Challenge level: 4 out of 5
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9 September - 19 September 2022 | On Sale | |
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Duration | 11 days |
The Challenge
Discover the serene island of Sri Lanka on this stunning coast to coast cycle for Women V Cancer.
Kicking off in Negombo, our amazing Women V Cancer adventurers will ride from the rainforest-like rubber growing west of the country to the sprawling plains and idyllic beaches of the east.
Together, we'll encounter tough climbs and challenging terrains, but with a bunch of fearless women by your side, you'll be smiling all the way.
Prepare for panorama after breath-taking panorama, as we pass through rolling tea plantations, bustling towns, remote villages and the lush tropics, where vanilla, cardamom, jack fruit and cocoa grow.
We also have the awesome chance to visit the famous, ancient Sigiriya rock fortress, the so-called "eighth modern wonder of the world" and to tour one of the island’s gorgeous tea plantations.
We finish with a free day at a paradise beach in Trincomalee, to relax and celebrate our achievement for Breast Cancer Now, Ovarian Cancer Action and Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust.
This Women V Cancer cycle is a life-changing opportunity to experience the best of Sri Lanka, from the hot spots to the hidden gems and communities off the tourist trail.
At the same time, you'll get fit, form life-long friendships and make an enormous impact for a critical cause.
COVID-19 - keeping you safe
As we hope you know, the health and safety of our participants is always - and has always been - our highest priority.
Our team of experts here at DC has created a brilliant 14-step initiative, to minimise the risk of coronavirus and maximise your safety. Please click here to see our ground-breaking plan and rest assured that you're safe booking with us.
Pay your registration fee and raise the minimum target for Women V Cancer.
£3,000
Minimum sponsorship target
As we hope you know, the health and safety of our participants is always - and has always been - our highest priority.
Our team of experts here at Dream Challenges has created a brilliant 14-step initiative, to minimise the risk of coronavirus and maximise your safety. Please click here to see our ground-breaking plan and rest assured that you're safe booking with us.
With even the government unsure how exactly the coronavirus situation will eventuate, we can't make any guarantees; but we can promise you that we will always put your health and security first and will always be just and flexible in any decisions we have to make, regarding postponements and transfers.
Absolutely! As part of our amazing 14-step initiative to minimise the risk of coronavirus and maximise your safety on all our challenges we're delighted to have found a fantastic travel insurance policy, which covers you for COVID-19.
You can see the insurance policy here or click here to check out the full 14 actions we're taking to keep you safe.
This challenge is not designed for Olympic athletes – it's designed for people looking for an amazing goal to train and get fit for.
A number of women who take part in this challenge will have a low level of fitness when they sign up. Our cycle through Sri Lanka is the perfect motivation to get fit and make a huge impact for an important cause.
Once you have registered for the challenge, we'll send you a realistic and achievable training plan, which builds up gradually as the event gets closer.
If you're feeling nervous, check out these fab messages from two of our Women V Cancer heroes who took on our first overseas cycle.
Please don't be! The majority of people will sign up on their own and our Women V Cancer challenges are renowned for the incomparable camaraderie and life-long friendships made as our groups take on these incredible feats together.
Once you've signed up for the challenge, we'll send you a link to a private Facebook group for everyone registered for your group on the Women V Cancer Cycle Sri Lanka.
Please feel free to use this space to swap questions, advice and updates with your fellow cyclists on your training and fundraising.
You may also want to reach out to the other participants in this group to see if there's anyone in your local area you can meet up to train and fundraise with.
Absolutely not! One of the amazing things about the challenge is that people of all ages will come together to do something very special.
As long as you're 18 years or over by the time we depart for the challenge, you are more than welcome to join the ride!
The money you raise funds the vital work of our three Women V Cancer charities who are raising awareness, providing support and funding research into breast, ovarian and cervical cancers.
If you’d like to know more about how each charity is making a difference for women affected by cancer, visit their websites below.
Breast Cancer Now
Registered charity no 1160558 (England and Wales) and SC045584 (Scotland) and 1200 (Isle of Man).
