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Explore Sri Lanka with this fascinating ten-day round-trip starting in Negombo, and taking an inland loop that covers all the main historic, cultural and natural attractions of this magical island. Discover a world of lush  landscapes, picturesque lakeside cities, historic temples and ancient citadels. Meet some of the friendliest and gentlest creatures in the animal kingdom and breathe in the fragrances of Sri Lanka at herb and spice gardens.  Enjoy the lush green tea plantations spreaded through the hill county. 

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

Kandy:This mesmerising city is home to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and its associated palaces and gardens

Nuwara Eliya: View fascinating plantations in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country and admire the town’s Victorian architecture.

Udawalawe National Park: A sanctuary for relatively large herds of elephants, the national park proves to be one of the best places one could observe them in their natural habitat

Mirissa: One of the best places in the world to see one of the only recorded resident blue whale colonies in their natural habitat. Dolphins are regularly spotted on whale watching trips organized from Mirissa and Dondra head on the south coast. 

Galle: Travel back in time while exploring the historical streets of this well-preserved fortified Dutch colonial city.

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s vibrant capital is both a historic city packed with colonial architecture and modern metropolis with soaring skyscrapers.

Day 1: ARRIVAL COLOMBO – NEGOMBO

Upon arrival at Colombo Airport our representative will meet and greet you before guiding you to the transfer to your hotel in Negombo. Settle in your room before spending the rest of this first day at leisure.

Overnight in Negombo.

Day 2: NEGOMBO – HADALA – NEGOMBO

After breakfast, transfer from Negombo to Hadala. Visit the Leprosy Museum The Leprosy Museum was initially a hospital built during the Dutch period, which is now 304 years old. Leprosy Hospital in Hendala is believed to be the first hospital built in the country by Western rulers. It also stakes a claim to be the oldest functioning hospital in the world. The hospital that opened in 1708 has Dutch-style church, other buildings, equipment including a very old washing machine that can still be used and medical accessories. Transfer from Hadala to Negombo. Visit a local Fish market and finish the day with a lagoon excursion in Negombo in the evening.

Overnight in Negombo.

Day 3: NEGOMBO – PERADENIYA – KANDY

After breakfast at the hotel transfer from Negombo to Peradeniya. Visit Botanical Gardens, first developed as a pleasure garden under royalty and later harmonized by the British, the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya - today bundled with the most welcoming facilities located just 4 miles off Kandy - is a flourishing national asset in the Wonder of Asia. Walk into this 147-acre bliss of an experience, passing well-tended lawns, pavilions and an octagon conservatory to be greeted by the vast expanse of a magnificently landscaped lush green turf which will encourage you for an exhilarating break. Towards the north of the entrance rests a cafeteria that one might come across before stepping into some of the highlights - the orchid house and giant Javan fig tree - of this place which overflow in grace. Transfer from Peradeniya to Kandy. Last ruled by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe - before it was brought under British rule in 1815, Kandy - the World Heritage Site and last royal capital of Sri Lankan kings - crafts an array of culture, history and heritage in the minds of visitors across the globe. Experience an ancient Kandyan legacy engraved around its crown jewel, the temple of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. A stroll across this small lakeside town - cradled among the misty hills - will feature the Kandy City Centre - bundled with the latest and world-class brands, a bazaar, an arts and crafts centre, as well as a gem museum and lapidary. Walk in color as you glide through fresh fruits and vegetables in the Kandy market. Fine tune your evening by stepping to the beat of traditional music and drumming amplified by a cultural show enhancing the rich and vibrant culture of the Wonder of Asia, Sri Lanka.

Overnight in Kandy.

Day 4: KANDY – KNUCKLES – KANDY

Breakfast at Earl's Regency. Transfer from Kandy to Knuckles and explore its Mountain Range. Knuckles, the mist-laden mountain range - resembling the knuckles of a clenched fist - stretching within Matale and Kandy is nothing but a subtle habitat of flora and fauna, most of them being endemic to Sri Lanka. Knuckles is also considered to be a watering hole for hikers across the globe. Most of all, you are more likely to forget the rest of the universe once you sit back on a cliff that offers a spectacular sight of surrounding dense forests, tea plantations, terraced paddy fields and waterfalls. Meanwhile, fine tune your evening by listening to the crickets' cry as lanterns sway in the wind while you sit in content, in the comfort of your canvas tent! At the end of the day transfer back to Kandy.

