From CAD 2,125
Guarantee
Small Group
Light
Rating
(20 reviews)
Experience Overview
The remnants of a spiritual past await your discovery in Sri Lanka, from the ancient cliff-built complex of Lion Rock in Sigiriya to the ruins of the Sinhalese capital in Anuradhapura. Explore wonders of nature and humanity – often both at once – on this 8-day adventure through the cities, jungles and caves of Sri Lanka. Beginning in Negombo, travel through verdant countryside, past tea plantations, into the wildlife-filled Minneriya National Park and to the thriving capital of Colombo. An immersive and cultural Sri Lankan escapade awaits – the only thing left to choose is when to go.
Highlights
- Head off on safari – Sri Lanka style! Look for elephants and leopards while you cruise the beautiful Minneriya National Park in a jeep with expert local guides.
- See one of the world’s most revered relics at the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, home to an earthly remain of the Lord Buddha, and discover the cave temple of Dambulla.
- Travel through highlands so green they almost glow in Nuwara Eliya, and sample some of the acclaimed tea varieties that grow on the hillsides with your small group.
- Learn about the varied cuisine and local customs of different regions around Sri Lanka and join local families to dine on traditional dishes like fragrant fish curry and rice.
- Take a guided bike tour around Anuradhapura City, an impressive World-Heritage listed site, soaking up the splendour of the ruins which date back to the city’s heyday hundreds of years ago.
Trip Details
Product Code: 2176
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Comfortable
Transport: Private vehicle
Guide Language: English
Supplier Code: HPKS
Starts: Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finishes: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Duration: 8 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical rating:
Light
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (7), Lunch (2),Accommodation: Hotel (7 nights)
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 2125 (CAD 266 /day)
Itinerary
Ayu-bowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka. Your adventure begins in the town of Negombo, located close to Bandaranaike International Airport. You can arrive at any time today as there are no activities planned until an important welcome meeting at 6pm. Those arriving early can get into the spirit of seaside Sri Lanka by observing the local fishing craft and perhaps feasting on fresh seafood. The beautiful surrounding countryside is best explored on a bicycle, which you can rent with help from the hotel reception.
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast, take a private transfer to the lush, rainforest-rimmed Kandy where you’ll enjoy a delicious home cooked lunch on arrival. Refresh with a home grown juice welcome drink then feast on traditional Sri Lankan cuisine with a slice of sweet kithul thalapa for dessert. After lunch, check in to your hotel then visit the temple that holds a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. Aptly named Temple of the Tooth, it is one of Sri Lanka’s most sacred places and no matter your spiritual inclination, the hush of the temple and the atmosphere of reverence is incredibly powerful. If you have spare time this afternoon, you may like to visit the Peradeniya Botanic Gardens which were once a private playground for Kandyan royalty. This evening, join your group for a traditional dance performance set to traditional music with percussive rhythms.
Included Activities:
- Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance
- Kandy - Home-cooked lunch
- Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
Optional Activities:
- Kandy - Botanical Gardens (10 USD)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
The gorgeous highlands await you today, so rise and shine for the scenic train journey to Nuwara Eliya. The evergreen hills and cool climate made this town a primary retreat for British colonialists in the 19th century, and many buildings remain from this period. Stop in at a tea factory and learn about the process of cultivating the region’s fragrant, highly regarded varieties. Nuwara Eliya remains an incredibly important tea-growing area, and the plantations that dot the hillside make for lovely scenery. After the tour, drive back to Kandy and maybe ask your leader where you can grab a nice kottu roti (chopped roti with vegetables and plenty of spices). Kandy was one the world’s primary source of cinnamon and a variety of spices are grown the area, which makes for food that is bursting with flavour.
