Ride the cool highlands, jungle parks and ancient Buddhist cities of this beautiful island
Although a compact island, Sri Lanka is incredibly diverse. Exploring on two wheels is the best way to see this rural country and to experience the way of life of its friendly people.
Beginning our journey in its region of ancient cities, we travel along the old King's Route, created more than 1000 years ago. Here we stop to climb the impressive 'Lion's Rock' fortress at Sigiriya and explore the cave temples at Dambulla.
We visit Kandy before riding through the tea estates of Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands where the cooler temperatures and lush scenery make for a relaxing ride. In the south we visit Yala National Park where there are leopards, elephants and an abundance of colourful birdlife, before ending the trip on the beaches of Sri Lanka's beautiful south coast.
This trip covers a substantial part of the island, taking in as much as possible of the scenic and cultural variety that Sri Lanka has to offer. Most of the route is a continuous ride, and transfers are kept to a minimum.
What makes this trip responsible?
We have an excellent long-term relationship with the local operator who employ and train all leaders. We provide refresher training with a focus on Responsible Tourism, so our local leaders can educate our clients locally on helping to preserve the way of life in their area. Many local restaurants and shops are also used to purchase items throughout this trip which benefits the local community.
Sri Lanka Projects
Back to Life Project
After the devastating Tsunami of December 2004 Exodus helped set up a project to rebuild some of the areas that our clients had been visiting for years. This included rehousing some of the families who had lost their homes in the Tsunami. The project has now been completed and we are looking forward to giving continued assistance to community projects in the area.
If you would like to read further information about this project please see our Back to Life Project page.
Yala Leopard Project
This project was set up in 2010 by Paul Goldstein. The dense population of leopards in Yala has pushed young leopards outside the park's boundaries to look for new territories. As the Chena cultivations and cattle farmers live adjacent to the park's buffer zones, the predators often come into contact with villagers and their livestock with casualties on both sides. Leopards prey on young cattle corralled in flimsy wooden pens for overnight protection. There are instances where a single leopard can cause multiple kills on young calves which leads to revenge attacks by farmers. This conflict is estimated to claim up to 20 leopards around the periphery of Yala Park annually, to say nothing of the financial loss to the farmers. Exodus has pledged to raise enough funds to supply the cattle farmers with steel pens that will safeguard their cattle through the night.
For further information please see our Yala Leopard Project page
Countries visited: Sri Lanka
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Exodus images from CYCLE THE BACKROADS OF SRI LANKA
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Cycling group on beach at end of trip, Sri Lanka
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