WEEKLY DEPARTURES
8-Day Luxe Tour of Sri Lanka
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What's included
- Accommodation based on twin share room
- Airport transfers
- Daily breakfast
- Expert local guides
- First class hotels
- Hotel taxes and service charges
- Transport in air conditioned vehicles
- Any items or services not specified
- Camera and video permits
- Entrance tickets to sites on tour
- International flights
- Meals, unless expressly states
- Medical and emergency insurance
- Optional tours and activities
- Personal expenses
Trip overview
Adventure through the heart of Sri Lanka on this 8-day trip with expert guides. Stay in the comfort of hand-picked, 4- and 5-star hotels and uncover unmissable highlights and immersive travel experiences.
Distances aren’t long, so there’s plenty to discover in a week: watch as one of the world’s largest elephant gatherings unfolds before you at Minneriya National Park, visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandy and other magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites. Trek the highlights of Horton Plains, take a tour of lush hillside tea plantations and look out for the famed Sri Lankan leopard on a jeep safari.
This tour has been carefully designed to offer you a personal introduction to the Sri Lankan way of life and provide precious Sri Lankan moments that you’ll treasure for years to come!
Ask us for a quote for a private tour for two people with your own guide.
SEE THE BROCHURE
Inclusions at a glance
- Accommodation – 7 nights 4 & 5-star hotels as per the itinerary
- Meals – 7 breakfasts
- Transportation – Travel by air-conditioned vehicle
- Jeep safari at Wilpattu, Ritigala, Minneriya National Park & Horton Plains
- Airport transfers – Arrival shuttle at 3:00pm on Day 1
- Departure shuttle at 3:00pm on Day 8
- Escorted tour – Services of experienced guides, licenced by the Ministry of Tourism
- Sightseeing – Visited on the tour (excludes entrance fees – see the brochure for estimates costs):
- Wilpattu National Park
- Ritigala Monastery
- Anuradhapura Sacred Area
- Polonnaruwa Ancient City
- Minneriya National Park
- Kandy Temple of the Tooth Relic
- Dambulla Cave Temple
- Horton Plains National Park
Tour highlights
Witness the incredible migration of over 300 elephants from the Jeep parked on the banks of Minneriya National Park Reservoir and watch on as one of the largest elephant gatherings in the world unfolds before your very eyes.
Visit the iconic Royal Cave Temple of Dambulla, sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the Gal Viharaya ‘Rock Temple’ of Polonnaruwa and plenty other UNESCO World-Heritage Listed sites with local, expert guides.
Experience pinch-yourself moments while trekking the highlands of Horton Plains. Then watch out for the thundering waterfalls and the beloved Sri Lankan Leopard on an included Jeep safari through the park.
Take a tour to the lush hillside of Sri Lanka’s famous tea plantations! Witness the process of making the prestigious Celyon Tea and try a cuppa’ yourself!
Start and finish your adventure in the commercial capital, Colombo with included international airport transfers.
- DAY 1
- DAY 2
- DAY 3
- DAY 4
- DAY 5
- DAY 6
- DAY 7
- DAY 8
Arrive Colombo
Welcome to Sri Lanka! Look out for the sign at Colombo International Airport for the shuttle to your hotel at 3.00pm. Meet in the hotel lobby around 7pm for an informal welcome meeting with your group and guide. Feel free to explore Colombo on your own pace until then. After the meeting, head out to a local restaurant for an optional tour group dinner and get to know your new travel mates!
- Accommodation
Fairway Colombo – 4 Star - Included Activities
Welcome Meeting - Optional Activities
Group Dinner
Colombo, Wilpattu National Park Safari, Anuradhapura
Grab yourself a window seat and get ready to head off the beaten track as we head north towards one of Sri Lanka’s biggest reserves, the Wilpattu National Park! Wilpattu has earned its name ‘Land of Lakes’ thanks to the serene natural bodies of water that cover the vast park. Jump in the Jeep and keep your eyes peeled for a healthy population of Sri Lankan Leopards, elephants, sloth bears, spotted deer, mongoose, and water buffalo throughout an included safari! You might even get the chance to watch on while predators and prey make the ultimate fight for survival and mother nature takes its course! After an action-packed day of safari, put your feet up at your hotel in Anuradhapura.
