Best of Sri Lanka Tour
Overview
- See the Sri Maha Bodhiya tree, regarded as the first humanplanted tree in the world
- Visit Mihinthale, where the foundation of Buddhism in Sri Lanka was laid
- Explore the ruins of Anuradhapura & Galle
- Enjoy walking through the Udawatta forest, hike to Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak
Book this 14-day, guided tour and get the chance to participate on a Sri Lankan dream trip. Start your adventure from Negombo with a city tour. Travel to the historic city of Anuradhapura and explore its ruins. Travel to Sigiriya to learn more about rural life in Sri Lanka. See its green paddy fields, visit local villages and meet the friendly people.
Head for Kandy, the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. Take a walk through the forest of Udawattekele. Learn more about tea production in Sri Lanka during a visit to Nuwara Eliya and ride a train from Nanu Oya to Ella (seats are subject to availability). Enjoy hiking in Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak.
Participate in a meditation program and visit an elephant rescue centre. Spend the last three days of this trip in your resort in the southern coast of Sri Lanka. We will drive you to the airport after the tour is over.
Included/Exclude
- All transfers and destinations mentioned on the itinerary
- Alms for the temple in Mihinthale
- Cooking demonstration on day 4
- All activities and visits mentioned on the itinerary
- All meals mentioned on the itinerary
- Temple of Tooth-Kandy
- Udawalwe Safari
- Sigiriya Rock Fortress
- Tip and other expenses of a personal nature
- Visas and travel insurance
- Any international flights to and from Colombo
- Optional excursions mentioned on the itinerary, you can book them on the spot
Tour Amenities
Tour Plan
- Negombo
45 minutes  3 Star Hotel at Camelot Beach or similar
Upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport - in Colombo, the capital of the country - you will be picked up by a guide and driver and transferred to the starting hotel of the trip. Depending on the arrival time of the plane, you might get the chance to go out on an excursion.
In case you do go out on an excursion, you will travel to Negombo for a fun city tour and get the chance to visit a local fish market on the beach (the fish market is closed on Sundays and public holidays).
MEALS
- Breakfast
- Anuradhapura
 4 hours  3 Star Hotel at Alakamandawa Hotel or similar
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Sigiriya
2 hours  4 Star Hotel at Habarana Village by Cinnamon or similar
Leave Anuradhapura after breakfast and transfer to Sigiriya. Stop in Mihinthale on the way. This peak near Anuradhapura is apparently the place where the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiya Tissa laid the foundation for Buddhism in Sri Lanka. See the various religious monuments located in Mihinthale. Give alms for the temple (we will provide you with the required amount), but pay attention that you take off your shoes before entering the premises, that your shoulders and thighs are covered and that you wear clothes of light colors.
You also have the option of carrying out the Hiriwadunna Village tour on this day. Take a catamaran to the village. Enjoy sailing over a beautiful lake and spot wild animals and all kinds of birds on the shores. Learn more about the life of the people in a rural Sri Lankan village during a visit to a local's house.
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Sigiriya
2 hours  4 Star Hotel at Habarana Village by Cinnamon or similar
Participate in a bicycle tour and explore the area. Admire the beauty of green paddy fields, visit local villages and meet friendly people. The trip is not that taxing on your body as the road is flat and you have all the time in the world. Up next on today's itinerary is a cooking demonstration. Enjoy a delicious Sri Lankan lunch after that.
Optionally, you can also choose to visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the evening. The fortress is a an ancient ruin in central Dambulla, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures. A popular tourist destination, the fortress is well known for its ancient wall paintings (frescos) that are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. It is one of the seven UNESCO World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka.
MEALS
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Kandy
 3 hours  4 Star Hotel at Topaz or similar
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Kandy
3 hours  4 Star Hotel at Topaz or similar
Start your day with a walk in the Udawattekele forest. Visit a batik-making and wood-carving center. Get an insight into local arts and crafts scene. Whether you are interested in pottery, intricately carved spoons, woven fabric, lacquer, sinewy silverware or finely cut gems, you are like to find them here.
You also have the option of visiting the Royal Botanical Garden today. The garden is known for its variety of plants, including herb plants and palm trees. You can also opt to visit the National Herbarium.
Your optional activity in the evening includes a one-hour culture program starting from 4:30 pm that features local dancers.
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Ella/Haputhale
8 hours  3 Star Hotel at Ella Flower Garden Resort or similar
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Ella / Haputhale
 3 Star Hotel at Ella Flower Garden Resort or similar
Start your day by meeting Sri Lankan monks who will introduce you to the art of meditation. Please make sure that you wear clothes covering the shoulders and knees. Enjoy hiking to Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak. Please remember that this cannot be carried out on a rainy day.
Ella is a quiet, rather sleepy village that offers wonderful views of the plains below, through the so called Ella Gap. The hiking route follows a railway line and offers a view of the top portion of Ravana Falls. Your trail also leads you through tea plantations and dense forests.
The Adam’s Peak hike takes you on a one-and-a-half-hour-long journey through tea plantations and offers spectacular views of Ella Rock and the valley below. On a clear, sunny day, you can see Sri Lanka's South Coast during this hike.
MEALS
- Breakfast
- Udawalawa
 2 hours  4 Star Hotel at Grand Udawalwe or similar
Visit an elephant shelter in Udawalawe. Here, orphaned elephants are cared for with the aim of giving them a new start in the wild. See how young elephants are fed from a viewing platform. Please remember that it is only possible to see the animals during their feeding time and the time of your visit to the shelter will be determined on that basis. The rest of the day you can spend freely at the hotel or participate in an excursion.
You also have the option of enjoying a jeep safari through Udawalawe National Park This park is famous for elephants and chances are that you will encounter a herd of these gentle giants during your visit to the park.
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Galle - Wadduwa or Kaluthara
4-5 hours  4 Star Hotel at Tangerine Beach hotel or similar
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Wadduwa or Kaluthara
-
4 Star Hotel at Tangerine Beach hotel or similar
You have a free day today. Relax in your resort or book one of the optional excursions from our activity list (you can book one optional excursion per day). The first one is a whale-watching excursion that starts at four in the morning. Head for the sea to watch the largest animal species in the world: the blue whale. Please remember that this excursion can only be carried out from from November to April.
Your next option is a village tour in Bentota (lunch included). This coastal town has beautiful beaches and is known for its toddy (a fermented alcoholic drink). Learn more about the lives of the locals and visit a Buddhist temple.
You can also choose to hike through the Sinharaja rainforest or participate in a city tour of Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka and the largest city in the country. The city tour will take you to the major sights of the city, including the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple (it might be difficult to enter the temple during full-moon days), Independence Square and the monumental Wolvendaal Church.
The last optional excursion you can book is a boat trip on the Madu River along with a visit to a turtle hatchery, where you can see giant turtles and their young ones.
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Wadduwa or kaluthara
4 Star Hotel at Tangerine Beach hotel or similar
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Wadduwa or kaluthara
4 Star Hotel at Tangerine Beach hotel or similar
MEALS
- Breakfast & Dinner
- Departure
 2-3 hours
MEALS
- Breakfast