Discover Sri Lanka

Ayu-bowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka. Your adventure begins in the town of Negombo, located close to the international airport. You can arrive at any time on Day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting at 5.30 pm. Those arriving early can get into the spirit of seaside Sri Lanka by observing the local fishing craft and perhaps feasting on fresh seafood. The beautiful surrounding countryside is best explored on a bicycle, which you can rent with help from the hotel reception. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Travel north by private vehicle (approximately 4 hours) to Anuradhapura. The grand ruins of Anuradhapura point to its status as Sri Lanka’s ruling city for almost one and a half millennia. Take a guided cycling tour of the large number of archaeological sites – the stupas, citadel and monasteries – and stop by the Bodhi Tree Temple, the second-most sacred site in Sri Lanka. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Travel north (approximately 4 hours) to the coastal Tamil town of Jaffna, inaccessible for years due to the civil war. Journey around the Jaffna Peninsula, taking in Point Pedro (Sri Lanka’s northernmost point), the healing waters of Keerimalai Spring, the ruined dagobas of Kantarodai, and Nilawari, a bottomless well where it’s said that the Hindu God, Rama, shot an arrow to get water. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

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. In the evening, spend time with a local family and learn to cook traditional Jaffna cuisine. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Leave Jaffna today and travel to Trincomalee (approximately 4 hours). Discover the beach vibes of "Trinco", relax in the shade of a palm tree and try ‘toddy’ straight from its flowers. Trincomalee was one of the world’s finest deep-water harbours, attracting famous sailors like Marco Polo to its shores. There are no activities planned today, so there's plenty of time to relax around the pool or beach. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Take the free day to enjoy a range of optional activities like visiting the colorful and intricate Pathirakali Amman Hindu temple, or climb aboard a boat for some whale and dolphin watching in the bay. Don’t feel like doing anything? Then simply sit back, relax and enjoy the peaceful beach lifestyle. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Drive from Trincomalee towards Habarana (approximately 2 hours), a small but scenic village that serves as a base to exploring the colourful Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka. Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple. This wondrous UNESCO Heritage-listed site is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, many of which are full of colourful, large statues and paintings related to Gautama Buddha and his life. After returning to Habarana, there’s the option of going elephant, sambar deer and leopard watching on a safari in the evergreen scrublands of Minneriya National Park. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Today we head towards Wasgomuwa National Park, one of the most biodiverse protected areas in Sri Lanka, by private vehicle (approximately 2.5 hours). En route, visit Sigiriya's Lion Rock, an ancient carved-rock fortress that rises dramatically above the surrounding plains. Spend the rest of the day at Project Orange Elephant, a local non-government organisation helping protect elephants in Sri Lanka while supporting farmers to develop sustainable incomes. Meet some of the local farmers and have the chance to see elephants and other wildlife that live in the area. Wasgamuwa National Park is home to wild Asian elephants, sloth bears, leopards and many other endangered wildlife. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Leave Wasgomuwa and head onwards to Kandy (approximately 3.5 hours), the last capital of Sri Lanka’s ancient kings era. As you continue on, a stop in at a spice garden might yield scents of cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, vanilla and more as you learn the secrets of cultivating these palate pleasers. After arriving in Kandy, visit a Kandayan dance show to experience the colourful traditional costumes and evocative performances live in action. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

Start the day off in Kandy with a visit to the Giragama Tea Factory for an insight into local production techniques, then head to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This golden roofed temple is home to Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. Afterwards, enjoy the rest of the day with free exploration of the city. Perhaps take a walk around the beautiful lake in the centre of town, explore the local Buddhist temple or while away the afternoon amongst the trees and flowers of the Royal Palace Park. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

We will be beginning our Kandy City tour after the breakfast which will include exploring Kandy Lakeside, View Point and Bahirawakanda along with the Peradeniya Botanical Garden.

We will be taking a drive to Nuwara eliya and taking a break on the way at Kithulgala for white water rafting and canoeing. The lunch will be served at the Plantation Hotel, Kithulgala.

In Nuwara eliya, we will visit the St. Clair waterfall, the Devon waterfall and explore the lifestyle of the Sri Lankan Tamil Tea workers. Furthermore, we will visit the Pink post office (The oldest British post office in Sri Lanka), the Bail Bazaar, the Central Market, Colonial buildings and end the tour by having Dinner at the Grand Indian Restaurant. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

We will be visiting the Horton Plains and the World’s end at 5 am early in the morning while on the way catch the train to Ella which is known to be one of the best train journeys in the world. In Ella you can visit the Ella gap, Rawana falls, little Adam’s peak and the Nine arch bridge. We will be visiting the Ella City for SPA. Later we drive to Yala / TissamaharamaAn overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

In morning after Yala National Park Safari, return back to hotel for breakfast. Later we drive on towards Colombo today, the nation's capital. After arrival at Colomob, check-in to hotel and relax. Tonight there's an optional final group dinner to celebrate your journey together. An overnight stay and dinner at hotel.

After breakfast, we will explore the nation's capital - Colombo. Stop by some of the city's main sights on a bus tour including Independence Square, Parliament, and past the National Museum, finishing with a shopping opportunity for a good cause at the Barefoot Fair trade Store. Here you can find a collection of handicrafts from around the country and support small cottage industries. If you are lucky enough to be in Colombo on a Saturday, visit Good Market, a local market full of stalls showcasing social enterprises and responsible businesses. Later  we will drop you off at the Airport for your further journey.