Family tour to Sri Lanka
| country: | Sri Lanka |
| departures: | This trip is available all year round for groups of four or more |
| price: | From £1600 (16 days) including flights from UK, from £925 excluding flights |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This 15 day accompanied tour will take you from the spectacular ancient cities of the Central Plains through Kandy - the scenic hill country and tea estates, to the beautiful and undeveloped Southern Coast. Enjoy the spectacular wildlife and scenery of Yala West and Horton Plains National Parks, with plenty of time for relaxation and opportunities to 'do your own thing'. An ideal introduction to the magnificent island of Sri Lanka!
Highlights include Kandy, Sigiriya rock fortress, hill country, Yala West national park, Galle, Polonnaruwa ancient city, Dambulla cave temples, Horton Plains national park, Tangalle beach stay, and delicious local food!
Highlights include Kandy, Sigiriya rock fortress, hill country, Yala West national park, Galle, Polonnaruwa ancient city, Dambulla cave temples, Horton Plains national park, Tangalle beach stay, and delicious local food!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Departure from London. |
| Day 2: | Morning arrival in Colombo, meet your tour-leader and transfer to a hotel in the nearby coastal town of Negombo. Afternoon at leisure to relax, recover from your jet lag or test the Indian Ocean’s waters. |
| Day 3: | Afternoon departure with a train journey through spectacular scenery to Kandy, capital of the ‘Hill country’ where we’ll stay in a lakeside, colonial era hotel. |
| Day 4: | Morning tour of this charming, hill town; visit the superb Botanical Gardens, the Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka’s most sacred Buddhist site, with the afternoon to wander the lively streets and colourful markets. |
| Day 5: | Set off North to the ‘Cultural Triangle’, or Ancient Cities, region where we’ll begin our 2 day tour at Polonnaruwa, World Heritage Site and Sri Lanka’s medieval capital before continuing to Sigiriya for an overnight stay at the foot of the dramatic rock fortress. |
| Day 6: | Early morning ascent of this dramatic site – a fortified city hewn out of the solid rock of a towering limestone outcrop. Wander the paths and rock gardens at the foot of the mountain, admire the famous rock paintings as we wind out way to the summit on the and take in the stunning view of the surrounding green plain. Brunch at the rest-house and on to the day’s second World Heritage Site – the incredible cave temples of Dambulla. Late afternoon return to Kandy. |
| Day 7: | Time to head South with a drive through the scenic hill country to the old colonial town of Nuwara Eliya. Mountain views, tea covered terraces and an opportunity to visit a tea estate itself. Overnight in a 19th century, teak floored hotel. |
| Day 8: | Early morning departure for the ‘Horton Plains’ National Park where we’ll trek through the cool upland heath and forest to the incredible ‘World’s End’ site where the hill country abruptly drops 1000 m to the southern plains below. Waterfalls and wildlife before a scenic afternoon drive to the small hill town of Ella for accommodation in a local family-run guesthouse. |
| Day 9: | Day free to explore this picturesque town or for the energetic try out one of the areas numerous hiking trails. |
| Day 10: | Morning at leisure and afternoon drive out of the hills to the famous Yala West National Park. Afternoon hike and camping overnight in the park. |
| Day 11: | Up early for a morning jeep safari – birdlife, deer, elephants and crocodiles abound in Yala West and with luck we’ll see one of the rarer species such as clouded leopards. In the afternoon we’ll continue along the picturesque southern coast road to the small fishing port of Tangalle. |
| Day 12: | A secluded chalet resort set in gardens by a beautiful bay is our base for the next 3 days. Chill out on your verandah, swim, discover other nearby secluded bays and beaches or try out the famous Ayurvedic massage. |
| Day 13: | Excursion to discover the area – the traditional fishing port of Tangalle, friendly town and bustling market - the nearby rock temple of Mulkirigala or Rekawa Turtle Sanctuary. |
| Day 14: | Afternoon departure for the old fortified Dutch port and now UNESCO World Heritage Site, Galle. Hike along the ramparts or check out the town's former Arab quarter, narrow lanes and curio shops. |
| Day 15: | Transfer north up the scenic coastal road for a return to our starting point of Negombo. |
| Day 16: | Morning at leisure on the beach before an afternoon return flight to London. Evening arrival. |
independent family adventure holiday
These family trips are designed for those of you who prefer to travel just with your family, and not in a group with other families. The itineraries are set but you can typically depart at a time to suit you.how this holiday makes a difference
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The Sri Lanka Island Explorer tour introduces travellers to the culturally rich and environmentally diverse island state of Sri Lanka, with an emphasis on contributing to the local economy and community projects while respecting local traditions and the natural environment. Sri Lankan guides are at the heart of the tour, whether driving visitors around the island, taking treks at Horton Plains or leading safaris in Yala West National Park.
Some of the guides come from community-led projects such as the Woodlands Network, which helps local people gain access to education and employment. Visits to the Turtle Conservation Project at Rekawa are also encouraged. The tour stays in family-run guesthouses and eats at local restaurants, which not only enables visitors to meet local people and enjoy authentic home cooking, but also contributes directly to the local economy and provides much needed employment. Travellers are also encouraged to be aware at all times how to create a positive impact on the environment and local people. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |