Ride SriLankan 2027: The Island Adventure That Has Everything — Even If You Don’t Ride a Bike
Sri Lanka has always been one of the world’s great undiscovered cycling destinations. In 2027, it gets its greatest ever stage.
Ride SriLankan is back — and this time, everything is bigger, bolder and more breathtaking than ever. For 2027, Multi Terrain Biking and SriLankan Airlines have completely reimagined the route, creating a brand-new itinerary that threads together Sri Lanka’s most spectacular landscapes — from the colonial coast of Galle to the misty tea-plantation highlands of Nuwara Eliya, through the wildlife-rich south and across the ancient wonders of the Cultural Triangle. This is not a refresh. It’s a reinvention.
And here’s the thing: you don’t need to be a cyclist to join.
A Brand New Route for 2027
Running from 6–15 March 2027, the all-new Ride SriLankan 2027 route is Sri Lanka’s premier multi-terrain cycling event — 10 days, 6 days of riding, and a journey that simply cannot be replicated anywhere else on earth.
The route rolls out of Galle along quiet sealed roads before spilling onto a network of backcountry tracks and gravel trails. It winds south through the wetlands of Weerawila, north into the dramatic hill country, cresting the event’s highest point at 2,010 metres above sea level before descending past raging waterfalls, sacred reservoirs and rice paddies. The final stages take riders past the iconic rock fortress of Sigiriya, finishing with a sunset evening in Negombo on the golden shores of the Indian Ocean.
Whether you ride hard on the long course — up to 138km with 3,500m of ascent on one spectacular stage — or take the shorter options and enjoy a more relaxed pace, every kilometre has been chosen to show you a Sri Lanka that most visitors never see.
This is not a race. It’s an experience.
Non-Riders Are Just as Welcome
One of the most exciting things about Ride SriLankan 2027 is the dedicated Companions Package — a fully curated programme for partners, friends and family who want to be part of the adventure without getting on a bike.
The Companions Package (from £2,200) runs alongside the main event, staying in the same stunning hotels and sharing evening meals and social moments with the riders. But during the days, companions have their own thoughtfully crafted programme of cultural and wildlife experiences, guided by expert local teams who know Sri Lanka inside and out.
Here’s a taste of what companions can expect:
- A 4WD jeep safari through Yala National Park, in search of leopards, elephants and an extraordinary array of birdlife
- A boat ride along the Madu River with a visit to a cinnamon island — a sensory experience unlike anything else
- A morning at the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe
- The magnificent Sigiriya Rock Fortress — climbing to its lion-paw gateway and ancient summit frescoes
- A tea plantation visit in the highland country, with plucking, a factory tour and tasting
- The sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy
- A traditional village cooking lesson with a locally hosted lunch
- A mask-making experience on the south coast
- A spice garden visit complete with a complimentary head massage
- A private cultural dance performance in Dambulla
- A closing Awards and Farewell Evening on the beach in Negombo, with the entire group
Every meal is included throughout the companions programme, and there is always plenty of leisure time built in to simply enjoy the hotel pool, wander local markets, or breathe in the surroundings at a pace entirely your own.
The Hotels: 4 and 5-Star All the Way
Both riders and companions spend their nine nights in some of the finest hotels Sri Lanka has to offer. The accommodation is built predominantly around the Jetwing Hotels collection — widely regarded as Sri Lanka’s most prestigious hotel group, renowned for their extraordinary locations, architectural character and immaculate service.
Highlights include:
- Jetwing Lighthouse, Galle — a stunning clifftop resort designed by renowned architect Geoffrey Bawa, with sweeping ocean views and one of the most atmospheric settings in the country
- Double Tree by Hilton, Weerawila — a beautiful 4-star lakeside resort set amid vast wetlands, perfect for wildlife watching at sunset
- Jetwing St Andrews, Nuwara Eliya — a magnificent colonial-era hotel in Sri Lanka’s coolest hill town, with the character of a grand Scottish lodge set against tea-plantation scenery
- Jetwing Lakeside, Dambulla — a 4-star sanctuary overlooking the tranquil Kandalama lake, moments from Sigiriya
- Jetwing Blue, Negombo — a beautiful beachfront hotel for the perfect final evening, with cocktails as the sun sets over the Indian Ocean
This is the kind of accommodation that, at most cycling events, would be considered an unimaginable luxury. At Ride SriLankan 2027, it’s simply part of the package.
SriLankan Airlines: A Level of Support Unmatched Anywhere in the World
At the heart of Ride SriLankan is a partnership that is genuinely unlike anything else in the world of adventure cycling. SriLankan Airlines — the national carrier of Sri Lanka — is not merely a sponsor of this event. They are its architect, its backbone, and the reason that the level of support, logistics and luxury on offer simply cannot be matched by any comparable cycling event on the planet.
SriLankan Airlines has spent years hosting and supporting island-wide cycling events, from Rumble in the Jungle MTB and BikingMan endurance to the Asian Enduro Series. That depth of knowledge and connection — to local partners, to the finest hotels, to the roads, trails and communities of the island — is what makes Ride SriLankan possible at the standard it delivers. You don’t just get an event. You get the full weight of a national airline, with all the reach, resource and passion for showcasing their island that entails.
From the VIP meet-and-greet at the airport and the luxury air-conditioned coach transfer to Galle, to the full medical team (including qualified doctors) on the road every day, to the bike mechanics, GPS route marking, water stations stocked with fruit and snacks, and daily luggage transfers between hotels — the infrastructure behind this event is extraordinary.
Backed by the might of the national carrier, the level of luxury and support on offer is, at a price that last year’s riders found genuinely hard to believe, simply unrivalled.
Discounted Direct Flights from the UK, Australia, France and Germany
Getting there has never been easier — or better value. SriLankan Airlines operates discounted direct flights to Colombo for Ride SriLankan 2027 participants from the UK, Australia, France and Germany, making this one of the most accessible international cycling events in the world for riders and companions from across Europe and the southern hemisphere.
Book your flights through SriLankan Airlines alongside your event registration, and you’ll also benefit from 45kg of luggage allowance and the luxury airport coach transfer directly to the event hotel in Galle — a seamless arrival that sets the tone for the ten days ahead.
Everything You Need to Know
Ride SriLankan 2027 — Riders Package
Dates: 6–15 March 2027
Price: from £2,300 per person
Includes: 9 nights in 4 and 5-star hotels, all breakfasts and dinners, 6 fully supported riding days, GPS marking, medical support, luggage transfers, VIP airport arrival and closing ceremony.
Ride SriLankan 2027 — Companions Package
Dates: 6–15 March 2027
Price: from £2,200 per person
Includes: 9 nights in 4 and 5-star hotels, all meals throughout, 6 days of guided cultural and wildlife excursions, medical support, luggage transfers, VIP airport arrival and closing ceremony.
Book your place on the Riders Package →
Book your place on the Companions Package →
Questions? Contact the MTB Worldwide team at info@mtb-worldwide.com or call +44 1248 544568. You can also WhatsApp us directly.
