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.
Our first morning starts with a journey from the beachside resorts of Negombo to the drier region around Sigiriya. On our journey we visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a home where orphaned elephants and raised to health. We also visit the stunning rock caves in nearby Dambulla, each containing a different representation of Buddha before arriving in Sigiriya in the late afternoon.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 then making our way to the southern plains of Udawalawe. 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
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 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.
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. And for anyone wanting the ultimate in island paradise relaxation, we can assist in booking a few nights in the Maldives to complete your holiday.