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust
Registered charity no. 1133542 (England and Wales) and SC041236 (Scotland)
Ovarian Cancer Action
Registered charity no. 1109743 (England and Wales) and SC043478 (Scotland)
Of the £3,000 minimum sponsorship target you raise, 50% (£1,500) covers your challenge costs.
The remaining 50% (or more if you've exceeded the target) goes directly to the work of the three charities, divided equally between Breast Cancer Now, Ovarian Cancer Action and Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust.
Your non-refundable registration fee of £349 per person is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.
Your challenge costs of £1,500 (ie. 50% of your fundraising target) cover:
In addition to paying your registration fee and fundraising the minimum sponsorship target for the Women V Cancer charities, you will need to budget for:
The group size for this challenge is likely to be around 60 people.
A cycle helmet is essential and must be worn at all times. Cycling shorts are also recommended and everyone will need their own water bottles or a camel back-type hydration system.
Apart from that, no specialist equipment is required. We will supply you with a list of everything you will need to take before you go.
Cyclists will have the use of 18 or 21-gear bikes and we suggest you bring the saddle or gel cover you are used to riding on.
We'll also send all participants a free Travel Safety Kit ahead of the challenge and it's essential you bring this with you to minimise both your own and your fellow participants' risk of COVID-19.
Your Travel Safety Kit will include hand sanitiser, anti-bac wipes and face masks for each day of the challenge. Please note, you do not have to wear face masks while cycling.
We stay in comfortable, three-star class hotels throughout this challenge on a twin-sharing basis.
Yes of course! If you wish to extend your stay in Sri Lanka, please let us know at least fourteen weeks before the challenge start date and we can arrange this for you.
The best way to get in touch is by emailing events@dream-challenges.com or you can call us on 01590 646410 during office hours (9am - 5pm Monday - Friday).
You will need to take out your own personal travel insurance covering health, accident, loss and repatriation.
Dream Challenges has a policy that provides appropriate cover for this type of activity and also covers you for COVID-19. We will send you the details once you have registered.
You can, however, take out your own insurance, providing it covers you for a charity cycle in Sri Lanka.
You will be required to obtain a tourist visa for entry into Sri Lanka, we will send you all the relevant information and forms to do this before the challenge.
The Dream Challenges team are here to help you achieve your challenge and will support you all the way.
We are on hand from the minute you sign up to answer any questions that you may have about your training or the challenge itself.
Once you have registered, we will send you a realistic training programme to help you get fit for the challenge. The programme builds up gradually as the event gets closer.
During the cycle, we'll have two qualified doctors accompanying the group from the get-go and at all times throughout the challenge, along with a team of experienced, first-aid-trained challenge guides.
We’ll have an event leader, plus two qualified event doctors, who will be with you the whole time. We'll also have a team of first-aid trained challenge guides.
How you fund your challenge is completely up to you. You may choose to pay the challenge costs (£1,500) yourself and then fundraise the remaining £1,500 to meet the £3,000 minimum target.
Many challengers choose this option, so that they can tell their sponsors 100% of their donation will go directly to support the work of Women V Cancer and not to fund your challenge costs.
Alternatively, you may choose to fundraise the full £3,000. You could of course pay the full £3,000 yourself too if you prefer not to fundraise.
Setting up an online fundraising page is easy. Once it's live, we'll send you the link to the Women V Cancer Cycle Sri Lanka 2022 JustGiving page. Please go to the page and click "Fundraise for us". Then follow the on-screen instructions and you'll be good to go.
Please make sure you set up your fundraising page for Women V Cancer Cycle Sri Lanka 2022 event on JustGiving. Otherwise the money you raise won't go to the charities and we won't be able to confirm you on the challenge.
As we're not medically trained, we're afraid we can't offer you advice on this. We recommend you contact your GP or your local travel clinic, who will have the latest travel health advice.
We also recommend you visit the NHS Fit for Travel website here, to keep up to date with current travel health news and advice on staying healthy abroad.
NHS Fit for Travel website: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home