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Anyone traveling Sri Lanka, the beautiful and varied island in the Indian Ocean with Dylan Wickrama, will discover his former home in an unconventional and adventurous way. Cultural highlights mix with visits to places that are far away from the tourist path and you get to know the traditional and authentic Sri Lanka. We experience people, nature and wonderful motorcycle routes with open senses.
The trip starts in the coastal town of Negombo and leads us inland through small back roads. Via the old city of Anuradhapura we continue towards the east coast, where we can explore the beach and colorful Hindu temples inTrincomalee. We drive back inland and reach the so-called “cultural triangle”of Sri Lanka. We drive further inland and spend the night in Madura OyaNational Park where we are definitely the only tourists. Then it goes into the Knuckles Mountains and the tea plantations of the plateaus. On small, varied roads, it goes back over the highlands and along Adam's Peak towards Negombo.
Everything you need to know about this tour. Do you have any further questions? Please contact us!
After about half an hour's ride you will reach the coastal town of Negombo where you will meet the rest of the group. If there is enough time, we will take a first test ride with the rental motorbikes. 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.
We leave the bustling Negombo and head north inland. Soon the traffic gets a little quieter and the streets run through coconut plantations. In a small village we visit family of Dylan and learn more about their lives.
We ride along a riverlandscape to the ancient Buddha statue of Aukana and have the opportunity to observe life on the river along the way. We ride on the smallest roads to discover the authentic Sri Lanka. We spend the night in Anuradhapura on the bank of a small lake. Anuradhapura used to be the capital of Sri Lanka. The many temples and huge Stupas (Dagobas) testify to the long and mainly religious history of this city. There is a lot of activity on the holy Bodhi tree.
Before breakfast we visit the large Stupa of Anuradhapura. At 103 meters, it is the largest in Sri Lanka. We experience the Buddhist pilgrims at their ceremonies in the early hours. After breakfast we head east. Our destination for the day is the portcity of Trincomalee located on a peninsula, and the sea! Vanakkam - this is how you are welcomed in Tamil language and culture.
Today is our first day of rest, but we won't get bored. For culture lovers, we visit the colorful Hindu-temple Koneswaram, where numerous divine statues and a giant golden statue of Shiva adorn the sanctuary. Due to its unique location, the view from the swami rockoffers a wonderful view along the coast with postcard flair. The fishermen comeback from their tour in the morning and it is very lively. In the afternoon you can swim, enjoy the beach and the peace or go for a little motorcycle tour along the coast.
Today is the first off-road route. If you feel safe enough, you ride from the coast through the jungle towards Polonnaruwa. Those who prefer to travel on the tarred road have the option of taking a longer, easier detour with the support vehicle. Today we are reaching the so-called „cultural triangle” of Sri Lanka. 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.
In the morning we visit the ruined city of Polonnaruwa. This former royal city of Sri Lanka is so extensive that a visit by motorcycle is ideal. In the afternoon we continue through the country's hot dry zone, along artificial reservoirs towards Sigiriya. In the evening we climb Piturangala, a bizarre rock formation and enjoy the sunset over an enchanting landscape and the famous lion rock.
Today there is the opportunity to visit a temple complex that is half devoured by the jungle. In addition to the ruins, we meet impressively large trees. Then we visit a local village, which is established by showing traditional Sri Lankan way of life and traditional cooking over a wood fire. The food tastes delicious. On the way back we visit the impressive cave temples of Dambulla, 364 steps lead up to the caves. The view of the vastness, as well as the thousands of golden Buddha statues and paintings on the rock walls form an impressive end to the days in the "cultural triangle" of Sri Lanka.
From the ourist Sigirya we go to a somewhat quieter region. We cross nature parks and may encounter elephants along the way. The direct driving distance is not long,which leaves us the option to experience nature on off-road routes and without the hustle and bustle of tourism. The overnight stay at Monarathenna is in a bungalow with views of a lake with thousands of birds or maybe Dylan will think of something completely new.
"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".
