Discover Sri Lanka Tour
- Negombo to
- Colombo
- 14 days
- From $4195
Your locally guided boutique journey in Sri Lanka begins with a tour of the island history in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. Step back in time and experience ancient rituals alongside local pilgrims. The beautiful Sigiriya rock fortress, surrounded by jungle is an engineering feat that you’ll conquer after getting close to wildlife in neighbouring national parks.
Explore Kandy at your leisure before you ride the rails into the high country, taste the world’s finest tea in beautiful tea plantations and discover the breathtaking World’s End. Descending back to sea level, you’ll visit the historic Dutch fort in Galle and the stunning southern beaches before ending your tour exploring the commercial hub of Colombo.
Multiple two-night stay destinations ensure you aren’t rushed off your feet and allow you to add your own adventures to the already very generous inclusions list.
Experiences
This tour of Sri Lanka includes such a great variety of experiences that it is bound to appeal to people with a wide range of interests. It’s for anyone who loves the great outdoors and spotting wildlife and marine life. The tour will also satisfy those who want to experience a truly authentic sense of place when they visit a small regional town. History buffs will enjoy the journey back in time from modern times to colonial remnants and relics from thousands of years ago.
Many of the experiences are outlined in the day-to-day program below, with further details on separate pages for each tour day. For a quick overview, here is a snapshot of what is included in the program:
- Guided tours of the major sacred sites in Anuradhapura & Polonnaruwa.
- Entry and guided tours of the major sacred sites in Sigiriya, including rock climb.
- A jeep safari in either Minneriya or Kaudulla National Parks.
- Authentic meal at a family restaurant on the outskirts of Polonnaruwa.
- Entry and guided tour of the Dambulla cave temples.
- Entry and guided tour of the major sacred sites at the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
- Tea museum tour experience, including a cup of local tea.
- Entry to the Botanical Gardens outside Kandy.
- Rail journey from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya.
- Tea factory tour, tasting and opportunity to pick your own tea leaves.
- High tea in the tea plantations.
- Horton Plains National Park admission fees.
- Tuk tuk experience to Lipton’s Seat.
- Rail journey from Haptuale to Ella.
- A jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park.
- Entry to the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home.
- Tour of the Dutch Fort in Galle.
- Entry and tour of a green turtle conservation centre.
- City tour of Colombo.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Beachside Arrival
On arrival at Colombo International Airport, your guide for your Sri Lanka tour will meet and greet you and transport you to your beachside resort in Negombo. During 2017, the airport is closed during the day, so most fights will arrive in the evening or early morning. Guests have the option to arrive a day earlier if they wish to spend a day on the beach recovering from any jetlag before commencing their Sri Lanka tour.
Hotel: Jetwing Blue (or similar)
Meals: Nil (guests arriving early can have meals added if required)
Day 2: Ancient Cities and Traditions
Our first morning starts with a journey from the beachside resorts of Negombo to dry Anuradhapura. We travel past villages that come to life when locals celebrate religious festivals on what would otherwise be a quiet Sunday morning. Today’s trip ends in the original capital of Sri Lanka: Anuradhapura. We enjoy a leisurely lunch before embarking on a tour of Sri Lanka’s cultural origins. We take a guided tour of sacred sites, exploring stupas that were once some of the tallest constructions on the planet. After watching locals perform current day offerings at one of Buddhism’s most sacred sites, our first day comes to an end.
Detailed Itinerary: Tour Anuradhapura’s Ancient Cities and Traditions
Hotel: Sanctuary at Tissawassa (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner.
Day 3: Birthplace of Buddhism, Elephant Gathering
Detailed Itinerary: Buddhism and Elephant Gathering Safari
Hotel: Hotel Sigiriya (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Polonnaruwa Palaces and Sri Lankan Cuisine
Our journey today explores Polonnaruwa as we trace the steps of kings across ancient ruins. The ruins we explore today are younger than those in Anuradhapura, making it easier to imagine how the palaces once rose into the sky. We wander ruins of palaces, shrines and temples of the old capital of Sri Lanka. Exploring can build up an appetite, so we visit a local home turned restaurant to experience some authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. We enjoy the local food against a scenic backdrop of farms and rice fields. The afternoon is yours to explore the local village in Sigiriya, where your guide will help out to ensure an enjoyable afternoon.
Detailed Itinerary: Polonnaruwa Palaces and Authentic Cuisine
Hotel: Hotel Sigiriya (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Sigiriya Rock
Visiting the impressive Sigiriya rock fortress, we enter the stairs between the giant stone Lion Gate, of which only the paws remain, and make our way up to the palace ruins perched on top of the flat rock. We admire ancient rock art and impressive engineering feats as we explore this sacred and unique part of Sri Lankan history. We also visit the stunning rock caves in nearby Dambulla, each containing a different representation of Buddha. As we approach Kandy, we visit a commercial spice farm and learn about the spices that once enticed many traders to Sri Lanka. This is followed by lunch in the nearby restaurant. Our arrival in Kandy allows guests to relax or create their own adventures in the afternoon and evening.
Detailed Itinerary: Sigiriya Rock and Ancient Caves
Hotel: Cinnamon Citadel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Kandy – the last kingdom of Sri Lanka
As Sri Lanka’s last kingdom, Kandy resisted both the Portuguese and Dutch before falling to the British empire in 1815. The capital of each kingdom before Kandy protected the Buddha’s tooth relic within the palace complex. As the last kingdom, Kandy remains home to the Buddha tooth relic, a most precious and sacred site in Sri Lanka. We explore the Temple of the Tooth Relic, Kandy’s most visited site, during morning offerings before the crowds become too intense.
