final stretch before reaching Galle will be on a flat surfaced road.

Schedule:

• Transfer to airport

• Optional: extend your stay

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake in time to catch your flight back home. Take with you a host of memories and experiences of Sri Lanka that will be second to none.