Overnight in Kandy.

Day 5: KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Nuwara Eliya. Misty steep roads, twisting through lush green blankets of tea bushes in a cool climate, remind visitors that they are within the range of the renowned British colonial retreat, Nuwara Eliya. Augmented by an English countryside atmosphere, the city of light - once governed by English and Scottish planters - is still studded with colonial bungalows, hedgerows and one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in the world. A hike through the green grass and red brick walls should present breathtaking views of a buzzing countryside hamlet. Drive through green valleys of the hill country pierced by endless waterfalls and dotted by tea pluckers draped in bright-colored saris. You could rent a bike for a gentle ride along the banks splashed by the waters of Lake Gregory or visit a Tea Plantation. Sri Lanka, Tea and Tourism are words which cannot be separated. Take a tour to the cold and misty hills that take pride in an ultimate tea tour, covering lush green blankets of tea plantations. Or just step into a tea factory processing the prestigious brand of Ceylon Tea, to observe a rich tradition kept alive up to date. As you observe the hissing and swishing of machines, inhaling the heavenly scent arising from these facilities, make sure to end your day in style over a perfectly blended cup of pure Ceylon Tea. Then, transfer from Tea Plantation to Nuwara Eliya.

Overnight in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 6: NUWARA ELIYA – HORTON PLAINS – NUWARA ELIYA

Breakfast at the hotel followed by transfer to Horton Plains. Horton Plains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, trekking paradise and Eco-tourism hideout in the heart of the isle, painted with unending stretches of green pastures marks one of the healthiest wet montane evergreen forests in Sri Lanka. With an altitude above 7000ft, the plateau sweeps to a robust 3169 hectares sheltering flora and fauna varieties that may be found nowhere else on Earth. As the tributary of Belihul Oya - Bakers Falls - thunders down rocks head along the 9km trekking path - across frost-covered grass - to feel the icy-cold wind against your face. You may even gaze down World's End, a head-spinning 3700ft drop towards the Southern end or drive carefully through herds of sambar deer, shy to human touch and birdlife chirping across the plains. If you're cautious enough you may be greeted by the sights of a grunting wild boar, a pouncing fishing cat, otters or even the 'Spotted Ghost that haunts the plains', the Sri Lankan Leopard! Transfer from Horton Plains to Nuwara Eliya.

Overnight in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 7: NUWARA ELIYA – UDAWALAWE – UNAWATUNA

Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer from Nuwara Eliya to Udawalawe and visit Udawalawe National Park. Be ready to witness trumpets across the border as you approach elephant country around the corner! Udawalawe truly is a sanctuary for the big-footed and tusked. Marked by relatively large herds of elephants, the National Park proves to be one of the best places one could observe them in their natural habitat. Hop into a safari jeep and head into the park, you are most likely to drive into your first herd of giants within the maiden hundred meters. Turn on your radar to other species - such as potted deer, sambur, barking deer, water buffalo and jackal - found within the park. Meanwhile, Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home bears a different story. Established in 1995, it caters to all injured elephants found in the area before releasing them into their natural habitat. So, make sure to just watch - rather than touch - these gentle giants as they feed, play and mingle with each other, before heading into the wild with one another. Travel Kindly is a proud step towards sustainable tourism which is an animal welfare project initiated by Aitken Spence Travels with your collaboration. Through Travel Kindly, you will get the opportunity to look after an orphaned baby elephant at Elephant Transit Home. When you visit Udawalawe National Park you can contribute to taking care of the baby elephant 'Bhanu' by making a small donation of one US dollar. This simple act of generosity will not just bring you content and excitement but will also make you a valuable contributor to sustainable tourism. At the end of the visit transfer to Unawatuna.

