Some 45 foreigners from 20 nationalities are traversing the country in three-wheelers.

The 12-day adventure is organized by Large Minority for the fourth consecutive year this year.

For the first time this year the participants will be driving to Jaffna. The challenge will start from Minuwangoda and covering Kalpitiya and Wilpattu travel to Jaffna and come back to Minuwangoda through Trincomalee in the east and Sigiriya, Wasgamuwa and central hill towns of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.

The total trip covers 1,500 km and the participants will face various cultural and social challenges during the course of the event, the organizers say.

The Lanka Challenge is supported by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Tourism & the Sri Lankan Tourism Promotion Bureau. SriLankan Airlines is the prize sponsor and Sri Lanka's adventure sports provider Mongoose Adventures is the local sponsor for Lanka Challenge 2012.