Included Activities:
- Nuwara Eliya - Tea factory tour
- Kandy - Scenic train ride to Nuwara Eliya
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, bid farewell to Kandy and transfer to Habarana, located just 12 km from Sigiriya, where the immense Lion Rock dominates the landscape. This afternoon you will explore this behemoth, but first some other unique sites await. Visit a spice garden and see how the popular spices you use at home are grown then travel onward to the cave temple of Dambulla with its five caves filled with paintings and statues of Lord Buddha. Murals cover the rough walls and sloping ceilings of the caves, which once served as dwellings for prehistoric Sri Lankans before the arrival of Buddhism. Check into your hotel then set off to experience Lion Rock which features ancient paintings, the remains of a great lion sculpture and some of the oldest landscaped gardens in the world. Climb the winding walkways and explore this incredible example of ancient urban planning as you take in the beauty of the sunset.
Included Activities:
- Dambulla - Cave Temples
- Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
- Matale - Spice Garden
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
This morning, enjoy a relaxing sleep in then join your leader and group for a home-cooked lunch with a local family. After a welcome drink made with home-grown tropical Sri Lankan fruits, head outside to the garden and take a seat under the trees where you’ll dine on traditional dishes like rice and curry, perhaps made with fresh fish caught from the local lakes. After lunch, jump in a jeep and go on safari at Minneriya National Park where elephants, sambar deer and leopards can be spotted amongst the evergreen forests and scrublands.
Included Activities:
- Sigiriya - Home-cooked lunch
- Minneriya - Jeep safari
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Say ayubowan – used for both greetings and farewells – to the verdant plains of Sigiriya and travel to Anuradhapura where you’ll discover some of the best-preserved ancient ruins in the country. Take a guided bike tour around Anuradhapura City, an impressive World-Heritage listed site, soaking up the splendour of the ruins as you gain an appreciation of what this area must have looked like during its heyday hundreds of years ago. If you would prefer to skip the bicycle, a tuk tuk is available to take you on the tour. Anuradhapura is also home to a sacred, ancient Bo tree, which originally came from a branch of the famous Bo tree in Budda Gaya.
Included Activities:
- Anuradhapura - Bodhi Tree Temple
- Anuradhapura - Sacred City bike tour
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
After breakfast, watch the world go by on the drive to Colombo and take in some of the city's main sights on a bus tour including Independence Square, Parliament and the National Museum, exploring Pettah Market on foot, and finishing with a shopping opportunity for a good cause at the Barefoot Fairtrade Store. Here you can find a collection of handicrafts from around the country and support small cottage industries. If you are lucky enough to be in Colombo on a Saturday, visit Good Market – a local market full of stalls showcasing social enterprises and responsible businesses. Tonight, there's the chance to have a group dinner with your travel crew to celebrate your Sri Lankan journey together.
Included Activities:
- Colombo - City tour by bus
- Colombo – Guided market visit
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
With no activities planned for today, you are free to leave any time after breakfast, provided you comply with the hotel’s internal check-out times. If you would like to spend more time in Colombo, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation for you (subject to availability).
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Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Caitlyn - Traveled, February 2024
Sri Lanka is an amazing destination and well worth the visit. This was my first trip with Intrepid and I am very happy with them, and will book with them in the future. Our tour guide, Chamodi, is an incredible woman working in a quite male-dominated industry. I hope more people can come to Sri Lanka with Chamodi, in particular.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/03/2024
Helen - Traveled, February 2024
I loved Sri Lanka it was a holiday of a lifetime .If you want to be a responsible tourist and experience the culture of Sri Lanka this is the holiday for you . Seeing the Buddhist temples, elephants in their natural habitat and experiencing food with local families was fantastic. Chamodi our leader was full of passion for her country and the company Intrepid. Staying as a small group of 12 was good . You get to know everyone and make good friends. loved the 8 day tour and I will keep a part of Sri Lanka in my heart forever
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/03/2024
Kayleigh - Traveled, February 2024
I loved my tour of Sri Lanka, thanks to Chamodi and the great group we had. We saw a lot in a short amount of time, and it gave me a better understanding about Sri Lanka and the way of life there.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/03/2024
Graeme - Traveled, February 2024
Couldn’t have asked for a better group of people and a better guide, not finished our trip yet and already looking at bolking Vietnam for next year.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/02/2024
