Allow about 7,000 rupees (US$23) per day for lunch and dinner.

You can eat out very cheaply in Sri Lanka and your tour leader provides recommendations for where to eat locally; however, the options may not always be suited to larger groups. Some locations you stay may have limited local restaurant choice, in which case meals will be at the hotel. Hotel meals are generally buffets; the majority offer an à la carte menu, but service can be slow.

Sri Lankan cuisine is a fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage, a unique fusion of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries by Malays, Arabs and Indians plus the Dutch, Portuguese and English.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note, the availability of certain products is minimal or non-existent in Sri Lanka. For example, wheat- or dairy-free options outside of hotels are limited. Please be prepared for this – you may need to bring these from home. Spicier food can be avoided easily and lots of the hotels will serve Western options alongside traditional food.

Mineral water is provided by our local operator in large containers throughout the trip so please bring a bottle with you to refill.

Celebrate your arrival in Sri Lanka with an elegant evening at the island’s storied seafront grande dame. Gather to meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers over cocktails on the ocean-facing terrace of the historic Galle Face Hotel, then dine as the sun sinks into the Indian Ocean.

Savour coastal breezes, Ceylon-inspired flavours, and the hotel’s 19th-century ambiance—a fitting introduction to Colombo’s cosmopolitan heritage and the island’s renowned hospitality.

Set out in open 4x4s to search for elephants on a game drive in Minneriya, Kaudulla, or Hurulu Eco Park—chosen for the best wildlife sightings on the day. Cross scrub forest and grasslands, scanning reservoir edges where herds graze and calves play.

Listen for low rumbles and sudden trumpet calls as you watch waterbirds, deer, and buffalo share this vital wetland habitat. Your guide explains seasonal movements and conservation challenges that shape life around these ancient “tank” lakes.

Pedal quiet lanes past coconut groves, paddy fields, and shimmering village tanks as you cycle quiet village lanes around Girithale. Expect waves from locals, bright kingfishers on the reeds, and dragonflies skimming the water.

Pause to share a traditional village lunch of fragrant curries and sambols, often cooked over wood fires. Your guide explains rural life, irrigation by ancient reservoirs, and the rhythms of farming that still shape this gentle landscape.

Rise to the challenge and climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress, the iconic 200m lava plug crowned by a fifth-century royal citadel. Walk through formal water gardens and ascend via stairways to the Lion’s Paw terrace, where the summit panorama opens across forests and village tanks.

Along the way, admire the famed frescoes of celestial maidens and the polished “Mirror Wall,” remnants of a short-lived but dazzling palace complex built under King Kashyapa and now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Step inside Dambulla Cave Temple, a mountainside sanctuary where shrines glow with first-century BCE paintings and gilded reclining Buddha statues. Enter via the quieter back approach to emerge among rocky outcrops and sweeping views.

Your guide unpacks the site’s royal patronage, monastic life, and centuries of devotional art layered across five cave temples. Notice lotus motifs, celestial guardians, and the cool stillness that has sheltered pilgrims for two millennia.

Visit the Temple of the Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa), home to Sri Lanka’s most revered relic. Witness floral offerings, flickering lamps, and the cadence of ritual drumming as devotees gather within Kandyan-style halls rich with carved timber and ivory inlay.

Afterward, stroll the shores of Kandy Lake, absorbing hill views and cool breezes while your guide shares tales of kings, processions, and the Esala Perahera that each year transforms the city with dancers and caparisoned elephants.

Tour a working tea factory in Sri Lanka’s cool highlands to trace the leaf’s journey through withering, rolling, oxidation, and firing. Walk the floor with experts, inhale the toasty aroma, and learn how altitude shapes flavour.

Conclude with a guided tasting to taste authentic Ceylon tea—light, brisk, and aromatic—while gazing over misty tea plantations that ripple across the hillsides. Discover how British-era estates and today’s producers sustain this global staple.

Answer the call of the rainforest and white-water raft the Kelani River through a lush, boulder-strewn gorge near Kitulgala. Navigate playful grade II–III rapids between calm pools ideal for floating and photos.

Guides provide helmets and life vests, share paddling techniques, and point out the filming area for “The Bridge on the River Kwai”. This adventure is at additional cost and bookable on tour with your Tour Leader, subject to river conditions.

Explore Sri Lanka’s bustling capital on a guided overview that threads from the colonial Fort to lively Pettah. Join a guided panoramic tour to take in the breezy promenade of Galle Face Green, the serene Gangaramaya Temple, and the stately Independence Memorial Hall, with commentary that brings neighbourhoods and landmarks to life.

Absorb contrasts between old trading streets and modern skylines, and pause to soak in the city atmosphere as your Tour Leader shares stories of cinnamon merchants, colonial powers, and today’s creative Colombo.