OFFROADING IN SRI LANKA
Sri Lanka
While Glorious Gravel has mainly focused on Europe for our epic gravel sojourns, in a recent trip, we jumped over into Asia. To the lush, mountainous country of Sri Lanka, to be exact. The guides for this trip were Helen, Mark and Dan along with our local route guides and handlers and Josh our videographer.
Through Helen, Josh, and the Sri Lankan team, we have compiled a write-up of the trip – and what a trip it was! World-famous hospitality, diverse cultures, exotic fruits, delicious local cuisine, and most of all, glorious gravel riding. It was truly an epic trip.
What we proved once again is that Sri Lanka is a gravel adventurer’s dream destination. A massive network of red-gravel roads, single-track trails, and dirt trails criss-cross the diverse terrain, and the route that Glorious Gravel put together really showcased the amazing gravel riding. With a series of six legs, each painstakingly assembled to maximise the best riding options, the team cycled through some stunningly beautiful areas. Starting with a dip into the ocean on the west coast, the tour meandered through the rice fields of the lowlands, gradually ascending into the realm of the highland tea plantations nestled among the clouds. After reaching the highest point of Sri Lanka and exploring the highlands, another series of trails and gravel routes guided us back to the sea, only this time on the south coast.
TRIP INFORMATION & GETTING THERE
SRI LANKA: WHAT TO KNOW
This lush tropical island country offers so many new experiences beyond the typical cycling routes. This country is home to dozens of cultures, languages, and ethnicities. Although much of its language and culture has close ties to nearby India, along with many of its religions, Sri Lanka remains a distinctly unique place with a long, rich history.
Ancient Hindu and Buddhist temples, overgrown by thick jungle, attest to the long history of civilization here. Deep harbours, exotic spices, and ideal growing conditions made this a key place for colonization, starting with early Greek civilizations. Next came the Persians, Portuguese, the Dutch, and eventually the British. Each stage of colonization planted its own roots here, leading to the fascinating cultural diversity we see today.
ARRIVING IN SRI LANKA
The flights into Sri Lanka went smoothly, thanks to a direct flight on Sri Lankan Airlines. Besides top-notch flights, Sri Lankan Airlines generously extended an additional luggage allowance to our group. This upgrade allowed us 40kg of baggage – meaning a bike and a secondary bag could be included in the checked bag allowance. A warm welcome at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Columbo was also waiting for us, comprised of dancers, musicians and flower wreaths. The smiling faces that greeted us upon arrival to this tropical island nation set the tone for the multitudes of warm, friendly faces we would encounter throughout our trip.
After a transfer by van, we were welcomed by the breathtaking Anantaya Resort in Chilaw, our accommodation for the first night. The refreshing hotel pool was a very welcome respite, after getting our bikes all built and ready for leg one of course!
The resort is tucked carefully into the mangroves, with long beaches and the Indian Ocean framing up our view along the front of the resort. At our welcome dinner and ride briefing, we got our first opportunities to try the exotic and delicious foods of Sri Lanka. Curries, dahl, savoury rice dishes – all ingredients were local and fresh. As with most of the hotel dinners that we had along our route, the Anantaya Resort put together a full buffet, one that also included more familiar Western dishes amongst the delicious local creations. The incredible variety of fruits on offer was a subject that came up often– with rambutan, mangosteen, dragon fruit and durian being just some of the exotic fruits we sampled.
STAGE 1
Starting from a town named ‘Chilaw’ seemed strangely apt, the name being an extension of a word often heard from the people our group. “Chill”. Everyone – and everything – seemed so chilled out on this trip. The riders often commented that the people we passed seemed so relaxed. I overheard a comment that made me smile, with one of our group commenting that “everything is so relaxed, the people so chilled out…even the peacocks we pass are chilled out”. It is true, everyone we passed waved at us, and life really did seem to have a slower pace. This is a very, very chilled-out place.”
This first leg of the ride was a combination of curving gravel lanes, along with our first exposure to riding in traffic – although traffic was light and posed no challenge to navigate. It was also, for many riders, the first opportunity to enjoy fresh coconuts. This route took us right through the heart of coconut grove country. Our route curved along large coconut palm plantations, past lagoons, beaches, small lakes and salt flats. The most memorable wildlife viewing highlights in this section were the birds, as this area is home to many species. And flowers, too. Lotus flowers, the national flower of Sri Lanka, and stunning water lilies dotted the landscape.
For our meal break, a beachside picnic was on offer. With the majority of riders still acclimatizing, it was delightful to cool down in the ocean. The video footage from this leg of the trip has Josh capturing guests as they plunge themselves in the surf, while Josh struggles to keep his camera dry during the filming. We all arrived pretty heated up and ready for that swim! Following a very scenic yet notably humid finish to our ride, we arrived at our lodging for the night, the Capital Wind Resort, a hotel that was once again alongside the surf, with another refreshing pool waiting for us.
