Explore cities, temples, lost kingdoms – and even National Parks by 4×4 – on an 11-night Handcrafted Sri Lanka tour that gets to the heart of this incredible country.
FROM £1,292 PER PERSON
Subject to availability
DEPARTING FROM LONDON HEATHROW
Alternative departure airports available
ITINERARY
Travel to Sri Lanka on an overnight flight.
A rep will be waiting for you when you land at Banaranaike International Airport. They’ll organise a transfer to your hotel on the outskirts of the capital city – Colombo. Free afternoon in Marawila.
Stay: Pegasus Reef Hotel (or similar) | Meals: Dinner
Fuel up at breakfast, because you’ll travel five hours north to Anuradhapura – a 1,400-year-old city that was once Sri Lanka’s capital.
- Stop off for a break in Mihintale – a mountain eight miles from Anuradhapura. Every year pilgrims climb its 1,800 steps to honour Buddha.
Free time in the evening.
Stay: Palm Garden Village Hotel (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
You’ll get to know some of Anuradhapura’s most popular sights – including a sacred fig tree and a Buddhist temple – during today’s tour.
- Take some pictures of the Sri Maha Bodhi – a sacred fig tree that Buddha is believed to have found enlightenment under over 2,000 years ago.
- Explore the Isurumuniya Buddhist Temple. The archaeological ruins here date back to 307BC.
- Stroll along the paths that line the Basawakkulama Tank – a 1,200-acre reservoir.
Stay: Palm Garden Village Hotel (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Lace up your walking boots for a hike up Lion Rock – a giant, 600-foot-tall rock column that’s been dubbed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Make your way up the 1,200 steps to get to the top. It usually takes about 20 minutes, and there are plenty of places to stop and catch your breath.
- Saunter through the ruins of an ancient palace. It was built on top of the monument over 1,000 years ago, and comes with a collection of colourful wall frescoes.
Stay: Fresco Water Villa (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
The city of Polonnaruwa is on the agenda today. You’ll hop on a bicycle for a guided tour around its UNESCO-protected Medieval centre.
- Snap some photos of the Buddha statues and temples around the Watadage – a 12th-century, circular stone structure.
- Gaze at the 48 columns and lion-shaped throne during a walk around the Nissankamalla Council Chamber – where one of Sri Lanka’s kings used to work.
- Stroll along the old city walls. Your guide will point out some of the old irrigation canals and carved Buddhist sculptures during your tour.
Stay: Fresco Water Villa (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
You’ll start the day with a visit to a cave temple in the town of Dambulla. Then, unwind in the afternoon during lunch in a spice garden in the city of Matale.
- Take a look around the Dambulla Cave Temple. It’s the biggest underground network in Sri Lanka, and is home to 153 Buddha statues.
- See some of Sri Lanka’s tea, rubber and spice plantations up close in Matale.
- Pamper yourself with an outdoor head-and-shoulder massage in a spice garden. You’ll be treated to a lunch of rice and curry, as well as a cup of herbal tea.
Stay: Hotel Suisse | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8: The UNESCO-dubbed city of Kandy’s renowned for its colourful street markets and temples. Today, you’ll tick a few off, along with a botanical garden, before watching a culture-crammed show in the evening.
- Browse a bustling, open-air bazaar for souvenirs. You’ll find everything from wooden Buddha statues to sapphire necklaces and fancy tea sets.
- Kandy’s home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, which houses one of the Buddha’s teeth. You can see the casket it’s held in, plus gold-covered shines throughout the temples.
Day 9: Free day. You can choose to add optional experiences.
Stay: Hotel Suisse | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Head into Sri Lanka’s hills for a tour of its tea territory. You’ll get to pluck tea leaves straight from the stem, as well as sip on a cuppa in one of the factories.
- Hop on a train for a trip to Nuwara Eliya – a city in the heart of the tea-plantation-filled countryside.
- Follow your guide around a tea factory, where you’ll get to see how tea leaves are produced from start to finish.
- Try your hand at picking tea leaves during a walk around the fields, then sample a freshly made cuppa.
Stay: Glenfall Reach Hotel (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
Today, you’ll travel to the Udawalawe Elephant Transfer Home, in a protected national park. Here, you’ll learn how the workers look after orphaned Asian elephants.
- Meet baby elephants during a tour of the transfer home. When they’re strong enough, they’ll be released back into the wild.
- Head out in a 4×4 to see the resident herd. Over 250 of these gentle giants call this place home.
- Round the day off with a complimentary sundowner cocktail in the middle of the national park.
Stay: Grand Udawalawe Resort (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
There’s no better place to get a good look at Sri Lanka’s Dutch heritage than Galle. On today’s tour, you’ll cross a few of the city’s top attractions off the list.
- The streets around Galle are lined with 17th-century European villas and saloons. You’ll hear about the area’s colonial history during a walk through the streets.
- Snap some photos of the age-old fortress of Point Utrecht Bastion. In 1760, it was one of the most important defensive points on Sri Lanka’s southern coast.
- Wander around the Dutch Hospital Shopping Complex. You can buy everything from fresh tea leaves to lavish diamond jewellery here.
Free time in the afternoon and evening.
Stay: Amari Galle (or similar) | Meals: Breakfast & Dinner
After breakfast, transfer to Banaranaike International Airport for your flight home. Or extend your stay with a Multi-Destination beach break.
Meals: Breakfast
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Return flights from London Heathrow to Colombo
- 30kg checked baggage
- 11 nights accommodation in hotels of 3* standard
- 11 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 11 dinners
- Airport transfers in Sri Lanka, 4×4 and mini bus transport
- English-speaking tour guide
- 10 activities/excursions as mentioned in the itinerary
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
- Flights to/from London Heathrow or your chosen UK airport
- Airport transfers in United Kingdom
- Travel insurance
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
- Optional activities
- Visa when required
- Vaccines when required
We are not a travel agency and as such we do not take bookings nor do we book your flights, accommodation, tours etc. on your behalf. Our mission is to portray current travel deals and compile travel packages which one would do solo without the need of a travel agency.
To book our suggested offers, simply click the link above, which will redirect you to our travel partners’ websites and from where you may proceed with your booking. You will not be charged anything extra for booking through our links, but we will earn a small commission when you book through the said links.
Because of the above, you are free to choose different travel dates, flights, accommodations, tours etc. if available. Naturally, the price we mention may increase or decrease if you choose a cheaper flight or a higher accommodation for example. On the same note, the prices we show are on first come first served basis and may increase or decrease according to demand and availability.
Want to know more or need help with finding flights? Hit the Messenger button on the right and let’s chat!
DON'T FORGET
Your travel insurance policy. It’s not a must but it wouldn’t be wise to travel without it! Get a quote below if you are not yet covered by a travel insurance policy.