Complete Famiy Tour Of Sri Lanka

The Ultimate Sri Lanka Family Tour

If you are a family that likes to travel and wish to see the whole of Sri Lanka using Family-Friendly hotels, this tour is a good option. This is a full tour of Sri Lanka lasting 8 days. Our flagship family program is probably the most comprehensive island-wide tour currently available and includes visits to all of the major attractions and places of interest.

After a stopover night on the beach at Waikkal, head to the Cultural Triangle stopping at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage on the way. Sri Lanka’s fascinating historic sights include the Dambulla Golden Cave Temple, Sigiriya Fortress and the ancient Medieval capital at Polonnaruwa.

After sampling the magical atmosphere of Kandy, a breathtaking journey through the lush, tea covered Hill Country by train takes you to altitudes of over 6000 ft at the old British Hill Station of Nuwara Eliya.

Descending through magnificent scenery of the Uva Hills, you reach the jungles of Yala with a large population of leopards and wild elephants.

Galle has a charming maze of streets with hundreds of historic buildings protected by the ramparts of a Dutch fort. Your tour will end with a return to Colombo on the beautiful South Coast Road, passing picture-postcard tropical landscapes of the South West of the island. You can easily fit in a few nights at a beach hotel on the way as this road passes the island’s most popular beach resorts.

Recommended For: Families who wish to see the whole of Sri Lanka in an islandwide tour.

Day 01

Depart UK

Depart UK – Overnight flight

Day 02

Waikkal

Club Dolphin

Relax On Arrival At Marawila
Arrive at Colombo Airport and drive a short distance to relax under coconut groves on the beach at the resort of Marawila.

Day 03

Dambulla

Kandalama Hotel

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
Sri Lanka’s great tourist attraction is a wonderful place for families. If you arrive early, feeding time is at 9am followed by the spellbinding sight of over 70 elephants, the largest herd in the world being led through a narrow lane to bathe in the Maha Oya River for the rest of the day.

Bathing And Riding With Elephants At The Millennium Elephant Foundation
Lots of interaction with elephants are possible here. There are 7 domesticated elephants here. You can try an Elephant Ride and even bathe with one of their elephants!

The Golden Cave Temples Of Dambulla
A wonderful series of 5 cave temples that contain some of the world’s finest examples of ancient Buddhist art, many over 2000 years old.

Day 04

Dambulla

Kandalama Hotel

The Ancient City Of Polonnaruwa
A classic ‘lost in the jungle’ ruined city that was the capital of Sri Lanka from 11th-14th Centuries. The Gal Vihare with 3 huge rock-cut images of the Buddha is considered to be one of the world’s great masterpieces of sculpture.

By Private Jeep To See ‘The Gathering’ Of Wild Elephants At Minneriya National Park
One of the Great Sights Of The Natural World happens each year when huge herds of Asian Elephants gather by the large lakes of the Cultural Triangle during the Dry Season. Sometimes up to 300 elephants can be seen together - the largest number of wild elephants gathering in one place on the entire planet!

Best Time To Visit: Late July-September

Day 05

Kandy

Villa Rosa

Sigiriya Rock
Often called the 8th Wonder Of The Ancient World, Sigiriya is a magnificent rock citadel dating from 470 A.D. Hidden in a small cave are the famous frescoes of the voluptuous Sigiriya Maidens. The summit is ascended through a pair of gigantic Lions Paws.

Spectacular views from the top but getting there is not for vertigo sufferers!

Kandy And The Temple Of The Tooth
Kandy was the last capital of the ancient kings. The Old City area with its charming lake contains the Royal Palace complex and a timeless colonial atmosphere.

Visit The Temple Of The Buddha’s Tooth in time for the evening ‘pooja’ when the temple is illuminated with flickering lamps - a magical experience.

The Kandy Perahera Festival - Grandstand Seats One of the Great Festivals Of The World occurs at Kandy each year when the sacred tooth of the Buddha is paraded through the streets of Kandy on successive nights, accompanied by over a hundred caparisoned elephants, and thousands of temple dancers and drummers.

Perahera Dates For 2010: 15 August – 24 August

Day 06

Nuwara Eliya

The Governor’s Chalets

By Train Through The Hill Country To Nuwara Eliya
The Udarata Menike or Highland Queen leaves Kandy railway station at 9am each morning for a spectacular journey through the Hill Country. There is an A/C Observation Car at the end of train, but views are just as good on the standard carriages if the train is not too full.

Nuwara Eliya
The pine forests at 6000 ft, the high rounded peaks of the Hill Country, Lake Gregory, The Hill Club, The Grand Hotel, and even a beautiful little Golf Course - you could very well be in Scotland. The legendary Hill Station of the old British tea planters is a great place to stop in the hills.

Day 07

Yala

Yala Village

The Magnificent Views At Ella
Heading east, the hills become ever more spectacular with gaps in the mountain wall giving awesome views down to the island’s southern jungles and coastline. The most beautiful of these is the so-called Ella Gap.

 

Day 08

Yala

Yala Village

Encounters With Leopards And Wild Elephants At Yala Yala National Park is one of the great wildlife reserves of Asia. The great attraction here are the Leopards, Sri Lanka’s prime predator. Unlike in other countries, these magnificent animals can be seen hunting during the day among rocky outcrops that dot the park.

Yala also contains about 250 Elephants including some magnificent solitary cross tuskers. Several waterholes contain monster Crocodiles. Sloth Bears are sometimes seen foraging around fruit trees and huge specimens of Wild Buffalo are likely to be spotted.

 

Day 09

Galle

Apa Iluketia

The South Coast Road And The Stilt Fishermen Of Koggala As you head towards the golden beaches of the island, the spectacular South Coast Road starts to touch the coastline with idyllic coastal scenery. Picture-postcard beaches include Weligama, widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

The island’s unique Stilt Fishermen can be seen in this area during the late afternoons.

The Old World Town Of Galle
Step back in time wandering around the historic streets of Galle, which has a charming old Dutch Fort (1640) itself the best preserved in Asia. Huge ramparts enclose an Old Town of great historical and architectural value. The labyrinth of streets and alleyways contain about 200 old colonial buildings that are a UNESCO World Heritage Site of prime importance.

Day 10

To Sri Lanka’s Beaches Or Colombo

Yala Village

The Coral Gardens Of Hikkaduwa
A tropical coral reef with giant turtles and exotic species of butterfly fish.

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery
See turtle hatchlings prepared for release back in to the sea. If you are lucky you may be allowed to release some yourself.

Sri Lanka’s Beach Resorts
A short beach stay on Sri Lanka’s famous palm fringed beaches combined in addition to this tour will make for an excellent 2 week holiday on the island.

Since you are returning from the south of the island, it is possible to add a beach stay in the idyllic Deep South of Sri Lanka, such as Tangalle, Mirissa or the beaches around Galle, as long as you are aware of the traveling time back to the Airport. Alternatively, choose the more popular resorts of the South West (Bentota, Wadduwa and Kalutara) or Negombo.

NOTE: You can choose as many beach nights as you require.

 

Depart Sri Lanka

Depart Sri Lanka - Daytime flights arrive back in the same day.

NOTE: If you do not require a beach stay, you need to add a stopover night at Colombo or near the Airport prior to your departure.