Seeing Sri Lanka on a bicycle

• Eco Team creates personalised tours for cycling enthusiasts 

There are many ways to explore a country. Despite being a relatively small island, Sri Lanka can be seen and experienced via scenic seaplane tours, picturesque climbs through the winding hills and tea plantations on a train, or hopping a bus and getting to know the locals as you travel through different terrains in a matter of hours. Then there’s also a novel way of seeing everything that Sri Lanka has to offer, while riding your own bicycle through the hills and valleys.

Eco Team, Sri Lanka’s pioneering adventure sport and tourism company, is currently facilitating a personalised cycling tour for 13 cycling enthusiasts from Australia. The tour which spans 11 days runs through Minuwangoda, Nikaweratiya, Anuradhpura, Habarana, Kandy, Kitulgala, Panadura, Ahungalla and Galle.

Cycling has become immensely popular in Sri Lanka in the last few years and Eco Team has seen a lot of different types of travellers coming in to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is not just a hot travel spot anymore, but is also classifies as an experience destination. Taking advantage of this fact Eco Team strives to create those experiences for different tour groups and their needs.

Feeling the wind in their hair, enjoying the smiles and hospitality of the locals, the team of eight able bodied and five disabled cyclists will spend 11 days travelling 60-100 km per day experiencing all that Sri Lanka has to offer. Their tour will take them through lush green paddy fields, historical cities, along winding rivers, up steep mountain ranges, and end along the sun-kissed Southern coast.

Eco Team has the ability to customise tours according to the client’s requirements. They not only create the tour, but also provide a dedicated team of cycling guides, back-up vehicle crew, medics, catering and logistics support throughout the tour. Bike technicians also travel with the tour group configuring the bicycles to suit height and other specifications, while also transporting helmets, back-up bikes and other gear. When organising the tours Eco Team mainly chooses the B and C routes so that the groups avoid traffic while also getting the opportunity to experience real village life.

With an increased interest for cycling tours specifically from groups in Europe, Eco Team has also seen an increase in the number of tour groups from Australia owing to the direct flights that now operate from there.

Source : FT