General Information
Tour Highlights
- Explore the lost city fortress of Sigiriya
- Relax on palm-fringed tropical beaches
- The ancient cave temple of Dambulla
- A game drive in Yala National Park
Tour Details
Tour Route: Colombo – Sigiriya– Polonnaruwa – Kandy – Nurawa Eliya – Ahangama – Colombo
Duration: 13 days/ 12 nights
Departure Date: No fixed departure. Any time you wish!
Start/ End: Negombo – Colombo
Tour Customization: Definitely! Tell us what you interest
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Colombo Arrival
Day 2: Colombo - Sigiriya | Relaxed by the Pool
Day 3: Discover Ancient Polonnaruwa - Game Drive at Minneriya National Park
Day 4: Lion Rock and Cycling Trip through local villages
Day 5: Cave temples at Dambulla - Spice Garden - Scenic Drive to Kandy
Day 6: Temple of the Tooth
Day 7: A Trip to the Beautiful Highlands - Tea Plantation in Nurawa Eliya
Day 8: Yala National Park
Day 9-11: Unwind with sandy beach - Free Days Discovery
Day 12: Transfer to Colombo via Dutch Fort at Galle
Day 13: Colombo Departure
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Colombo Arrival
Upon arrival, our representative in Sri Lanka will be waiting to meet you and escort you to the hotel in Chilaw. The rest of the day will be yours. Relax at leisure.
Day 2: Colombo - Sigiriya | Relaxed by the Pool
Today we drive out to Sigiriya. This can take approximately 3½ hours but there will be two stops, including a rest by the lake in the historic city of Kurunegala. The town is famous for its impressive 5th-century rock fortress, which rises 600 feet from the plains and overlooks the surrounding countryside, giving far-reaching, magnificent views. In the afternoon, freely enjoy the town, relax at the hotel and jump in the pool!
Day 3: Discover Ancient Polonnaruwa - Game Drive at Minneriya National Park
After breakfast, we take a short drive to the 10th century capital of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa. Here there are many Buddhist relics and ruins dating from a thousand years ago when Sinhalese culture reached its zenith. In the afternoon we will go on a safari at Minneriya National Park where we should see elephants in their natural habitat.
Day 4: Lion Rock and Cycling Trip through local villages
Sigiriya is our base for the next two days. While in the morning, we will climb Lion Rock whilst its cooler (the return trip usually takes around 3 hours). Once used as a safe haven from invaders, the route to the top is up a series of steep steps and gangways. Crowning the flat summit of the rock are extensive remains of the King’s Summer Palace from where there are breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside.
The descent is much easier and will take a lot less time. Please make sure that your children are accompanied at all times as there are some steep drops on this climb. It is, of course, optional and you may not wish to climb to the top of the fortress itself. In the afternoon we include the opportunity to cycle slowly through local villages and soak up the atmosphere, which is usually a great experience for everyone (if you do not wish to participate you can hire a tuk-tuk for approximately £10 per tuk-tuk and follow the group but not cycle).
Day 5: Cave temples at Dambulla - Spice Garden - Scenic Drive to Kandy
Breakfast and then, we visit the magnificent Cave Temple at Dambulla, for some, the most impressive sight in Sri Lanka. There are colorful, and very well preserved, paintings and statues of the Buddha inside the caves, which date back to the 1st century BC. After lunch, we stop at a spice garden near Matale where we can smell the various spices and herbs growing and the resident expert explains their uses. There's a chance to stock up on massage oils, spices, and Ayurvedic medicines.
Before we drive to Kandy we stop by a rope-making factory – which is a local house in the Matale area. The group will be able to visit the facility on the way to Kandy and witness the traditional process of rope making. Children will also be able to witness – and even experience – how interesting masterpieces are carved out a busy machine that strings out ropes of all colors and sizes. The activity lasts for approx. 30 minutes and the process could be a rewarding sight for both children and adults. We then drive to Kandy.
Day 6: Temple of the Tooth
Kandy is a picturesque hill town situated on a lake and home to Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic. We begin with a visit to the temple during the ceremony. Normally, hundreds of worshippers visiting the temple each day and it is open to the public. We then visit a sari factory, where we learn about these traditional garments that have been worn in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. We will watch how the silk is weaved into rolls of beautiful colored fabric and there's even time for some dressing up! The rest of the day is free to wander around Kandy, by the lake or take a taxi up to the surrounding hills for wonderful views over the town.
Day 7: A Trip to the Beautiful Highlands - Tea Plantation in Nurawa Eliya
Today we make the spectacular drive through the tea plantation district to Nuwara Eliya. This was the favorite hill station for the British during the colonial era, situated in the cool highland air at 1890m, it has a very British feel to it. Known as Little England, the site is dotted with British style houses, hotels, and even a racecourse. The area is famous for its high-quality tea and we visit a working plantation later in the day. This will also include a short tea picking session in a working tea plantation, depending on the weather condition. We stay in the hill country overnight at Bandarawela.
Day 8: Yala National Park
This morning we continue on to the Ella Gap where we have spectacular views of the coastal plain nearly 1,000m below. Almost the entire southern part of the island should be in view and on a particularly clear day the shimmering silver of the ocean is visible. We then head south out of the hills to Kataragama down on the plains, which is our base for visiting Yala National Park. After lunch, enjoy a game drive; the park is best known for its elephants but we may also see deer, monkeys, buffalo and a wide range of birdlife. If you are lucky you may also see a leopard as Yala has one of the highest concentrations of these beautiful animals in the world (Please note that the sanctuary is closed for 4-6 weeks from September to October allowing the park authorities to check the animals. Thus, we go to an alternative area close by, usually the Udawalawe National Park).
Day 9-11: Unwind with sandy beach - Free Days Discovery
This day, we drive to the coast and its beautiful palm-fringed bays. On the way, we stop at Tangalle and walk through a rice field to a village where you can try some unusual local delicacies such as boiled manioc served with coconut and a spicy mixture of chilies, onions, peppers, and lemon. You will see daily life and may even take part in some traditional Sri Lankan games. We then head back to our bus in little tractors used by the farmers.
For lunch, we stop at a house built by Exodus for Tsunami victims; this may well be one of the best curries of your trip! We will arrive at Ahangama in the afternoon and the rest of your time here is free with a chance to swim, relax on the beach or by the pool or do any one of numerous optional activities that your leader can organize for you.
Day 12: Transfer to Colombo via Dutch Fort at Galle
Today, we drive along the coastal road to the historic port of Galle, which dates back to the 17th century, and now a UNESCO world heritage site. En route, we stop at a small folk museum inspired by the local writer Martin Wickramasinghe. The museum is a typical house from the Koggala region and is set amongst stunning gardens. Keep traveling to Colombo reaching our hotel in the late afternoon.
Day 13: Colombo Departure
Time to say goodbye to Sri Lanka. Breakfast and morning at leisure until getting escorted to the airport for a flight coming home. The trip ends. Hope you enjoyed it. If you enjoyed other Sri Lanka tour packages again, wish that we still had an opportunity to serve you
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