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Go wild in Sri Lanka on this 10-day wildlife tour from coastal Colombo to the misty hills and lush national parks. Explore ancient cave temples in Dambulla, climb the iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress, and wander the historic ruins of Polonnaruwa. Discover the charm of Kandy, take a scenic train ride through the tea plantations to Nuwara Eliya and then head south for wildlife safaris in Udawalawe, Yala and Bundala National Parks. Spot elephants, leopards and vibrant birdlife, then unwind in beachside Mirissa before heading back to Colombo.
Highlights & Inclusions
Trip Highlights
Colombo – Enjoy a guided tour of the city including the Old Fort area and impressive Gangaramaya Temple
Polonnaruwa - Explore the remarkable ruins of the ancient capital city of Ceylon
Sigiriya - Climb to the top of the iconic 5th century Lion Rock fortress and see the Heavenly Maidens
Dambulla - Discover over 150 images of Buddha in the incredible complex of caves at Dambulla Rock Temple
Matale - Learn all about Sri Lanka's herbs and spices at the spice gardens in Matale
Kandy - Take in the highlights of Kandy including the famous Temple of the Tooth, enjoy a tuk tuk ride, tour the Giragama Tea Factory and watch a cultural performance
Udawalawe National Park - Go in search of wildlife on a game drive in Udawalawe, home to the nation's largest herd of Asian Elephants
Yala National Park - Safari in search of Asian Elephants, Sri Lankan krait, crocodiles and elusive leopards
Bundala National Park - Spot colourful birds and Asian elephants in this picturesque coastal National Park
Nuwara Eliya - Spend a night in this highland community, referred to as 'Little England', surrounded by Central Sri Lanka's picturesque tea country hills
Mirissa/Galle - Go whale and dolphin watching off the coast of Mirissa (01 Nov - 30 Apr) or visit Galle with its impressive fortress (01 May - 31 Oct)
Take a scenic train ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, passing waterfalls and lush tea plantations en route
Kayanwala Village - Canoe to the village and help cook a delicious traditional lunch with a Sri Lankan family
3 Jeep safari/game drives in Udawalawe NP, Yala NP and Bundala NP
Scenic train journey from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, canoe and Tuk Tuk trips
Escorted by an English-speaking national guide for groups of 6 or more (professional chauffeur guide for groups of 5 or less)
Whale and dolphin watching boat cruise in Mirissa (01 Nov-30 April, approx $35pp to pay locally). Visit to the Dutch Fort at Galle (01 May-31 Oct)
Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 10
All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned tourism vehicles
Itinerary
Day 1 | Colombo
Upon arrival at Colombo Airport, you'll be met and transferred to our seafront hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax and settle in.
Overnight: Colombo
Day 2 | Dambulla & Polonnaruwa
Bidding farewell to Colombo this morning, drive inland to Dambulla, stopping en route at a fruit and vegetable market in Naramwela Town. Dambulla Rock Temple is an incredible ancient complex of caves which dates back to the 1st Century BC. The five caves contain over 150 images of Buddha including an impressive 14 metre carved statue.
After exploring this ancient site, continue to Polonnaruwa. This fascinating 11th century city is home to many interesting ruins and famous monuments including the Royal Palace and the Gal Vihara. Polonnaruwa was once the capital and is also the second most ancient city in Sri Lanka. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This evening, return to Dambulla for an evening at leisure.
Overnight: Dambulla
Meals: breakfast
Day 3 | Sigiriya & Spice Garden
This morning, explore Sigiriya and the famous ‘Lion Rock’ fortress. Built over 1500 years ago, this beautiful citadel stands 200 metres high in the middle of verdant jungle and was an important stronghold of the 70-hectare fortified town. It can be viewed from miles around and is definitely one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic and famous sites. You’ll be able to view the world-famous paintings of the Heavenly Maidens which stand in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway.
From Sigiriya, take a local hand tractor ride and short canoe trip to the village of Kayanwala. Here, at Kayanwala Village, take part in a cookery demonstration in a mud brick home of a local woman and enjoy a freshly prepared lunch of curry, dahl, spiced rice, pickle and more. En route to Kandy, stop off at a spice garden in Matale, to see the different herbs and spices, which Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed.
