Day 1 – Fly to Colombo

Today you will start your Sri Lankan adventure by flying to Colombo International Airport.

Day 2 – Colombo

“Ayubowan” & ‘’Vanakkam’’ Welcome to tropical paradise. You will be welcomed and greeted by your guide or an Earth Trip representative on arrival at the waiting area at Colombo International Airport. You will be transferred to your hotel in Colombo. Travel time approximately 45 minutes.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Colombo & the West

Ceilão Villas

Ceilão Villas Colombo Hotel is an oasis of tranquillity artfully hidden in the heart of the mayhem that is Colombo. A stylised curved roof, pristine white walls and floors hold fond memories of laughter and joy which the owner’s mother and her sisters shared. Dining areas, snack places, reading spaces, chill zones.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast

Day 3 – Colombo → Galle

Today you will take a tour of Colombo. You will have time for shopping as well.
Discover the sights of the capital of Sri Lanka, starting from Colombo Fort you will head towards Independent Square, Old Parliament, Pettah Bazaar and Galle Face. Colombo Fort is the business district of Sri Lanka with skyscrapers and big international hotels. The Fort was built by the Portuguese and partly by the Dutch, then the British later took control. In 1870, the British destroyed the Fort for urban development, and then they rebuilt some of the remaining buildings within it now. Colombo Fort is home to the Fort Railway Station, the President’s House and the Presidential Gardens, a palatial neo-classical building which was originally the home of the British Governors and is now the residence of Sri Lanka’s President. The Lighthouse Clock Tower is situated in Chatham Street and was commissioned by the wife of Governor Sir Henry Ward in the hope that it would teach the Ceylonese to be punctual. This area is good for shopping for tea, souvenirs, and for exchanging money.
After your tour you will travel to Galle in the South. Travel time will be approximately 1 hour.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Galle & the South

Thambapanni Retreat

Thambapanni Retreat is set meticulously into a hillside on a headland overlooking the Unawatuna bay, with a Dutch colonial theme infused into its architecture and furnishing keeping the cultural heritage of the area in mind, a mere hop away from one of the most picturesque beaches in the southwest of Sri Lanka.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast

Day 4 – Galle

Enjoy a Sri Lankan traditional culinary experience for lunch or dinner (included). If you would like to participate, you can also learn to cook a few Sri Lankan dishes. You will visit a local family about 10 minutes away from Galle. When you arrive you will be welcomed, here you will learn how to prepare and cook Sri Lankan dishes. You will also discover how coconut milk is made, learn to crack open and scrape out your own coconut, and taste samples of each dish as you go along. The end product is a feast of 7 unique dishes served in a lotus or banana leaf which you can eat local-style with your fingers if you are up for the challenge. (If you like, you can buy the ingredients with your host in the Galle markets in the morning.)

In the afternoon you will explore Galle’s Dutch Fort on foot with Zain, a knowledgeable local guide. The Fort is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and Southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. The Galle Fort is a UNESCO world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. There are many boutique shops along the narrow streets of the Fort as well as antiques, art and craft shops. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the natural harbour, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary’s Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests, one of the main Shiva temples on the island. Galle offers a unique opportunity to create a visible demonstration of the conservation of its inheritance.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Galle & the South

Thambapanni Retreat

Thambapanni Retreat is set meticulously into a hillside on a headland overlooking the Unawatuna bay, with a Dutch colonial theme infused into its architecture and furnishing keeping the cultural heritage of the area in mind, a mere hop away from one of the most picturesque beaches in the southwest of Sri Lanka.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast

Day 5 – Galle → Ella

After breakfast you will travel to the Elephant Transit Home stopping to the see the stilt fisherman on the way. Weligama literally translates as ‘sandy village’ and it has a long stretch of fine golden sand. Famous for its stilt fishermen, you can see this unique sight only in this part of Sri Lanka. No-one knows where, or even when this form of fishing originated, but it is an old tradition which lives on in this modern world. This ancient traditional method of fishing is one of the best sustainable practices to catch the fish. The stilt fisherman spend 2-4 hours sitting on a thin plank, hoping to catch one or two fish for their family’s lunch or dinner.

