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Discover the Best of Sri Lanka Itineraries are the best of the diverse regions of the "Pearl of the Indian Ocean". Like discovering the ancient cities in the cultural triangle, summiting Lion Rock in Sigiriya, majestic views from Little Adam's Peak and the Nine Arch Bridge, and exploring Galle Fort. The historical Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

The best is also a hands-on cooking class in a local Sri Lankan home, a traditional cultural show, elegant high tea, sunrise yoga, and your feet in the sand on the beautiful beaches and hiking through the tea plantations and villages in Nuwara Eliya. Majestic train ride via the tea plantations and misty mountains.  In fact, we think the best is doing all that and more in our Discover the Best of Sri Lanka Itineraries. 

Explore the highlights of Sri Lanka - from ancient cities and scenic landscapes to cultural experiences and relaxing beaches. 

Why Sri Lanka Escapes?

We Include Accommodation:

Hotel options 

• Comfortable 3-star hotels, double share with private ensuite bathroom

• Elegant 4-star hotels are available on request for a touch of extra luxury

• Single supplement available on request

 We Include Transport & Guide:

• Smooth, hassle-free return airport transfers

• Friendly, professional English-speaking chauffeur/guide to make your journey effortless

• Spacious, air-conditioned vehicle for relaxing travel

• Refreshing bottled water daily

 We Include Meals:

• Delicious daily breakfast and dinner (breakfast  -  beach hotels)

• 4-star upgrade: gourmet daily breakfast included

 We Include Experiences:

• Exciting wildlife elephant safari with park entry, 4x4 jeep adventure, and expert tracker

• Scenic, memorable train ride through lush tea country (subject to class availability)

• Relaxing Ayurvedic massage and vibrant cultural dance performance

• Authentic traditional cooking class in a local home

• Charming visits to local farm villages, rice paddies, with a hands-on lunch experience

• Invigorating spice garden walk with wellness talk

We Include Trip Highlights:

• Explore UNESCO sites Sigiriya Lion Rock, Dambulla Cave Temple

• Temple of the Tooth Relic

• Nine Arch Bridge, Little Adam’s Peak, Tea plantations & factory to

• Visit Ancient Cities, Negombo Fishing Village

• Royal Botanical Garden, Cultural Show

• Waterfalls viewpoints, Treks & hidden gems

• Gem Museum visit, walk the Local markets & local villages,

• Turtle Hatchery, Historical Galle Fort

• Traditional curd/treacle and exotic fruit tasting on tour

• Tea shops & refreshing King coconut stops

We are an Australian Boutique agency, happy to customise a Dream itinerary for your family and friends.  With our wealth of experience, our local team in Sri Lanka, we are here to offer a personal and unique unforgettable experience in Sri Lanka. 

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​*Itineraries may vary slightly and are subject to availability. Flights are not included.

Arrive at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport where you will be welcomed by a representative of Sri Lanka Escapes.

Acclimatize yourself with Sri Lanka in the city of Colombo.

Transfer to your hotel.

This morning after a leisurely breakfast, met by your experienced Chauffeur who will be with you for the duration of the trip. He is a local with exceptional years of experience and knowledge and is very excited to show you his beautiful country.

Let your adventure and journey with a city tour of Colombo. Historically, Colombo was seen as a simple trading port, while today it is a vibrant, cosmopolitan city that serves as the island’s commercial capital.

We commence our travel through the beautiful countryside on our way to Ella, stopping at scenic viewpoints, waterfalls, and local tea and lunch spots. Travel through the mountains and local villages, observing daily life along the way.

Visit Haputale, a small town on the southern edge of the Sri Lankan hill country. On clear days you can see the coastline from the mountain ridge, while on misty days clouds cling to the deep green mountains and tea fields.

Stop at local produce markets and experience authentic Sri Lankan life while surrounded by clouds and stunning scenery. Continue to Ella and arrive at your hotel late afternoon to relax.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Colombo City Tour

Village and mountains

Haputale

Local Produce Markets

After a leisurely breakfast, enjoy a walk along a beautiful pathway to the famous Nine Arch Bridge, also known as the “Bridge in the Sky.” This impressive bridge connects two mountains and is an outstanding example of colonial-era railway architecture in Sri Lanka.

Little Adam’s Peak is an easy and enjoyable walk to the viewpoint. This is one of the most popular activities in Ella, offering majestic views and excellent photo opportunities. The walk takes approximately two hours at a relaxed pace.

The journey passes through local villages and tea plantations before returning to the hotel via a scenic road.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Nine Arch Bridge

Little Adam's Peak

Depart on the famous scenic train journey to Nuwara Eliya. The train travels through Sri Lanka’s hill country, crossing tea plantations, weaving through mountain tunnels, and disappearing into the clouds, offering a truly magical slow-travel experience.

Arrive in Nuwara Eliya and enjoy a city tour, including viewpoints and a visit to the Hill Club, a historic gentleman’s club dating back to colonial times. Optional visit to the Grand Hotel for High Tea. Transfer to your hotel and relax.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Scenic Majestic Train ride

Nurwara Eliya city tour

Visit Ramboda, known for its marvellous landscapes of highlands, ridges, plains, streams, and mountains, and view the scenic Ramboda Waterfall.

