14 Days | Discover the riches of Sri Lanka, the 'Teardrop of India'
Discover a country that radiates warmth – from its glorious sunshine and scorching cuisine to the incredibly kind people, this is Sri Lanka. This 14-day Premium adventure through ‘the Teardrop of India’ will take you straight to the heart of the country. Explore the ancient ruins of past civilisations, including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sigiriya, search for rare and beautiful animals like elephants and leopards, relax on palm-fringed beaches and soak up the hospitable welcome from the locals. From the spicy food scene to the Exclusive cooking class and high tea, this adventure sees all the best bits or Sri Lanka in style.
Trip overview
- Start
- Negombo, Sri Lanka
- Finish
- Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Theme
- Explorer
- Destinations
- Sri Lanka
- Physical rating
- Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
- Style
- Premium
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1 - Max 12
- Trip code
- HPPS
- Learn about Sri Lanka’s past first-hand during your Feature Stay at the gorgeous Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya – first established in 1891, this historic hotel has a modern outlook on sustainable practices.
- Discover the breadth of Sri Lanka’s food scene during Exclusive Experiences, including a cooking class in Galle, a tea plantation tour, a high tea in Nuwara Eliya and a barbecue dinner in Dambulla.
- Search for crocodiles, elephants, monkeys and the ever-elusive leopards under the cover of darkness on an evening safari through the wild grasslands of Yala National Park.
- Uncover ancient treasures in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle as you explore the temples, ruins and stupas of Sigiriya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Kandy with the expert guidance of your local leader.
- Enjoy Exclusive Experiences in Kandy – dine at the Hela Bojun restaurant, which is focused on empowering and employing local women, and enjoy a private cultural dance performance.
- By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Zero Plastic. Donations help them educate Sri Lankan communities about the impact of plastic on the environment and reduce plastic pollution in the UNESCO-listed Sigiriya.
- The Rock Fortress (or Lion Rock) of Sigiriya is spectacular. However, those with a fear of (or even an aversion to) heights may wish to sit the excursion out. Scaling the rock involves walking up lots of rough, narrow steps and tight walkways.
- There are a couple of long travel days on this trip. Journeys may take up to five hours, but are a great opportunity to get to know locals, fellow travellers and the diverse scenery.
- Tourism in Sri Lanka is booming, resulting in a huge increase in visitors to Yala National Park. Overtourism and lack of sustainable management practices are of major concern to Intrepid, so in order to reduce our impact on wildlife and the environment we are trialling visits in a less-touristed section of the park known as Block 5 or Veheragala. If we determine that Block 5 is also too crowded to visit responsibly, we will change our itinerary to visit Udawalawe National Park and Bundala National Park. Udawalawe is home to wild elephants, wild buffalo, sambar deer and leopards. Bundala is home to crocodiles and birds. This is the same itinerary we follow from September to mid-October when Yala National Park is closed annually for infrastructure development and rejuvenation.
View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2025 - 31 December 2025
Itinerary
Inclusions
13 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 5 dinners
Private vehicle, Train
Hotels (11 nights), Feature Stay (2 nights)
- Arrival airport transfer
- Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
- Luggage transfer
- Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
- 24/7 on-ground support
- Complimentary Arrival Transfer
- Negombo - Welcome Dinner
- Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
- Negombo - Fish market
- Dambulla - Local BBQ dinner
- Anuradhapura - Bodhi Tree Temple
- Anuradhapura - World Heritage Site of ancient kingdom ruins
- Anuradhapura - Isurumuniya Temple
- Anuradhapura - Ruwanweliseya Stupa
- Anuradhapura - Jetawanaramaya Stupa
- Polonnaruwa ancient ruins
- Polonnaruwa - Statue of Parakramabahu I
- Polonnaruwa - Rankot Vihara
- Polonnaruwa - Quadrangle
- Polonnaruwa - Lankatilaka
- Polonnaruwa - Gal Vihara
- Matale - Spice Garden
- Dambulla - Cave Temples
- Kandy - Botanical Gardens
- Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
- Kandy - Hela Bojun social enterprise lunch
- Kandy - Gem museum & lapidary workshop visit
- Kandy - Private Cultural Dance Performance
- Nuwara Eliya - High Tea
- Kandy - Scenic train ride to Nuwara Eliya
- Nuwara Eliya - Visit to Tea State & Tea Factory
- Nuwara Eliya - Single Tree Hill hiking
- Nuwara Eliya - Lunch at Nuwara Eliya Golf Club
- Ella - Ella Gap view point
- Yala/Bundala National Park - Wildlife safari
- Galle - Galle Fort Walking tour
- Galle - Traditional Sri Lankan Wood Carving - demonstration and participation
- Galle - Farmer's market and home cooking class
- Colombo - City walking tour
Dates and availability
Important notes
1.Some travellers have reported being approached by locals offering excursions before their Intrepid trip commences. This has been particularly prevalent in and around the hotels used by Intrepid. These guides are in no way connected to Intrepid and we cannot guarantee the safety or quality standards of their tours. We advise customers against joining any tour offered by the unauthorised guides.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
4. Tourism in Sri Lanka is booming, and with it has come a huge increase in visitors to Yala National Park. In order to reduce our impact on wildlife and the environment we are trialling visiting a less touristed section of Yala. Should we determine that tourist numbers here also make it difficult to visit responsibly, we will change our itinerary to visit Udawalawe National Park.
5. Yala National Park is closed in September and October for infrastructure development and rejuvenation. During these months we visit Udawalawe National Park.
6. Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but on the rare occasion that we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.
7. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
8. Twin bedded rooms at the hotel in Galle will be adjacent. If you prefer more space, you may request a rollaway bed when booking.
Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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