Exploring the Ancient Kingdoms & the North of Sri Lanka
3 days on the road, 1000+ kilometres.
Organising a tour in remote areas of the world is not just about looking at Google Maps and deciding where to go.
In our post Covid era that saw the demise of so many properties, at Extreme Bike Tours we feel that it is important to check all the properties and the conditions of roads that we use.
There are many variables that can make things go wrong. Acquiring local knowledge and doing regular recce tours are essential to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
In this way we are able to improve our tours and minimise the chances of surprises, and even better, it allows us to update all the experiences that you can enjoy on tour.
The extra activities on a tour can make the difference between just a ride and an experience that will leave an indelible mark on the mind.
Sri Lanka’s “Ancient Kingdoms and the North“ tour covers so much of the diversity of this island and makes it a tour to be reckoned with.
Trincomalee, where we have our rest day, can see you snorkelling with reef sharks and turtles on Pigeon Island.
This national park has some of the best snorkelling and diving found anywhere in the world and is still relatively untouched by mass tourism.
Deep sea fishing is also available for those who wish to stay on top of the water or for the historical adventurer, there is the fort or the multitude of colourful temples that are dotted along the coast.
This part of the tour into the far north could quite easily be a different country.
On route to Jaffna we pass the remnants of the war that tore this country apart and the Halo Trust is still clearing thousands of land mines, a sobering thought as we head ever further North.
Don’t be alarmed though, passing near these areas is safe. After all, they cleared the area before paving. Just better stay on the road.
Jaffna is a city on the northern tip of Sri Lanka with its huge Hindu temple Nallur Kandaswamy. By the coast the star-shaped Jaffna Fort was built by the Portuguese in the 17th century and later occupied by the Dutch and British.
Heading south again to Mannar, a spit of land in the west coast that overlooks Adam’s Bridge, also known as Rama’s Bridge.
This is a chain of natural limestone shoals between Sri Lanka and Rameswaram Island, off the south-eastern coast of Tamil Nadu, India.
We couldn’t call it the “Ancient Kingdoms” without visiting Anuradhapura, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka.
With its ruins spread out there is so much to see and we can do this on our bikes.
Wilpattu, one of the lesser known wildlife parks, gives us the opportunity to see leopards in their natural habitat along with elephants, although by now we most likely will have seen many of these majestic creatures.
For more information visit Sri Lanka Ancient Kingdoms & the North or fill out the form below.
