Home Asia Sri Lanka Ready-made itineraries A Taste of Sri Lanka
A Taste of Sri Lanka
2-Week Sri Lanka Highlights Holiday Itinerary - Culture, Wildlife & Beaches
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Prices from £1,695 pp
All prices exclude international flights at the start/end of your trip. Let us book flights for you.
14 days / 13 nights (flexible)
Daily
Colombo - Negombo - Sigiriya - Polonnaruwa - Dambulla - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Horton Plains - Ella - Yala - Unawatuna - Galle - Colombo
Overview
From crumbling cities and endless green tea hills to wild elephants and palm-fringed bays, Sri Lanka really is the gem of the Indian ocean and, despite the country’s small road network, it’s perfectly possible to fit the highlights of this beautiful country into a two week itinerary. After exploring Negombo’s historic canals, you‘ll head north to conquer Sigiriya’s impressive rock fortress. Spot elephants on a jeep safari, wander through ancient ruins and trek past cool tea hills before finishing with some lazy days on a palm-fringed beach.
What's included
- Private car with driver
- Accommodation – price based on 2 people sharing
- Breakfast
- Excursions as described
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Location map
Your day-by-day itinerary
Amble along Negombo's Canals
Today you’ll arrive in Negombo, a modest beach town on the palm-fringed west coast, not far from Colombo. During your time in Negombo, you’ll stay in an elegant villa with a swimming pool and gardens. The rest of the day is free for you to do as you please; why not relax by the pool with a good book or take a stroll along the beach. The following day, you can soak up the sights and sounds of the town with your driver. Explore the fascinating colonial history, wander through the vibrant bazaar and watch the fishermen bring in their morning catch at the market.
Onward transfers
Next, you’ll travel from Negombo towards Polonnaruwa by private car with an English-speaking driver. Your journey will take around 5 hours.
Temples in Buddha's Garden
From crumbling ruins to majestic elephants, this trip will take you on a discovery of Sri Lanka’s fascinating Cultural Triangle. Your journey will begin by climbing Sigiriya’s mighty rock fortress, before you arrive at Sri Lanka’s ancient capital and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Polonnaruwa, where you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported back in time as you wander, and cycle around the ancient stone city. This ancient capital is also famous for its delightful restaurants, farmers’ markets and numerous food stalls, and you’ll have plenty of time to taste all the local delicacies. You’ll spend 2 nights at a lakeside hotel, where you can relax and take in the beauty of the area.
Onward transfers
Next, its time to head inland to colourful Kandy, which is about 4 hours by private transfer.
Kandy's Cultural Treasures
Positioned right in the heart of central Sri Lanka and nestled in the lush green ‘hill-country’, you’ll find the historical city of Kandy. There is so much to discover here, from the Temple of the Tooth to traditional dance shows, colourful markets and the vast Botanical Gardens. You’ll stay in family-run accommodation, decorated with elegant furnishings and boasting a view of the central Kandy Lake, and during your time here you’ll take a tour of the city and witness a traditional Pooja ceremony.
Onward transfers
Next, it’s time to journey into the tea hills with your driver to the town of Nuwara Eliya. It’s a shorter drive today or around 2 hours.
Tea Hills and Winding Trails
With the unmistakable air of a quintessential English town, Nuwara Eliya is affectionately known as ‘Little England’ and it won’t take you long to see why. Colonial style buildings, rose scented flower gardens, red telephone boxes and even a church, all surrounded by a blanket of rolling tea plantations; this is a totally different side of Sri Lanka. You’ll stay in a centrally located hotel right in the heart of the country. Watch tea pickers in the fields, visit an old English tea factory and walk along the picturesque plateau at Horton Plains to take in the sweeping views of World’s End.
Onward transfers
Next, you’ll travel by train from the tea hills in Nuwara Eliya to the mountains of Ella. We’ll buy 3rd class tickets for you so you have the chance to travel with the locals. The journey takes roughly 3 hours and when you arrive at the station, your driver will already be there waiting. You’ll then walk with him along the track to the hotel.
Explore the Emerald Valleys of Ella
Known for its breathtaking mountain views and endless rolling hills, Ella is a peaceful village nestled in the heart of Sri Lanka’s hill country. You’ll arrive by train as you pass scenic landscapes, and stay in a cosy hotel with sweeping views. Take a challenging four hour hike to Ella Rock, or a more gentle trek to Little Adam’s Peak.
Onward transfers
Next, you’ll drive towards Yala National Park. You can stop off en route at the Elephant Transit Home where injured babies and orphans are cared for. You’ll visit around feeding time and watch as the young elephants wait patiently at the gate and tease each other for the first sip of milk. Today your travel time will be roughly 4.5 hours.
The Wild Heart of Yala National Park
Yala National Park is one of the most famous National Parks in Sri Lanka. During this trip, you’ll head out on a jeep safari where you can spot a kaleidoscope of colourful birds, monkeys, crocodiles, buffaloes and of course, elephants. If you’re really lucky, you might even spot a leopard sneaking past, so make sure you have your camera ready! After an exciting day of wildlife spotting, you’ll head back to your simple yet unique accommodation, located on the edge of the park. Your comfortable tent comes equipped with a bed, toilet and sink! In the evening, you can fall asleep to the sounds of the wild- an experience to make your Sri Lanka wildlife trip complete!
Onward transfers
Next, you’ll head towards the nearby Tissa Kataragama Temple, an important pilgrimage site for Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians. Here, you can see all these religions melt together in one place. After your Temple visit, you’ll continue on to Unawatuna. Your journey today should take around 3 hours.
Turquoise Bay at Unawatuna
Enjoy a tropical beach break at the bay of Unawatuna for a dose of sunshine, sea and sand. Soak up the rays, sample freshly caught fish and perfect your downward facing dog with a little yoga. You’ll stay in your own characterful room just a few minutes walk from Unawatuna’s tropical bay.
Onward transfers
Next, its time to travel back to Colombo and the journey time today is around 3 hours. You’ll stop off en route to stretch your legs in a town called Galle, where the influences of the Portuguese and the Dutch can easily be seen.
Just One More Thing...in Colombo!
Take a trip back in time as you journey back to Colombo via the old fortress town of Galle. Half a century ago, on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, the seafaring nations of Portugal, Great Britain and Holland landed here, bringing creature comforts to remind them of home and leaving behind traces of their colonial style. During this trip, you’ll enjoy a traditional British high tea and spend the night in a stylish hotel in Colombo. The city itself probably won’t be the highlight of your holiday, but it’s an interesting and convenient way to end your Sri Lankan adventure if you’re flying early the following day.
Onward transfers
When it’s time to leave, our driver will pick you up and take you the roughly 45 minutes north to the airport for your flight back home. As you board the plane you can look back on the memories of an incredible journey across Sri Lanka.
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