Original
Cycling
Cycle Sri Lanka
14 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
171 reviews
14 days
Start
Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finish
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Code
HPXC
Min Age
14
Trip Size
1 - 16
Physical Rating
Meals
12 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Bicycle (e-bike option available, subject to availability), Support vehicle, Train, Jeep
Accommodation
Hotels (13 nights)
From £1,833(14 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Ride to Sigiriya – an ancient rock fortress surrounded by lush greenery. Climb the stairs of Lion Rock and be rewarded for your efforts with a morning breakfast at the top with panoramic views.
Cycle to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Anuradhapura and enjoy a guided bicycle tour of the ancient city, riding through woodlands, exploring the ruins and getting a peek of the sacred old Bo Tree.
Step back in time as you explore Sri Lanka’s most important religious and heritage sites, including the Temple of Tooth Relic and Kataragama.
Join optional food crawls in most locations and connect with the best local street food – from the freshly caught seafood of Negombo to the pulsing night markets of Colombo, this is the best way to experience Sri Lanka’s food cuisine.
After cycling through cities, national parks and historic sites, take the chance to relax on the sandy beaches of the southern coast. Go swimming in the clear waters, take an optional cycle to nearby Weligama to see the colourful fishing boats selling their catch on the shore and watch the sunset.
Is this trip right for you?
To complete this trip, it’s important that you’re both confident and competent in riding a bicycle. As the riding is mostly on sealed roads in varying states of repair, with the occasional gravel path, no technical cycling skills are required. But some downhill practice is a great idea before your trip.
While the cycling distances on this trip are relatively short, the terrain of Sri Lanka is naturally hilly, so you’ll need to be reasonably fit, especially given the warm climate. This applies to the included activities which can add to the potential fatigue. The support vehicle will always be there if you need to take a break for an hour or a day.
On this trip you have an expert cycling leader as well as a cycling guide/mechanic with you.
Sri Lankan summers are very hot, with short, sharp monsoons in the southwest. Be sure to use adequate sun protection and drink plenty of water. The weather in this region also varies seasonally, so be prepared to get sweaty, and experience the occasional rainstorm, which may lead to a change of plans.
If you have issues with heights, you might like to opt out of climbing the Lion Rock at Sigiriya (Day 6). There are lots of rough, narrow steps and tight walkways here.
If you feel like doing all the riding but with less effort, you can hire an electric bike (e-bike) on this trip.
Itinerary
Discover a world of spice and splendour on a cycling trip across Sri Lanka
Guided by an expert local leader, this 14-day cycling trip through Sri Lanka will take you to tea plantations, fishing villages, national parks, cities and lush green jungles. From Negombo to Colombo, you’ll see why Sri Lanka is Asia’s most exciting new destination. With pristine coastline, ancient ruins, rugged peaks and wildlife-filled national parks, it’s a dream for travellers who like to get active. In between two-wheeled treks, you can go on safari to spot leopards, take on optional food crawls, laze on the beaches of the southern coast, ride the rails (a must in Sri Lanka), explore the country’s premier Hindu and Buddhist sites, and see the famed UNESCO World Heritage site of Sigiriya. With days of riding and nights of feasting, Sri Lanka will soon make its way to your heart.
Inclusions
Meals
12 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 2 dinners
Transport
Bicycle (e-bike option available, subject to availability), Support vehicle, Train, Jeep
Accommodation
Hotels (13 nights)
Included activities
Anuradhapura - Bodhi Tree Temple
Anuradhapura - World Heritage Site of ancient kingdom ruins
Anuradhapura - Isurumuniya Temple
Ritigala Monastery Entrance
Polonnaruwa ancient ruins
Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
Kandy - Hela Bojun social enterprise lunch
Giragama Tea Factory Tour
Scenic train ride from Kandy to Hatton
Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
Galle - Galle Fort Walking tour
Optional activities
Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance - USD7
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
















Important notes
1. It is very important that you provide your height at time of booking so we can ensure that you have the appropriate sized bicycle when your trip starts. If you do not provide your height ahead of arrival we cannot guarantee a suitably sized bike for you.
