Buddha and Beach - 12 Days
12 days.
From £1,305pp
Beruwala/Bentota - Enjoy four days of R&R on the idyllic palm fringed beaches of Sri Lanka's West Coast, 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, Kayanwala Village - Canoe to the village and help cook a delicious traditional lunch with a Sri Lankan family, 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 and watch a cultural performance, Nuwara Eliya - Spend a night in this highland community, referred to as 'Little England', surrounded by Central Sri Lanka's picturesque tea country hills, Ratnapura - Visit the heart of the nation's gem mining industry, Take a scenic train ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, passing waterfalls and lush tea plantations en route, Udawalawe National Park - Go in search of wildlife on a game drive in Udawalawe, home to the nation's largest herd of Asian Elephants, Giragama Tea Factory - Take a tour of a working tea factory with a long history
Your tour to Sri Lanka includes:
- Breakfast daily and 1 lunch
- 11 nights 4-5 star hotels and heritage properties
- Guided sightseeing - Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, Udawalawe NP and Colombo
- Scenic train journey from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, canoe and Tuk Tuk trips
- Jeep safari/game drive in Udawalawe National Park
- Escorted by an English speaking national guide for groups of 6 or more (professional chauffeur guide for groups of 5 or less)
- Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 12
- All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned tourism vehicles
Your Itinerary:
Day 1, Colombo
Saturday. Welcome to Sri Lanka! Airport arrival transfer and the remainder of today is at leisure. Our hotel is located on the seafront and is a short walk from Galle Road and many of the city highlights. Choose to head out and independently explore, take a dip in the pool or enjoy a cocktail whilst you watch the sunset over the Laccodive Sea.
No meals included.
Day 2, Dambulla
Colombo - Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Dambulla. Bidding farewell to Colombo this morning we 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, we 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, we return to Dambulla for an evening at leisure.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 3, Sigiriya
Dambulla - Sigiriya - Kandy. This morning we explore Sigiriya and the famous ‘Lion Rock’ fortress. Built over 1500 years ago, this beautiful citadel stands 200 meters 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, we take a bullock cart ride and short canoe trip to the village of Kayanwala. Here, at Kayanwala Village we 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 we stop 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.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, no dinner included.
Day 4, Kandy
This morning, we take a sightseeing tour of Kandy - the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and our 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 Kandy Lake - built by the last Sinhala king, we visit the local bazaar and a gem museum, we then take Tuk Tuk ride up into the surrounding hills. This afternoon we stop at the Geragama Tea Factory, manufacturing 'Low Grown' and 'Long Leaf' tea. This evening, we watch a cultural performance of traditional Sri Lankan music and dance.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 5, Nuwara Eliya
Kandy - Nuwara Eliya. 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, we'll see waterfalls, suspension bridges and tea pickers on our 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.
Upon arrival we embark on a sightseeing tour of Nuwara Eliya - an area known locally as 'Little England'.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 6, Udawalawe National Park
Nuwara Eliya - Udawalawe National Park. Today we head south to Embilipitiya, our base for exploring Udawalawe National Park. Udawalawe is probably one of the best places to spot the famous Sri Lankan elephant, the biggest of all the Asian elephants in the wild. It is thought that there are around 400 elephants here. The park is also home to the elusive leopard, the Sri Lankan sloth bear, the cheeky langur monkey and varies types of deer. We enjoy an afternoon game drive here before returning to our hotel.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 7, Colombo
Udawalawe National Park - Colombo. We travel back to Colombo this morning with a visit to the Gem Mine and Museum at Ratnapura. Sri Lanka is famous for its gem industry and is home to 40 out of the 85 types of gems that exist in the world.
Arriving to Colombo, we commence a city tour, seeing the Fort area in the north of the city which is famous for its government buildings and interesting shops. We'll also see the somewhat unusual Gangarama Temple and take a stroll along Galle Face Green, a popular spot for kite flying and games of cricket.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 8, Bentota and Beruwala
Colombo - Kalutara. After breakfast, we head south along Sri Lanka's idyllic West Coast to spend the final four nights relaxing by the beach in this picturesque holiday location.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 9-11, Bentota and Beruwala
Sri Lanka's beautiful palm fringed beaches are without a doubt its biggest draw cards, and once you set eyes on them you’ll understand why. Nestled on the Indian Ocean coast with warm crystal clear waters, Beruwala and the neighbouring town of Bentota offer travellers a whole host of water sports from snorkelling and scuba diving, to water skiing and surfing – the choice if yours. Indulge in a glass of Toddy – a local coconut flavoured tipple, head to the spa and opt for an Ayurveda treatment which the area is famous for, or simply while away the days on the beach with a cocktail in hand.
3 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 12, Colombo
Wednesday. Kalutara - Colombo. Today our tropical island adventure comes to an end. Departure transfer to Colombo Airport for your onward international flight.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Other important information
- Departure dates marked with a 'G' are operating.
- All departure dates are guaranteed to operate when there are 2 persons booked on the tour.
- 'Twin Share' prices are per person when there are 2 people sharing a room.
- 'Single Room' prices are applicable to solo travellers or anyone wanting the privacy of a single room.
Not included in the tour
- International flights and visas
- Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$3-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture
- Entrance Fees: USD$120-$140pp, paid in USD
Conditions
- The following product terms and conditions apply in addition to our Booking Terms and Conditions (available on our website) and terms and conditions of the relevant travel service provider.
- Prices quoted valid for sale until 23 April 2024 for travel during the period specified (if applicable) unless otherwise stated or sold out prior.
- All prices are per person (unless otherwise stated), subject to availability and may be withdrawn or varied without notice. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes bonus nights and/or stated saving (if applicable).
- Additional supplier conditions and travel restrictions may apply. Please enquire for further details.
- Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated.
- Components of the total price including local payments, "resort fees", "national park fees", "trip kitties" and food funds (if applicable) may be payable direct to the supplier on arrival or to your travel consultant prior to your departure. Where applicable, these payments are included in the total price quoted.
- Gratuities are not included unless otherwise stated.
- Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies and government charges current at the time of publication.
- Additional levies, government charges & other applicable fees, including additional taxes, surcharges and visa fees specific to your departure date or flight routing, may apply and are beyond our control.
- Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel.
- Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store or by BPAY.
- Payments made in store by credit card will incur a surcharge (see Booking Terms and Conditions for further details).
- These prices are a guide to the best price and are subject to change without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases. Please enquire for further details..
Please quote deal number 5067750 when you call.
