Explore Sri Lanka Itinerary – SLE10
Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, an ashram, tea plantation, and choose from an abundance of optional excursions on your Explore Sri Lanka itinerary. Sample delicious food, learn some history, and experience traditional culture of this exotic and stunning island country, previously known as Ceylon.
Day 1 Colombo
Upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be met by our Airport Representative and your assigned guide who will escort you throughout your stay with us.
Thereafter transfer to downtown Colombo and check-in at your overnight hotel. (1 hour drive). Traditional welcome at the hotel with pre-check in room facilities. Spend the rest of your day at leisure or engage in optional activities.
Option 1 – Indulge in a spa treatment at “Spa Ceylon” one of the most sought-after luxury Ayurveda and wellness centres in Colombo.
Option 2 – Late afternoon take part in an Old Colombo city walk with a photographer and storyteller Mark Forbes or his crew. Your journey starts at the Old Dutch Hospital, a colonial treasure and former hospital from the 17th century. Next wander into the commercial hub of Colombo Fort, away from the tourist hotspots, and learn about the colonial buildings and important monuments whose stories have helped shape the Colombo of today. Perhaps stop at the bustling Pettah Bazaar.
Option 3 – This evening indulge in an authentic Sri Lankan culinary outing. Some of the island’s popular dishes will be served as part of a unique seven-course ‘tasting’ dinner menu. During this interactive tasting, your host will relate stories of Old Ceylon. Most dishes have a global influence, thanks to Sri Lanka’s multi-cultural history. The dishes are served in small portions designed to help you through the seven-course menu.
Accommodations: Zeemax Colombo Hotel
Day 2 Colombo – Melsiripura – Dambulla – Cultural Triangle
Check out and continue your journey to a scenic monastic retreat located within a model organic village. (2 hours and 30 minutes drive) This unique experience takes you inland to the small town of Melsiripura where over 55 acres of thick wilderness have been gradually transformed into a self-sustained model village within an environmentally-friendly Monastic Retreat. As the “Ashram” is home to approximately 15 resident Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis, you get the opportunity to observe their daily rituals.
Being a model organic village, the place boasts vast acres of organic farmland. Later, explore the many plantations growing bananas, mango, green leaves, green chillies, herbs, and an array of tropical vegetables. Furthermore, learn how they produce their own bio-gas, degradable waste management and the best quality coconuts. One of the daily chores for the monks and nuns is to cultivate and harvest the land using organic methods.
Complementary traditional lunch is served at the retreat. The meal will consist mainly of vegetarian organic products mostly grown fresh within the retreat.
Next, proceed to Dambulla to discover the Dambulla Rock Cave Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Explore its renowned wall art, dating back to first Century BC (1 hour and 30 minutes drive). Dambulla is a vast cave complex. It is still regarded today as one of the most important Buddhist monasteries. Covering the rock ceiling is the largest collection of paintings in Sri Lanka within a cave temple. As you wander through the temple, notice the numerous Buddha statues. Continue your drive to Cultural Triangle (1 hour drive)
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Kassapa Lions Rock
Day 3 Cultural Triangle
During this morning, enjoy leisure time or engage in an optional excursion as offered on your Explore Sri Lanka Tour.
This afternoon transfer to Sigiriya to climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress, built in the 5th century. This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site (30 minutes drive). Sigiriya rises up 200 meters above the surrounding jungle. Wander through the ruins and absorb the 360 degree views of the surrounding jungle.
Optionally, if you wish, travel to Polonnaruwa next, another UNESCO World Heritage Site (1 hour drive). Here, the second kingdom of Sri Lanka greets you. The iconic man-made reservoir was appropriately named “Parakrama Samudra”, or “the sea of Parakrama”, due to its enormous size. Look out for the famous Gal Viharaya or “Rock Temple” where you will see four colossal statues of the Buddha cut into the stone, reflecting peace, serenity and strength.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodations: Kassapa Lions Hotel
Day 4 Cultural Triangle – Kandy
Head out for a hands-on gem identification and cutting with a specialist gemologist. Sri Lanka produces over 70 varieties of both precious and semi-precious stones. Blue Sapphires, Star Sapphires, Cats Eye, Garnet, Amethyst, Moonstone and Blue Topaz are all found on the island. Grab the opportunity to cut and polish your own beautiful stone. Additionally, you can have it made into a piece of jewelry.
Continue your journey to the hill capital town of Kandy. (2 hours and 30 minutes drive) One more UNESCO World Heritage Site awaits you upon arrival in Kandy. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is one of the most prominent Buddhist temples. The resident monks demonstrate their age-old tradition as you become surrounded by the sound of drums and lotus and jasmine scents.
