Overview
Sri Lanka is a perfect family holiday destination; there’s something for everyone! Nature with so many different landscapes, beautiful wildlife, history etched into so many ancient ruins, beaches stretching forever, mesmerising mountains, and multicultural people with their spicy and colourful cuisine. And we haven’t even mentioned the adventures you can have in water sports, and much more.
In your 10 day tour, some of the highlights will be meeting the local fisher folk in Negombo, visiting the Wilpattu National Park to sight wildlife and avifauna, and experimenting. Leisure time on the eastern coast. Additionally, children will enjoy experiencing Sri Lankan traditional village lifestyle, memories for your family!
We have handpicked a variety of hotels with family or interconnected rooms mostly with swimming pools. You will spend minimum time to get to them from the city & attractions, giving children even more time to enjoy their stay in the hotels as well.
Highlights at a glance
- First you will get to visit colourful fish markets, vegetable & fruit markets… interact with the locals & learn a few “trade secrets”.
- Look forward to glamping in style in a mini-nature reserve close to the Wilpattu National Park, where you will savour a BBQ served by a roaring campfire. You will get to experience a sunset jeep safari at Wilpattu National Park.
- Then we are off to soft, sandy golden beaches in Trincomalee.
- Then off to visit the 13th century mediaeval capital Polonnaruwa and discover the ruins of palaces and temples where the award winning movie “Monkey Kingdom”was also filmed.
- You will also be witnessing the biggest Asian Elephant gathering.
- Witness age-old Buddhist rituals and try your hand in traditional arts & crafts in the suburbs of Kandy; the hill capital.
Itinerary
Welcome to Sri Lanka! This is a private tour for your family to enjoy at your own pace. On your arrival you will be picked up by your own private chauffeur who will be with you throughout the tour. The drive to Negombo will take about 25 minutes. On arrival you and your family can either spend the day at the hotel or go for a walk on the beach.
Morning Star
After breakfast, you will drive to Wilpattu. Your family can anticipate a different accommodation experience with your family, It is an overnight stay at an eco-friendly campsite in jungle settings! Evening we will take you on a game drive with snacks and refreshments in a private jeep. This will give you a chance to spot the elusive Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear and a chance to see a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Wilpattu is the largest national park on the island and has an interesting landscape of natural lakes, shrubland and thick forests. The dry season increases the chances of sighting leopards.
Then greater thrills, you will drive to Trincomalee, one of the finest natural deep-water harbours in the world. Home to beautiful white beaches, clear waters around the Pigeon Island, it’s a wanderlust for families with long stretches of beach and warm blue waters to revel in! If your children would like to see whales, remember, March to September is the best time and means spending about half a day out in the ocean.
Pearl Oceanic Resort
On this day, you will be taken to Pigeon Island just off Trincomalee. You will enjoy this adventure on your holiday in Sri Lanka. It comprises two islands. It is called the Pigeon island National Park, why? Because of its prized coral reef that extends to about 100m in width and 200m is length. You will be astounded by the sea life within the reach of the beach, protected by a rocky islet. With over 300 species of coral reef fish keeping the water alive with colour – you will love your time here. But take care to wear slippers constantly to avoid coral cuts!
Pearl Oceanic Resort
Whether you want to book some water sports activities, go diving and snorkeling to several key sights at Trincomalee, make it a fun-filled day with your family. The pool is always a treat to laze by with cool drinks, but the inviting beach is amazing to soak up the sun or play with your children. Pigeon Island is not far to take a boat ride to and explore. It is surrounded by coral reef and turtles and reef fish can be sighted here. Building sandcastles, tap rugby, football… taking photographs of the landscape or selfies with your loved ones, Trincomalee is beautiful.
Pearl Oceanic Resort
After breakfast you will head towards Sigiriya; the 5th Century AD fortress. You will check in at your hotel in Sigiriya and stay relaxed till early evening. Today will be your day to climb the Sigiriya Rock – a highlight of Sri Lankan tourism. The remains of gigantic sculptured lion paws will greet you at the start of the climb. You will ascend 600 metres to reach the zenith of the Lion Rock where you will be struck by the panoramic view and vantage point for a king. The foundations of what once housed a gathering hall, sleeping quarters – remain to be admired. There is the Mirror Wall which features the Sigiriya frescoes that are unfortunately fading. On descending, you will enjoy walking by once landscaped gardens with their own irrigation systems.
Elephas Resort & Spa
With an early start, we’ll drive you to Polonnaruwa and walk around this UNESCO Site amidst its ruins of pavilions, palaces and even ponds. The Gal Vihara temple cut from one slab of granite stone possesses a jewel of Sri Lankan art: the statues of Buddha in the recumbent, seated and standing positions.
Next, we will take you for a cookery demonstration of a typical Sri Lankan lunch: prepared in clay pots giving it an authentic taste – followed by tucking into it for lunch!
Finally, we head for the Minneriya National Park. Annually, in August/September during the dry season, wild elephants migrate from Wasgamuwa National Park to Minneriya National Park in search of food and shelter. It’s a wanderlust dream to see over 350 majestic mammals, migrate across the expansive parks.