- Accommodation
Palm Garden Village – 4 Star - Meals Included
Breakfast - Included Activities
Wilpattu Jeep Safari - Entrance Fees
Wilpattu National Park – 2250 LKR
Anuradhapura, Ritigala Jeep Safari, Sigiriya
After breakfast, follow your guide to the ancient city of Anuradhapura to learn of one of the greatest and oldest civilisations in the world! Once home to 113 kings over 1,300 years, the ancient capital city showcases some of Sri Lanka’s richest and most fascinating history. Hear stories of the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree and visit the Uwanwelisaya stupa, Samadhi Buddha statue and Isurumuniya Rock Temple with your guide. In the afternoon, put on your hiking shoes for a trek up to the Ancient Ritigala Monastery.
Nestled within the dense and lush forest of northern Sri Lanka’s highest mountain, Mt Ritigala, lays the ruins of the forest monastery dating back thousands of years. Get your camera ready because the views from the summit are some of Sri Lanka’s best! Finish up a big day in the north at your 5-star Forest Hotel in Sigiriya.
- Accommodation
Amaara Forest Hotel – 5 Star - Meals Included
Breakfast - Included Activities
Anuradhapura Sightseeing
Jeep Safari to Ritigala - Entrance Fees
Ritigala Monastery – 200 LKR
Anuradhapura Sacred Area – 3750 LKR
Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Minneriya National Park, Sigiriya
Fill up on breakfast for the big day ahead! First up, a visit to the Ancient Kingdom of Polonnaruwa for an included bicycle tour with your local guide. The sheer size of Polonnaruwa is enormous, making a bicycle the best way to explore. Visit its UNESCO World Heritage-listed sites, including Gal Viharaya or “Rock Temple” where you will see four colossal statues of the Buddha cut into the stone and plenty of ancient palaces and royal baths. In the evening, visit the Minneriya National Park to witness the incredible migration of over 300 elephants! Park your Jeep on the bank of the reservoir, switch off the engine and watch carefully as herds of elephants – one by one – roll on to the grass-covered banks to feed. The park is famed for hosting some of the largest elephant gatherings in the world on a regular basis and is truly a magnet for wildlife enthusiasts across the globe.
- Accommodation
Amaara Forest Hotel – 5 Star - Meals Included
Breakfast - Included Activities
Polonnaruwa Tour on Bicycle
Minneriya Nationa Park Jeep Safari - Entrance Fees
Polonnaruwa Ancient City – 3750 LKR
Minneriya Nationa Park – 2250 LKR
Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
This morning we’ll make our way to Dambulla, a city treasured by many kings since the 1st century B.C to visit the iconic Royal Cave Temple and Golden Temple of Dambulla. These unique cave structures host magnificent drawings and cave paintings with fascinating stories that shape Sri Lankan history. Listen carefully as your guide explains.
Next up, we’ll transfer to the city of Kandy to visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth. Last ruled by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe – before it was brought under British rule in 1815, Kandy crafts an array of culture, history and heritage in the minds of visitors worldwide. Take a stroll through the small lakeside town – cradled among the misty hills – and shop the bazaars, an arts & crafts centre, and fresh fruit and vegetable markets. Tonight we’ll sleep in 5-star comfort at our hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
- Accommodation
Araliya Red Hotel – 5 Star - Meals Included
Breakfast - Included Activities
Dambulla & Kandy Sightseeing - Entrance Fees
The Temple of the Tooth in Kandy – 1500 LKR
Dambulla Cave Temple – 1500 LKR
Nuwara Eliya, Horton Plains Trek & Jeep Safari, Nuwara Eliya
Prepare for plenty of ‘oh wow’ moments in the central highlands of Sri Lanka! Today, we’ll head towards the Horton Plains National Park to trek the endless stretches of green pastures at this eco-tourism hideout! Sitting at an altitude of 7,000ft, the plateau is covered in flora and fauna varieties that may be found nowhere else on Earth. Along the trek, watch out for the thundering Bakers Falls, and catch a glimspe of the ‘World’s End’ lookout. Then make the most of an included Jeep Safari across the plains – watch out for Sambar Deer, Wild Boar, Otters and the beloved Sri Lankan Leopard. In the late afternoon, enjoy free time back in Nuwara Eliya to wander through the countryside.
- Accommodation
Araliya Red Hotel – 5 Star - Meals Included
Breakfast - Included Activities
Horton Plains Trekking & Jeep Safari - Entrance Fees
Horton Plains National Park – 2250 LKR
Nuwara Eliya, Tea Factory, Colombo
A trip to Sri Lanka wouldn’t be complete without a visit to its famed Tea Plantations! Take a tour to the cold and misty hills blanketed with lush green tea plants and tour the factories as they process the prestigious brand of Ceylon Tea. Inhale the heavenly scent arising from these facilities, and then try the perfect blend of pure Celyon tea! Then, make your way back to the commercial capital of Sri Lanka – Colombo. This afternoon you’ll enjoy a Panoramic City Tour through the clean streets edging the crystal white Racecourse, then visit the neighbourhood of Pettah – famous for its open-air floating markets and bazaars.