Sri Lanka, formerly known as Ceylon, is famous for its tea. Visit a tea processing factory before arriving in Kandy.

Visit the Royal Botanical Garden of Peradeniya, established in 1821, featuring exotic plant species, an orchid house, and landscaped gardens.

Explore the town of Kandy and local streets for shopping. Visit the Gem Factory Museum to learn how gems are cultivated from start to finish.

In the early evening, attend a Sri Lankan cultural dance show featuring colorful traditional costumes and graceful performances.

An Optional visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, founded in the 16th century and home to one of Buddhism’s most sacred relics.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Ramboda Waterfall

Royal Botanical Garden of Peradeniya

Kandy Town

Gem Museum

Cultural Show

Temple of the Tooth

En route to Sigiriya, stop at Matale to visit a spice garden and enjoy an informative presentation on spices and natural remedies.

Visit Nalanda Gedige, an ancient stone temple near Matale dating from the 8th–10th centuries.

Optional visit to Muttuariamman Temple, built in 1874 and shared by both Hindu and Buddhist worshippers.

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Dambulla Cave Temples, built in the 1st century BC, featuring five caves filled with statues and murals and offering panoramic views.

Stroll through Dambulla Produce Market before arriving at your hotel in the afternoon to relax.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Matale Spice Garden

Nalanda Gedige

Muttuariamman Temple

Dambula Cave Temple

Adventures begin as we visit a local tradtional village and enjoy boat ride via  the rice plantation making our way by boat as we enjoy the live lily pads.  We exit the boat and walk a little way to see a local farm and rice fields. Learn the secrets from the locals on how to cook delicious Sri Lankan rice and curry and coconut roti. 

We also have the opportunity to experience how you can hull the rice as it has been done for generations and enjoy a local traditional lunch of rice and curry, roti and fruits.

After lunch, we will join an adventurous Wildlife Elephant Safari on a 4 x 4 jeep to see the wild elephants. This is one of the most exciting safari experiences in Sri Lanka and an opportunity to take photos up close and personal to send home and share with family and friends. 

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Local traditional Village

Traditional Lunch

Wildlife Elephant Safari

This morning is the option to climb Pidurangala Rock, at the top you will enjoy the amazing view of Sigiriya Lion Rock with your group, and at the top, you have candid photo opportunities.

For those keen on history, Sigiriya is nominated among travel enthusiasts as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an ancient rock fortress with awe-inspiring architecture, with an amazing view of Fortress Sigiriya Lion Rock’ built by King Kayapa in the 5th century for all those who are fit. It is a spectacular 200 meters high natural formation of granite some 750 steps up and at the top, preserves the ruins of an ancient fortified palace. This archaeological site loved by tourists was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 and is considered by locals as the "eighth wonder of the world". This palace in the sky was envisioned to be a recreation of the mythological city. 

Experience the true Sri Lanka hospitality,  learn, experience and enjoy the taste and delights with the secrets of traditional Sri Lanka with a hands-on cooking class in a local Sri Lankan home.   

After a great day, time to relax and enjoy a traditional Ayurvedic massage, commonly known as "Abhyanga This is a full-body massage performed using warm, medicinal oils, that aim to harmonize the body, mind, and spirit. The idea is to stimulate specific energy points (marmas) in the body, thereby promoting physical healing, improving circulation, and enhancing mental clarity. Return to your hotel.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Pidurangala Rock

Sigiryia Lion Rock

Cooking class in a local home

Traditional Ayurvedic massage

After a leisurely breakfast, an optional visit to the Ritigala Ancient monastery. Ritigala is an extraordinary and fascinating cultural and eco-tourist site, the home to seventy rock caves that were believed to have been inhabited from the 1st century BC. A mountain range of four peaks that houses an old Buddhist monastery.

An optional visit to Anuradhapura, one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka that has earned  fame for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization. Anuradhapura, the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka, has earned fame for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization.

We continue to Wilpattu and arrive late afternoon at your hotel.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Today we have an early start for our full-day Wildlife Safari in Wilpattu National Park in a 4 x 4 jeep with the chance opportunity of seeing a Leopard and Sloth bears.  

Apart from those two mammals are elephants, spotted deer, barking deer, jackals, sambhur, barking deer, mouse deer wild pig, water buffalo, and mugger crocodiles. We will enjoy lunch and then continue with our safari to see the exotic species of Wilpattu. This is one of the most exciting safari experiences in Sri Lanka and a highlight.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Full day Wildlife Safari

This morning, enjoy a leisurely breakfast as we travel the countryside while enjoying the scenery and visiting a temple on our way to the Fishing Town of Negombo.

The coastal town of Negombo is set alongside a picturesque lagoon and an impressive infrastructure of canals built during the Dutch colonial times. Negombo was an important outpost for the trade of cinnamon in colonial times.

Complimentary transit hotel to freshen up before your flight.  Transfer to the Airport to connect to your flight.  

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Negombo Fishing Village