Elephas Resort & Spa
You will carry on to the hill city, Kandy, surrounded by mountains and blessed with cool weather, where the Temple of the Tooth Relic is located: home to the Sacred Tooth of Lord Buddha. Enroute you will visit Dambulla Cave temple, 5 caves full of ancient Buddha statues and wall paintings.
When you reach Kandy, your first port of call will be the Temple of the Tooth built in the 16th century, a prominent temple where Lord Buddha’s tooth lies; surrounded by artistic murals and paintings capturing the journey of Buddhism. You will find the daily rituals ‘pooja’ held amidst drumming and chanting, very intense and colourful – attracting many worshippers daily.
Thilanka Hotel
Next day is a short drive to Peradeniya, to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens. A sprawling garden of about 60 hectares, hemmed in by the Mahaweli River, it also has a suspension bridge to cross to the other side of the river! You will be amazed by the impressive diversity of flora: from orchids, local indigenous plants, magnificently tall Burma bamboo, the stately avenue of royal trees (also named as Cannonball fruit tree) and of course the iconic Javan fig tree that sits in the lawn; a singular beauty with its ever-reaching canopy of shade. You will see bats, monkeys, amidst birds and butterflies too.
Thilanka Hotel
After breakfast and check out, it is time for us to safely transfer you and your family to the airport, well in time for an unhassled check in and safe journey back home or your onward destination. The short drive to the Bandaranaike International Airport will be under 3 hrs.
A tour taking you across the different gems of this island in just three weeks; formidable ancient ruins to verdant tea plantations to sweeping lengths of pearly beaches. We hope your family takes incredibly colourful memories of their holiday back with them. Sri Lanka bids farewell…wishing to see you again.
Includes / Excludes
Includes
- Accommodation above mentioned Hotels or of similar standard.With Dinner & Breakfast
- Transportation throughout the tour in an Air Conditioned van with a top notch Driver Guide.
- All the experiences and activities mentioned above with experienced naturalists
- Private jeep safaris.
- Service charges and all Government taxes.
- All fuel, toll, insurance
- Driver guide's meals and accommodation
- Replacement of vehicle in case of breakdown or emergency.
Excludes
- Any International or Domestic flights.
- Any Visa fee or ETA fee. (Electronic Travel Authorisation)
- Any additional beverage or food.
- Christmas & New Year Eve dinner supplement. (24th & 31st December)
- Perahera Supplement at Kandy Hotel during the Perahera Period.
- Entry Permits to all the sites, temples, museums & monuments, activities.
- Early Check-in or Late Checkout Charges at Hotels.
- Any tips to the staff.
- Any expense of personal requirements telephone, laundry, hotel extra bills etc.)
- Any additional expenses , other than mentioned in the inclusions list above.
When it comes to the accommodation, all the reservations are subject to availability at the time of confirmation, and as soon as we have received the payment, our Tour Operations Team will take in charge of your tour and proceed with the reservations. In case a hotel mentioned in your itinerary has no availability, we will find you an alternative. No changes will be done without your approval!
We will make a rough day-by-day schedule for your tour, but won’t set you exact timings for each and every activity – unless there is a an activity which start at a specific time. Since you will be traveling by private vehicle, with a knowledgeable driver-guide, we want you to have your part in decision making. With the help from him, you may tune the schedule to your rhythm.
Along the destinations included in your itinerary, you are free to take as many stops as you want to. When it comes to additional visits and destinations that are located out of the original route, the extra kilometers will be taken in consideration. For your journey, we will calculate a total mileage that is sufficient for the whole tour and mentioned in your itinerary. If this limit is exceeded, we will charge a supplement according the extra mileage.
We’ll do our best to accommodate the programme in your needs and wishes, if something urgent occurs during your tour. In a situation that requires changing the accommodation, the cancellation policies of the hotels concerned are to be taken on account.
Since the 1st of January 2012, all travelers must be in possession of a visa when arriving in Sri Lanka. Citizens from Singapore and The Maldives are the only exempt. Visitors can apply for the official Electronic Travel Authorization (visa) via www.eta.gov.lk, or upon arrival at the airport. There is a small fee to pay, and you must have at least six months left on your passport at the time of travel to obtain one.
MasterCard and Visa are widely used and accepted by many local shops, restaurants and hotels, but it’s always better to double check. Other major cards such as AmEx and DinersClub are accepted often also.
The Important Stuff
Sri Lanka is a nation where religion and culture occupy an important place in the day-to-day lives of the local people. It is important to be aware of the customs and practices that are particular to the location you are visiting, so here are a few general tips to keep in mind during your travels. Your chauffeur will assist you with more detailed information.
- If you plan on visiting any temples, ancient or current, you should wear clothing that covers your body from your shoulders down to your knees. Head coverings such as caps or helmets should be removed and shoes must be taken off at the entrance. White coloured clothing is generally a good choice to go with here.
- Some religious places do not allow photography or videography without prior permission and some may not allow it at all. Refer to signage or ask your chauffeur guide about the policy or protocol. Don’t try to photograph or take videos without permission.
- If you have any tattoos associated with Buddhism, Hinduism or Islamism, it’s best that you cover them completely in public places.
- Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places, workplaces and on public transport.
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