Sri Lanka charity cycle, trek & community project
| country: | Sri Lanka |
| departures: | 2008: 1 Nov 2009: 19 Sep |
| price: | From £1650 (15 days) including flights from the UK and from £1250 excluding flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
An opportunity to raise funds a charity of your choice, get involved much needed development projects in Sri Lanka, and get a completely different perspective on Sri Lanka, as you hike, cycle and work your way through the island, stopping-off to see the best that Sri Lanka has to offer the intrepid traveller.
The highlights include the stunning scenery of Sigiriya, the ancient lost city of Polonnoruwa, the colonial splendour of Kandy (including a visit to The Temple of the Tooth), as well as meeting the locals and enjoying their wonderful hospitality – and famous food! For those seeking a mix of physical challenges, rewarding experiences, and the opportunity to get a new perspective on one of the most beautiful places in the world, then this challenge is a must.
Sri Lanka, long overlooked by tourists who think Thailand for beaches and India for culture, is a place that should be on everybody’s ‘must see’ list. Sri Lanka offers a fascinating mix of history and culture, as well some of the worlds best beaches, best kept rainforests, and amazing places to see – all in a relatively easy to navigate island.
But Sri Lanka remains a place of considerable need. That is why we are involved in a number of projects which offer support to vulnerable people who have no formal support (such as the old boys at the Pidyagama home, or the various orphanages we work with), as well as supporting educational programmes, schools and livelihood projects. We want to help people to help themselves. To enable those with little to use what they have to build a better future for themselves and their country.
The highlights include the stunning scenery of Sigiriya, the ancient lost city of Polonnoruwa, the colonial splendour of Kandy (including a visit to The Temple of the Tooth), as well as meeting the locals and enjoying their wonderful hospitality – and famous food! For those seeking a mix of physical challenges, rewarding experiences, and the opportunity to get a new perspective on one of the most beautiful places in the world, then this challenge is a must.
Sri Lanka, long overlooked by tourists who think Thailand for beaches and India for culture, is a place that should be on everybody’s ‘must see’ list. Sri Lanka offers a fascinating mix of history and culture, as well some of the worlds best beaches, best kept rainforests, and amazing places to see – all in a relatively easy to navigate island.
But Sri Lanka remains a place of considerable need. That is why we are involved in a number of projects which offer support to vulnerable people who have no formal support (such as the old boys at the Pidyagama home, or the various orphanages we work with), as well as supporting educational programmes, schools and livelihood projects. We want to help people to help themselves. To enable those with little to use what they have to build a better future for themselves and their country.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | London - Colombo. Fly to Colombo. |
| Day 2: | Colombo - Sigirya. Arrive in Colombo and transfer to the awe-inspiring World Heritage site of Sigiriya. |
| Day 3: | Sigirya - Polonnoruwa. Enjoy a full day’s jungle hike en route to Sri Lanka’s medieval capital Pollonaruwa. |
| Day 4: | Polonnoruwa. Spend a fascinating day's cycle ride through Pollonaruwa’s ancient ruins. |
| Day 5: | Polonnoruwa – Kandy. More cycling through lush countryside, stopping at a spice garden and batik factory en route to Kandy. |
| Day 6: | Kandy. A day of varied transportation as you first walk, then drive and finally cycle to reach Nuwara Eliya, home to hundreds of Sri Lanka’s wild elephants. |
| Day 7: | Kandy. Travel through the stunning tea plantations as you trek first to World’s End, a dramatic cliff formation, and then on to Kinchigune where we camp overnight. |
| Day 8: | Galle. A day’s cycle ride to Galle, passing through more charming countryside and remote villages. |
| Day 9-13: | Unawatuna. We spend the next five days helping volunteer work on a range of voluntary projects, including a home for the elderly, an orphanage, a school for displaced tsunami victims, a home for disabled children and other projects. |
| Day 14: | Transfer to Colombo Airport for the return flight to the UK (arriving late evening). |
how this holiday makes a difference
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This tour offers you opportunities which few other charity fundraising events do. Instead of just ‘seeing’ Sri Lanka as a mere tourist, a spectator of sceneries and events happening to other people, this tour will provide you with the chance of actually getting involved with projects ranging from working at an orphanage to home for elderly men and a school for deaf/blind children, which benefit the communities in which you are staying.
We work to very rigorous environmental sustainability standards, such as ensuring the accommodation's are vetted to ensure rigorous environmental sustainability standards, water conservation and recycling policies, and that they source as many products as possible locally, that the hotel workers and support staff benefit from ‘staff friendly’ employment practices, such as the right to belong to trades union, and earn a fair wage for a fair days work. Therefore we can guarantee that the money you spend directly benefits local people.  As well as the combined physical challenge of trekking in the hill country and cycling from the centre to the coast, you then spend week helping out on our community projects in the Galle area. Whether you choose to pick up a paintbrush, construct some shelving or spend time at an orphanage helping with some simple English lessons – you can be assured that you and they alike will have a fantastic time and make lasting friendships! By raising a minimum sponsorship for your chosen UK charity, you can ensure this trip helps communities both at home and abroad. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |