Sri Lanka: Family Friendly Journey (13 Nights / 14 Days)

Welcome to Sri Lanka! Upon arrival at the airport you will transfer to your hotel in Negombo.

Lined by a string of fine beaches, along with tourist amenities of every conceivable standard and style, Sri Lanka’s west coast shows the island at its most developed, it’s most westernized, and it’s most tourist-oriented.

Start your day early in the morning travelling to Lellama, the local fish market with the your expert chef Ranil and purchase freshest catch from the local fishermen. Return to the hotel and learn how to prepare and cook your favorite seafood dishes. Experience amazing cooking talents right before your eyes as you learn some tricks of the trade. Your experience ends as you enjoy a delicious Sri Lankan style seafood curry at the end of the session.

In the afternoon, head off on a sightseeing tour of Negombo.

Travel to the famous local fishing village, which sits along the Dutch built canal. Here, you’re surrounding with the hive of activity as the fisherman travel up and down in their gaily painted boats. You will find many churches around the surroundings.

Depart for Dambulla (148 kms or 4.5 hour drive). On your way to Dambulla stop at the cashew colony of Sri Lanka which was established and revamped during late President Premadasa’s tenure. Roadside stalls were erected as a part of his vision to help the villagers in Kajugama whose livelihood depends solely on the sale of cashew to travelers, especially foreigners. Cashew, the evergreen tropical tree has become a cash crop today. Cashew season in Sri Lanka begins in March and continues through April. The vendors in Bataleeya get their nuts from and villages in the Eastern Province. Taste and purchase a packet or two to support home based industries.

Continue on to Dambulla. Once there, we go for a visit of the Cave Temples.

Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass 500 feet high and a mile around the base. Here is found the famous Rock Temple dating to the First Century B.C. The caves of Dambulla sheltered King Walagamba during his 14 years of exile from Anuradhapura. When he regained the throne he built the most magnificent of Rock Temples to be found in the Island. In the first cave is a recumbent image of the Buddha 47ft long cut out of the Rock. There are images of deities associated with Buddhism all around. The frescoes on the walls and the ceiling are the oldest here but they are over painted in the Kandy period. In the Second Cave, the finest and the largest of all, there are 150 life-size statues of the Buddha in various postures with few statues of Gods and Kings. The ceiling is also covered with frescoes, which depict great events in the life of the Buddha and landmarks in the history of the Sinhalese people. After exploring the caves, head to your hotel for time at leisure.

Depart your hotel for a live cooking demonstration overlooking the Sigiriya Rock Fortress.

Join for a live Sri Lankan Cookery Demonstration with an experienced chef in the pool lawn area facing Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Today’s live cooking of a mouth-watering meal is a complete Sri Lanka menu offering fish mustard stew, cashew and green pea curry, potato, brinjol mouj, and a variety of Sri Lanka curries with steamed rice, mango chutney and papadam. The meal will be prepared right in front of you allowing you to experience how all of the dishes are being made, after preparation you may dine the prepared Lunch while enjoying the Sigiriya Rock fortress view on a lovely outdoor dining extent.

After your meal, you will head to Sigiriya to climb the rock fortress. The famous 8th Wonder of the World, Sigiriya rises dramatically from the central plains, the enigmatic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka’s single most dramatic sight. Near- vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilization, thought to be once the epicentre of the short-lived kingdom of Kassapa, and there are spellbinding vistas across mist-wrapped forests in the early morning. In the evening, return to the hotel for the dinner and your overnight stay.

This morning, travel to Habarana to have a real village walk through the rustic rural community of Sirgirya /Habarana area accompanied by your guide

Today’s village trek is not merely a walk but an authentic encounter with the local village folk. Experiencing their lifestyle, their culture and their hospitality, by authentic we mean its true village scenario

Upon arrival you will be picked up in a bullock cart to offer a ride though the village road seeing the plantations paddy fields of a local and then you will walk through the plantations vegetable & fruits which brings to the Hiriwaduna Lake where you will cross

Proceed to Kandy. En route visit Matale Spice garden (78 kms – Approx. 2 ½ hrs drive). The A9 Hwy between Matale and Dambulla is famous for its spice gardens, with over 30 dotted along the road. They will take you on a tours of their gardens with a guide who can explain the merits and health properties of herbs, spices and plants including cocoa, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, coffee, nutmeg, pepper, cardamom, aloe vera, iriweriya (tulsi) and the henna plant. Enjoy a 15 mins head and shoulder massage at the spice gardens. Upon arrival proceed on a city tour of Kandy. Visit Temple of the Tooth Relic and several other sights. This evening, enjoy a traditional cultuarl performance.

This morning, depart for the train station. Board Sri Lanka’s iconic train en route to Nuwara Eliya. After our 4-hour train journey you will be dropped off tt Peradeniya Station to for the train ride till Nanu Oya Station. Known as the ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is set against beautiful backdrops of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coolest places in the island, which is reminiscent of an English spring day.

