Sri Lanka Spice Trails

Day 1: Arrival in Sri Lanka
Day 2: Negombo - Dambulla, 25 mi. (41 km)
Day 3: Sigiriya Lion Rock Loop, 41 mi. (66 km)
Day 4: Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Giritale Tank, 47 - 58 mi. (75 - 94 km)
Day 5: Giritale Tank - Ambana - Kandy, 39 mi. (63 km)
Day 6: Kandy Rest Day
Day 7: Kandy - Castlereagh, 50 mi. (80 km)
Day 8: Castlereagh - Balangoda - Udawalawe National Park, 35 mi. (57 km)
Day 9: Udawalawe National Park Cycle & Elephant Safari, 30 mi. (49 km)
Day 10: Udawalawe National Park - Mirissa, 46 - 64 mi. (74 - 103 km)
Day 11: Mirissa - Galle - Mirissa, 25 mi. (41 km)
Day 12: Mirissa Departure

This bike tour often goes beyond the beaten track and therefore not always predictable. It is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. A tour will not be changed unless necessary for safety or to improve it. The hotels listed are always accurate at the time of writing, but if it is necessary to change, it will always be for a similar or better one.

Day 1: Arrival in Sri Lanka
When you arrive in Sri Lanka, check-in at the Suriya Resort in Negombo for a tour briefing and welcome dinner. (D)

Accommodation: Suriya Resort

Day 2: Negombo - Dambulla, 25 mi. (41 km)
From the hotel, you'll have a coastal ride through western Sri Lanka. After a brief stretch on the main road, you'll then follow the scenic beach road for 20 km, passing fishing villages, palm trees, and Catholic churches—reminders of Portuguese influence. The route then heads inland along quiet backroads through coconut plantations before finishing around 41 km with a well-deserved refreshing king coconut. From here, you'll take a 3-hour van transfer to Dambula, stopping for lunch along the way. The place is well known for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed cave complex, home to a magnificent collection of centuries-old Buddhist statues and wall paintings. With insights from a local guide, you’ll learn about its history before a brief transfer to a rural resort, your base for the next two nights. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Sigiriana Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +164m/-151m

Day 3: Sigiriya Lion Rock Loop, 41 mi. (66 km)
Today’s ride loops through the countryside around Sri Lanka’s iconic Sigiriya (Lion Rock). From your resort in Dambulla, cycle about 35 km on paved and dirt roads, passing villages, rice fields, fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, and elephant grass, much of it alongside a winding irrigation canal, arriving at the base of the dramatic granite massif. After a home-cooked Sri Lankan lunch in a traditional wooden house, explore Sigiriya on foot with a local guide, discovering the UNESCO-listed 5th-century fortress and palace carved into the rock. A steep climb rewards you with unparalleled views and the remains of an ancient sky palace. Continue cycling for 30 km back to Dambulla, following part of the route along the rim of a large water reservoir or water tank, as they call them in Sri Lanka. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Sigiriana Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +305m/-307m

Day 4: Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Giritale Tank, 47 - 58 mi. (75 - 94 km)
Departing from Dambulla, you'll retrace part of yesterday’s route for 14 km before joining a provincial road through a national park, an important elephant corridor—though sightings are rare! After a 5 km climb, you'll descend to a canal, keeping an eye for kingfishers and sunbathing crocodiles, then continue on backroads through rice paddies, villages, and tropical foliage to reach the Sea of Parakrama. Around 75 km, there will be a stop for lunch near the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, followed by a guided tour of its UNESCO-listed palaces, temples, and monuments. Afterward, you can either transfer 30 minutes to tonight’s hotel or ride 20 km on rural roads, finishing with a short climb to your accommodation overlooking the scenic Giritale Tank. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Giritale Hotel
Elevation gain/loss: +486m/-538m 

Day 5: Giritale Tank - Ambana - Kandy, 39 mi. (63 km)
We descend from the hotel to the rim of Giritale Tank, then pass through farmlands and forests to rejoin the Elahera Canal, following it in reverse for nearly 30 km to its source, the Moragahakanda Reservoir. A 2 km climb at 5–6% introduces the hillier terrain, and then a pause at a scenic viewpoint before continuing along undulating roads and quiet side streets through rice fields and rugged mountains. After about 63 km, you finish near the Amban River for a picnic lunch, then transfer for three hours to Kandy — Sri Lanka’s spiritual heart and gateway to the tea highlands — where we stay for the next two nights. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Thilanka Hotel Kandy
Elevation gain/loss: +541m/-474m

