Journeys: Discover Sri Lanka

Colombo

Arrive at any time. Arrival transfer is included.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Arrival Transfer

Bandaranaike International Airport - Colombo

You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.

Welcome Moment - Meet Your Expedition Leader and Group

1h

Your opportunity to meet your National Geographic Expedition Leader and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Colombo/Wilpattu National Park

Begin the day with a visit to a coconut plantation. Coconut is one of Sri Lanka's major exports, and many local industries utilize coconut-based by-products. Continue north to Wilpattu National Park, one of the oldest parks in the country and home to a significant leopard population. Explore the park on a 4x4 with a local expert, hearing about conservation efforts and the issues of human encroachment on wildlife reserves, and keep an eye out for elephants, wild boar, sloth bear, spotted deer, and of course, leopards. Spend the night at a safari camp located just outside the park.

Wilpattu is the oldest National Park in the country and home to Sri Lankan leopards. We will do our best to search some out with our local ranger, as well as enjoy the stunning flora and fauna. Our safari camp is located 10 minutes to the Southern boundary of the park entrance, on the boundary of a lake surrounded by bush forest. While a bit more simple than our other accommodations in Sri Lanka, a stay in a tented camp offers a unique and fun experience. Tents are heavy canvas with 2 raised beds, electricity, fan and ensuite toilette. The camp offers open air dining with exceptional food and service in a natural surrounding. On occasion, due to the remote location electricity and hot water can be sporadic. A flashlight is provided and should be used when walking at night.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Visit a Coconut Plantation

Colombo

Visit a local coconut plantation and learn about the importance of this crop to local people and the country as a major export. Sri Lanka is fortunate that the coconut palm is native to the island and lush plantations cover a large portion of coastal areas. Many local industries are founded in coconut based products using all parts of the fruit including the kernel, shell, husk, and fiber.

Wilpattu Safari and Conservation Talk

Wilpattu National Park

Explore Wilpattu, one of the largest and oldest National Parks in Sri Lanka, renowned for its leopard population. Explore the park by jeep with a local expert to observe the local flora and fauna, but be on the lookout for the parks most famed resident, the leopard. Also discuss wildlife conservation in the area and the conflicts of human encroachment on wildlife reserves.

Private Vehicle

Colombo - Wilpattu National Park 4h - 5h 185km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Wilpattu National Park/Anuradhapura

Travel to the sacred city of Anuradhapura, an ancient capital of Sri Lanka dating to the third century B.C. Take your time to wander the palaces, gardens, Buddhist temples, and monasteries of this splendid UNESCO World Heritage site.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Private Vehicle

Wilpattu National Park - Anuradhapura 1h 35km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Anuradhapura Excursion

Anuradhapura

Tour the ruins and monasteries of Sri Lanka's first capital. A symbol of Sinhalese power, this is the nation's most extensive and important ancient city.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

ANURADHAPURA/HABARANA/DAMBULLA

Venture to the thriving village of Habarana, where we'll get a chance to glimpse daily rural life. Explore the area by traditional bull cart, visiting lush vegetable fields and rice paddies. Take a stroll through town and meet some of Habarana's residents. Float in a canoe down a picturesque lake, and sit down for a lunch of local specialties. Later, continue to Dambulla for the evening.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Agricultural Village Experience

Habarana

Visit the thriving Village of Habarana for a glimpse of authentic rural life in Sri Lanka's North Central Province. Travel by foot, traditional bull cart and canoe in this scenic region, visiting farms of lush vegetable fields and rice paddies, surrounded by a landscape of green jungle and picturesque lakes. Walk through the town to meet some of its residents and vendors and gain an understanding of their largely agricultural life. Take a canoe ride on the lake, then sit down to a lunch of local specialties.

