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No departures found for 2021

Sat 20 Mar - Sun 28 Mar 2021

OVERVIEW

What to expect

ITINERARY

What you will do

COSTS

Ways to pay

ESSENTIAL INFO

All you need to know

Your challenge day by day

Day 1, Sat 20 Mar 2021

Depart UK

It's time to put all your training and hard-work to the test as you depart for Sri Lanka and the start of your challenge. 

1

Day 2, Sun 21 Mar 2021

Arrive and transfer to Sigiriya

After landing at Bandaranayake International Airport, you will transfer (approximately 4 hours) to Sigiriya, where your cycling challenge will begin. After reaching the hotel, you will head out for your bike fitting before sitting down to enjoy your first evening meal in Sri Lanka. You will receive a full trip briefing over dinner, providing you with the perfect opportunity to get to know your cycling team. Be sure to get a good night's rest before your first day in the saddle! (L,D)

Overnight: Hotel 

2

Day 3, Mon 22 Mar 2021

Cycle to Polonnaruwa Ruins and climb Lion Rock (approx. 61km)

It's an early start today as you head east from the hotel towards the ruins of Polonnaruwa. Starting off along the quiet backroads of the Sigiriya Nature Reserve, you then join the highway to reach the ruins by lunchtime. After a 2 hour cycle tour of the ruins, you will enjoy a picnic lunch before transferring back to Sigirya. On arrival, you will have time to freshen up after before spending the afternoon climbing 'Lion's Rock' to gaze out over the magnificent view of the surrounding jungle. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Hotel

3

Day 4, Tue 23 Mar 2021

Sigiriya to Kandy (approx. 75km)

After breakfast, you start your cycle from the hotel and wind your way along quiet, scenic roads, taking in the rice and chilli cultivation and man made lakes that surround you. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the local birdlife that can often be spotten on these lily-pad covered waterways. The roads will begin to climb as you enter the spice growing region, before you finish your cycling day at Aluviharaya Cave Temple. After visitng the temple complex, you will enjoy a traditional Sri Lankan curry at a local restaurant. From here, you transfer the final 30km by bus and arrive into Kandy where you will have a free afternoon to visit some of the city's main attractions. Alternatively, you can spend the afternoon relaxing before your evening briefing and dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Hotel

4

Day 5, Wed 24 Mar 2021

Kandy to Nuwara Eliya (approx. 65km)

Today you will face the toughest section of your challenge. After an early breakfast, you transfer 25km to the town of Gampola. From here, you will hop into the saddle and begin your cycle through some of the finest tea estates in the world. After lunch at a tea factory, you will begin the final 20km, ascending almost 2000m to the top, where you will be rewarded with stunning views over the tea plantations below. From here, you descend into Nuwara Eliya, also known as Little England, with plenty of time to unwind with a cup of freshly brewed tea. Tonight you will enjoy a well-earned dinner at your hotel. (B, L, D)

Overnight: Hotel

5

Day 6, Thu 25 Mar 2021

Nuwara Eliya to Ella (approx. 65km)

Today starts with a visit to a local tea factory where you can learn how the famous brew is produced. The winding country roads are extremely picturesque, passing terraced fields, colourful Hindu temples and brightly dressed tea pickers. You'll arrive into Ella for a late lunch and have the rest of the day to relax. The local bars are a great place to spend the afternoon, offering magnificent views of the Ella Gap Gorge descending down to the south coast. Tonight's dinner will be at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Hotel

6

Day 7, Fri 26 Mar 2021

Ella to Uda Walawe (approx. 102km)

Starting from the hotel, today's cycle will see you descending a further 1000m down the Ella Gap towards Uda Walawe National Park. After a leisurely ride, you will reach your hotel by mid-day. This afternoon you will visit the Elephant Transit Home - Sri Lanka's elephant orphanage. Arriving at feeding time, you will see how the elephants are cared for before their reintergration into the wild. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Hotel

7

Day 8, Sat 27 Mar 2021

Uda Walawe to Galle (approx. 89km)

Today is your last day in the saddle! Cycling from your hotel, you will get a real feel for everyday life in Sri Lanka as you ride through small towns and villages. You will be greeted at the finish line with a refreshing celebration beer and a delicious lunch at the coast. After lunch, you will pack up your bike and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon, there is plenty of time for you to make your own visit to Galle, where you can take a leisurely stroll around the ramparts of the fort. Back at the hotel, your celebration dinner awaits you, the perfect way to end your Charity Challenge expedition. (B,L,D)

Overnight: Hotel

8

Day 9, Sun 28 Mar 2021

Depart Sri Lanka

This morning it is time to say goodbye to Sri Lanka. A transfer will take you back to Bandaranayake International Airport for your flight back to the UK. (B)

9

Important information

B = Breakfast 
L = Lunch 
D = Dinner

The itinerary is there as a guide and may change due to factors such as flight changes, unusual weather patterns or the strength of the group. We will do our very best to keep to the set itinerary; however, we cannot be held responsible for any last-minute changes that might occur. In all such circumstances, your expedition leader will have the final say.

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We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6546. Many of the flight-inclusive challenges on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This ATOL protection only covers challenges that include flights booked by Charity Challenge and that originate in the UK. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate

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