Overnight: Kandy
Meals: breakfast, lunch
Day 4| Kandy & Tuk Tuks
This morning, take a sightseeing tour of Kandy - the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. The first stop will be the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Legend has it that one of Buddha's teeth was taken from him as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was then smuggled into Sri Lanka in 313AD. It now attracts daily pilgrims who come bearing lotus flowers and frangipani. After driving around the Kandy Lake - built by the last Sinhala king, visit the local bazaar and a gem museum, then take a Tuk Tuk ride up into the surrounding hills. This afternoon, stop at a working tea factory at Geragama. Geragama Tea Factory is located in close proximity to the city of Kandy and was established in the year 1903, manufacturing 'Low Grown' and 'Long Leaf' tea. This evening, watch a cultural performance of traditional Sri Lankan music and dance.
Overnight: Kandy
Meals: breakfast
Day 5 | Nuwara Eliya & tea plantations
This morning offers free time before transferring to the railway station for a scenic train trip. Passing kilometre upon kilometre of verdant tea plantations that hug the winding mountain passes, you'll see waterfalls, suspension bridges and tea pickers on the journey up to Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka’s most popular hill resort. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country producing a significant share of the world’s best tea.
This afternoon, take a sightseeing tour of Nuwara Eliya on a beautiful drive through 'Little England'.
Overnight: Nuwara Eliya
Meals: breakfast
Day 6 | Udawalawe National Park jeep safari
Today, head south to Embilipitiya, the base for exploring Udawalawe National Park. This national park is probably one of the best places to spot the famous Sri Lankan elephant, the biggest of all the Asian elephants. It is thought that there are around 400 elephants here. The park is also home to the elusive leopard, the Sri Lankan sloth bear and varies types of deer. We enjoy an afternoon game drive here before returning to our hotel.
Overnight: Udawalawe National Park
Meals: breakfast
Day 7 | Yala National Park - Elephant spotting
This morning we depart for Yala National Park - the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. This afternoon, we take a jeep safari of the park. The park also has one of the highest concentrations of Asian elephants in the world - and about 350 live here. Also present are sloth bears, golden palm civets, Sri Lankan krait, crocodiles and some of the biggest numbers of leopards. The coastline around the park is visited by leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles.
Overnight: Yala National Park
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8 | Bundala National Park
This morning, depart Yala for coastal Bundala National Park. This fantastic labyrinth of waterways, dunes and lagoons is the home to thousands of brightly coloured birds, over 200 species. It is also home to the magnificent greater flamingo and has a decent amount of Asian elephants that call the park home. Take a jeep safari here before transferring to the coastal town of Mirissa for the night.
Overnight: Mirissa
Meals: breakfast
Day 9 | Colombo city tour
This morning (if travelling between 01 Nov - 30 April), it’s an early start as you transfer to the boat pier for the whale and dolphin watching boat cruise (weather dependent). Fin whales, Bryde's whales, sperm whales, blue whales - the largest creatures on earth, whale sharks, orcas and dolphins are very often seen just a few kilometres off Sri Lanka's southern coast. The round trip may last anywhere between 2-6 hours with an average of 4 hours depending on how far out at sea the mammals are located.
If travelling between 01 May - 31 Oct the morning is spent visiting UNESCO World Heritage Listed Galle fortress - first constructed by the Portuguese in 1588, then expanded and extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century.
The final stop today, is Colombo and the bustling city centre for a guided tour. We explore the Fort area in the north of the city, famous for its government buildings and interesting shops. Taking a stroll along Galle Face Green and watching locals play cricket before heading over to stunning Gangarama Temple.
Overnight: Colombo
Meals: breakfast
Day 10 | Goodbye Sri Lanka
The tour concludes today with an onward departure transfer to the airport.
Meals: breakfast
*Itinerary is subject to change.
Booking terms and conditions apply.
*
Term and conditions apply: All pricing subject to change and availability. Advertised prices are per person twin share unless stated otherwise. Offers may be withdrawn at any time. Itineraries are subject to change. Booking Conditions and Phil Hoffmann Travel Schedule of Professionalism* applies. Please speak to your Phil Hoffmann Travel Consultant for more information.
