Sri Lanka is quite simply a gravel rider’s heaven. The island has the Goldilocks combination of spellbinding scenery, great riding, super-friendly people, plenty of sunshine and delicious food. March 2026 will see riders from all round the world set off on a multi-day adventure across the island as part of Ride SriLankan 2026. We chatted recently with event head honcho Phil Evans to find out more about it and why you should add it your adventure bucket list.

Image @Gravel Union

“The loop around Sigiriya is one of the best I’ve ever found, with around 80% of the route being on perfect gravel tracks.” Even over a less-than-perfect video call, you could see the excitement on the face of Phil Evans as he described to us the planned route for Ride SriLankan 2026. You would have thought that after the many (many) visits that he has made to the island that the gloss would have started to fade a little, but this definitely isn’t the case. Phil has been fallen completely in love with the island and his enthusiasm for it is infectious. One of his many roles as event director is to research new route options for the following year’s event and for 2026, he has included some real highlights.

2026 will be the fourth time that Ride SriLankan has been organised and for anyone who has joined the event previously, this year’s route will be quite significantly different. “Probably the biggest change for this year is that we’re staying longer in each place, so it feels more relaxed and you don’t need to pack your bags every day. The way it works is that we do an A-to-B ride one day and then a loop ride from the same location the next day. For 2026 we’ve also added in an extra day of riding – now up to six in total. Having two nights at each hotel gives more potential for people to have a day off if they don’t want to ride every stage. We’ve also tried to cut down on the transfers. On the first ride day for example, we ride straight from Negombo [only 30 minutes’ drive from the airport], so there’s no long transfer required at the start of the trip, like there has been in previous years. We’ve got some pretty amazing hotels included this year too – we start off with an ocean front hotel in Negombo and later in the tour we head into the hills and stay in a 150 year old restored country mansion.”

What is Ride SriLankan all about?

Ride SriLankan isn’t easy to pigeon-hole as a gravel riding event. It’s non-competitive, but each stage offers riders the chance to push themselves if they want to, thanks to a choice of two route distances on the A-to-B days. Each stage offers a mix of gravel tracks and paved minor roads, with the proportion of each varying depending on the location. Thanks to the amazing support network put in the place by the organisers – mobile mechanics, a medical team, regular feed stops and support vehicles - the event is appropriate for a wide range of riders. By choosing the shorter options on the A-to-B days and making use of the support vehicles when appropriate, the event is suitable for riders with differing levels of experience and fitness.

It’s all about the riding.

What about the riding itself? Over the course of nearly 500 km (300 miles) you will experience a vast array of surfaces, gradients and trail types. Each day contains a mix of on and off-road riding, with the proportions varying depending on the location. Phil’s route choice each year tries to juggle the often opposing requirements of starting/finishing at an appropriate location for the accommodation chosen, including enough gravel trails to keep the riders happy, allowing access for support vehicles and ensuring that the route is approved by the communities through which it passes. 

Looking for new gravel tracks is one of the highlights of Phil’s role, but can be fraught with problems “I got lost on one of my reccies. I’d mapped out the route in advance on the GPS and I followed the trail perfectly, but came to a point where it was shut. Local people were constructing a new house and they said that I couldn’t continue. I’d been climbing at this point for around an hour and this was supposed to be the highest point of the route, before descending to the finish. I decided to keep climbing to try and find an alternative route, but after another 30 minutes, the track came to a dead-end – just a turning circle and a gate. I was a bit worried – having to backtrack from this point might have taken me four or five hours. I found some locals and asked their advice, but none of them could help. Luckily with a combination of Google Maps on my phone and the map on my GPS I managed to find a trail that I thought would work. As I started to descend, I came to a point that I recognised from the reccie of the first Ride Sri Lankan event and from there I made it safely to the end. I had planned to be out riding for about three hours, but it finished up being more than six in the end! In the end it was worth it though and it’s turned out to be a really nice loop.” 

Everyone is welcome.

Ironically, perhaps what makes Ride SriLankan stand out the most from other gravel events isn’t the riding at all, it’s the fact the organisers put on a parallel tour for non-riding family members to enjoy. The Companion Itinerary is designed so that families can travel together and enjoy staying in the same accommodation, but the non-cycling family members get to enjoy an equally as amazing tour of the island as the cyclists do. The 2026 Companion Itinerary includes everything from visiting an elephant orphanage to guided tours through local markets to temple visits to 4x4 safaris. All the activities are organised by English-speaking local guides and are designed to give participants a real insight into the amazing culture, geography and history of Sri Lanka.

During the 2025 edition of the event, a lot of the riders were pretty jealous of the activities included in the Companion Itinerary – while we were tackling challenging climbs, the companions were enjoying train rides through tea plantations or snorkelling in the Indian Ocean. The creation of loop rides as part of the route in the 2026 edition of the event has opened up the potential for everyone to enjoy some off-bike time too, with optional trips to climb to the top of Sigiriya at sunset or to take part in a jeep safari in Yala National Park now open to riders too.

4-star luxury.

One of the true highlights of the event is the exceptional standard of accommodation. For the 2026 edition, nearly all hotels are 4-star, with most featuring swimming pools and all offering an impressive variety of delicious cuisine. After a rewarding day on the bike (or discovering Sri Lanka’s rich culture on the Companion’s Tour), relaxing with a sundowner cocktail overlooking a beautiful view, followed by an impressive evening buffet, is the perfect conclusion.

It’s all about the details.

Add-on Flight Offer: 

Sri Lankan Airlines, as the headline sponsor of the event, have created an incredible deal for participants planning on taking part in the 2026 Ride Sri Lanka event.

“All you have to do is turn up, ride your bike, enjoy the epic scenery and bask in the resplendent luxury before you.”

The headline price for riders sharing a twin/double room is £1999 per person. For non-riding participants, the price is £1899 per person. 

 If you would like to find out more about the Ride Sri Lankan 2026 or sign-up for one of the places, then just head over to the event website.

Images are courtesy @Michael Blann, except where credited.

Ride SriLankan 2026 is supported by Torq Fitness and Sigma Sports.

Ride SriLankan wouldn’t be possible without the incredibly generous support of Sri Lankan Airlines. They operate regular direct flights between London and Colombo and are one of the most cycling-friendly airlines we've ever had the pleasure of travelling with!