Ultimate Sri Lanka

14 Day Itinerary Expand Full Itinerary

• Day 1 - Colombo > Negombo

  Highlights:

  Welcome

  We welcome you to Sri Lanka before transferring to your hotel for the next two nights, an old colonial manor house.

• Day 2 - Negombo

  Highlights:

  Enrich - Negombo Fort

  Commence your exploration of the historical beach town of Negombo, with its many Dutch and Portuguese churches. Stop at the local fish markets and villages to see the popular outrigger canoes known as Oruwa.

  Enrich

  On an in-depth walking tour exclusively designed by local expert Mark Forbes, visit the remains of this quaint seaside town’s ‘fort’ which saw much action between the Dutch and Portuguese in the 17th century, before being turned into a prison by the British in the late 1800s.

  Your welcome dinner tonight will be on the beaches of Negombo with the crashing waves and sunset as a dramatic backdrop.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 3 - Negombo > Pinnawalla > Sigiriya

  Highlights:

  Elephant orphanage; Freechoice

  This morning, journey to the Cultural Triangle. En route visit the elephant orphanage at Pinnawalla, established in 1975, and learn about their captive elephant breeding program. Later, arrive at Vil Uyana, rated the ‘Best Eco Luxury Hotel in Sri Lanka’, your base for the next three nights. Relax on the balcony of your individual villa overlooking the rice fields, the man-made lake and the famous Sigiriya
  rock fortress.

  Freechoice

  Take the opportunity to climb the famous ‘Lion’s Rock’, the ancient rock fortress and city of Sigiriya, built in the 5th century BC, or choose the less strenuous option of witnessing at dusk the native slender loris in their natural tree habitat.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 4 - Sigiriya > Anuradhapura

  Highlights:

  Sundowners Kandalama

  Travel to the World Heritage-listed sacred city of Anuradhapura, widely acknowledged as the first capital of Sri Lanka. This religious and political capital flourished for 1,300 years before being lost to the jungle. After lunch, visit the majestic rock-carved standing Buddha Statue of Aukana.

  Sundowners

  This evening relax by the Kandalama Tank with a drink in hand, admiring the views of Sigiriya rock fortress in the distance.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 5 - Sigiriya > Polonnaruwa > Minneriya National Park

  Highlights:

  Minneriya National Park safari

  Complete the Cultural Triangle by visiting the World Heritage-listed historical city of Polonnaruwa, often referred to as Sri Lanka’s second ancient capital after the destruction of Anuradhapura. Residing on a man-made lake, the remaining city walls, temples and dagobas give evidence of this garden city’s once opulent past. After lunch, explore Minneriya National Park on a jeep safari in the hope of witnessing a leopard amongst the elephant, deer and other wildlife found in the natural reserve.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 6 - Sigiriya > Dambulla > Kandy

  Highlights:

  Dambulla cave temples; Enrich - traditional lunch

  On your drive south to Kandy stop at the World Heritage-listed Dambulla cave temple. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery and its five temples flanking the golden temple of Dambulla house some of the best preserved Buddhist murals and statues of their type in Sri Lanka.

  Enrich

  Enjoy a special stop at Tamarind Gardens in Digana, a village near Kandy. Here you will be served a traditional Sri Lankan style meal at a community-supported farm. Learn all about the project which aims to develop a sense of community in the displaced villages in the area.

  Arrive in the World Heritage-listed sacred city of Kandy, the last capital of the Sinhala kings before British occupation in 1815. Check into the famous Kandy House, located on the edge of the city, an ancestral manor house built in 1804 and your Special Stay for two nights.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 7 - Kandy

  Highlights:

  Enrich - Kandyan cultural performance

  Explore this cultural city visiting the illustrious Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the picturesque Botanical Peradeniya Gardens.

  Enrich

  The day will end with a special cultural show, performed by Kandyan dancers and dinner to follow at the Kandy House.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 8 - Kandy > Hatton

  Highlights:

  Ceylon tea plantation country

  The production of tea is synonymous with Sri Lanka. Take a train for a scenic journey through the hills to Nuwara Eliya, home of Sri Lanka’s tea estates.
  Continue to your Special Stay property at Ceylon Tea Trails, a collection of charming planters’ bungalows, for two nights in the high country. This afternoon, enjoy high tea whilst overlooking the green blankets of the tea plantations and the Castlereigh Reservoir.

  Sundowners

  Settle back into your secluded bungalows with an evening drink before dinner.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 9 - Hatton

  Highlights:

  Freechoice
  Freechoice

  Accompanied by the resident tea planter, visit the tea factory to learn all about the process of growing and producing the famous ‘Ceylon Tea’. End the tour with a tasting of different grades of this great brew. Or, enjoy a guided kayak excursion along the lake through the tea covered hills.

  Enjoy the remainder of your day during a gentle walk along marked trails around the estate, or have a game of croquet or tennis before your afternoon high tea.

  Sundowners

  Savour your evening drinks before your dinner to reflect on the day’s activities.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 10 - Hatton > Galle

  Highlights:

  Freechoice Dining

  Head south to the colonial and heritage rich World Heritage-listed city of Galle, first settled by the Portuguese in the early 16th century. Relax for the next two nights at the newly restored hotel, located in the heart of 400-year-old Galle Fort.

  Freechoice Dining

  Dine at Pedlar’s Inn, the former British post office, now a charming café, or try The Fort Printers which serves some of the best food in the Galle Fort.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner

• Day 11 - Galle

  Highlights:

  Freechoice
  Freechoice

  Explore the local market before learning how to make a Sri Lankan curry. Alternatively, learn about the process of cinnamon harvesting or explore the local area by bike.

  After a leisurely afternoon, explore the streets and history of Galle Fort with a local expert before enjoying dinner in the fort’s old quarter.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 12 - Galle > Bentota

  Highlights:

  Eco river cruise; Turtle hatchery

  On the way to Bentota, explore the mangrove eco system with a cruise along the Madu River and visit an NGO-run sea turtle hatchery. In Bentota, check into your hotel for an overnight stay.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 13 - Bentota > Colombo

  Highlights:

  Enrich - Mark Forbes city tour

  Sri Lanka is known for its beautiful southern beaches so take time for a leisurely walk along the beach before heading to the capital, Colombo. After enjoying lunch at the Ministry of Crab, one of Asia’s top rated restaurants, check into your Special Stay property, Residence by Uga Escapes, a 19th century grand Victorian townhouse.

  Enrich

  In the evening take a guided walk, exclusively designed by local expert Mark Forbes, through Colombo’s growing metropolis and witness the colonial old-world charm, such as at a visit to the Dutch Wolvendaal Church.

  Freechoice Dining

  Try Sri Lankan fusion dishes at Kaema Sutra or dine at the Cricket Club, a longstanding establishment featuring memorabilia of cricketing greats.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

• Day 14 - Colombo

  Highlights:

  Farewell

  Enjoy the morning at leisure before visiting the Natural History Museum. After a late check out reminisce about your adventure through Sri Lanka at your farewell dinner before transferring to the airport for your onward flight.

  Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner