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Day 1 - Depart London
We depart London on overnight flight to Colombo

Day 2 - Colombo / Negumbo
Arrive in Colombo where we are met by our guides and are driven by private bus to Negombo (approx 30 minutes). Here we check into our Hotel and after a little time for relaxation after our long flight we have a bike fitting and briefing with our guides on the challenge ahead and then have dinner before finally collapsing after an exhausting day. 

Day 3 - Negombo to Kithulgala (60 km)
For the first day of our Sri Lankan adventure we transfer to Gampaha where we start our challenge in the cooler air of the early morning. The first hour/16kms will be a warm up before we start two 100m climbs which should shake the cobwebs and jetlag out of us. These are the foothills of the mountainous central highlands region that we shall be cycling through over the next three days. Once out of the hills at Ruwanwella we stop for lunch and this afternoon we have a final 30km of gentle uphill all the way to our accommodation on the banks of the Kelani River, where a cold beer is waiting for us. Although this was the site for the filming of David Lean’s masterpiece “Bridge on the River Kwai”, it certainly can’t be described as a major tourist attraction and the hotel can be described at best as interesting”! For our meal tonight we have a magnificent buffet of local delicacies. 

Day 4 - Kithugala to Nuwara Eliya (83km)
This is one of our toughest days as we will be making our way into the heart of the central highlands. There is a short transfer to Hatton through the Ginigathena Pass, avoiding a 1100m climb on 30kms of main roads. Here we start our days challenge with a 200m climb which should bring us by mid morning to the Devon planters’ bungalow on the Thalawakelle Tea Estate where we stop for a cup of the finest Ceylon Tea, overlooking the magnificent Devon and St. Clair waterfalls. From here our route comes off the main roads with only tea estate traffic and it is here that we meet one of the toughest sections of the Sri Lankan challenge, the 15km of tough, rough and nasty uphill to Horton Plains. Nothing quite prepares you for this section and many of us end up walking to the top. At Horton Plains we have a late lunch and for the afternoon we exercise extreme caution for a short sharp downhill section before the last 20km that will take us to our hotel at Nuwara Eliya.

Day 5 - Nuwara Eliya to Kandy (102 km)  
We leave Nuwara Eliya for our longest cycling day of the challenge, through the pretty highland town and after 13kms with some good downhill we reach the Labukelle Tea Estate, where we have a quick visit before continuing on our way. We have almost 40kms of great downhill to Delpitiya we start on almost deserted roads for the next 50km with the most spectacular views. We should stop for lunch close to the village of Pukuressa with its wonderful waterfalls and in the afternoon we make our way through Gallaha and all the way to Kandy. We arrive into town along side its beautiful University and continue on to our Hotel in the centre of this lovely and relaxed city. 

Day 6 - Kandy to Habarana (70 km)
After a great breakfast we cycle once again directly from our hotel through the hectic streets of Kandy to Wattegama where we are once again on quiet roads, descending from the hill country to the flat “dry zone”, with great views of the Knuckles mountain range to the east. From Matale the roads are flanked by giant fig trees, that provide welcome shelter from the sun and we stop for lunch at a local spice garden where we can see the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables that is produced in this region. Our last section today is to the famous Dambulla Temple which we have time to visit after which we are transferred to our hotel in Habarana and have the rest of the afternoon to relax by the pool or take an optional visit to the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya.

Day 7 - Habarana to Trincomalee (89 km)
Our final day feels that it’s almost totally on the flat and the kilometers pass quickly. This area is recovering from the effects of more than 20 years of civil war. We lunch at Kantale by the side of the huge reservoir, one of the oldest and biggest in Sri Lanka. Today we also pass Kandurukanda Mountain and a small section of the Somawathie Chaitiya Sanctuary. Along the last section of road as we come into Tampalakamam, just outside Trincomalee, we also pass the Naval Headwork Sanctuary. Our hotel will be ready for our arrival and we can finally collapse after a long hot hard day. This evening we mark the end of the challenge with a celebratory meal in the grounds of the hotel close to the golden sandy beaches of Trincomalee.

Day 8 - Colombo
We have a later breakfast for those that wish to relax after the long challenge. We start the long journey back to North Colombo where we will spend the night in a hotel on the coast.

Day 9 - International Childcare Trust Project Visit
We have breakfast and then visit one of ICT’s projects where we can see the results of our fundraising before returning to Colombo. We arrive into our hotel in the capital and we have the evening free to visit Colombo by night or just to relax in the hotel with a beer. 

Day 10 - Return to UK
After breakfast, we are taken to the airport for our return flight home. We arrive into the UK in late afternoon.

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