The Best of Sri Lanka
🕐 DURATION
11 days, 10 nights
📅 DEPARTURE MONTHS
Multiple Departures are available between 19 Sep 2025 & 13 Nov 2026
Book by 30 June 2025 & Save $1000 per person!
☀ Seeing the gentle giants at Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home.
On our Sri Lanka holidays, this introduction to the ‘Land of Serendipity’ reveals mountaintop fortresses, ancient capitals hidden in dense forest and national parks where elephants roam free. Starting and finishing in the island’s capital, Colombo, our Sri Lanka tours journey to Buddhist temples and botanical gardens, stopping to sample some of the world’s best tea along the way. A safari drive in Yala National Park is another highlight of our Sri Lanka itinerary, and a great opportunity to spot leopards, buffalo, elephants and crocodiles.
Itinerary
| Arrive | Details | Depart | Day 1 | Colombo - Join your tour group at the hotel. | 12:00 | Day 2 | Colombo - Habarana - Colombo is Sri Lanka’s commercial centre, a curious mix of eastern tradition and western infiltration. Our morning tour includes a visit to the fort built by the Portuguese. From our coach, we’ll also view the buzzing Pettah bazaar district, where the streets are crammed with stalls and shops. We continue our journey to Habarana, in the heart of the island, where we’ll stay for three nights. | Day 3 | Anuradhapura - Hiriwadunna Village - We head to Anuradhapura, ruled by the Sinhalese Kings for over 1,000 years. Star attractions include ancient Buddhist shrines, dagobas (bell-shaped memorials) and pokunas (stone water tanks). We also visit the sacred 2,000-year-old Sri Maha Bodi tree. Later we’ll visit Hiriwadunna, a typical Sri Lankan village, for an introduction to local culture and indigenous farming practices. | Day 4 | Sigiriya - Adventure awaits us this morning in Sigiriya, a 182m-high rock plateau on which a 5th-century ruler built a fortress and palace. The spectacular ‘lion rock’ fortress stands majestically over the green jungle. Carved in a niche in the rocks are frescoes of beautiful women. This afternoon you’re free to relax or join an optional excursion to Polonnaruwa, built in the 12th century by King Parakramabahu. The remains of the King’s Palace include shrines, temples, dagobas and the Gal Vihara. | Day 5 | Dambulla - Kandy - Today’s tour takes in the serene Golden Temple at Dambulla, a home for Buddhist monks since 3 BC. Over the 22 centuries, the five natural caves that make up this sacred pilgrimage site have been decorated with brilliant murals and exceptional sculptures. Take your time to explore and marvel at the rock-hewn Buddha. We then stop at a spice garden before reaching Kandy, last capital of the ancient kings, which nestles among low hills looped by the Mahaweli River. | Day 6 | Royal Botanical Gardens - Temple of the Tooth - This morning’s tour reveals the Royal Botanical Gardens, where you can admire stunning flora and fauna. After a chance to relax, we’ll head out again to watch Kandyan dancers perform the enchanting national dance of Sri Lanka, a feast for your eyes and ears! We’ll continue our journey to the royal palace complex, for a visit to the sacred Temple of the Tooth. The temple houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. | Day 7 | Nuwara Eliya - Today, we’ll make tracks for Nuwara Eliya, home of Ceylon tea. It was built during the 19th century in the style of an old English country town, with some local twists. Victorian- and Tudor-style homes line the pretty lake, and tuk-tuks can be found parked beside a red phone box. Tea lovers will be in their element as we tour a plantation, where workers - or ‘pluckers’ - pick each delicate leaf by hand. We’ll see the entire manufacturing process, from grading the tea by quality and size through to its final preparation. Later on, we’ll celebrate the tradition of high tea at our hotel. | Day 8 | Elephant Transit Home - Yala - Our journey continues to the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe. Unlike many other sanctuaries, this home rehabilitates orphaned and injured elephants until they’re strong and old enough to be released back into the wild. We continue on to Yala, on the south coast of the island and one of Sri Lanka’s most famous national parks. | Day 9 | Yala National Park - We rise early for our safari in Sri Lanka’s best-known national park, in search of the elusive Sri Lankan leopard. Even if we fail to catch a glimpse of this majestic predator, there’s plenty more to see, including elephants, buffalo, monkeys, deer and crocodiles. After all the excitement you can relax for the rest of the day, or join an optional evening bird trail with an expert local guide. | Day 10 | Galle - Beruwala - The Old Town of Galle, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in southern Asia. The Portuguese first took control of the city in the early 16th century and began the fortification process, only to surrender it to the Dutch East India Company around 150 years later. The Dutch built substantial ramparts and walls, which are still standing today. Following our short tour, we head up the coast to Beruwala. | Day 11 | Beruwala - Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel. | 06:00 |
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Highlights
- Visit the Buddhist shrines at Anuradhapura
- Visit the Golden Temple, Dambulla
- Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens
Below price is for 19 Sep 2025 departure
- From
$3,025$2,005 per person twin share* - From
$4,474$3,454 per person, sole traveller*
Call our team today to find out more on 02-8208-8888. Our team can also assist with booking International flights and accommodation as part of your overall travel plans.
Please note: prices are subject to availability at the time of booking and may change or be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Inclusions
- 20 Meals – 10 breakfasts, 10 dinners
- 10 nights in hotels
- Transport – Travel To Destination By Coach
13 Excursions & Visits
- City tours of Colombo and Galle
- Buddhist shrines at Anuradhapura
- Visits to Hiriwadunna local village; Sigiriya Rock fortress; Golden Temple, Dambulla; Royal Botanical Gardens; Temple of the Tooth; and Elephant Transit Home
- Kandyan dance performance
- Tea plantation tour in the Nuwara Eliya area
- High tea at The Grand Hotel
- Yala National Park safari
Accommodation
- Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo
- Cinnamon Lodge, Habarana (3 Nights)
- Cinnamon Citadel Hotel, Kandy (2 Nights)
- The Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya
- Cinnamon Wild Yala (2 Nights)
- Cinnamon Bey Hotel, Beruwala
Exclusions
Travel insurance is strongly recommended, and we provide exclusive discounts on travel insurance policies for our clients.https://goinsurance.com.au/?PromoCode=tc
- Airfares
- Travel Insurance
Fine Print
- Prices are subject to availability
- Fare includes all taxes and port charges
- Travel insurance not included; customers are advised to purchase appropriate cover after booking
- Itinerary is subject to change without notice
- Visas/ESTA’s are not included
All travellers must have a valid passport for international travel and many countries require at least 6 months validity from the date of return and some countries require a machine-readable passport.
Extras
TRAVEL ADVICE: We recommend that you contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or visit their website at www.smartraveller.gov.au for general travel advice, as well as specific advice (including safety alert levels) relating to the destination you wish to visit. You can also register your travel plans with DFAT, so that you may be more easily contacted in an emergency.
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