Ayubowan! Welcome to Southeast Asia's gem, Sri Lanka. This adventure will take you from national parks to beaches, exploring ancient fortresses and temples. In this perfect 11-day trip, we've included all the highlights and a few lesser-known secrets. With carefully selected inclusions and additional free time add-ons, experience the best Sri Lanka has to offer on this unforgettable journey.
Includes
11 Day Contiki Guided Holiday
9 nights in Hotels, 1 night in Special Stay
10 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 2 Dinners
Transport by private coach and trains
Experienced Trip Manager and Local Guides
Optional free time add on experiences (additional costs apply)
Included Experiences
Guided Tour: Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Kandy to Nanuoya by Train
Visit the Elephant Transit Home (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® Experience) and much more!
Excludes
Flights
Arrival/ departure transfers
Visas
Travel Insurance
Spending money and items of a personal nature
Extras
You have to be between the age of 18 and 35 years old to travel with Contiki
Additional costs apply for optional free time add on experiences
Secure your spot today with a deposit from as low as R1000* and pay the rest 60 days before departure
Highlights
10 Nights Contiki Tour
13 Meals
Included experiences and sightseeing
Itinerary
Day 1: Start Negombo
Negombo
Our Sri Lankan adventure begins in Negombo. Find your feet in this diverse & laid-back town with coastal beaches, local fish markets and a working Dutch-style canal system. This evening you'll meet up with your Trip Manager and your team for a full brief of the travels about to unfold, before heading out for the first taste of some local delicacies.
Accommodation: Camelot Beach Hotel (or similar)
Day 2: Negombo to Sigiriya
Negombo
This morning we'll drive inland to Sigiriya, an ancient rock fortress town in the Matale District.
Sigiriya
Home to palace ruins set on a giant ancient lava rock, and surrounded by ancient relics of gardens and reservoirs, Sigiriya is a hotspot of historical significance here in Sri Lanka. After checking in to our accommodation, we'll begin our explorations with a guided visit to Hiriwadunna village, a spiritually important site where Prince Siddhartha was said to have attained Buddhahood. We'll sit down for an authentic Sri Lankan lunch here at the village, surrounded by greenery and wildlife. After waving goodbye to Hiriwadunna, we'll head back to our hotel where we'll join together for an included dinner tonight.
Accommodation: Habarana Village by Cinnamon (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Sigiriya
Sigiriya
We couldn't visit Sigiriya without exploring the incredible Sigiriya Rock Fortress that's been dominating the skyline ever since we've arrived, and morning is the best time to visit. After our included breakfast we'll take a trip to the fortress to check out the UNESCO-listed 'Lion's Rock', with it's 5th-century buildings, painted rock frescoes and massive pair of lion paws at the entrance. We're back on the road, this time to visit the nearby town of Dambulla where you'll have the chance to find your own lunch. Here we'll find another World Heritage Site, the sacred Dambulla Cave Temple, the largest best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka complete with five inner sanctuaries, 150 gilded Buddha statues, and Buddhist murals.
Accommodation: Habarana Village by Cinnamon (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 4: Sigiriya to Kandy
Sigiriya
Feel like a morning adventure? You'll have the opportunity to explore the Pidurangala Rock –a rite of passage for Sigiriya first-timers – on a sunrise trek. Otherwise, catch some extra sleep and save your energy for later. Awed by our time brushing with the ancient world in Sigiriya, it's time to move on to the vibrant cultural scene in Kandy.
Kandy
Today we're gathering to watch history and mythology explode into colour & rhythm at a traditional Kandyan Folkdance show. Then tonight, you can choose to tuck into some local street food on a tuk-tuk food tour. Ever tried a 'Hopper'? We promise you've never eaten a curry like this before, and you haven't really tried Sri Lankan street food until now.
Accommodation: Queen's Hotel (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 5: Kandy to Ella
Kandy
Today we head further into the hill country on the train, passing lush green hills and waterfalls enroute to Nuwara Eliya. This small town with colonial-era buildings is found in the heart of Sri Lanka's famous Ceylon tea industry. We'll stop to visit a tea plantation to find out how different teas are grown, plucked and packaged before continuing on to our next destination of Ella.
Ella
We've arrived at Ella where new adventures await!