The afternoon and evening are open to guests to discover some of the British contribution to the region or the remains of the Kingdom of Kandy. Colonial experiences include visiting a tea museum and having lunch in the nearby botanical gardens. Historical experiences include exploring the rainforest above Kandy and viewing the ancient town from the hills above. Whatever your adventure, your guide will help you to get the most out of your visit to Kandy.
Detailed Itinerary: Kandy, Sri Lanka’s Last Kingdom
Hotel: Cinnamon Citadel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 7: Tea Country Train Journey
Train travel in Sri Lanka is one of the best ways to get off road and see parts of the countryside that are inaccessible by car. Our Sri Lanka train journey takes place on one of the most scenic sections of railroad in Asia: the line between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Our day starts on the outskirts of Kandy, from where we climb 1,300m into the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country. Although we travel less than 100km, the four-hour journey takes in some breathtaking scenery that can only be seen from the rails.
Riding in second class, we feel the temperature drop with fresh burst of air flowing freely through open windows. The train weaves its way along hillsides covered in tea plantations towards Sri Lanka’s high tea country. On arrival in Nuwra Eliya, guests have the afternoon to explore the small colonial town or organise their own adventure in what we think is one of the most beautiful parts of Sri Lanka.
Detailed Itinerary: Sri Lanka Railway to the Sky
Hotel: Jetwing St. Andrews (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast.
Day 8: Ceylon Tea
After a week of travelling, we slow the pace down. It’s time to relax in what was once the destination for the colonial empire’s Ceylon tea trails. The name Ceylon was given to Sri Lanka while the British controlled the country. This is why Sri Lankan tea is often called Ceylon tea. We find out the British influence remains strong to this day as we explore one of the finest tea plantations Sri Lanka has to offer in Nuwara Eliya. During the day, we visit Lovers Leap, explore the Pedro tea estate and enjoy a high tea. To experience the life of a local, there is an opportunity to pick your own tea leaves and discover the effort that goes into making the perfect cup of tea.
Detailed Itinerary: Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Tea Trail
Hotel: Jetwing St. Andrews (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, High Tea.
Day 9: Journey to Worlds End
Horton Plains National Park is the destination of today’s trip for our early morning hike to World’s End. Once the hunting grounds for the elite, these plains are now a national park perched over 2,100m above sea level. Hiking to World’s End takes us across grassland plateau and through jungle to the breathtaking precipice dropping 1,200m to the valley below.
The view extends to tiny towns surrounded by tea plantations. On clear days, you can see Sri Lanka’s south coast from here. Heading back, we pause at the beautiful Bakers Falls before descending to the town of Haputale and once again riding the railway. Once in Ella, if you’re feeling energetic you can hike Mini Adam’s Peak or Ella Rock. If you feel like relaxing, grab a book and watch the day go by in this relaxing little village.
Detailed Itinerary: Horton Plains National Park Worlds End
Hotel: 98 Acres Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Southern Safari
We descend from the high country and travel into the plains of Sri Lanka’s south. Along the way, we see the landscape change from the jungle-covered hills to the savannah-like plains of southern Sri Lanka. We explore historic railway bridges, waterfalls and ancient rock carvings before arriving at Udawalawe National Park. We take to a jeep for a safari of a national park that rivals the savannah of Africa. As the sun sets across Udawalawe dam, we search for elephants, the elusive leopard and crocodiles on our Sri Lanka Safari. After an exciting day witnessing the circle of life, our evening ends with a group dinner.
Detailed Itinerary: Udawalawe National Park Safari
Hotel: Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: Sri Lanka Beaches
We start our day with a visit to the elephant transit home where elephants are rehabilitated for release into the wild. Leaving the savannah-like plains of Udawalawe, we head south towards some of Sri Lanka’s best beaches. We remember those who lost their lives in the 2004 tsunami as we pass colonial towns along the coast. Each town is home to ancient fishing villages, Buddhist temples and shrines. We watch fishermen catch fish from the shoreline and visit the only blowhole in Sri Lanka to observe the power of the sea. In the evening, we arrive in the fort city of Galle where we watch the sun set over Sri Lanka beaches.
Detailed Itinerary: Sri Lanka Beaches – A Journey to the seaside
Hotel: Jetwing Lighthouse Galle (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 12: Dutch Fort in Galle
The Dutch, Portuguese and British all occupied Sri Lanka for some periods in the country’s past. The fort in Galle is a great relic of maritime history and life during the Dutch period of Sri Lanka. Explore the fort during the day before coming back to the city at night for a dinner in the old city.
Hotel: Jetwing Lighthouse Galle (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Day 13: Colombo
Departing Galle, we head north along the coastline towards the commercial and trading hub of Sri Lanka: Colombo. After visiting a unique turtle conservation facility that has assisted in the safe hatching and release of thousands of baby turtles, we take one of the country’s few highways into Colombo. Our guide takes us on a tour of the highlights of this hectic city before we take a sundowner on the checkerboard of the famous Galle Face Hotel to conclude our tour of Sri Lanka.
Hotel: Galle Face Hotel (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Sundowners.
Day 14: Farewell Sri Lanka
Although the tour program is complete, your trip doesn’t need to end just yet. For those wishing to explore Colombo further, we can arrange add-on accommodation. We can extend your holiday to an ultimate in island paradise relaxation, adding nights in the Maldives to complete your holiday. Contact us for more details.
Meals: Breakfast.
Inclusions
What’s included and not included in this Sri Lankan packaged tour is pretty clear, we think. We like to keep things simple, so you won’t find page after page of terms and conditions (although we are required to have some to protect both you and us).
For this program, we include 13 nights’ accommodation at the hotels listed above. If they are unavailable for whatever reason, something of comparable rating and value. If we say we include an activity in the itinerary above, then we include it. Optional activities or what we suggest you could do in your free time are just that. These are optional and not included. We have tried to include as much as possible so you get the best experience possible.
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