Ultimate Sri Lanka Off the Beaten Track

Highlights

  • Stunning must-see cultural highlights at Sigiriya and Dambulla
  • Beautiful hikes through jungles, farms and forests
  • Spectacular wildlife at remote Gal Oya National Park
  • Authentic experiences with a local guide
  • Amazing boutique eco hotels
  • Picturesque Sri Lankan beaches
From £3526 per person
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What you'll do

Overview

This adventure is perfect for couples or families with older children who want to explore Sri Lanka in a truly authentic way. The itinerary showcases the variety of Sri Lanka’s nature and wildlife, packed with experiences and cultural highlights that are not to be missed!

From the moment you touch down on your Sri Lankan adventure, you can relax and soak up the incredible sights, flavours, and culture of this gem of an island, thanks to your local guides, drivers and hosts, who will e...Read All

Arrival in Negombo

Welcome to Sri Lanka! You will be picked up from the airport and we will transfer you to the hotel. Spend the day acclimatising to the country and get ready for your amazing Sri Lankan adventure.

Relax by the pool or swim in the sea, or take a leisurely stroll around the hotel and explore the nearby  old Dutch Canals.

 

Accommodation:

Villa Hundira (or similar)

Located just half an hour away from the airport but situated beside a tranquil lagoon lined ...Read All

Transfer to Pallepola

After a delicious breakfast, your driver will take you to  Pallepola,  your base for your visits to the awesome sites of the cultural triangle. (around 3hrs drive ).

The property you’ll be staying at is a 50 acre organic farm with stunning mountain views. Today you’ll explore the organic farm, learning about the day to day life on the farm, seeing the banana trees, coconut palms, papaya trees and more – it is an amazing place to walk around.

Take a walk throu...Read All

Cultural highlights at Sigiriya and Dambulla

After breakfast at the hotel you will begin your exploration of  the cultural triangle, starting with Sigiriya in the early morning to avoid the crowds.

Today you’ll head south to Sigiriya and Dambulla. Though you may have see many pictures of ‘Lion Rock’, nothing can quite prepare you for the real thing.

Sigiriya, the 5th century “Fortress in the Sky” is perhaps the most jaw-dropping single wonder on the island. It’s known as Lion Rock because it w...Read All

Hike to Gammaduwa

After breakfast, you will check out of your villa and take a short transfer (30mins) to the small village of Andawala, where your guided hiking trail for the day begins.

Your hike starts along tiny village paths before you travel across small paddy farms and you will walk along irrigation streams for the first 2kms before turning off into the forest.

Then you will continue your journey through areas of forest interspersed with pepper farms until you reach the tiny village of Ha...Read All

Exploring Gammaduwa

Your wonderful Bungalow is located on its own tea estate, which you’re free to explore at your leisure today. After breakfast, spend the day exploring the local walking or biking trails, go for a swim in a beautiful waterfall, or simply relax and soak up the tranquil atmosphere.

You’ll also be able to spend time with your host, plucking tea and learning about how tea is made in their own small boutique tea factory – a real authentic experience not to be missed.

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Gal Oya Lodge

Today, head to famous Gal Oya Lodge, located in Gal Oya National Park, one of the most untouched of all national parks in Sri Lanka, and the only one where you can take a boat safari on the largest lake in Sri Lanka,  and, if you are lucky, see elephants swimming  and  crocodiles basking.

On the way there you will  break up the journey with a visit to a waterfall for a refreshing swim and a delicious lunch made with local produce from the nearby village.

The Gal Oya Lodge is...Read All

Wellawaya

You’ll now move from the jungle to a deluxe eco-agro resort for the next 2 nights, nestled amidst the paddy fields and rolling hills with stunning views. 

For centuries, agriculture has shaped the way of life for civilisations across Sri Lanka. Villages such as the one you are to visit were home to farmers who have inspired a the simple, wholesome life. Farmers are also held in high regard for their service to these traditional lands, once thriving with a culture that  represe...Read All

Relax and enjoy the wonderful Sri Lankan coast

Summer Option ( April – October) : 

Days 11-13 will be spent on another side of Sri Lanka, far east from the cacophony of Colombo. This sandy stretch of pristine coastline rests upon the Indian Ocean, where in the mornings you will wake to the serene sounds of crashing waves.

