Sri Lanka Encompassed - 15 days

Welcome to Sri Lanka and the start of your holiday! On arrival in Colombo there's an included transfer to the hotel. Tonight, we enjoy a Sri Lankan dinner.

Enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Colombo including the Fort which was once a colonial stronghold, and Galle Face Green, a seaside expanse popular for informal cricket games. We will also visit the noisy oriental Pettah bazaar, Gangaramaya Temple, the Cinnamon Gardens and Independence Square. End the day with a tour of the National Museum (closed Friday).

At Kelaniya, we explore the Raja Maha Vihara, a temple graced by Buddha on one of his three visits to Sri Lanka. The day continues with a visit to the beautiful zoological gardens at Dehiwela.

Colombo - Dambadeniya - Anuradhapura. En route to Anuradhapura, we pay a visit 13th century Dambadeniya, once a royal capital. Its principal surviving ruins are the Dalada Maligawa Temple and the Dagoba, locally revered thanks to some corporeal relics of Buddha it is said to contain. Explore Panduvas Nuwara which features a well-preserved walled citadel, Padeniya, Arankele and the rock fortress of Yapahuwa.

Today we take in the site of Anuradhapura, the fascinating ancient city and one of Sri Lanka’s most important archaeological sites. It contains vast artificial lakes, temples and statues including the Samadhi Buddha, dagobas (solid hemispheres topped with spires), royal baths and museums. Gaze at the holy Sri Maha Bodhi tree under which Prince Siddharta attained enlightenment, and it is also the oldest historically documented tree on earth. Later, we take a trip to Mihintale.

Anuradhapura - Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Giritale. En route to Giritale we make a stop to see the stunning Aukana Buddha statue and the impressive Dambulla cave temple, which contains beautiful images and statues of Buddha. We then explore ancient Polonnaruwa, an 11th century city of compact size. Here we discover the ruins of the Royal Palace and Gal Vihara, which boasts four enormous Buddha figures.

Giritale - Sigiriya - Kandy. Today sees you exploring the mighty Sigiriya, an elevated and mysterious 5th century fortress. The ‘Lion Rock’ is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle, it can be seen for miles. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. At Matale, we visit an exotic spice garden before arriving in Kandy for the evening.

Today we see the ruined temples of Embekke, Gadaladeniya, Lankatilleke and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Back in Kandy, a scenic lakeside city, we visit the lake, bazaar, gem museum and lapidary. There'll also be a stop made at the Ceylon Tea Museum, housed in a beautifully refurbished old building with lots of vintage tea-processing machinery. Tonight, we enjoy a tour to the Temple of the Tooth and later take in a traditional cultural dance show

Kandy - Nuwara Eliya. Departing Kandy, we head further into Sri Lanka’s hill country, surrounded by tea plantations. Situated at 1,990m, Nuwara Eliya is one of the highest towns in the region, here we take a sightseeing tour and wander through Hakgala Gardens. On day 10, we take a jeep ride to scenic Horton Plains National Park. Located on a high windswept saddle, Horton Plains offers hikers stunning panoramic views. We hike to Bakers Fall passing the Gem Pit Pool, the Chimney Pool, and the Leg of Mutton Pool before returning to Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya - Yala National Park. Continuing to famous Yala National Park, stopping en route at Mahayana Buddhist rock sculptures, Buduruwagala. This evening, we enjoy a jeep safari in Yala National Park, the largest national park in Sri Lanka. The reserve is home to many rare species including elephants, wild boar, buffalo, leopard, crocodile and diverse bird life.
Note: Yala NP is usually closed sometime between Sept - early Oct due to drought. The length of this closure varies from year to year.

Yala National Park - Kalutara. This morning, we sightsee Bundala National Park - a bird sanctuary. Explore 17th century Galle Fort and stroll down its narrow streets filled with churches and colonial buildings. Continue to Kalutara, an ideal tropical beach location with its sparkling blue seas and lush fringe of palm trees, all bathed in warm golden sunshine.

With two days at leisure on Sri Lanka’s tropical palm-fringed coast – soak up the sun, splash in the ocean or join an optional excursion to Ratnapura, home of Sri Lanka’s famous gem trade. There are around 200 gem pits in Ratnapura and many lapidaries where the mined stones are dressed, cut and polished (you’ll tour some pits, a lapidary and the museum).

Kalutara - Colombo. Today you'll travel via the coast road to Colombo and there's an included onward transfer to the airport to meet your onward flight. Consider spending some more time exploring Sri Lanka's beautiful tropical coastline or simply relax and soak up the sun with a good book. Extend your stay by a day, a week or even two! We offer a variety of properties for you to choose from. Browse our best places to visit, Sri Lanka's best beaches or wildlife in Sri Lanka pages for suggestions on what to see and do. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please let us know so we can accommodate your request.
For information about visas, top travel tips, best time to travel and much more, take a look through our travel guide.