This rich and immersive tour is designed for those seeking a holistic Jaffna experience, covering the historical and traditional landscape of Jaffna and its outskirts, and all it entails. You will meet your English-speaking host in front of the Jaffna Railway Station at 2:30 pm, and after the initial briefing we start your cycling journey into modern and ancient Jaffna. Though the tour will cover approximately 18km, a shorter trip / route can be designed on request.
Traffic-heavy main roads will be mostly avoided, inviting you to scenic off-brochure memories on back roads. Your host will take you through Jaffna’s historical and cultural attractions, complementing the experience with immersive storytelling and personal memories only a Jaffna-native could inherit. Watch esoteric religious activities take place in front of you, and experience the North as a local would.
En-route, stop and browse Palmyrah-woven goods made by empowered local women, or purchase real Jaffna Wine and Nelli Cordials extracted from Indian gooseberry (produced and sold by Catholic nuns)! By a 6:30 pm sundown you get to celebrate a wonderful day with a grand finale; witness a jaw-dropping sunset splashed across the western sky off the Jaffna Peninsula.
Jaffna City
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka and is the country’s 12th largest city. The traditionally vibrant city is known for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty. Its suburb, Nallur, served as the capital of the 12th century medieval Jaffna Kingdom. Prior to the protracted civil war, it was Sri Lanka’s second most populated city after the commercial capital – Colombo. Since the end of the conflict in 2009, refugees and internally displaced people have gradually started returning to their homes with word of government and private sector reconstruction happening. Jaffna is home to many historic Sri Lankan sites, such as the popular Jaffna Library that was burnt down and rebuilt, and the Jaffna Fort which was rebuilt during the Dutch colonial period in the 17th century.