Ride Distance: 105 km
Ride Elevation: 243 m
% Off Road: 65%
STAGE 2
On day two, we began our climb up into the cloud-shrouded peaks, into the realm of the tea plantations. It was a gentle introduction, with our biggest climbing day still yet to come. Leg two was a great snapshot of the type of scenery and riding that lay ahead. Our goal was to reach the Thilanka Dambulla Resort, via the town of Amura. A side excursion, among many others we had organized, gave riders the ability to explore some local history as they toured.
This area is a world heritage site, and it is easy see why. Amura, a town that is overflowing with Buddhist temples and ancient ruins, holds the distinction of being the first kingdom of Sri Lanka. It is a place deeply steeped in tradition. Before heading off on the days’ ride, cyclists received a blessing by the monks. The pedaling starts with a leisurely ascent, the terrain inclining gradually throughout the day. This also gave us more time to get used to the hot, humid mid-day temperatures. The mid-day heat could be scorching, and certainly meant some getting used to it.
As with each of the legs ahead, meal breaks became highlights for many of us. Glorious Gravel had taken the initiative to set up small, roadside-stall food stops – places where the riders would be able to interact with the local culture. Small food stalls meant that we could try authentic dishes prepared fresh right before our eyes, enjoying our breaks in very memorable settings. More than once a friendly local approached us at our intimate food stops, offering us water or other kind contributions to our journey. The unforgettable Thilanka Dambulla Resort appeared by early afternoon, marking the end of riding for day two.
As with each day, there was an optional excursion available, and this one involved the climb up to Sigiriya, an absolutely breathtaking site. Often referred to as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’, we explored the remains of a palace fortress built on a lava formation called Lion Rock. The ancient palace complex was built around 490 AD, and it is now a UNESCO World Heritage site. After picking our way up the one thousand steps, a magical view sprawled out before us. Sitting atop this mystical fortress, surrounded by gardens, pools and ancient temples, the team relaxed their weary legs and soaked up the awe-inspiring surroundings.
Ride Distance: 89 km
Ride Elevation: 393 m
% Off Road: 60%
STAGE 3
With the biggest climb on our trip – an 110km mostly uphill slug – we were all grateful that the temperatures slowly cooled as we ascended. The sun still required our care and attention to not burn, however, but once we were prepared with our SPF gear and sun-screen it was time to tackle the climb. At a 4/5 ride difficulty (3/5 technical difficulty), we encountered our spiciest climbing sections on this leg. Ahead of us lay a final steep push, a 14km stretch that would make up our steepest section of our journey. Long before we reached it, our noses told us that we were in tea plantation country. We could smell the fragrant tea leaves as we rolled past the fields, even catching a few glimpses of tea harvesters working the plots of land.
The astonishing beauty that surrounded us on this leg certainly made the climb much more bearable.
At the apex of the toughest climbing section, there was a particular spot that shone a spotlight on the generosity of the Sri Lankan people. In an effort to make sure that the route was tweaked as much as possible for the trip, a full shakedown ride of the complete route had happened one week before our guests arrived. When our scouting team had stopped here during the test run – hot, weary and needing a break – a local woman had approached us to inquire about our riding group.
During our conversation, this kind lady offered to help with anything we might need. We were fine that day, but we mentioned that we would be back in a week with the full contingency of our riding group. Not missing a beat, she informed us that she would be waiting for us with water so that our group could rehydrate and cool down. Sure enough, one week later, each hot and sweaty rider was met by this sweet lady and her jugs of water – offering our hard working riders much-needed head soakings!
After pressing our way to the summit, over 1,100 meters high, our reward was taking in the majestic Knuckles Mountain range that surrounded us. A rejuvenating downhill glide took us to the eco-lodge we would be settling for the evening.
Along this route, there was an opportunity to enjoy the stunning Damro LabooKellie tea plantation. As the oldest tea plantation in Sri Lanka, established in 1928, the plantation allowed us to stretch our muscles while soaking in the quiet beauty of the tranquil surroundings.
As a finish to the day, there was an optional excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kandy. A short bus ride from our hotel is the Last Kingdom of Sri Lanka, also a highly revered Buddhist site. The Temple of the Tooth Relic, as it is known, dates back to 1592. Buddhists and tourists alike make pilgrimages to this city – not only for its religious significance but also for the soul-restoring tranquility offered by this mist-shrouded enclave.