In Pottuvil, where hotels and villas dot an unexplored shoreline flourishing with natural wonders. Nestled amidst a sprawling coastal estate of coconut trees is Kaotukkal Beach house , a plush hideaw...Read All

Today after a leisurely breakfast you’ll leave the calm of the beach and slowly make your way back to the west coast for your departure. You’ll stay in the must-see iconic Galle Fort – the perfect spot to spend your last night in Sri Lanka. Walk around the ramparts, grab a drink in one of the trendy bars and enjoy a delicious meal before your short transfer to the airport for your  departure the next day.

Accommodation

Fort Bazaar (or similar)

 

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Departure Day

After your final breakfast in Sri Lanka, we will arrange a transfer to the airport for your departure flight.

We are sure you’ve had an unforgettable time in Sri Lanka and have made memories that will stay with you forever, and have you dreaming of returning to the island you’ve not just visited, but experienced like a local.

What's included

Included

  • Private transfers in airconditioned vehicle with a driver/guide
  • 14 nights Accommodation with Breakfast
  • 2 picnic lunches
  • All entrance and activity fees for experiences listed in the itinerary
  • Water & refreshments during the activities
  • Organic farm tour with a local guide in Pallepola
  • Guided tour of Sigiriya
  • Exploration of Dambulla Cave Complex with a local guide
  • Guided hike from Andawala to Gammaduwa
  • Authentic tea plantation tour with a local
  • Game drives, boat trips and wildlife walks at Gal Oya Lodge
  • A unique stay at an agro-eco retreat in Wellawaya
  • Free time to relax and explore Sri Lanka's coast
Your local host

Prateeque

Hi! My name is Prateeque, your host. I grew up in India, in Bangalore and after completing an engineering degree, I decided to not actually follow this path and chose to follow my passion of travel. I quickly got a job as an actual tour guide in the wonderful southern region of Kerala, India, for a few months and ended up staying for 2 years.

An opportunity opened up to go to Sri Lanka to become manager for the country, so when I was offered it, I jumped at the chance. During my time working in travel, I’ve travelled the majority of both India and Sri Lanka and discovered almost place you could possibly explore in these crazy, yet amazing countries.

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and exploring, even as a kid. ... Read All

Hi! My name is Prateeque, your host. I grew up in India, in Bangalore and after completing an engineering degree, I decided to not actually follow this path and chose to follow my passion of travel. I quickly got a job as an actual tour guide in the wonderful southern region of Kerala, India, for a few months and ended up staying for 2 years.

An opportunity opened up to go to Sri Lanka to become manager for the country, so when I was offered it, I jumped at the chance. During my time working in travel, I’ve travelled the majority of both India and Sri Lanka and discovered almost place you could possibly explore in these crazy, yet amazing countries.

I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors and exploring, even as a kid. I would go out on my bike and get lost and then try to find my way back. I grew up in an urban setting, so any chance I could get I was out exploring. The feeling of release you get from the outdoors, is completely different to anything you can feel.

The one thing that inspired me to work in travel and pursue it as a long term career, is the feeling of pure amazement when discovering something new or seeing something spectacular for the first time. It’s an indescribable feeling, but you’re just totally immersed in this place and you just forget about everything else for a while.

And seeing this look on people’s faces and being with them when they’re doing this, is something I found out very quickly when I was tour guide I absolutely loved and just had to pursue this further.

Another thing is, you always learn in travel, there’s always something new that comes up, whether it be an experience, untapped location, or new people, you’re always learning and this pushes me to find new things to do.

It’s fair to say that Sri Lanka is oversaturated, there are plenty of companies here offering the same tours to the same places. We however, like to go off the beaten track. It’s unbelievable how much there is to see in this wonderful country away from the main sights. For example, the busy national parks e.g. Udawalawe National Park can have up to 600 jeeps a day on it’s roads. But if you go just 2 hours away at Gal Oya national park, it’s much less busy and you can get much closer to the wildlife.

Location

Your host will meet you at Bandaranaike International Airport, where you will be taken straight to your hotel near Negombo, on the south west coast of the country.

From there, you’ll head northwards and inland to your first stop, beautiful villas at an eco-farm near the village of Pallepola. You’ll then take a relaxed hike through spice country  to your next stop, accommodation in an old colonial bungalow in Gammaduwa, before heading to your lodge in the midst of Gal Oya Valley National Park.

You will stay in  a lovely  eco agro-resort in Wellawaya, surrounded by amazing views, with excellent dining and a renowned spa. Then it’s time to unwind at the beach, depending on the time of year you will stay at either Pottuvil or Ahangam before being transferred back to the airport for your homeward journey.

 

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