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* Call for latest price and offersTick off Sri Lanka’s cultural highlights on this private 11-day tour. With the help of your English-speaking chauffeur, you’ll explore age-old cities, UNESCO-protected sites and beautiful natural landscapes – all in one easy holiday.
You can see Sri Lanka’s amazing wildlife on game drives in two national parks, where you can spot elephants, sloth bears, leopards and more. You’ll also be able to explore ancient ruins at Anuradhapura – the once-capital of Sri Lanka – and Polonnaruwa, as climb to the top of the famous Sigiriya Rock. After a busy week, enjoy some beach time in Passikudah, before travelling on to the lush Hill Country, where you can visit a tea factory and the scenic viewpoint of Lipton Seat. Your tour wraps up in the charming city of Kandy, home to sacred temples and colourful markets.
At the end of your tour, your driver will take you to Colombo Airport. Alternatively, our travel experts can help you plan an extended holiday, with some time in a beach hotel of your choice.
You’ll be met by your chauffeur and set off towards Kotugoda. Since this is the first day of your Sri Lanka holiday, you’ll have the whole afternoon to relax after your flight. Take a dip in the pool, or curl up with your book and a cup of Ceylon tea in the gardens of your boutique hotel.
You’ll stay overnight at The Wallawwa, or similar.
After breakfast, it’s time to travel to Wilpattu National Park, where you’ll arrive in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you can enjoy a fantastic game drive through the park, as your guide points out elephants, leopards, sloth bears, deer and crocodiles. You’ll also see bright peacocks, painted storks, and other exotic birds.
You’ll stay overnight at Mahoora Explorer, or similar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
After an early breakfast, you’ll set off on another game drive in Wilpattu National Park, before heading to the Cultural Triangle.
Here, you’ll visit one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic World Heritage Sites, Sigiriya Rock. As you climb to the top, you’ll pass detailed frescoes on the walls. From the summit, you’ll have panoramic views over the surrounding jungle, which spreads out in every direction 200 metres below.
You’ll stay overnight at Uga Ulgalla Resort, or similar. Breakfast and dinner are included.
You can spend today however you wish. Go for a dip in the hotel pool, or explore the 58 acres of tropical garden. Uga Ulagalla also offers cooking classes, so you can make Sri Lankan dishes with freshly picked ingredients from the garden.
If you’d prefer to keep busy, you can opt to visit ancient Anuradhapura – Sri Lanka’s original capital city – where you can see historical and archaeological sites. The highlight is the ruins of the Brazen Palace, dating back to 2nd century BC.
You’ll return to your hotel in the evening. Breakfast and dinner are included.
After breakfast, it’s time to travel to age-old Polonnaruwa. Built way back in the 11th and 12th centuries, this time-stamped city still has impressive ruins. You can see relics of the Royal Palace, the Audience Hall and the Lotus Bath.
Afterwards, you’ll journey on to Passikudah. Once a sleepy fishing village, this spot on Sri Lanka’s east coast is famous for its clear waters and enormous sandy beach – the perfect place to relax.
You’ll stay overnight at Uga Bay, or similar. Breakfast is included.
Enjoy some downtime in Passikudah today, as you make the most of Sri Lanka’s unspoiled coast. Passikudah Beach is one of the loveliest in the country. Sunbathe on the white sands, or go for a dip in the sea – it’s so shallow here that you can wade out into the Indian Ocean more than 50 metres from the shore. If you want to try something new, why not hop in a kayak or give windsurfing a go?
You’ll return to your hotel in the evening. Breakfast is included.
After a leisurely breakfast, you’ll head to Gal Oya National Park. One of Sri Lanka’s lesser-known parks, this place has an abundance of wildlife, including elephants, crocodiles and a variety of tropical birds. You can go on a game drive or, if you’re feeling adventurous, go on a bush walk with a guide, who will help you spot the local flora and fauna.
You’ll stay overnight at Gal Oya Lodge, or similar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
If you want to see a Sri Lankan sunrise, get up early and go to Monkey Mountain. Watching the jungle below change colour as the sun creep over the distant hills is an incredible sight.
After breakfast, it’s time to travel on to Sri Lanka’s famous Hill Country, home to misty mountains and lush tea plantations. Staying in the town of Haputale – 1,400 metres above sea level – you’ll have the afternoon to explore your surroundings or relax in your hotel.
You’ll stay overnight at Thotalagala Plantation Bungalow, or similar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Once you’ve filled up on breakfast, you’ll walk up to one of the highest lookout points in Sri Lanka, Lipton Seat. Named after Scottish tea-baron Sir Thomas Lipton, this scenic viewpoint is on the edge of Dambethenna Tea Estate. Thanks to the Hill Country’s cooler climate, the walk to the top is very pleasant, and you’ll have panoramic views from the top over the surrounding tea plantations.
You can also visit Dambatenna Tea Factory and, later on, tuck into high tea in the gardens of Sir Thomas Lipton’s residence.
You’ll return to your hotel in the evening. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
After breakfast, you’ll set off for Sri Lanka’s cultural capital, Kandy. Tradition is very much alive in this UNESCO-protected city, from the bustling markets to the glittering antique shops. On a personalised tour of Kandy, you can stroll around the lake and visit the Temple of the Tooth – an incredibly sacred site which houses a tooth of Buddha.
You’ll spend the night at Theva Residency. Breakfast is included.
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All content and services, including overnight hotels and number of nights, are subject to change and may vary from the inclusions as shown in the itinerary. Specified hotels/content/services are therefore not guaranteed, however we and our suppliers undertake to ensure that any alternatives provided will always be of a similar standard or content/service type.
All content and services, including overnight hotels and number of nights, are subject to change and may vary from the inclusions as shown in the itinerary. Specified hotels/content/services are therefore not guaranteed, however we and our suppliers undertake to ensure that any alternatives provided will always be of a similar standard or content/service type.
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