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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 Adams 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 the Bandaranaike International Airport ,where you will be welcomed by a representative of Sri Lanka Escapes.

You will be welcomed by Sri Lanka Escapes.   Let your adventure and journey begin.  Acclimatize yourself with Sri Lanka in the city of Colombo.  

Transfer to your hotel. 

Colombo Harbour at Night

After breakfast, you will be 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 his beautiful country.

Enjoy a city tour of Colombo and we then continue our  journey and arrive early in the afternoon and time to see The Baby Elephant Transit refuge where we will see baby elephants being bottle-fed and cared for until they grow stronger.

The Transit refuge is a baby Elephant refuge home is where the babies gather strength and are then released into protected sanctuaries.  Many are orphaned or sick and this is a home to help them secure their strength and keep the population thriving.  It is such a unique touching experience as we watch the more mature baby elephants shuffle the younger baby elephants into order. Arrive at your hotel and relax   

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Colombo City Tour

Elephant Refuge transit home

​This morning we will join our exciting Elephant 4 x 4 Jeep wildlife safari in the Udawalawe National Park. The park is famous for having many elephants; you can see these fantastic animals up close in their natural home. 

You will see elephants catch a glimpse of deer, wild boars, and the many species of beautiful birds. The park has beautiful scenery.  Arrive at your hotel and relax   

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Elephant Wildlife Safari

​This morning after a leisurely breakfast, we then continue on and see the beautiful Ravana Waterfall. 

Optional visit to Buduruwagala rock carvings and continue driving and enjoy the diversity of scenery until we reach Ella. Enjoy a walk through the town of Ella and make our way to our hotel and  relax 

Include Breakfast/Dinner

Ravana Waterfall

Buduruwagala Rock Carvings

Ella Town

After a leisurely breakfast, we enjoy a walk through a beautiful pathway to see the majestic famous Nine Arch Bridge, a connection of two mountains and also known as the ‘Bridge in the Sky’.  This bridge is 300 feet in length, 25 feet in width and 80-100 feet in height.  It is an amazing example of colonial era railway in Sri Lanka and this is located in Demodara and happens to be one of the best places to visit in Ella. 

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Little Adam's peak is an easy walk to reach the viewpoint. Climbing up the Little Adams Peak in Ella is one of the favourite activities of the tourists on their Sri Lankan holiday with majestic views and photo opportunities – it is only a leisurely 2 hour walk. Enjoy the view over the valley.

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The whole journey is very pleasing while passing through the local villages and tea plantations. End the day and back to the hotel via a scenic road.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Nine Arch Bridge

Little Adams Peak

​​Depart on the famous scenic train to Nuwara Eliya.  The train ride to Nuwara Eliya powers down through Sri Lanka's southern hill country, crossing the tea plantations before it winds up and disappears into the clouds, weaving in and out of the many mountain tunnels as it finally descends to Nuwara Eliya allowing you the opportunity to soak in the mystic vibes and cherish the beauty of slow travel.

Arrive at Nuwara Eliya and take a city tour and experience a few viewpoints, visit the Hill Club known as the Gentleman club dating back in time. An optional visit of the majestic Grand Hotel for optional High Tea while enjoying the grand style and class of hotel.   Transfer to your hotel followed to relax.   

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Majestic Scenic Train ride

Nurwara Eliya City Tour

High Tea

During our adventure today we will visit Ramboda known for its marvellous landscapes, consisting of highlands, ridges, plains, streams and hilly mountains and see the scenic Ramboda waterfall.  

