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travel information

Sri Lanka Highlights motorbike travel

In short about this travel
Have you always wanted to ride a motorbike on a tropical island, but no time to take 3 weeks off? Then we offer you the opportunity to come with us on a 10 day motorcycle tour in Sri-Lanka! Our Sri Lanka highlights tour leads to the most important cultural sights and offers many scenic highlights.

On this guided motorcycletour we'll ride on our suitable 250 cc Honda Bajas and guide you through all kinds of smaller, less traveled roads through the backroads, over mountains and along bright green tea plantations and rice fields, through cities and small villages where we'll often stop along the way to enjoy the wonderful food and hospitality this fantastic country has to offer. Discover colorful temples, the ancient Sinhala royal cities such as Polonnaruwa, the legendary lion rock in Sigiriya, the nature in the Knuckles Mountains, the Elefants, the delicious cuisineand and enjoy the hospitality of local folks. A motorcycle tour through Sri Lanka guarantees a colorful variety of experiences.

Sri Lanka Motorcycle Tour: Ride Through Culture, Mountains, and Wildlife

  • Negombo: Relax on the beach and enjoy the local fishing scene, complete with traditional "Oruwa" boats
  • Polonnaruwa: Discover the ancient Sinhala royal city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a mix of paved and off-road riding
  • Udawalawe National Park: Encounter Sri Lanka’s wild elephants in Udawalawe National Park, along with leopards and crocodiles.
  • Horton Plains: Ride through tropical jungle and tea plantations in Ella, and enjoy the views at Horton Plains, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • Nuwara Eliya: Explore the "Little England" of Sri Lanka, with scenic tea plantations and cool mountain air at 2,000 meters elevation.
  • Knuckles Mountains: Experience the cooler highlands and ride through lush forests, ending the day with a swim at a hidden waterfall.
  • Lion Rock: Ride to the heart of Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle in Sigiriya, with a stunning sunset view over the Lion Rock.

We can offer customized motorcycle tours for our trips to Sri Lanka upon request. If you have more time, then we recommend the 3-week trip with Dylan Wickrama (writer, filmmaker and world-traveler) and Martina Zürcher (journalist and writer). You'll discover Dylan's former home in an unconventional and adventurous way.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Everything you need to know about this tour. Do you have any further questions? Please contact us!

Zusammenfassung der Reise
Summary of the tour
  1. Arrival Colombo → Negombo
  2. Negombo → Sigiriya (160 km / 100m)
  3. Sigiriya → Polonnaruwa (100 km / 60m )
  4. Polonnaruwa → Knuckles Mountains (150 km / 93m)
  5. Knuckles Mountains  → Stay (50 km /34m)
  6. Knuckles Mountains → Nuwara Eliya (95 km / 59 m)
  7. Nuwara Eliya→ Ella (95 km / 59 m)
  8. Ella → Udawalawa (200 km / 124 m)
  9. Udawalawa → Negombo (170 km / 105 m)
  10. Negombo → Colombo departure
This tour from day to day
day 1 - Arrival COLOMBO - TRANSFER to NEGOMBO

We will pick you up and take you on a 30 minute drive to the hotel in the coastal town of Negombo where you´ll meet the rest of the group. On the beach you can choose to relax, watch the fishermen catch their fresh fish and prepare them for trading. The fishing boats with their brown sails, called Oruwa, are Negombo's trademark.

day 2 - NEGOMBO - SIGIRIYA

We´ll leave bustling Negombo and head north inland on our motorbikes. Soon the traffic will get calmer and we´ll experience the first coconut plantations over small country roads. We´ll reach the "cultural triangle" of Sri Lanka today. In the evening we can climb Piturangala, a bizarre rock formation, and enjoy the sunset over an enchanting landscape and the famous Lion Rock.

day 3 - SIGIRIYA - POLONNARUWA

We continue through the country's hot & dry zone,along artificial reservoirs towards Polonnaruwa. Today is the first off-road route, about 30% is unpaved, the rest is on tar road. Polonnaruwa is the second ancient Sinhala royal city and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city assumed the status of the capital of Anuradhapura in the 10th century. For along time, Polonnaruwa was overgrown by lush jungle and thus protected.