Ride Distance: 110 km
Ride Elevation: 2150 m
% Off Road: 50%
STAGE 4
Waking up in the serene highland regions offered a profound stillness, allowing each of us some time for quiet reflection on the journey so far. Today would be a short riding day, thankfully, as all our riders were feeling the workout from yesterday’s climb. Our only ride would be an optional short hop from our hotel, and not until later in the day. At breakfast, we were joined by curious monkeys who lingered nearby, chattering at us while we ate.
It may have been a rest day from riding, but we had loads of adventures still in store! We had tuk-tuks, bus trips, and train rides ahead of us. Our bus transfer was to Nanuoya Station, where we jumped on the train to Haputhale. This route took us through one of the most scenic train journeys in the world. Cascading waterfalls and small villages nestled next to sprawling tea plantations had us hanging out the train windows, craning our necks to take everything in. After stopping to view one of the tea plantations, we dropped down into Bandarawela for the night.
For many of our group, the highlight of leg four ended up being Lipton’s seat, the highest point in the area, with picturesque 360 degree views as far as the eye can see. Getting there meant jumping back on the bikes for a stunning 15km ride up through trees and tea plantations, winding along hard-packed lanes, broken road and gravel, but being rewarded with a such a stunning view made the climb up well worth the effort.
Bandarawela Hotel gave us yet one more amazing culinary memory from the trip, a kothu, made to order for us. This dish is a local favourite, and it can be spotted in many street stalls throughout Sri Lanka. Kothu means, essentially, ‘to chop’, and the dish can be created from any manner of main ingredients – chicken being the most typical.
Ride Distance: 30 km
Ride Elevation: 1066 m
% Off Road: 50%
STAGE 5
As daybreak arrives, we found ourselves once again basking in warm sunshine, our legs perhaps not fully recovered, but feeling well rested from our riding break – and ready for the descent back down to the coast. After some minor lumpy sections, we were soon spinning towards to the flat lands and sea level.
Farmlands we passed along this swirling descent are filled with rice, peppers, and even rubber plantations. The route skirts Bundala National Park, then winds through several small villages before spilling us out into the deep south of the country – Tissamaharama, and our accommodation at Chaarya Resort. Billed as ‘Luxury in the wilderness’, our hotel is adjacent to Yala National Park, the site of our optional excursion for the day.
The jeep safari in Yala National Park is an opportunity to take in some of the more elusive animals in Sri Lanka. Leopards, elephants, sloth bears, monkeys, deer and a spectacular array of birds, they are all among the animals who call this park home.
When we did a reconnaissance visit to this location, we took the jeep safari and we were incredibly lucky to see both a sloth bear and 2 leopards – a mother and her cub. While encountering many remarkable animals here is fairly common, sighting a leopard or a sloth bear during a safari is rare, let alone seeing both at once! We had woken up very early, arriving into the park at sunrise. Our tour guide has been doing jeep safaris for 13 years, and it was also a first for him to see the leopards and sloth bear on the same trip. It was a unique and magical experience, one that comes to mind whenever I think of Sri Lanka.
Ride Distance: 120 km
Ride Elevation: 636 m
% Off Road: 50%
STAGE 6
The sandy white beaches at the Sooriya Resort, curling along the ocean, were calling to us now. For our final stage, we sped things up by jumping ahead, with a start at Ambalanota, making sure we would have ample time to savor this ride. We gobbled up the fast rolling gravel and back roads, taking in the rice fields and villages we cycled past. The last part of our ride spun us past amazing sections of coastline and lagoons, gradually funneling us out to the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean.
In true Glorious Gravel fashion, our riders will be rewarded with another beautiful setting for the final evening’s festivities. Sharing a cold beverage with the riders in this small pocket of paradise, there is one common sentiment. More time was needed to really see this country, but we had seen so much, from that first coconut by the sea on leg one, right through to our return to the sea. The memories we gathered will need a good while to process.
We are already looking at adding on a couple of additional days to the next trip, as there is just so much to see. There was an abundance of experiences to immerse ourselves in at each place we stopped, so a few more days would really allow our group to soak in the magnificent beauty of this island nation. Even with all of our exploration and the extensive riding on this trip, we’ve barely scratched the surface of the gravel riding options available here. Helen and Mark cannot wait to show the next group of riders the breathtaking places that make up our newest route, Sri Lanka.
The Sooriya Resort was the perfect setting to process all we have seen. So much so, in fact, that several members of the group elected to extend their stay – or are already making plans to return. For those returning home, tomorrow will be a travel day. We need to start packing up bikes and sorting out our gear…but that can wait. Tonight is about celebrating this Glorious Gravel ride.
Ride Distance: 60 km
Ride Elevation: 350 m
% Off Road: 50%