In the afternoon you will visit the Elephant Transit Home. The Elephant Transit Home (ETH), where the orphan wild elephants are treated, raised and released back to the wild, is located at Udawalawe. You can observe how the elephants are taken care of, twice a day. The total number of orphaned elephants exceeds 40, of which most of them are calves and juveniles. When the animals become mature enough to live on their own, they are released back to the wild. Park authorities keep constant vigilance on the newly released animals, until they get used to the new life in the wild.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Nuwara Eliya & the Hill Country

Mountain Heavens

What is unique and exceptional about the hotel is that all the major attractions of Ella are visible from this location but also are within walking distance.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 6 – Ella

After breakfast you will visit Lipton’s Seat and Dambatenne Tea Factory.
Lipton’s Seat is located on the top of Poonagala hill; this is quite literally the point from which the Scottish tea baron Thomas Lipton would often proudly survey his tea plantations. On a clear day it offers a spectacular view of the mountain ranges, lakes and valleys all the way to the southern coast. You can hike to the point through lush tea plantations or you can opt to travel in comfort with your guide.

You will then visit Dambatenne Tea Factory which was built in 1890 by Sir Thomas Lipton himself. This colonial tea factory is still in operation today. The term “Ceylon Tea” was coined here, and Lipton’s Tea was founded and sold its first pound of tea from the precincts of this very factory. The factory tour is an education in the intricate processes involved in the fermentation, rolling, drying, cutting, sieving and grading of tea, and the comprehensive tour culminates with an authentic tea tasting experience. Please note it is closed on Sundays.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Nuwara Eliya & the Hill Country

Mountain Heavens

What is unique and exceptional about the hotel is that all the major attractions of Ella are visible from this location but also are within walking distance.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 7 – Ella → Kandy

Early morning hike to see the sunrise from Little Adam’s Peak.
Little Adam’s Peak resembles the main Adam’s Peak near Hatton. By foot it takes about 35-40 minutes. Here you will be able to enjoy the breathtaking views of endless valleys, tea plantations and waterfalls.

At 13:30hrs you will experience of the most breathtaking train journeys for 2:00 hours. You will travel from Nanuoya to Ella through tea plantations and rolling hills on a scenic train. This train journey is recorded in the Guinness Books of Records as one of the world best scenic train journeys. Your guide will pick you up at the Ella Station upon arrival at 15:30 hrs

In the evening you will see the Traditional Kandyan Dance.
Kandy, Sri Lanka’s second largest city is home to a Sinhalese cultural tradition of which Sri Lankans are justifiably proud. Rich in colour and agile in their movements, the Kandyan dancers evoke images of pageantry and past traditions. Lively and exuberant, spellbinding and hypnotic, a cultural show is a spectacle to remember with its nimble dancers, energetic drummers and fireproof firewalkers.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Kandy & the Knuckles Mountain Range

Tourmaline

It’s a truly restful experience to be so removed from the maddening bustle of everyday life.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 8 – Kandy → Sigiriya

In the morning you will visit The Temple of the Tooth and the Buddhist Museum.
The Temple of the Tooth and the Buddhist Museum, Sri Dalada Maligawa, dates back to the 16th century, though most of the present buildings were built in the 19th century. Recognised as the most important object in the Buddhist world, the sacred relic of the tooth of Buddha is enshrined at the temple. Brought from India 2500 years ago, it is said that the possessor of the relic had the right to rule the country. The relic is kept in a gold casket and stored amidst great security in the Inner Chamber.