Private Vehicle

Anuradhapura - Dambulla 2h - 2.5h 85km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch

Dambulla

This morning, discover one of Sri Lanka's most iconic sights-the striking fortress of Sigiriya, or the Lion's Rock. This royal city and UNESCO World Heritage site was built in the fifth century on the slopes and summit of an imposing granite peak. Climb up a series of steep steps to reach the top, and encounter beautiful gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with frescoes. Enjoy breathtaking views of the surrounding jungle, and return to Dambulla for some free time around town.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Sigiriya Rock Fortress Visit

Sigiriya 2h - 3h

Be mesmerized by this rock fortress, which captivates every visitor with its well-laid out gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with beautiful wall motifs. Start at the water gardens and climb more than 1,200 steps to reach the top. Pass caves with frescoes and boulders to find the ruins of a palace on the flat surface of the old volcanic magma rock. The rock rests 370m (1,213 ft) above sea level with a shear drop on all sides.

Private Vehicle

Dambulla

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Dambulla/Kandy

Set out to explore the impressive Dambulla Cave Temple, the largest and best-preserved collection of cave shrines in Sri Lanka. Admire stunning Buddhist murals and a trove of Buddha statues, including a spectacular reclining Buddha carved out of solid rock. Then visit a spice garden in Matale to learn about the therapeutic uses of local spices. Continue to Kandy and enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, an important pilgrimage site which houses a tooth of the Buddha. This evening, we'll take in a performance of traditional music at a cultural show.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Dambulla Cave Temple Visit

Sigiriya 1h - 1.5h

Visit the ancient Dambulla cave temples at one of the most well-preserved temple and cave sites in Sri Lanka. See Buddhist mural paintings that line the walls of the seventh-century caves as well as a collection of hundreds of statues of Buddha in different poses.

Spice Garden Excursion

Matale

Visit a spice garden and marvel at the various spices used as natural medicines and as condiments in food.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Tour

Kandy 1h - 1.6h

Enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Tooth, which houses an important relic - a tooth of Lord Buddha kept in a well-preserved golden casket. Learn about the importance of this site from local guides.

Kandyan Cultural Dance

Kandy 1h

Be swept away by an entertaining performance that will provide insight into the local culture in Kandy.

Private Vehicle

Dambulla - Kandy 3h 90km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Kandy

Kandy served as the last capital of Sri Lanka's Sinhala dynasty before the British took complete control of the island in 1815. Spend the day exploring the city, visiting the breathtaking Royal Botanic Gardens of Peradeniya, once accessible only to the royal family. Afterward, stop by Sthree Craft Shop and Cafe, a G Adventures-supported social enterprise that works to empower local women and youth. View a handicraft demonstration and hear a talk about the enterprise before enjoying a tasting of local teas, accompanied by scones and pastries. Later, opt for a stroll through the city and around Kandy Lake, or enjoy a rejuvenating Ayurvedic massage.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Royal Botanical Gardens Visit

Kandy 1.5h - 2h 2km

Enjoy a leisurely walk in the colourful Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya. See 300 varieties of orchids of Sri Lanka as well as a range of other plants.

Sthree Craft Shop and Café

Kandy

Stop by Sthree Craft Shop and Cafe, a G for Good-supported social enterprise created in partnership with The Women's Development Centre, an organization that supports training and work opportunities for local women and disabled youth from the Kandy area. "Sthree" means "women" in both Tamil and Sinhala - fitting as the shop and cafe is both a place for local women to hone their hospitality skills, while selling handicrafts sourced from all over Sri Lanka.

High Tea and Handicrafts

Kandy

Visit Sthree Craft Shop and Cafe to indulge in High Tea and a handicraft-making demonstration from a member the shop's training program. Sit down for a talk from one of the project organizers about what they do, while you enjoy a taste of local teas and an assortment of sweet cakes and pastries.

Free Time

Kandy

Opt to visit an Ayurvedic hospital to learn about Ayurvedic oil massage treatments or explore the well-laid out walkways of the city and don't miss the famed Palm Avenues.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
1
Optional Activities for Day 7
Show
Ayurvedic Center
Kandy
Visit an Ayurvedic Center to learn about the history behind Ayurveda and the role it plays in Sri Lankan society. Gain an understanding of Ayurvedic oil massage treatments and its various benefits.
If a cost is not listed above for an optional tour, contact us to find out what it is.