Day 6: Kandy Rest Day
Today is a free day to explore Kandy at your own pace. Though Sri Lanka’s second-largest city, its historic center around the central lake is compact and perfect for a stroll. Highlights include the Temple of the Tooth Relic, a major Buddhist pilgrimage site, and the nearby royal palace grounds, the former home of the Kandy kings. Kandy is also a hub for tea production, and optional visits to a tea factory can show the journey from leaf to cup. For a more relaxed day, enjoy panoramic views from rooftop lounges, including at your hotel. Lunch and dinner are on your own, with your guide available for recommendations. (B)

Accommodation: Thilanka Hotel Kandy

Day 7: Kandy - Castlereagh, 50 mi. (80 km)
Today, you explore Sri Lanka’s central highlands, famed for high-quality Ceylon tea. After a 45-minute transfer from Kandy, you'll ride 15 km through villages on undulating roads, passing the market town of Gampola before ascending into tea country, where forests give way to neatly manicured tea plantations. At 32 km, you'll reach nearly 1,000 m ASL, descend to Nawalapitiya for lunch, then continue 30 km through the tea mountains with moderate climbs and refreshing downhills. The final 10 km winds upward through tea fields, villages, and Hindu temples. Stay the night at a simple highland lodge over 1,000 m ASL, overlooking Castlereagh Reservoir. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Castlereagh Summer House
Elevation gain/loss: +1639m/-991m

Day 8: Castlereagh - Balangoda - Udawalawe National Park, 35 mi. (57 km)
Continue your journey through Sri Lanka’s tea-growing region, riding 30 km amid endless tea estates, lively highland towns, and colorful temples and churches set against mountainous backdrops. In the morning, witness tea pluckers harvesting by hand along the steep hillsides. As you climb to over 1,500 m ASL, gradients are mostly mild, rewarded by a long 30 km descent along a narrow, mixed-surface road through forests and tea plantations into the plains. After lunch at a local house, we finish the ride at a major road junction and transfer for 1.5 hours to Udawalawe National Park, your base for the next two nights.(B,L,D)

Accommodation: Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +869m/-1476m

Day 9: Udawalawe National Park Cycle & Elephant Safari, 30 mi. (49 km)
After two challenging days in the hills, today offers a more relaxed pace in Udawalawe, a wildlife-rich region of Sri Lanka. Start off with a gentle morning ride through the countryside, past a reservoir and along backroads through sugarcane fields and rice paddies. By late morning, return to the resort for some downtime before lunch and an afternoon jeep safari. Udawalawe National Park is home to over 500 wild elephants, along with water buffalo, crocodiles, wild hogs, jackals, and exotic birds. You'll spend around two hours exploring the park in the jeep, following the driver’s safety instructions. After the safari, return to the hotel for relaxation and dinner.

Accommodation: Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort
Elevation gain/loss: +243m/-243m

Day 10: Udawalawe National Park - Mirissa, 46 - 64 mi. (74 - 103 km)
Today, you head to Sri Lanka’s southern beaches. Begin with a scenic 15 km ride on gravel, dirt, and broken roads along an irrigation canal lined with banana, coconut, and rice farms—keep an eye out for water buffalo! Continue riding on paved roads through lush countryside, bustling towns, local schools, and small Buddhist temples, enjoying gently rolling hills. After regrouping every 15–20 km, there'll be a stop for lunch at 75 km. In the afternoon, you can either cycle 30 km to your Mirissa hotel or take a 45-minute transfer. The late afternoon is free to relax by the pool or on Mirissa’s famous soft-sand beaches. (B,L,D)

Accommodation: Mandara Mirissa
Elevation gain/loss: +831m/-903 m

Day 11: Mirissa - Galle - Mirissa, 25 mi. (41 km)
Your final morning features a relaxed ride from Mirissa through backcountry roads lined with rice fields, wetlands, cinnamon estates, black pepper farms, and spice shrubs. Finish just outside Galle, celebrating the completion of 9 epic days of cycling. From there, you'll have a 15-minute transfer into historic Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Portuguese, Dutch, and British architecture. After lunch at a favorite Old Galle restaurant, you have free time to explore cafes, shops, and museums. Then, you'll return to your Mirissa resort via a one-hour drive for a farewell dinner in the evening.(B,L,D)

Accommodation: Mandara Mirissa
Elevation gain/loss: +256m/-214m

Day 12: Mirissa Departure
Time to depart! A shared group transfer from Mirissa to Colombo and Bandaranaike International Airport will be organised. If you're extending your stay at another beach resort along the way, we can drop you off there as well. Please book a late afternoon or evening flight if you're flying out today. The journey from Mirissa to the airport typically takes 3 hours, but could take up to 5 - 6 hours if we make stops to drop off others at various beaches and in Colombo first. If you need assistance with post-tour hotel bookings or private airport transfers, please let us know! (B)

Please see day to day detail for the preferred hotels. These are carefully chosen accommodations that are the best available for the location and offer a good mix, from local bed and breakfasts to luxurious lodges.

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