Overnight in Unawatuna.

Day 8: UNAWATUNA – MIRISSA (WHALE WATCHING) – GALLE – UNAWATUNA

Early morning transfer from Unawatuna to Mirissa (get a packed breakfast from the hotel) for an early morning Whale Watching. Mirissa is one of the best places to have your way with sails and surfboards while diving enthusiasts too may feel the same bliss as they reach this small fishing town. Watch carefully how 'stilt-fishermen' have excelled in their patience in this photographer's paradise while dipping your toes in soft waves that caress the shores of gold, an experience that never grows old under the sun shining so bold! Mirissa is also one of the best places in the world to see one of the only recorded resident blue whale colonies in their natural habitat. Dolphins are regularly spotted on whale watching trips organized from Mirissa and Dondra head on the south coast. The BBC documentary titled “Ocean Giants” featuring the mesmeric world of Whales and Dolphins, and the scientist’s effort to shed light on their habits and why they grow so large were filmed around Sri Lanka and according to them 30 Blue Whales were sighted in a single day! 

Next, transfer from Mirissa to Galle for a city tour. Galle, the epic Southern capital, is the intersection where classic Dutch architecture meets a tropical setting creating a vivid atmosphere of beauty. Walk the Dutch-haunted streets listening to the creaks of wooden saloon doors and observe how European architecture mingles with South Asian traditions today flooding cultural enthusiasts on a global scale. Its original ramparts and bastions preserved up to date showcase evidence of a heritage preserved for more than three and half centuries. Walk clockwise within the fort to observe the 'old gate' carrying the British coat of arms. Flanking the old gate is the Zwart Bastion - the oldest of all - and the lighthouse standing 18 feet in its glory next to the Point Utrecht Bastion. This Dutch bliss is painted with streets that spread in a rectangular grid pattern pierced with houses carrying Dutch colonial-style verandas. Hop into the Dutch Hospital Shopping Complex to be mesmerized by an array of souvenir selections. However, its hallmark stands a reality where the Dutch fort remains a working community with its usual buzz of administrative offices, court complexes, commercial buildings, churches and Southern folks frequenting its streets bracing the air of the Elysium of architecture, Galle! At the end of the day transfer back to Unawatuna.

Overnight in Unawatuna.

Day 9: UNAWATUNA – COLOMBO

Breakfast at the hotel followed by transfer to Colombo. The throbbing metropolis, Colombo - located in the West - is not only the country's commercial capital but also the turbine that impels above 50% of the national GDP flanking Colombo's fancy urban development effort. Drive along the clean streets edging the crystal white Race Course - horse racing hub in 1893 and World War II airstrip - furnished today with lavish clothing, food & tea boutiques. Meanwhile, ride to Pettah and tune into the Floating Market - an offbeat shopping experience - or feel the buzz surrounding the upcoming inspiration, the Colombo Port City - an offshore city - featuring parks, commercial complexes and even an F1 track! Head along Bauddhaloka Mawatha towards 'Arcade' facing a historic waypost, the Independence Square. Every designer boutique, top-notch cuisine outlet and even the 'walk-over fish tank', have revamped this colonial masterpiece into one of the trendiest shopping and hangout zones in Sri Lanka. Have a chilled beer at the Dutch Hospital while gazing through fancy windows showcasing the best fashion, jewellery and handicraft brands. Smell the scent of incense while listening to the chiming bells of Gangarama temple. Or jazz up to Colombo's nightlife spiced by nightclubs and casinos that borderline its bustle. If you're lucky, head into an exhibition at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) before swaying your head to an opera or play at Nelum Pokuna which should just drive your day to perfection!

Overnight in Colombo.

Day 10: COLOMBO DEPARTURE

After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Colombo Airport for your departure flight.

Comfortable and light clothing is the most suitable for travelling in Sri Lanka. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings. Shoes should be removed before entering a temple or private house. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay. Clients arriving on early morning flights will have to wait until the last tour participant has arrived.