Sri Lanka Spice Trails

Sri Lanka is a small island with a big story – one best told from the saddle of a bike! On this 12-day SpiceRoads classic, we delve deep into Sri Lanka’s famed cultural triangle, where ancient Singhalese kings built rock fortresses, temple-studded cities, and grand irrigation works. We ascend through a landscape of endless tea terraces draped over steep hillsides, from where the British once supplied their empire with the finest Ceylon tea. We tread into wildlife-rich jungles, where herds of elephants roam free. And we weave through the countryside, where rice, bananas, coconuts, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, and chilies thrive and form the basis of a tantalisingly aromatic cuisine. We leave no leaf unturned as we follow Sri Lanka’s spice trails and discover the best of Sri Lanka by bike!

Starting from the palm-fringed western coast of Negombo, we cycle inland to Sri Lanka’s cultural heart, exploring the iconic Sigiriya Lion Rock and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Weaving along quiet backroads, we uncover a vast rural landscape where ancient reservoirs and canals still sustain rice fields and tropical orchards. After a rest day in Kandy — home to Sri Lanka’s most sacred Buddhist temple — we ride deep into the tea-growing highlands. Here, we put our legs to the test, climbing above 1,500 m ASL through rolling hills covered by rows of tea bushes. Then, we transition to the jungles and grasslands of Udawalawe National Park, trading our bikes for safari jeeps to spot wild elephants. Finally, we ride past banana plantations and cinnamon estates to the southern coast, famed for its white-sand beaches and the Dutch colonial-era Galle Fort. The tour ends with a transfer to Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital.

On this tour, riders can expect around 85% of the route to be on paved surfaces, consisting of good-quality tarmac as well as broken, bumpy, and cratered roads. The remaining 15% is made up of vehicle-width gravel and dirt roads. While much of the route is on quiet countryside roads with minimal traffic, we will regularly share the road with cars, motorbikes, buses, tuk-tuks, and, of course, cows! There are a few unavoidable sections along busier main roads, particularly when entering and exiting cities or near popular attractions. Rain is not uncommon in Sri Lanka throughout the year. We generally ride rain or shine, but depending on the guide’s discretion or your comfort level, modifications to the planned route can be made. It’s all part of the adventure!