Overview
Sri Lanka is a beautiful country of tea covered hills and lush monkey-filled jungles. With wonderful places to stay and delicious food to please the palate, this is truly a family holiday in paradise.
Starting at the center of the hill country in Kandy, the itinerary takes us cycling through the tea-clad hills of the central highlands. Continuing south and west through primary tropical rainforest, the tour ends at the lovely walled city of Galle.
Along with visits to some of the country's most scenic sites and encounters with the local wildlife, we have included some fun, kid-friendly activities on this trip.
A great family trip, that is not only about cycling, but also exploration, entertainment, education and fun.
Pedal-assist E-bikes are an available option on this tour for $140.
Traveling in a group of 6 or more people? Contact our team about special group pricing for our on-request tours.
85 Km riding. The terrain is a mix of paved and unpaved roads on secondary roads and quiet country lanes, with a short stretch on a slightly busier road.
Deposit payment: $500 USD
Highlights
Ride up from Kandy with beautiful views and tea bushes all around.
Visit a tea factory to learn about the tea-making process and sample a cup yourself.
Cycle the ridges around Ella then walk to Little Adam’s Peak for some stunning views.
Pedal past a roaring waterfall in Ella’s Gap to the port city of Galle.
Day to Day
We start this morning with a pickup from your Kandy hotel after breakfast. Leaving Kandy behind, a journey to remember awaits us. As it gains height, the road weaves its way up to almost 2000m above sea level. The views are stunning with neat, green rows of tea bushes on all sides. Arriving around lunchtime, we will check into our hotel, a grand old building with a history. This afternoon we will explore Sri Lanka's highest hilltown by bike. Nuwara Eliya was a popular escape from the heat for the British during colonial times and the legacy of this is an abundance of British style buildings. We'll be accompanied by a guide who can regale us with stories from past times. It is a much cooler climate up here where mist and even frost can often be seen in the mornings.
This morning we set out on a ride that takes us out of town and around a nearby crater lake. Then a couple of short hills bring us through a tea plantation, where we will stop to visit a tea factory to see how tea leaves are being dried, chopped and packaged. Here we'll get to taste a cup of the freshest tea - straight from the bush. We’ll hop back on the bikes and before you know it, we are on a beautiful road through lush green fields with dairy cattle and forests of a very different appearance to what we have seen so far. The villages get smaller and smaller as we go and we finally arrive at Pattipola Train Station from where we jump on the train for the 1-hour ride & short vehicle transfer to Ella. Trains in Sri Lanka are not particularly fast, as the tracks wind through tunnels and tea covered hills, but the views are extremely pleasant and you will want to keep your camera handy for those out-of-the-window shots. Ella is a popular and pretty town in a rather wonderful location. Here we stay in a family run guesthouse with a cozy atmosphere and a stunning view! The rest of the day is free for you to explore the town and surrounding area.
Back on our bikes this morning, a few gradual uphills await us, as we cycle the ridges around Ella. The views over the surrounding hills are some of the best in Sri Lanka, riding through tea plantations with colorfully dressed tea pickers are often to be seen right by the road. They might even appreciate a little help with the picking from the younger group members if any are keen to learn tea-picking skills!
From the ridge, we descend to lower land beyond, where the van will be waiting to take us back up to Ella in comfort. In the afternoon we take a walk to a nearby hill, Little Adam's Peak, so-called due to its resemblance in shape to the more famous and much loftier Adam's Peak. It's an easy climb to the top from where fantastic views over the tea plantations and the Ella Gap valley await.
This morning we pedal down through 'Ella Gap', past a towering waterfall and on towards the misty hills beyond. Those who love downhill cycling are sure to enjoy today's ride, with its many twists and turns. After 15km riding, we load ourselves and the bikes into the van and transfer 4 hours to the old port city of Galle with an iconic fort that sits staunchly defending the city, although the old town is mostly filled with nicely restored houses and quaint cafes now. The tour concludes on arrival in Galle at the hotel of your choice.
WHAT MAKES US STAND OUT
GRASSHOPPER STYLE
With our experience providing premium cycling tours in Sri Lanka, we have crafted this adventure with families in mind, in order to provide an unforgettable and relaxing active holiday. Enjoy easy-going cycling, cultural immersion, and beautiful sights. We’ve worked out all the small details and your guide will make sure you learn a lot and have a great time while staying safe and comfortable. Relax and enjoy the ride!