2. Some travellers have reported being approached by locals offering excursions before their Tuuur trip commences. This has been particularly prevalent in and around the hotels used by Intrepid. These guides are in no way connected to Tuuur and we cannot guarantee the safety or quality standards of their tours. We advise customers against joining any tour offered by the unauthorised guides.
3. A Single Supplement is available on this trip, please ask your booking agent for more information.
4. An e-bike option (at additional cost) may be available on this trip. We have limited numbers of these bikes available and they are an 'on request' basis only. A request does not guarantee an e-bike, only a confirmed booking. Please ask your agent for more details at the time of booking.
5. Bike helmets are compulsory on this trip. We are unable to hire bike helmets locally so please ensure you bring your own bike helmet from home.
6. Due to Intrepid's stance on elephant cruelty we do not visit the Perahera Festival and cannot purchase tickets on your behalf.
7. Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but if we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
8. This trip has an optional snack kitty. This is usually $35 USD per person, less if you have a large group of 10 people or more. The snack kitty is spent on water, fruits, the local-made lemonade juice, energy top-up snacks, coffee stops, bathroom stops.
Reviews (157)
5 stars
146
4 stars
8
3 stars
2
2 stars
1
Ferdi
May 10, 2025
A phenomenal cycling tour of Sri Lanka lead by Sam & his team, thoroughly recommended & I can't wait to try similar in Vietnam.
Dianne
May 10, 2025
A fabulous way to see and explore beautiful Sri Lanka. Sam and his crew, Karsun, Roan and Dilan had infectious camaraderie and were always very friendly and helpful. Lots of great scenery with a good variety of activities despite the heat.
Garry
May 10, 2025
Cycle Sri Lanka was an awesome trip. Riding the backroads and sometimes highways provided a kaleidoscope of experiences. Just do it.
Jamie
May 01, 2025
A brilliant trip - experienced so much of this great country. The cycling through amazing landscapes in the hill country, the climb up Sigiriya rock, and the wildlife, were real highlights. Our tour guide Lo was friendly, enthusiastic and organised, and made every effort to ensure we had a great time.
Barbara
May 01, 2025
A great trip showing off the best of Sri Lanka. The history, the food, the people are all wonderful. The cycling was well organised with great support. Although the cycling distances look to be low the heat is a big factor. The tour leader and bike guide ensured adequate water and snack breaks to make sure we were all hydrated and fed. Our tour leader, Lo was superb with support from bike guide Babi, driver Vera and bike truck driver Chandi all being excellent.
Robert
Apr 03, 2025
This is a great itinerary and excellent way to experience the delights of Sri Lanka.
Carli
Mar 25, 2025
Essentials for this tour are a helmet, gel seat and cycling gloves. The more you physically prepare, the more fun it will be for you.
Grant
Mar 25, 2025
I will use (Intrepid) it again! Interesting, Knowledge, new routes, nice staff, local people, I am more fit… Mindfulness!
Patricia
Mar 12, 2025
Cycling Sri Lanka was a unforgettable adventure, led by a great team. We cycled on the sea side, tea plantations. The safari parks were enjoyable. We packed so much in 2 weeks.
Julia
Mar 09, 2025
My second trip with Intrepid. Cycling in Sri Lanka was one definitely I’d recommend. Superbly organised and an excellent balance of cycling and cultural activities. Every moment of the day is filled. Make sure you train and are physically fit enough to deal with the heat during the days and the steady climb into the hills If you are lucky enough to have Sam as your leader you couldn’t ask for anyone more passionate and knowledgeable and will have the trip of a lifetime.
Friends and Family Travel is an agent of Intrepid Travel. All Trip content and associated images are copyright of Intrepid Travel.
You are protected
Contact Information
Call us at
0208 058 4003
Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM GMT.
Contact our customer support
contact@friendsandfamily.travel
We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.

© 2024 Friends and Family Travel | All rights reserved.