Special note: It is recommended to wear light colored clothing when visiting the temple: jeans, skirts, or dresses past knee length with long sleeved tops or a shawl to cover the shoulders if you are wearing short sleeved tops.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodations: Earls Regent Hotel
Day 5 Kandy – Peradeniya – Kandy
Enjoy leisure time this morning.
During the afternoon, visit Peradeniya to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens (45 minutes drive). Meander on a tour through the scenic gardens which house over 4000 species.
Optional – Visit a local village dancing school (45 minutes drive). This is a unique opportunity to visit a traditional Kandyan dancing school amidst the scenic hills of Kandy. The school is home to students of varied age groups. It is said that to become a full-fledged Kandyan dancer needs at least 10 years of dedicated training starting from a very tender age. But it all begins with the basic steps! A traditional Kandyan Dancing Guru will teach you the basic steps of the dance to the beat of the local drums.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodations: Earls Regent Kandy
Day 6 Kandy – Central Highlands (Nuwara Eliya, Ella or Hatton)
After breakfast, embark on a picturesque uphill drive to the central highlands, also declared as part of the UNESCO Nature Sites. On route, stop to see a working tea factory and estate. (drive to Nuwara Eliya 2 hours, to Hatton – 2 hours and 30 minutes, to Ella – 3 hours and 40 minutes).
The stunning drive to the central highlands is a photographer’s paradise. Pause every now and again to admire the gushing waterfalls, the vast tea terraces, tea factories and farm fields along the way.
Later, settle in at your hill country hotel where you will spend the next two nights.
Optional: Take a local train ride, popular amoung tourists for its scenic views.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodations: Galway Heights/Oakray Ella Gap
Day 7 Central Highlands
The day is yours to spend enjoying the scenic mountain environment or, depending on which location we are staying, participate in an optional excursion.
Option – Nuwara Eliya – Engage in an exciting trekking expedition to Horton Plains National Park followed by an evening exploration of the colonial buildings and the life and lore of Nuwara Eliya. A packed lunch will be served during this expedition. Lying at an altitude between 2,100 and 2,300 meters (7, 500 feet), Horton Plains National Park is often shrouded in mist, ground frost and low-lying cloud. A UNESCO nature site, it is the only national park in the central highlands. The plains protect the sources of important rivers and host many species of plant, endemic birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and butterflies.
Option Nuwara Eliya or Hatton: Climb Adams Peak holy mountain This is a seasonal activity from December to May and a packed lunch is included with this activity. Approximate duration of the climb is 4 hours and 30 minutes. Rising 2,243 meters (7,359 feet) above the island’s Central Highlands, Adams Peak, another UNESCO natural site, is regarded as one of best mountains in the world from which to watch the sunrise. Adams Peak, otherwise known as Sri Pada, is one the holiest of the peaks in Sri Lanka.
Hundreds of devotees visit annually on a pilgrimage from December to May. Your climb ought to commence during the middle of the night in order to arrive at the peak for sunrise. The journey uphill is sure to be a treat as locals offer traditional sweet meats and herbal drinks at a minimal cost. A scenic descent passes many beautiful waterfalls and landscapes.
Option Ella – A one of a kind mega zipline adventure, The Flying Ravana is located amidst the luscious green estates of Ella. The two-wire zip-line stretches for more than half a kilometer, gliding at 80 kph and offering a bird’s-eye view of the beautiful hills. The park is exclusively designed for adventure enthusiasts who prefer a not-so-ordinary hillside experience. In addition to the zipline, ATV/quad bike rides, abseiling, archery and air-rifling are all offered.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodations: Galway Heights/Oakray Ella Gap
Day 8 Central Highlands – Galle
Today we head to Galle (4 hours and 30 minutes drive). During the evening, stroll along the streets of the Galle Dutch Fort, one more UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city of Galle mixes the exotic with the colonial. The impressive Fortress is a living example of the interaction between European architecture and South Asian traditions during the 16th to 19th Centuries. Explore the fort and be sure to get shots of the sunset over the Indian ocean.
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner
Accommodations: Fairway Sunset Galle
Day 9 Galle
Venture out for a unique cinnamon tapping excursion. On route, enjoy panoramic views of the iconic stilt fisherman along the southern coast. (1 hour drive) Upon arrival, continue on a guided tour of the cinnamon estate. Discover the method of growing and harvesting cinnamon. Watch a fascinating demonstration from one of the estate’s expert peelers to see how this intricate process is carried out. Follow your spice venture with a delicious cinnamon-inspired lunch at the estate bungalow.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodations: Fairway Sunset Galle
Day 10 Galle – Airport
Finally, after breakfast, transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (2 hours drive) in time to connect with your onward international departure flight. Alternatively, select from one of our post tour extensions.
