DAY 1: Arrive Colombo ~ Negombo
Your unforgettable Sri Lanka Tour starts with a meet and greet at Sri Lanka International Airport. Once welcomed by our tour representative, you will be transferred to your hotel in Negombo, approximately 30 minute drive from the airport.
MEALS: Nil
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Terrace Green Hotel & Spa, Negombo
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Pledge Scape, Negombo
DAY 2: Negombo ~ Wilpattu Safari ~ Anuradhapura
If you feel up to it, rise early for a visit to the Negombo Fish Market. Morning is the best time to visit the market – your leader will healp you navigate the organised frenzy of vendors displaying delicacies like crab, lobsters and squid. Say goodbye to Negombo and make the drive to Wilpattu National Park.
Popular for its Willus (natural Lakes) which are filled with rain water, the park is a natural beauty to wander. Wilpattu is known as the largest national park in the Island which is also popular for its Leopards population.The national park is home to many creatures, fauna and flora. Common captures in the wilderness of Wilpattu include birds as the Painted Stork, Openbill, Jungle Fowl, Pin Tail, Whistling Teal, Spoonbill and reptiles as Mugger Crocodile, Cobra, Rat Snake and Fauna as Palu, Weera, Milla, Satin and Mammals as Elephants, Leopards, Sloth Bear, Sambar Deer and Spotted Deer. Thereafter, proceed to Anuradhapura.
APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIME: 5.5 hours
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Heritage Hotel, Anuradhapura
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Rajarata Hotel, Anuradhapura
DAY 3: Anuradhapura ~ Mihinthale ~ Anuradhapura
Your morning is free at your own leisure. In the afternoon, you have the option to visit Anuradhapura for a sightseeing tour. The ancient capital of Anuradhapura reigned supreme for over a millennium as one of the greatest monastic cities of the ancient world, Ruled by 113 successive kings and 4 queens, Anuradhapura was a majestic sprawl of magnificent palaces, ornate pleasure gardens, exquisite sculptures, and vast Buddhist temples. The three main ‘dagabas’ are amongst the biggest architectural creations of the ancient world.
Your afternoon will include a visit to the sacred Mihintale Temple. Mihintale is a mountain peak near Anuradhapura. It is believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It is now a pilgrimage site.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Heritage Hotel, Anuradhapura
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Rajarata Hotel, Anuradhapura
DAY 4: Anuradhapura ~ Jaffna
After breakfast at the hotel you will proceed to Jaffna. You will then check-in at your hotel. You are free to spend the day at your own leisure.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Jetwing Jaffna, Jaffna
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Jetwing Jaffna, Jaffna
DAY 5: Jaffna ~ Nagadeepa ~ Jaffna
Today we have plenty of time to explore more of Jaffna. Visit Nagadipa Temple on Nainativu Island, the only major Buddhist site in the north of the country (where Buddha himself is said to have visited to settle a dispute between two local kings) and accessible by local ferry. Just by the jetty is also the Naga Pooshani Amman Kovil, a colourful Hindu Temple dedicated to Meenakshi. Back in Jaffna, tour the city including the beautiful library that has been lovingly restored after being detroyed in the war, and the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil, an important local Hindu site.
Dinner will be arranged at local Jaffna cuisine restaurant.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Jetwing Jaffna, Jaffna
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Jetwing Jaffna, Jaffna
DAY 6: Jaffna ~ Dambulla
After breakfast at the hotel, you will proceed to the Dambulla. Check in to hotel and relax.
Evening explores the Wholesale Market and dodge the trucks and people piled high with every type of produce imaginable. Boasting an incredible array of fresh food, much of which is subsequently transported to Colombo for sale, this is the perfect place to get a sense of Sri Lanka’s agricultural diversity.
APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIME: 5.5 hours
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Lario Resort, Dambulla
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Fresco Water Villa, Dambulla
DAY 7: Dambulla ~ Sigiriya ~ Dambulla
In the morning you climb the many steps up “Sigiriya”, which is known as the ‘Lion Rock’ and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The feats of artistry, architecture and engineering at Sigiriya continue to impress visitors with their utter magnificence, even thousands of years on. Intricately landscaped pleasure gardens sprawl out below the rock, giant lion paws hewn in stone mark the entrance to the fortress at its foot and a highly polished mirror wall still carries the scrawled writings of ancient poets.
After our time at Sigiriya, you will continue to Hiriwaduna. Here you will embark on a village tour. On the tour you will take a ride in a bullock cart, enjoy a nature walk through a scrub jungle, and cross a lake in an ‘oruwa’, the traditional mode of over water transport. Spend time with a farmer harvesting crops under his guidance and taste authentic village cuisine prepared by the farmer’s family with freshly picked produce and local herbs cooked in clay pots over an open hearth fuelled by firewood.
In the afternoon, you have the option to experience a sightseeing tour around the medieval city of Polonnaruwa. Exploring this ancient city is amazing. You will start the tour in the King Parakramabahu palace and visit all the historically important places.
The visit to Lion Rock takes around 3.5 hours in total. From the Lion’s Paw there is a steep, 30-minute climb over often narrow walkways and steps to reach all of the points of interest at the site. Those who do not want to climb can wait at the Lion’s Paw until the rest of the group return. You must climb in order to access sites like the water garden, boulder garden, frescoes and the mirror wall.
APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIME: 3.5 hours
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Lario Resort, Dambulla
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Fresco Water Villa, Dambulla
DAY 8: Dambulla ~ Kandy
After breakfast you will proceed to Kandy, with the option to visit the famous Dambulla Rock Temple on the way. Standing approximately 100m high, the approach to the entrance of the caves entails climbing up the face of the rock, although stone steps have now been cut to make the climb easier. Whilst climbing the entrance of caves, take time to stop and enjoy the view of the surrounding area, which is truly breathtaking.
On the way to Kandy you can visit a spice Garden in Matale, as well as also enjoy an included Head massage. There are shops where you can purchase different spices of Sri Lanka. In the evening, another optional visit to the sacred Temple of the sacred tooth relic. Just north of the lake, the golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. During puja (offerings or prayers), the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open to devotees and tourists.
When visiting the Temples you have to take your hats and shoes off, do not leave your shoes at the side of the road or the monkeys will run off with them! Store them with the ‘shoe keepers’ for a small charge or put them in your rucksack.
APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIME: 3.5 hours
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Oak Ray Regency, Kandy
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Royal Kandyan, Kandy
DAY 9: Kandy
This morning you’ll visit Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth), which houses the country’s most sacred relic: a tooth said to be the Buddha’s. Pilgrims have been coming to pay homage at this site since the 16th century.
Visit the magnificent Peradeniya Botanical Gardens (Optional) with its immense fig tree and impressive orchid collection. Considered among the finest botanical gardens in all of Asia, this is a great spot for the kids to run around in. Next up, witness the cultural show.
Enjoy the rest of the day with free exploration of the city.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Oak Ray Regency, Kandy
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Royal Kandyan, Kandy
DAY 10: Kandy ~ Ella
After breakfast, you will proceed to Ella. On the way, you will visit the Tea plantation and be able to participate in a city tour in Nuwara Eliya. You will then process to Nanu Oya to board the train.
In the afternoon, enjoy a train journey from Nanu Oya to Ella while enjoying the scenic view through the hill country overlooking the tea plantations. On arrival in Ella, check-in at your hotel and spend the rest of the day at your own leisure.
This morning, board the train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, a picturesque town nestled deep in Sri Lanka’s tea plantation country at an elevation of 1,800 metres. Known for its cool climate, Nuwara Eliya was a favourite retreat of the Scots and English during the colonial era, with charming manor homes and sculpted gardens that reflect its history.
The train journey, approximately 3.5 hours long, is renowned as one of the world’s most scenic rail trips. Enjoy breathtaking views of rolling hillsides and vibrant green tea plantations. Don’t forget to capture stunning Instagram-worthy shots from the open doors and windows of the train.
NOTE: Train tickets from Kandy to Ella are in very high demand, especially during peak seasons (December–April and August). While every effort is made to secure tickets, in the rare event they are unavailable, you will travel via private vehicle instead.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel, Ella
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Hide Ella, Ella
DAY 11: Ella
Today you will embark on a sightseeing tour around Ella including visits to Little Adams Peak, Nine Arches Bridge, Ravana waterfalls and Ella Gap.The main attraction of Ella is the breath-taking view from the ‘Ella Gap’. The majestic Ella rock looming over the village provides an arduous but rewarding hike – and the views from the top are well worth the effort. The beautiful Ravana Ella waterfall is an impressive cascade – the widest in Sri Lanka, is also a sight not to miss. The nearby caves are steeped in legend according to which, the ancient King Ravana held the Indian princess Seetha captive in them.
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel, Ella
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Hide Ella, Ella
DAY 12: Ella ~ Kaluthara
After breakfast proceed to Beach Stay. Arrive late afternoon. Enjoy the afternoon/evening at your own leisure.
APPROXIMATE DRIVING TIME: 4.5 hours
MEALS: Breakfast, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Mermaid Hotel & Club, Kaluthara
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Mermaid Hotel & Club, Kaluthara
DAY 13: Kaluthara ~ Galle Dutch Fort
After having Breakfast at the hotel, you will visit the Dutch Fort of Galle, the National Maritime Archeological Museum and the Galle lighthouse.
The Galle For was initially established by the Portuguese in 1588, but was later fortified into the solid structure seen today by the Dutch during the 17th century. Also known as the Galle Ramparts, the Galle Fort is a historically and archaeological rich site which was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Opened in 2010 The National Maritime Archaeology Museum is situated within the sturdy walls of the Galle Fort.
The Galle Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse station in the country. Located within the walls of the historical Galle Fort, the Galle Lighthouse is strategically positioned at the Southern end of the promontory giving it the best possible view of any ships entering the Galle Harbor. We will also stop to visit the Stilt Fisherman famous in this area.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Mermaid Hotel & Club, Kaluthara
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Mermaid Hotel & Club, Kaluthara
DAY 14: Kaluthara Free Day
Enjoy a free day at your leisure at the beach resort.
MEALS: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
OVERNIGHT (3 STAR OPTION): Mermaid Hotel & Club, Kaluthara
OVERNIGHT (4 STAR OPTION): Mermaid Hotel & Club, Kaluthara
DAY 15: Kaluthara ~ Departure
Breakfast at the hotel and then start your own way back to the airport for your departure. Since most flights are leaving at midnight, if time permits, you can proceed to Colombo for some last minute shopping for souvenirs and gifts, or extend your time at the beach. Optional airport transfers are available on request. We hope you have a safe onward journey.
MEALS: Breakfast