day 4 - POLONNARUWA - KNUCKLES MOUNTAINS

We leave the hot and dry zone and ride into the highlands. In the Knuckels Mountains we enjoy the calmth and the cooler temperatures. We ride along an impressive curvy road and continue our journey on an even more adventurous route ever deeper into the mountains.

day 5 - KNUCKLES MOUNTAINS - STAY

The Knuckles Mountain Range is a true bird paradise with up to 200 different bird species. The area extends to the borders of Kandy and Matale and covers no less than 234 square kilometres. There are several mountain peaks in the unique forest reserve, some of which rise above the mist and low-hanging clouds. It is not for nothing that this area was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List! Surrounded by tropical vegetation, we drive through forests to the end of the road. At a hidden spot in the forest we can swim at a beautiful waterfall. We will not find any other tourists there.

"Sri Lanka is a beautiful travel destination, with great landscapes, beautiful temples and nice, friendly people. The highlights of the trip were the hidden temples and paths that are not in any travel guides. The encounter with the people in the backlands. Because Dylan is very good and speaks the language, we could learn a lot about the country and its people. He was able to open many a door. It should be described that the tour with Dylan is not for beginners or motorcyclists without off-road experience, because especially the steep, bumpy slopes are the most fun."

Gerd
Sri Lanka pilot tour with Dylan Wickrama — February 2018
day 6 - KNUCKLES MOUNTAINS - NUWARA ELIYA

The winding route leads through the picturesque southern highlands. Tea plantations with colourfully dressed tea pickers dominate the landscape. Today, Sri Lanka is still one of the largest tea producers in the world. Upon arrival, it becomes clear why Nuwara Eliya is also called 'Little England' - the buildings offer a typically English atmosphere. The mountainous area lies at an altitude of 2,000 m and is much fresher than in the rest of the country.

day 7 - NUWARA ELIYA - ELLA

We continue to follow our path through the highlands. The landscape consists of tropical jungle and tea plantations that shimmer in all shades of green. We pass worlds-end-road and the Horton Plains National Park. This hilly plateau at an altitude of 2100 to 2300 metres is called a "super biodiversity hotspot" because of its rich biodiversity. Many of the species that exist here are endemic. The Central Highlands were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List on 31 July 2010. We arrive in the most famous village of the tea-growing area, Uva, which owes its rise to the colonial merchant Thomas Lipton, who entered the tea business here.

day 8 - ELLA - UDAWALAWA

We leave the mountains behind and choose the backroads as often as possible. We pass national parks where elephants can spontaneously cross the road. We follow some sandy roads, so it could be a dusty day. In the steppes around the large reservoir "Uda Walawe Reservoir" lies the Udawalawe National Park, which is known for its elephant population of about 500 animals. Leopards and crocodiles can also be found in the grasslands and wetlands of this southern park.

day 9 - UDAWALAWA - NEGOMBO

On our last day of riding, we leave the south and head back into the mountains. We will avoid the big roads and enjoy the many curves. Nevertheless, we notice that the traffic is increasing. It is important to concentrate on the driving once more. Arriving in Negombo, we can toast to the wonderful journey at sunset and enjoy our last evening together.

day 10 - NEGOMBO - COLOMBO DEPARTURE

We will transfer you back to the airport and you´ll fly home with endless new impressions and memories.

extension option: beach 

At the end of your motorcycle adventure tour in Sri Lanka you can add a few wonderful days of relaxation at the sandy beaches.

Local circumstances could require adjustment of the route on site.
General Information.
Difficulty level:
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
Category 5
Motorcycle

On this trip, we´ll ride Honda 230 / 250 ccm or equal motorcycles. In case of damages to the motorcycle caused by you, the material cost for the repairs has to be carried by you. Seat height about 86-88 cm (34"-34.5"). In Sri Lanka we drive on the left side of the road.

