Activity Holidays in Sri Lanka

Overview

Stunning food, postcard-perfect, golden sand beaches, lush jungles and misty hills crisscrossed with colonial-era train tracks, charming towns and beautiful little villages where time seems to stand still, expect all this and some of the warmest, most welcoming hospitality you’ll receive anywhere in the world on a Sri Lanka holiday with Not In The Guidebooks.

On a Sri Lankan wildlife holiday with Not In The Guidebooks, you can search for elephants, buffalo, sloth bears and leopards in the dense jungles of Wasgamuwa National park, before spending time unwinding on the golden-sand beaches of Tangalle. Get off the beaten track as you visit small, rural villages in the midst of tea country, watch the lush green hills flash by on scenic train journeys and get a true taste of authentic Sri Lankan culture.

On your Sri Lankan adventure holiday, you’ll stay in beautiful, unique accommodation such as eco-farms with a focus on protecting and restoring the local environment, wildlife lodges in the heart of beautiful national parks, and colonial hillside bungalows, all bursting with character and making each of your stops on your tour truly unforgettable.

Inland the scene is luminous green. Lush expanses of carefully tended paddy fields stretch between palm-dominated jungle beneath which sit village homes and Buddhist temples fringed by bright white parapet walls. Guided bicycle rides are the best way to explore the narrow back lanes and bunds of this serene inland wildlife-filled hinterland, and kayaks can also be taken out to explore the narrow canals and waterways of this verdant scene. Further inland, there are rainforests to discover, temples to visit and tea estates to encounter.

Our most popular experiences

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  • 14 Night Sri Lankan Family Adventure

    14 Nights Sri Lanka
    • Enjoy the beaches in Chilaw & Nilaveli
    • Safari in Wilpattu National Park
    • Experience the monkeys in Dambulla & Polonnaruwa

    Price from

    £2415 pp*
    Take me there
  • Ultimate Sri Lanka Off the Beaten Track

    14 nights Sri Lanka
    • Explore Gal Oya National Park
    • Stay on eco-farms & tea plantations
    • Guided hike through Andawala and Hanguranketa

    Price from

    £3115 pp*
    Take me there
  • Sri Lanka: Immersive Adventure Country and Coast

    12 Nights Sri Lanka
    • Hike to Manigala Rock & Adam's Peak
    • Safari in Wasgamuwa National Park
    • Enjoy the beaches of Tangalle

    Price from

    £2032 pp*
    Take me there
  • Sri Lanka: Immersive Adventure

    10 Nights Sri Lanka
    • Hike to Manigala Rock & Adam's Peak
    • Safari in Wasgamuwa National Park
    • Ride the famous Blue Train to Ella

    Price from

    £1626 pp*
    Take me there
  • Sri Lanka Tea Country and Trains

    3 Nights Sri Lanka
    • Stay on scenic Tea Plantations
    • Ride the famous Blue Train to Ella
    • Experience wild animals in the village of Chena

    Price from

    £830 pp*
    Take me there
  • Luxury Wellness Retreat in Sri Lanka with Amara & Nwankwo Kanu

    6 nights/ 7 Days Sri Lanka
    • Ceylon Spa Ayurvedic Therapies
    • Visit the Foundation of Goodness
    • Daily sunset and sunrise yoga session

    Price from

    £1950 pp
    Take me there
    • 14 Night Sri Lankan Family Adventure

      14 Nights Sri Lanka
      • Enjoy the beaches in Chilaw & Nilaveli
      • Safari in Wilpattu National Park
      • Experience the monkeys in Dambulla & Polonnaruwa

      Price from

      £2415 pp*
      Take me there
    • Ultimate Sri Lanka Off the Beaten Track

      14 nights Sri Lanka
      • Explore Gal Oya National Park
      • Stay on eco-farms & tea plantations
      • Guided hike through Andawala and Hanguranketa

      Price from

      £3115 pp*
      Take me there
    • Sri Lanka: Immersive Adventure Country and Coast

      12 Nights Sri Lanka
      • Hike to Manigala Rock & Adam's Peak
      • Safari in Wasgamuwa National Park
      • Enjoy the beaches of Tangalle

      Price from

      £2032 pp*
      Take me there
    • Sri Lanka: Immersive Adventure

      10 Nights Sri Lanka
      • Hike to Manigala Rock & Adam's Peak
      • Safari in Wasgamuwa National Park
      • Ride the famous Blue Train to Ella

      Price from

      £1626 pp*
      Take me there
    • Sri Lanka Tea Country and Trains

      3 Nights Central Province
      • Stay on scenic Tea Plantations
      • Ride the famous Blue Train to Ella
      • Experience wild animals in the village of Chena

      Price from

      £830 pp*
      Take me there
    • Luxury Wellness Retreat in Sri Lanka with Amara & Nwankwo Kanu

      6 nights/ 7 Days Sri Lanka
      • Ceylon Spa Ayurvedic Therapies
      • Visit the Foundation of Goodness
      • Daily sunset and sunrise yoga session

      Price from

      £1950 pp
      Take me there

    Best Time to Visit Sri Lanka

    General

    • The dry periods in Sri Lanka are split by area with December to March being the best period for the west and south coast and the Hill Country
    • The southwest monsoon affects the south and west coasts as well as the hill country between April and September
    • Temperatures are relatively consistent year round (26-32°C) all around the island, especially around the coast
    • Traditionally Sri Lanka sees most visitors from December to March but there is never a bad time to visit. February is my favourite month and January is a great time to be in Galle for the Literary Festival

    Best Places to Visit

    Galle

    Galle is the beating heart of the Southern Province, known for it’s beautiful Dutch architecture s

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    Galle

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    Central Province

    The Central Province of Sri Lanka is famous for it’s stunning mountainous terrain, tea plantations

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    Central Province

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    Yala

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    Yala

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    Top tips for visiting Sri Lanka

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