The jungleregion is beautiful and thanks to Dylan's connections we get the unique opportunity to learn more about survival in the jungle in a military trainingcamp. Which snakes are poisonous? Which plants heal what? Knowledge that makes you look at nature with different eyes. After the visit to the camp, it is timeto go elephant watching. The animals come out of the thicket when the sun is not quite so high.
We get back on our motorbikes and leave the jungle and the humid hot climate: today we go to the highlands. In the Knuckels mountains we enjoy the calm and the cooler temperatures. We ride via 18-bend-road, the most impressive curve road in Sri Lanka and enjoy the onward journey on an adventurous route ever deeper into the mountains. At the very end, the way to our overnight stay in the mountains can be challenging.
This day is free for hiking tours or a motorcycle trip further down the valley to Mimuree, the oldest village in Sri Lanka.
Now we have definitely arrived in the tea growing area. Tea plantations with colorfully dressed tea pickers shape the landscape. Today Sri Lanka is still one of the largest tea producers in the world. We ride to the Pusselawa / Gampole region and the dark green tea bushes are our companions on the left and right of the road. Dylan grew up here and we visit the delta tea factory to see how the picked tea leaves become the tea we drink every morning.
We are actually relatively close to today's goal. The direct route to Nuware Elia would be quickly covered, but we choose the smallest roads and ride all over the tea fields.The driving fun on the often unpaved roads is great. Upon arrival it becomes clear why Nuwara Eliya is also called ´little England´ - the buildings offer a typical English atmosphere. The mountainous area is at an altitude of 2.000 m and is much fresher than in the rest of the country. Here we have a nice colonial style B&B and the opportunity to buy souvenirs.
Devils staircase - the name of this particularly humped street says it all: those who feel like it can challenge their skills today and face the devil and some rather large stones. If there is enough time, or for those who are not looking for such great adventures,we take the quiet streets to the Buduragalae rock temple, which is located in the middle of nature.
Now we're slowly heading west again. Our daily goal is right in front of the Bopath waterfall. Already on the way, nature shows itself from its most varied side: we ride along the flanks of Adams peak, the highest mountain on the island at 2243 meters.
In terms of riding skills, the challenges of the jungle are one last time ahead of us. We enjoy the morning without traffic. Towards evening we have no choice but to ride along the main streets for a while. The effort is rewarded with a dinner right on the river.
Today we are building a raft - or at least almost. A few kilometres along the river you can go slow-tubing à la Dylan: in old truck tires we comfortably float along the river and see from the water how important the river is as a lifeline for people who still live here in the simplest conditions.
Today we head straight back to Negombo, where we return our beloved motorcycles and enjoy the last evening together on the beach.
You will get a transfer to the airport. Individual return flight home.
Relaxation on the beach! At the end of your tour, you can relax for a few more days on one of the many sandy beaches in Sri Lanka.
On this trip, we´ll ride Honda 230 / 250 cc 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.
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 motorbikes, 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 ride about a third part on dirt roads, not every day.
A helmet is mandatory, as well as motorbike 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 each time. 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.
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 www.eta.gov.lk, costs were 35, - 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.
We are very happy that this motorcycle tour in Sri Lanka is guided by WorldTraveller/adventurer/writer/filmmaker Dylan Wickrama ( Mc Gyver). After riding his motorcycle around the world for three years, Dylan 'arrived at the end of the road', the Darien Gap - an almost impenetrable area between the Panama and Colombian jungle. He built himself a raft powered by his BMW R 1150 GS and made his way across the Pacific Ocean towards Colombia. Together with Martina Zürcher, he wrote a very inspiring book and made a film 'When the road ends' about his trip. Dylan was born and raised in Sri Lanka and lives in Europe. A motorcycle vacation in Sri Lanka with Dylan guarantees adventure! More info on https://www.ride2xplore.com/
Rider starting at: € 3690,-
Pillion: €3250,-
Single room up-charge: € 450,-
Pocket money to bring: € 550,-*
Minimum number of riding participants: 6
Maximum number of riding participants: 12
Maximum number of passengers: 2
Visa (Exclusive): $ 35,-
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