itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVE SRI LANKA AND TRANSFER TO KOTUGODA (0.5HRS)
On arrival at the airport you will be greeted by a chauffeur and make the brief 30 minute transfer to your hotel in Kotugoda. Spend a restful night in a garden suite at the stylish Wallawwa Hotel, a delightful boutique property with tropical gardens, a spa, and a lovely pool.
Accommodation: The Wallawwa
DAY 2: TRANSFER TO KANDY (4HRS)
It is a 4 hour road transfer to Kandy. On arrival, spend an afternoon at leisure. Kandy has been a sacred destination for Buddhist pilgrims for thousands of years and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The gateway to Tea Country, it’s a small but buzzing city which sits at a lower altitude than tea country, thus offering warmer temperatures and lower rainfall.
Accommodation: Clove Villa
DAY 3: KANDY - BOTANICAL GARDENS AND TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH
This morning, enjoy a private, leisurely 1 ½ hour guided walk around the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, accompanied by a botanist. Sri Lanka’s largest botanical gardens have acres of open spaces for children to explore. Do remember to bring a hat and sun cream, as well as a camera! Lunch is at the Empire Café, followed by a 1 hour walking tour of the bustling markets and streets of vibrant Kandy town. Afterwards, enjoy a refreshing cup of tea at the historic Queens Hotel. Before dinner, visit the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth, renowned for housing the relic of the tooth of Buddha, and as such a sacred destination for pilgrims for thousands of years.
Accommodation: Clove Villa
DAY 4: TRAIN JOURNEY TO THE TEA COUNTRY (3HRS)
After breakfast, depart from Kandy and embark on a scenic 3 hour train ride into Sri Lanka’s ‘Tea Country’. Climbing to 2,000 metres above sea level, this atmospheric journey reveals majestic mountain peaks and cascading waterfalls, lush, emerald tea plantations, and aromatic cyprus and eucalyptus woodlands. The climate here is cooler and more temperate, so dress accordingly, and bring a camera and money for a drink or snack as the train does not have a restaurant carriage.
Train tickets are strictly subject to availability. Purchasing train tickets remains one of the most challenging parts of organizing a tour in Sri Lanka, purely due to the very high demand for seats. Seat availability is limited as only three trains run per day, of which only a few carriages offer reserved seating. Therefore, train tickets are strictly subject to availability, and can be confirmed only 10 days prior to the date of the journey. By default, we try to reserve seats on the First Class Carriage for all our travellers, unless you specifically request a different carriage. Unfortunately, due to the very high demand, this is not always possible. In such instances, we will try our best to reserve any and all possible alternative tickets.
Accommodation: Amba Estate
DAY 5: VISIT A TEA FACTORY
Today you will visit a historic tea factory to observe processing methods, followed by the opportunity to enjoy a tea tasting. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest exporters of tea with a roaring industry that dominates the island’s central highlands. Introduced to the country by British planter James Taylor in 1867, tea irreversibly changed the topography, and even the demography, of the country. In the wake of Sri Lanka’s coffee blight, British planters were quick to discover that tea was a more lucrative industry. As the number of tea estates rose, there was an increased need for human labour. The production of tea involves a tedious procedure of plucking, withering, rolling, oxidizing and drying – a process that requires heavy machines and plenty of manpower. Workers were shipped over from Tamil Nadu in India to maintain the plantations, and these people, an often overlooked ethnic minority in Sri Lanka, are still the main employees in the tea industry today. A visit to a tea factory has become a staple of every Sri Lanka travel itinerary, and for good reason! If you look past the crowds of tourists and the sometimes amusingly gimmicky tours on offer, you’ll find a fascinating subject matter – the epic story of the tea industry, a central theme to the story of not only Sri Lanka, but also the post-industrialized world.
Accommodation: Amba Estate
DAY 6: DRIVE TO ARUGAM BAY (3HRS)
It is a three hour drive from the Tea Country to Arugam Bay, or ‘A Bay’ as it is affectionately known. Arugam Bay is a mecca for surfers from May to October with reliable waves, great weather and a relaxed vibe in town. Accommodation is mostly small and relatively simple guesthouses, the pick of which have modest pools and pleasant gardens. During the peak May to October period, whilst the West Coast beaches are pounded by monsoon surf, A Bay enjoys cracking weather and waves, drawing surfers from all over the world. If you are not a surfer, then you would be best heading further up the East Coast to Pasikuda Bay or the Trincomalee area, but for surfers, and those looking to learn, Arugam Bay is heaven. There are several surf schools in town as well as board rental companies.
Accommodation: Hideaway Arugam Bay
DAYS 7 - 10: ARUGAM BAY
Free days to relax, enjoy the beach and surf.
Accommodation: Hideaway Arugam Bay
DAY 11: DRIVE TO UDA WALLAWE NP (3HRS). AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE
Enjoy a scenic 3hr drive from Arugam Bay to Uda Walawe National Park. After lunch, enjoy a late afternoon game drive in the National Park. This is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see elephant, with a population of 500 elephant living in the park. It is also comparatively free of tourist traffic, making for a peaceful wildlife experience. Other animals that you may see include deer, wild buffalo, water monitors, and crocodiles.
Accommodation: Kalu's Hideaway
DAY 12: TRANSFER TO GALLE (3HRS)
Sri Lanka’s oldest city, Galle has played host to Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders over the centuries, along with Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonialists. Today it is a thriving hub of European and Arabic culture, boasting art galleries, literary events, and a host of shops and restaurants within its atmospheric, cobblestoned alleyways. Beyond Galle – largely south of the town where Galle's influence is at its strongest – is a glorious collection of beaches.
Accommodation: Mango House
DAY 13: GALLE COUNTRYSIDE CYCLING
Galle’s inner landscape is covered in patches of jungle, rice paddies, cinnamon plantations, lowland tea fields, and quaint mud roads joining small villages, and is home to beautiful tropical plants and a lot of Sri Lanka’s wildlife. Begin your journey with a peaceful boat ride down the Kapu Ela river, accompanied by a light-hearted, entertaining local naturalist who is very knowledgeable about the area’s bird and reptile life. Float slowly along canals, passing local hamlets, rubber and cinnamon plantations, and tea fields, and watch as grey fish eagles soar through the air and water monitor lizards haul themselves out of the river and cling to the low branches along the bank. Disembark from the boat and mount your bikes for a 9km cycle along the narrow mud lanes between the villages, passing picturesque paddy fields and small villages with markets selling vibrant local fruits and vegetables. Stop along the way in a wattle-and-daub hut for a cup of herbal tea and traditional hoppers cooked over a fire, before getting back on your bike and cycling to the pick-up point. If you are tired, you can be driven from here.
Accommodation: Mango House
DAY 14: DEPART (3HRS)
Transfer to Colombo Airport for your flight home.