Kate - Traveled, December 2023
The Intrepid tour in Sri Lanka opened my eyes to the abundance of wildlife, history and beautiful people and places. I would definately recommend as a holiday destination.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/31/2023
Joanne - Traveled, November 2023
Sri Lanka was stunningly beautiful and the itinerary was excellent. We all appreciated the contributions and thoughtfulness of our leader, Lochana, and our two drivers
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/24/2023
Eirini - Traveled, November 2023
The itinerary included important religious, archeological and nature sites. Some nike activities were included such as the bike ride. The tour guide was poorly trained and hence the insights gained from visits were very limited.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Joanne - Traveled, November 2023
Sri Lanka was stunningly beautiful and the itinerary was excellent. We all appreciated the contributions and thoughtfulness of our leader, Lochana, and our two drivers
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/24/2023
Katharine - Traveled, April 2024
Very well organised trip, the right balance of activity and free time. 7 days felt like 2 weeks!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/15/2024
Steve - Traveled, April 2024
This was a really excellent tour for a quick overview of Sri Lanka. The itinerary was well developed and the accommodations very comfortable. Our guide Lochana was wonderful and did a fantastic job of sharing her passion for the country.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/15/2024
Cecilia - Traveled, March 2024
My Sri Lankan experience was exceptional due to the dedication, enthusiasm and expertise of Chathu. He has a remarkable depth of knowledge on Sri Lankan history, culture, religion, religion, folklore and environmental issues. He worked tirelessly on our behalf and assured all requests were promptly addressed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/01/2024
Kerrie - Traveled, May 2023
Great tour of Sri Lanka. The Classic Tour covered all the sigificant sights we wanted to see. Ajith was a wonderful, knowledgeable, polite & informative tour leader. Food options were varied and yummy. I would recommend this tour and Ajith highly.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/21/2023
Kimberley - Traveled, March 2023
My holiday in Sri Lanka was amazing. My guide Thilantha was extremely helpful and informative. He gave us some unique and amazing experiences. Thank you for all your efforts. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/18/2023
Julie - Traveled, November 2022
A great introduction to Sri Lanka. Actioned packed with history, culture, food and wildlife. Be prepared for some busy days but some great experiences too. Lion Rock seemed too hard a challenge for us so we went to the spa instead. Loved the train ride, elephant safari and the surprise on the last day reminds me why I book with Intrepid.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2022
Tabitha - Traveled, November 2022
Classic Sri Lanka was a brilliant trip to see a wonderful country. Influenced by Asian & African cultures, I felt this little bite of Sri Lanka was an excellent way to see the best parts, in a short amount of time. George our tour leader was excellent in every way.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2022
Linda - Traveled, November 2022
What an amazing trip in a very special country. We packed so much in on our Classic Sri Lanka trip...temples, a memorable train journey, tea plantations, the magnificent Lion Rock and best of all the elephants! Every bit of our trip was well organised and our trip leader George went above and beyond to make sure he imparted all his local knowledge to enhance our experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/19/2022
Sarah - Traveled, March 2022
This was a short but comprehensive tour that didn't disappoint! The itinerary ensures that you will see the key sights - walking to the top of Lion Rock, seeing elephants on safari, cycling, visiting Temples with enough free time to rest in between to do a little shopping, seek out coffee/bakeries and grab a fabulous massage! Tour leader Prabarth was excellent, enthusiastic about his home country yet eager to learn about ours. Overall a really enjoyable tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/25/2022
Catherine - Traveled, February 2022
We had a great trip. Our guide in Sri Lanka, Ajith was amazing, full of knowledge and patience with our group. He was with us all the way, always happy to answer our questions and show us to wonderful temples and share his knowledge with us.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 03/11/2022
Jonathan - Traveled, January 2022
A wonderful introduction to beautiful Lanka, culture, history, nature and wildlife, sights and sounds and friendly people. Loved it.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 01/31/2022
Laura - Traveled, January 2022
Despite being a relatively short trip, it was refreshing to see and experience so much of Sri Lanka's history and culture with our fantastic guide, Ananda. I would have loved to have had an extra few more days to explore the Southern beaches, as the country offers a lot, and it would have been an even better way to end the Classic Sri Lanka tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 02/01/2022
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