Accommodation: Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 6: Ella
Ella
The day is yours to explore the beautiful countryside and laid-back backpacker hub of Ella, nestled among green cloud forests and tea plantations. In the early morning, feel free to head to Horton Plains National Park and walk to "World's End", one of the highlights here. Or spend the day in Ella doing the local walks that show off the incredibly insta-worthy views down through the Ella Gap, including the cascading waterfalls this small town is famous for. If you're lucky, you might even get to meet one of the locals: the leaf-eating Langur monkey.
Accommodation: Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 7: Ella to Udawalawe National Park
Ella
Our journey continues south, as we head down from the hill country into the southern plains where a rich abundance of wildlife awaits us.
Udawalawe National Park
Our first stop is at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home, where orphaned baby elephants are cared for before being released back into the wild. In this unmissable experience that's sure to pull a few heartstrings, we'll get to watch the babies at feeding time, while you try to restrain yourself from adopting one then and there. But tear yourself away, because next, we're heading to our Special Stay accommodation for the night: glamping alongside the Walawe riverbed in full Safari style, surrounded by the vibrant flora and fauna of the Sri Lankan jungle.
Accommodation: Athgira River Camping (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 8: Udawalawe National Park to Unawatuna via Galle
Udawalawe National Park
Say goodbye to the wilderness, because today you're heading along the coast to the beachside town of Unawatuna.
Unawatuna
The South West coast of Sri Lanka is famous for its beaches, mangrove forests and picturesque colonial port towns set up in turn first by the Portuguese, secondly by the Dutch and finally the English, and Unawatuna is no exception.
Galle
This afternoon we'll take a trip to explore the UNESCO-listed historic fort city of Galle, a must-see for its distinctly unique mishmash of European and South Asian traditional architecture. Check out the Portuguese Franciscan chapel, Dutch coat of arms and British Queen Victoria Jubilee Tower.
Unawatuna
Later this evening, you can opt to learn the ways of Sri Lankan cooking with our cooking demonstration and dinner.
Accommodation: The Long Beach Hotel (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 9: Unawatuna
Unawatuna
The Southern tip of Sri Lanka is a favourite hangout spot for some of the most majestic creatures in the world: whales. We're heading to Mirissa, considered to be the best place to get a glimpse of the blue whale, sperm whale and dolphins, and this morning is your chance to head out whale-watching for an unmissable up-close encounter. After the morning's excitement, the afternoon is yours to unwind on the tropical palm-studded beach with clear turquoise waters, or opt in for a surf lesson at nearby Weligama Bay.
Accommodation: The Long Beach Hotel (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 10: Unawatuna to Colombo
Unawatuna
Today we'll reach our final destination, the bustling capital city of Colombo. En route we'll make a stop to learn about the traditional art of balsa-wood mask painting, followed by a visit to the Kosgoda Turtle Conservation centre.
Colombo
Once we hit Colombo, the best way to continue is with a sightseeing tour of this sprawling, richly multicultural city. Marvel at the atmospheric temples & showstopping mosques, check out the rose-tinted colonial buildings and, if you're brave enough, pick up some hot cobra chillies or souvenirs from the truly authentic (and famously chaotic) Pettah Bazaar. Tonight you can put on your party pants, because we've already sussed out the best rooftop bars and we're going out in style - the perfect way to cap off the last incredible 10 days with your Sri Lanka crew.
Accommodation: Fairway Hotel (or similar)
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 11: End Colombo
Colombo
Your Contiki trip finishes this morning in Colombo. Say goodbye to your new friends and plan a meet up somewhere in the world soon.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Terms & conditions
Prices are per person twin share/multi share as per itinerary, and are subject to availability and rate of exchange changes. Offers above are a guide only and will vary depending on departure date, our guide price is based on the cheapest departure within the stipulated season and availability is correct at time of loading. Visas may be necessary and insurance is essential. Pentravel and Tour Operator terms and conditions apply, and can be requested. Offer can be removed at any time. Trips valid for travellers aged 18-35 years. Excludes flights, transfers, visas, travel insurance and anything not mentioned. Savings are not valid on all itineraries and/or departure dates, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Only a R1000 deposit per person is required to confirm your trip booking. Deposit is due within 3 days of booking; airlines may impose different penalties and cancellation fees. Full payment is required 60 days before travel. All savings / discounts mentioned have already been included in the advertised price. Pentravel and Tour Operator reserves the right to withdraw or amend promotional offers at any time. These packages are based on CASH price. E&OE;.