In the afternoon you will travel to Sigiriya which is part of the Cultural Triangle.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • The Cultural Triangle

Aliya Resort & Spa

The Sigiriya hotel ‘Aliya’ is an authentic experience of the lifestyle of nearby villages in the Cultural Triangle.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 9 – Sigiriya

In the morning you will visit Sigiriya which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is proposed to be the 8th wonder of the world. Sigiriya, a massive rock in the green scrub jungle, is perhaps the most memorable place for visitors to Sri Lanka. The site was known from ancient times as a hermitage for Buddhist monks. A well-planned monastic complex included caved temples, bathing pools, lovely ponds and Asia’s oldest surviving landscaped gardens. The “Lion stairway”, the “mirror wall” and the “water gardens” are its other highlights. The ruins of the capital built by the parricidal King Kassapa I (477–95) lie on the steep slopes and at the summit of a granite peak standing some 370 m high also known as ‘Lion’s Rock’, which dominates the jungle from all sides.

After lunch around 2pm enjoy a Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Park. (Duration approximately 2 hours). It’s on the banks of the Minneriya reservoir, which was built in the 4th century A.C. Minneriya is a hide-out for many elephants, where you may see herds of elephants, with approximately 50 to 60 elephants in a herd. During July to September, one of the world’s top ten wildlife spectacles takes place, known as ‘The Gathering’, where more than 250 elephants gather around Minneriya water tank in search of food and water. Apart from elephants, it is a habitat for migrant and resident bird species like Grey heron, Open built storks and Painted storks. In addition you may see three different species of monkeys: Silica makake, Pink faced leaf monkey and Grey langer.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • The Cultural Triangle

Aliya Resort & Spa

The Sigiriya hotel ‘Aliya’ is an authentic experience of the lifestyle of nearby villages in the Cultural Triangle.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 10 – Polonnaruwa → Trincomalee

Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka, and today it is one of the most beautiful centres of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage and a UNESCO Heritage site. With its comparatively brief history and a dozen rules, it has far more complete preserved ruin than Anuradhapura. Visit the ancient ruins and Gal Vihara complex, where 3 gigantic Buddha’s statues are carved out of a single rock. You also will be able to see the toque macaque monkeys, found only in Sri Lanka.
Afterwards you will travel to the coastal town of Trincomalee. Travel time approximately 2 hours.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Trincomalee & the East

Trinco Blu by Cinnamon

Trincomalee is all about the sea and the rising sun. Every aspect of the hotel accentuates the joy that comes from being so close to nature’s charming presence.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 11 – Trincomalee

In the morning you will travel by boat to Pigeon Island Marine National Park.
Pigeon Island Marine National Park is fantastic place for snorkelling to see the spectacular marine life with over 100 species of colourful corals teeming with 300 types of reef fish. Pigeon Island National Park has one of the best remaining coral reefs with high live coral cover and is an ideal location for scuba diving and snorkelling.

Pigeon Island National Park consists of two small islands off the East coast, North of Trincomalee. The island gets its name from Blue Rock Pigeon, a native endangered bird that lives within the rocks in these islands. The islands were declared a sanctuary in 1963 for the purpose of protecting these birds. In 2003 this area was upgraded to the status of a National Park and the boundaries were extended to include coral reef around them. The islands are situated about 1 kilometre off the Nilaveli coast in the Trincomalee District.

In the afternoon you will discover Trincomalee. Trincomalee, is a port city and has the fifth largest natural harbour in the world. The city is surrounded by lagoons, bays and hills and situated in a peninsula. The white powder golden sandy beaches spread across the area offering you calm azure waters to immerse yourself in the water. This is a perfect place for snorkelling, scuba diving and surfing. This port city has a history worth exploring, the strategic location of the natural harbour made it a city worthwhile conquering, and hence it was conquered by the Portuguese, Dutch and the British. Trincomalee is fondly referred to as “Trinco” by the locals, the anglicized Tamil word ‘Trincomalee’ denotes the meaning “Lord of the sacred hill”.

You will visit Koneswaram Temple or Tirukoneswaram Kovil which is situated on top of Swami Rock. This temple is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva, and it is one out of five such temples situated around Sri Lanka. It is believed that this Kovil has been in existence since 2500 years ago, and was renovated by the South Indian Chola King Kulakottan and maintained by other Sinhala Buddhist Kings. In 1622, the Portuguese destroyed this temple which they referred to as the temple of a thousand columns by shoving the temple over the edge of the cliff into the deep blue seas below. The revered Shiva lingam (mark of Shiva) was subsequently rescued by divers. The Portuguese used the building materials of the temple in the construction of Fort Fredrick.