Check out the city’s Independence Square and then finish up in Sri Lanka’s trendiest part of town with time for a quick shop for last-minute souvenirs and designer goods. The rest of the afternoon and evening are yours to explore the bustling metropolitan city!
- Accommodation
Fairway Colombo – 4 Star - Meals Included
Breakfast - Included Activities
Tea Factory Visit
Colombo Panoramic City Tour
Farewell Colombo
All great things must come to an end! Today, we say our farewells to new travel mates over one last breakfast at the hotel. Check-out of the hotel by 11.00am and feel free to explore the city at your own pace until the airport departure shuttle at 3.00pm.
- Meals Included
Breakfast
More about Sri Lanka
My Travel Experience Review
Sri Lanka is such a diverse and exciting country to visit and joining a guided tour is the ideal way to see more. We recommend this tour for its luxury accommodation and individual itinerary.
More about this tour
See the brochure
CLICK HERE to view, download or print a copy of this tour brochure.
The brochure includes details of the inclusions, itinerary and other relevant travel information. Information contained in the brochure is subject to change and at the time of booking you will be provided with an updated copy that includes the current details for your reservation.
Tour departures
This tour departs from Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Saturdays in 2023.
Departure is subject to availability and prices may vary at time of booking.
Please contact us to check if a place is available on your preferred departure date.
Important to remember...
The day-by-day tour descriptions in the itinerary are intended as an indicative guide only. Travel by nature is unpredictable. Weather patterns, road conditions, public holidays, travel restrictions and a multitude of other factors may necessitate itinerary changes that are ultimately for the client's benefit. It is essential that travellers are flexible and open minded in this regard.
Speak to a travel specialist
The My Travel Experience team are travel experts and we're here to help you enjoy the best holiday - from the time you start to plan your trip until the day you return home. We are only a phone call or email away whenever you need us, so please contact us today with any questions.
Email [email protected]. Phone 1300 168 910 (in Australia) or text +61 437 851 966 (from overseas or via mobile).
New safety measures and greater peace of mind.
The wellbeing and safety of our passengers and staff is always a priority, especially as we adjust to a new world for travellers. My Travel Experience is committed to ensuring your peace of mind with customer-friendly booking practices and enhanced health and safety standards on our trips.
We work closely with tour operators that have received the Safe Travels stamp by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which enables travellers to recognise companies around the world that have adopted health and hygiene global standardised protocols.
Travel to Sri Lanka
The well-being of travellers and staff on the ground is always front-of-mind and tours will only be operating if it's deemed safe and practical to do so. For more information on the status in Sri Lanka and to check the current travel advisory, please visit smartraveller.gov.au
Safe travel requirements:
It's your responsibility to ensure you have all the necessary documentation and have had any required vaccinations and health checks prior to departure. Please ensure that you are aware of current conditions and travel restrictions at your time of travel and allow time to obtain any tests if required.
In most cases, testing must be conducted at an accredited testing facility, though with the changing of regulations please check if a Rapid Antigen Test will be accepted. A PCR test with certificate will attract additional fees. Only get tested through verified official testing centres. Scammers are taking advantage of travellers by charging for fake tests. If you're unsure where to get tested, contact the local health authority for advice.
You may still need to provide evidence of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result even if you've been vaccinated. If you've had a COVID-19 vaccine, you should carry your International Vaccination Certificate, along with your negative PCR test results, especially if you have one or more transit stops. Some destinations may ask for proof of testing and vaccination before allowing you to transit through or cross their border.
Guidelines are subject to change as the global situation evolves. The enforcement of certain measures (i.e. covid testing, social distancing, mask-wearing etc.) will vary in different regions. It's your responsibility to check with local health authorities for best practices in their region.
How to make a booking:
This tour package is valid for a limited time and may change without notice.
Price is correct as of 04 November 2022. Please contact us for current rates.
Advertised price is based on lead-price departure(s) and rates will be advised for your preferred travel date prior to any payment being required.
All prices are per person, based on twin share, and listed in Australian dollars (AUD). The package is subject to confirmation at the time of booking and prices may change without notice. Booking conditions and cancellation fees apply.
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