Complete Tour Of Sri Lanka

The Ultimate Sri Lanka Experience

A full and detailed sightseeing tour of Sri Lanka in a relaxed fashion will require an itinerary lasting about 9 days. Our flagship 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 at Colombo, head to the Cultural Triangle stopping at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage on the way. You can see all of Sri Lanka’s historic sights including the Dambulla Golden Cave Temple, Sigiriya Fortress and extensive remains of 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: Anyone who wishes to see the whole of Sri Lanka in an islandwide tour.

Day 01

Depart UK

Depart UK – Overnight flight

Day 02

Colombo

The Galle Face Regency

Relax On Arrival At Colombo
Stay at Colombo’s world famous Galle Face Hotel. This colonial era hotel was notably patronised by Noel Coward and Old World millionaires like Rockefeller.

Day 03

Dambulla

Amaya Lake

Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
Sri Lanka’s number one tourist attraction is a wonderful place to spend a couple of hours in the company of over 70 elephants, the largest captive herd in the world. You can turn up for feeding time at 9am or watch them bathe in the Maha Oya River for the rest of the day.

The Golden Cave Temples Of Dambulla
A series of steps lead to 5 cave temples that contain some of the world’s finest examples of ancient Buddhist art. Many of the frescoes and sculptures are in fact well over 2000 years old.

Day 04

Dambulla

Amaya Lake

The Ancient City Of Polonnaruwa
The capital of Sri Lanka from 11th-14th Centuries contains ruins of stupas, temples and palaces, which are still in an excellent state of preservation.

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.

Elephant Back Ride At Habarana
Fast becoming one of the most popular activities at Habarana are elephant back rides through the local village and forests.

Day 05

Kandy

Amaya Hills

Sigiriya Rock
The remarkable Fortress In The Sky is a magnificent rock citadel dating from 470 A.D. Highlights include an ancient gallery containing frescoes of the voluptuous Sigiriya Maidens and The Water Gardens, now known to be one of the oldest in the world.

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

Kandy And The Temple Of The Tooth
Beautifully located in a valley surrounded by hills, 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.

Day 06

Kandy

Amaya Hills

Peradeniya Gardens
One of the finest botanical gardens in the East including an Orchid House with 300 varieties of orchids. Lord Mountbatten’s famous South East Asia Command Headquarters were located inside these gardens during WW 2.

The 3 Ancient Temples Around Kandy
Very reminiscent of a South East Asian style of architecture, these medieval temples are each situated in splendid rural settings.

Day 07

Nuwara Eliya

The Grand Hotel

By Train Through The Hill Country To Nuwara Eliya
The Highland Queen leaves Kandy railway station at 9am each morning for a spectacular journey through the Hill Country. There are great views of waterfalls and tea estates among the magnificent scenery of the Great Western mountain ranges.

Nuwara Eliya
The original Hill Station of the British tea planters who came to Ceylon, as it was then known. There is a Hill Club, Grand Hotel, a Golf Course that is the oldest in Asia and even a Race Course- all of which are bygone reminders of an English social life that once thrived here.

 

Day 08

Yala

Yala Village

The Magnificent Views At Ella
The most beautiful views in the entire island can be see from the so called Ella Gap, a break in the mountains that allows visitors to see the all the way down to the coast from the edge of the southern escarpment.

Day 09

Yala

Yala Village

Encounters With Leopards And Wild Elephants At Yala
The largest wildlife park in Sri Lanka is very reminiscent of the African savannah and is where the greatest variety of wildlife can be observed.

Herds of Spotted Deer, solitary Sambar Elk and Wild Boar are common. Peacocks are plentiful in the jungles. Monster Crocodiles are to be seen at some of its watering holes.

Moreover, Yala is now gaining an international reputation as the best place to watch Leopards in the world. The aggressive Sloth Bear is also present but rarely seen.

Yala also contains about 250 Elephants including some magnificent solitary cross tuskers.

Day 10

Galle

The Sun House

The South Coast Road And The Stilt Fishermen Of Koggala
A lovely coast road passes through a succession of picture-postcard beaches and idyllic bays such as Weligama, widely acknowledged as one of the most beautiful 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
Galle has a charming old Dutch Fort (1640) itself the best preserved in Asia, whose 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 11

To Sri Lanka’s Beaches Or Colombo

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 UK 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.