At the bottom of the hill which leads to Swami rock is in an ancient stone inscription with the symbol of King Kulakottan – the dual fish. The prophecy states that after 1500 years, Westerners with different eye colours will rule the country for 500 years. At the temple you can take part in the evening or morning pooja (prayer service) or obtain a blessing from the swami (priest) at the kovil. The temple is also worthwhile visiting for its gorgeous views of the natural harbour as well as the Indian Ocean.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Trincomalee & the East

Trinco Blu by Cinnamon

Trincomalee is all about the sea and the rising sun. Every aspect of the hotel accentuates the joy that comes from being so close to nature’s charming presence.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 12 – Trincomalee

Full day at leisure on the beaches of Trincomalee.

Mid-range

Sri Lanka • Trincomalee & the East

Trinco Blu by Cinnamon

Trincomalee is all about the sea and the rising sun. Every aspect of the hotel accentuates the joy that comes from being so close to nature’s charming presence.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 13 – Trincomalee → Anuradhapura

After breakfast you will travel to Anuradhapura and then to nearby Wilpattu.
The Sacred City of Anuradhapura stands equal to the Pyramids at Giza on an architectural level. This magical UNESCO World Heritage Site with enormous Dagobas, palaces, monasteries and monuments is evidence of one of the greatest civilisations in the world. The sacred city of Anuradhapura was the first Royal Kingdom and capital of Sri Lanka that lasted for 1,500 years until it was abandoned after the invasion by South Indian Cholas in 993. Today Anuradhapura is one of the world’s major archaeological sites in the world. It covers an area of about 40 km² and was established around a cutting from the ‘tree of enlightenment’, the Buddha’s fig tree, in the 3rd century B.C. by Sanghamitta, the founder of an order of Buddhist nuns. The ruined city hidden away in dense jungle for many years was brought to life by The British in the nineteenth century.

After you will travel to your hotel in Wilpattu. Travel time approximately 30 minutes.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Day 14 – Wilpattu → Negombo

In the morning you will take a safari to discover Wilpattu National Park.

Wilpattu National Park (‘Land of Lakes’) is situated on the northwest coast near the ancient city of Anuradhapura. It is the largest and oldest National Park in Sri Lanka, consisting of 140,000 hectares of mostly dry zone evergreen forest cover and a coastal belt to the West. This is one of best places to see leopards in Sri Lanka alongside Yala National Park. The open grassy plains are set within the thick dense scrub jungle. The wetland includes around 48 shallow natural lakes known as Villus, natural basins that are filled up with rainwater and two salt water lakes. These natural lakes are the most important parts of the complex eco-system in the park.

The park is home to elusive leopards, elephants, sloth bears, water buffalos, Mugger Ccocodiles, Spotted and Barking deer, wild boar and pythons. Alongside these wild animals you may be able to see many endemic birds include the Ceylon Junglefowl, Brown-capped Babbler, Ceylon Woodshrike and Black-capped Bulbul in riverine habitats. Butterflies recorded include the Great Eggfly, Great Orange Tip, Glad-eye Bushbrown, Blue Mormon, Common Mormon, Common Rose and Crimson Rose. Diverse varieties of colourful butterflies can be seen in the park as well. You may see the wild animals, particularly elephants, near lakes in the early morning and late afternoons. The wildlife is abundant around the lakes and coastal belt, here you may spot the White Ibis, Open Bills, Painted Storks Spoonbills, Egrets, Whistling Teals, Kingfishers and you may also see the water buffalos, monitors and crocodiles.

In the afternoon you will travel to the fishing town of Negombo.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast

Day 15- Negombo → Departure

You will be transferred to Colombo Airport to fly home. Travel time to the airport is approximately 30 minutes.

• Board Includes:
• Breakfast