Sri Lanka formerly known as Ceylon is famous for its quality tea.  Nuwara Eliya is Sri Lanka’s lush tea growing region, founded by the British explorer Samuel Baker in 1846 continues to give us the experience of the British colonial past with full operational tea plantations.    En-route we will see local families of generation to generation working in the fields of rolling hills,  picking the tea leaves manually by hand.  We will visit a real time Tea processing factory to see how the tea is produced as there are many still in full operation today giving you an opportunity to taste the delights of fresh tea and opportunity to buy to take home for family and friends.   Arrive at your hotel have time to relax and free time.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Ramboda Waterfall

Tea plantation

Tea processing factory

After a leisurely breakfast optional visit to the Royal Botanical Garden of Peradeniya. In 1821 the park was under British rule and it then became known as the Botanical Garden. Exotic crops such as nutmeg, tea, rubber, coffee, and cinchona are all unique and important to the country of Sri Lanka. The gardens also include a beautiful orchid house and a wide variety of plant species from all over the world.

Visit the Town of Kandy and walk among the local streets to experience local shopping.  Visit the Gem Factory Museum to see how the gems are cultivated from beginning to end. Sri Lanka is known as one of the largest gem producers in the world.   Enjoy a wander through the streets of Kandy.

Early evening, we will attend the Sri Lankan traditional cultural show and watch the beautiful locals dancing in a rainbow of colorful Cultural costumes as they perform their dances in grace and style. 

We will then take an optional visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. It was founded back in the 16th century, it housed one of the most sacred relics of Buddhism – a tooth of Buddha collected from his funeral pyre, which is now protected within the gold-roofed Temple of the Tooth.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Royal Botanical Garden of Peradeniya

Kandy Town

Gem Museum

Cultural Show

Temple of the Tooth

As we drive to Sigiriya we will stop at Matale and visit  the unique Spice garden growing a large variety of spices.   Enjoy an informative talk about all the spices by a local qualified educational guide who explains all the natural remedies an opportunity to try and take spices and remedies home to enhance your health and wellness regime. 

We will visit Nalanda Gedige is an ancient complete stone temple near Matale and its original site is considered the geographical centre Sri Lanka. The building was constructed between the 8th and 10th centuries. 

Optional visit to Muttuariamman Temple in Matale was built in 1874.  This temple is used by both Hindus and Buddhists. The temple was originally a small statue under a tree prayed to by the Hindu people but has been developed by the people in Matale.

Dambulla was named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its Buddhist caves perched at the top of a hill. A bonus is the beautiful panoramic view that you get of the surrounding area. Visit the stunning Cave Temples of Dambulla, built by King Valagamba back in the 1st century BC.

Dambulla is named a UNESCO World Heritage site for its Golden Buddhist caves perched at the top of a hill. It is worth the climb to see the 5 caves and stunning temples filled with over 150 colorful religious statues and paintings while experiencing the beautiful panoramic views. The monastic ensemble of Dambulla is an outstanding example of the religious art and expression of Sri Lanka and South and Southeast Asia.

Then we can take a stroll through Dambulla Produce Market and discover new fruits and vegetables.  Afternoon, arrive at your hotel and time to relax.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Matale Spice Garden

Nalanda Gedige

Muttuariamman Temple in Matale

Dambulla Cave Temples

Dambulla Produce Market

Adventures begin as we visit a local traditional 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 4 x 4 jeep Wildlife Elephant Safari 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

Traditional Village tour

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.    Return to your hotel Includes Breakfast/Dinner.

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 and relax.

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Pidurangala Roack

Sigiriya Lion Rock

Cooking Class in a Local Home

Traditional Ayurvdic 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.

Optional visit to Anuradhapura, one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, 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. Founded in the fourth century B.C.E., Anuradhapura served as the capital of the Anuradhapura Kingdom until the beginning of the eleventh century C.E. During that period, the city enjoyed stability, constituting one of the most durable centres of political power and urban life in South Asia. Considered sacred to the Buddhist world, monasteries covering an area of sixteen square miles (40 km2) surround the ancient city.

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

Includes Breakfast/Dinner.

Ritigala Ancient Monastery

Anuradhapura

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.

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.

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

Includes Breakfast/Dinner

Negombo Fishing Village

Transfer to airport