All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in the spring (March to May) and the fall (August and September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eliya to escape the sea level heat and humidity. In the afternoon, visit a tea plantation to see where your morning cup of tea originates. Head to the Pedro Tea Estate, about 3.5km east of Nuwara Eliya. Start off your visit with a 20 minute guided tour of the factory, which was originally built in 1885 and is still packed with 19th century engineering.

Then proceed to Tea Lounge at Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya for a warm cup of tea, enjoying the product after seeing the effort that goes it to make it. The rest of your day is at leisure.

After breakfast proceed to Yala (189 kms or a 4.5 hour drive). En route, visit Ravana Waterfalls and Ella Gap

Located on the Bandarawela-Wellawaya Road is the Ella Gap with a view of the Kataragama range of mountains at the distance. The Patna grasslands, Ravana Ella Waterfalls (1080 ft. high) and Randeniwela monument could be seen on this route

The Ravana Falls have been named after the legendary king Ravana, which is connected to the famous Indian epic, the Ramayana. According to legend, it is said that Ravana (who was the king of Sri Lanka at the time) had kidnapped princess Sita, and had hidden her in the caves behind this waterfall, now simply known as the Ravana Ella Cave. The reason for the kidnapping is said to be a revenge for slicing off the nose of his sister by Rama (husband of Sita) and his brother Laxmana. At the time, the cave was surrounded with thick forests in the midst of wilderness. It is also believed that Rama’s queen bathed in a pool that accumulated the water falling from this waterfall. They believed that Ravana has played the Ravanahatha over her.

Leave for Thissamaharama where you will enjoy little bit of wildlife. The Ruhunu National Park covers 126,786 hectares including the Strict Natural Reserve (Block II). The most familiar is Block I (14,101 hectares) and this were established in 1938. Yala is famous for its big herds and large number of Elephants, Leopards, Spotted Deer, Sambhur, Crocodiles, Mongoose, Wild Boar, Wild Buffalo, and many other animals. More than 130 bird species are recorded which includes the resident and winter visitors. After your safari, you will return to your hotel where the rest of your day is at leisure.

Proceed to Galle. En route you will be able to see the stilt fishermen, which is one of the most iconic and traditional fishing methods in all of Sri Lanka

Upon arrival to Galle, you will do a walking tour to indulge yourself to the realities of life history and beyond. Proceed to the Dutch Fort, a World Heritage Site, and visit the Old Dutch Church c. 1752 constructed as a thanksgiving by the wife of the Commandeur Casparous de Jong, for the gift of a child. See several grave-stones inside the Church.

Visit the Bastions including the Sun, Moon, Star, Zwart (with the old water-gate and hidden entrance identified as the Santa Cruz Bastion of the Portuguese), Akesloot (where the first Breadfruit tree was planted by the Dutch), Old Gunpowder Magazine, Aeloes, Triton, Neptune and other Bastions. Walk in the narrow streets, including the Lighthouse Street (Zeeburg Street), Leyn-Baan Street (Lijnberg meaning rope walk), and Modarabaay Street (Modder-baai meaning Mud bay) see the Old Dutch Houses, private Museum where Dutch period antiques could be seen and part of the Old Sewer system that emptied to the sea with the high/low tide.

Today, experience village life on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka. You will be able to experience the difference between the village culture in central province of the country and the west, verdant green paddy fields, sun dappled mangrove river banks, villagers bathing and children playing. An abundance of wildlife can be seen here as you learn about the endemic species only found in Sri Lanka. Observe village communities at work, and the gentle pace of life and a kaleidoscope of colours offering vibrant new tastes and sensory experiences.

Your experience includes a boat ride down the Kapu Ela River accompanied by a local naturalist. Observe egrets hunting for fish, eagles looking for prey, water monitors sun bathing on the banks and rare purple faced, monkeys crashing through the tree canopies. Sit back and enjoy sailing though village life on either of the river. The rest of your day will be at leisure as you return to the hotel.

Today, set off on a glorious 9km or 15 km loop bike ride starting from the river banks, finishing in the midst of a local dwelling. Pass through stunning landscapes and scenery your own pace whilst following your knowledge guides.

Helmets, water and refreshments en route are provided and a support vehicle follows at all times. Finish the cycling in the midst of the paddy fields in a village dwelling where you can sit back and watch a local village lady prepare and cook traditional Sri Lankan Hoppers. Learn how it is done and then enjoy the chance to taste the scrumptious food straight off the fire. The perfect end to this rustic tour. The rest of the day is at leisure to relax and enjoy

Enjoy full day at leisure to pursue independent activities

After check-out, you will be met and transferred to the Colombo airport for your flight back home