TOURCHARAcTER

During this tour we will not drive to noteworthy altitudes or through extremely deserted areas. We´ll ride light motorcycles on well-developed roads as well as back roads, at times with bad asphalt and some gravel and forest slopes. Off-road experience is therefore recommended. Offroad basic training is very useful as preparation. In doing so, you learn how best to handle the motorcycle off-road. The daily stretches are not long, which allow for the opportunity to take pictures of different villages and scenery. An inconvenience may be the traffic density in and around the cities. Many cars, scooters, tuktuks and bicycles make their way through the streets every day. Careful with the trucks on the main road (which we avoid as much as possible) because the traffic rules seem to be up for discussion... We will drive about a third part on dirt roads, not every day.

gear

A helmet is mandatory, as well as motorbile clothing with built-in protectors, decent gloves and boots or solid footwear. Especially in spring and autumn it can get very warm in the lower regions. Therefore, we recommend wearing breathable protective clothing. On the higher, colder parts of the mountains you can wear extra warm clothing under your motorcycle clothing. Nevertheless, we have to take short rain showers into consideration sometimes. Lastly, temperatures in the mountain regions in winter (December& January) can drop to up to 5 C (40F), so take warm clothing with you as well.

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS / VISA / IMMUNIZATION

For Sri Lanka you need your valid driver's license together with a valid international driver's license and a 'Sri Lankan driving permit' which we organize for you. A valid passport (with a minimum 6 months validity) is required.  Many citizens need a visa to enter Sri Lanka.The visa must be applied for in advance as an “Electronic Travel Authorization”(ETA) in the online procedure at https://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ ,costs ca. 50, - USD but this tend to change and was also offered for free. You are responsible to find out VISA requirements specifically belonging to the passport you hold. You can verify up to date information from your local embassy, or consulate in your country of citizenship or find information online for example via https://visacentral.com

Consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure. It is your responsibility to make sure that you obtain your visa and have immunizations completed in time. 

tour leader

This trip is accompanied by our Sri Lankan tour guide on site. This person has been working as a tour guide and organizer in Sri Lanka for many years and knows his way around very well. He knows all routes, hotels, restaurants and speaks fluent English and Singhalese.

More details on what to bring is stated in your Handbook, which we will send you about 4 weeks prior to the start of your trip.

More details about the trip and what you should bring will be included in the travel documents, which you will receive about one month before departure.
Pricing & Details

Rider starting at: € 2090,-
Pillion: € 1690,-

Single room upcharge: € 275,-

Pocketmoney to bring: € 270,-*

Minimum number of riding participants: 4
Maximum number of riding participants: 12
Maximum number of passengers: 2

Visa (Exclusive): $ 50,-

* Pocket money: This amount is an indication of how much cash you may need to take with you on this trip. It covers food, drink, souvenirs, optional excursions and fuel.
Would you like to
experience this tour for yourself?

Available travels
Included in price:
  • ‍Airport transfers Colombo - Negombo
  • ‍All Accommodation including breakfast
  • ‍Rental motorbike
  • English and Singhalese -speaking tour guide on a motorbike
  • Support vehicle and luggage transport
  • ‍Mechanic
Not included in price:
  • International flights
  • Visa
  • ‍Fuel
  • ‍Entry fees
  • ‍Optional excursions
  • ‍Food and Beverage
  • Travel insurance

"What a fantastic time we had in Sri Lanka. Martina & Dylan are truly wonderful people and great messengers for this fascinating country and they succeeded in turning this "guided tour" into an adventurous and dreamlike beautiful trip with friends and an unforgettable time, which allowed us all numerous impressions, especially away from tourism and it infected me with a new wish to renew and deepen my knowlegde... A heartfelt thank you".

Stephanie
Sri Lanka pilot tour with Dylan Wickrama — February 2018

Sri Lanka Highlights motorbike travel

This tour is available on these dates:

Sri Lanka Highlights motorbike travel
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
Category 5
Status:
Fully booked
Bookable
Secured
Arrival:
02
.
December
2023
Days:
10
Price:
€ 2090,-
Pillion:
€ 1690,-
Book nowJetzt BuchenAnfrageInquire
Sri Lanka Highlights motorbike travel
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
Category 5
Status:
Fully booked
Bookable
Secured
Arrival:
28
.
March
2025
Days:
10
Price:
€ 2390,-
Pillion:
€ 1990,-
Book nowJetzt BuchenAnfrageInquire
Sri Lanka Highlights motorbike travel
Category 1
Category 2
Category 3
Category 4
Category 5
Status:
Fully booked
Bookable
Secured
Arrival:
19
.
September
2025
Days:
10
Price:
€ 2390,-
Pillion:
€ 1990,-
Book nowJetzt BuchenAnfrageInquire