Kandy/Nuwara Eliya

Travel through scenic mountains to the town of Nuwara Eliya, in the heart of Sri Lankan tea country. Visit a tea plantation to gain insight into the cultivation and production of this beloved beverage, and savour a cup of perfectly blended Ceylon tea. Then head out on a tour of Nuwara Eliya and its lush surroundings, once governed by English and Scottish planters, following cool, misty roads through blankets of tea bushes. This afternoon, opt to take high tea at the colonial-era Grand Hotel, originally the holiday home of Sir Edward Barnes, the fifth Governor of Ceylon.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Private Vehicle

Kandy - Nuwara Eliya 3.5h 75km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Tea Plantation Visit

Nuwara Eliya 1h - 1.5h

The town of Nuwara Eliya produces the finest Orange Pekoe Ceylon tea, and is inhabited mainly by tea planters and plantation workers. Pay a visit to one of the factories to learn all about tea production.

Explore Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya

Enjoy a tour of colonial Nuwara Eliya and its lush surroundings. Follow misty roads, through lush green blankets of tea bushes into a cooler climate, that remind visitors of an English countryside atmosphere. Once governed by English and Scottish planters - the area still offers colonial bungalows, hedgerows and one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in the world.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
1
Optional Activities for Day 8
Show
High Tea at the Grand Hotel
25USD Per Person
Nuwara Eliya
Step back in time and enjoy high tea at the historic Grand Hotel. Enjoy a lovely setting with Elizabethan-era architecture and beautiful gardens. The building was the former mansion of Sir Edward Barnes who was the Governor of Sri Lanka during 1830-1850.
If a cost is not listed above for an optional tour, contact us to find out what it is.

NUWARA ELIYA/HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK/UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

Venture out early this morning into Horton Plains National Park, a protected natural area encompassing high altitude grasslands and hilly cloud forest. Enjoy a picnic breakfast, and culminate your trek at a point known as World's End-a majestic drop that provides incredible views over the verdant plains and coastline to the south. Then continue to our tented camp on the border of Udawalawe National Park.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Private Vehicle

Nuwara Eliya - Horton Plains Nature Reserve 1h - 1.5h 30km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Horton Plains Trek

Horton Plains Nature Reserve - Nuwara Eliya 4h - 4.5h 9km

Get close to nature and stunning scenery on this Horton Plains Trek. Hike 9km (6 mi) into the Horton Plains and walk through the clouds to discover a majestic drop that provides amazing views over the plains into the sea.

Private Vehicle

Horton Plains Nature Reserve - Udawalawe 4h - 4.5h 140km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK

A sanctuary for large herds of elephants, Udawalawe National Park is one of the best places in the world to observe these majestic pachyderms. Embark on a jeep safari through the park seeking out the abundant wildlife, including water buffalo, jackals, and various species of deer.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Udawalawe Reserve Safari

Udawalawe National Park 3h - 3.5h

Drive through this massive nature reserve and keep an eye out for the mighty Sri Lankan elephants - they live in abundance here and often wander along the road. Make several stops to observe these beautiful animals.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner

Udawalawe/Negombo

This morning, enjoy a cooking demonstration by the camp chef, learning about local specialties, then drive to Negombo and spend the day at leisure. This small port town has seen Portguese, Dutch, and British rule-reflected in the architecture of the old quarter-and used to be a centre of the cinnamon trade. Choose to visit the Old Dutch Fort, step into one of the town's ornate Catholic churches, or enjoy a stroll on the beach.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Private Vehicle

Udawalawe - Negombo 5h - 6h 270km

Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Sri Lankan Cooking Demonstration

Udawalawe 0.5h - 1h

Enjoy a cooking demonstration and see how local Sri Lankan delicacies are prepared.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Negombo

Depart at any time.

Hotel check out is at 12:00pm. Your National Geographic Expedition Leader can assist you with arranging an easy transfer to Colombo or the International airport.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Departure Day

Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.

• Meals Included:
• Breakfast