Snapshot
Treat yourself to a two-week tropical holiday this winter! Our Luxury Winter Getaway special offer has all the essentials of a full island tour with elevated accommodation in some of Sri Lanka’s very best boutique hotels – without the usual price tag. Discover the magnificence of the island’s ancient cultural sites; spend a night in the thriving city of Kandy; escape to Sri Lanka’s glorious tea country; spot exotic wildlife in Yala National Park, and end with five days of relaxation on the sensational south coast.
To allow you to tailor this trip to your particular preferences, no activities have been included in the price of this special offer. Your travel consultant will be only too happy to advise you on the options available and book the activities which take your fancy. Please note that all suggested excursions require travellers to be fully-vaccinated against Covid-19.
Highlights
- Stay in Sri Lanka’s foremost boutique hotels
- Wander beaches and spot whales in the south
- See leopards, elephants, and other exotic wildlife
- Experience the beauty of Sri Lanka’s tea hills
- Explore the rich cultural heritage of Kandy
- Be awed by the island’s ancient historical sites
Package includes
- Accommodation in a shared double / twin room on a bed & breakfast or all-inclusive basis (all-inclusive hotels are Camellia Hills and Chena Huts)
- English-speaking chauffeur-guide and vehicle for the duration of the tour (including leisure days)
- Both airport transfers
- Customer Care for the duration of your tour
Terms & Conditions
- Valid until 31st December 2024
- Price shown is based on two people sharing and may be subject to change
- Should the situation change, there may be additional charges required relating to coronavirus H&S protocols
- See our Booking Conditions for more details
Day 1 Kotugoda, North-West
Arrive in Sri Lanka and transfer straight to The Wallawwa, a tranquil boutique hotel with excellent food and a tempting spa just 20 minutes from the airport.
Accommodation: The Wallawwa
Day 2 & 3 Anuradhapura, Cultural Triangle
Drive into Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle and spend two days exploring the island’s most magnificent historical sites including iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress and the ancient city of Anuradhapura. You can also indulge in a selection of the many activities at Ulagalla Resort such as kayaking across the lotus-filled lake and going horseback riding around the estate.
Accommodation: Ulagalla Resort
Recommended Activities: Sigiriya Rock Fortress , Ritigala , Polonnaruwa , Dambulla Cave Temple , Anuradhapura
Day 4 Kandy
Make the short transfer to Kandy, one of Sri Lanka’s most prominent cities and the centre of the country’s rich cultural heritage. Explore with all your senses on a street food tour; visit the historic Temple of the Tooth, and discover the delights of the Royal Botanical Gardens.
Accommodation: Kings Pavilion
Recommended Activities: Royal Botanical Gardens , Millenium Elephant Foundation , Knuckles Mountain Range , Kandy Temple and City Walk
Day 5 & 6 Hatton, Hill Country
Head into the more serene surroundings of Sri Lanka’s central tea country, either by car or along the original train tracks put in place by the British in the mid-19th century. Spend two days absorbing the stunning scenery of Hatton, endless rolling tea hills crowned by Castlereagh Reservoir. Take a tea factory tour, sail across the lake, and soak up every second of blissful beauty.
Accommodation: Camellia Hills
Recommended Activities: Lipton's Seat , Nine Arch Bridge
Day 7 & 8 Yala National Park, Yala
It is time to discover the incredible exotic wildlife of Sri Lanka. Journey to Yala for two days of traversing the island’s most popular national park which is known for its high density of leopards. You can also spot elephants, sloth bears, and crocodiles in addition to a wide variety of birds.
Accommodation: Uga Chena Huts
Recommended Activities: Yala National Park , Bundala National Park
Day 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13 Habarana, Galle Coast
And now – relax. While away five days on Sri Lanka’s south coast, heralded for its beautiful beaches, soothing sunshine, and alluring atmosphere. If you want to be active, there are endless opportunities for water-sports including surfing, snorkelling, and jet-skiing. You can also head out to sea in search of whales, accompanied by sting rays and hordes of jumping dolphins.
Accommodation: KK Beach
Recommended Activities: Galle Dutch Fort , Kanneliya Rainforest , Mask-Making Workshop
Day 14 Airport
You will be collected and transferred to the airport in plenty of time to catch your flight home.
The Wallawwa
Kotugoda, North-West
Nestled amongst acres of beautifully manicured gardens, this colonial manor house, or Wallawwa, is now a luxurious boutique hotel. This old and new concept provides guests with unrivalled setting and style just 15 minutes from the airport. 18 bedrooms, Asian fusion cuisine, Z spa and The Wallawwa’s swimming pool – all set amongst one of the finest private gardens in Sri Lanka.
4.5
Ulagalla Resort
Cultural Triangle
Ulagalla Resort is the most luxurious choice close to the ruins of the ancient capital Anuradhapura. Individual villas are set amidst 58 acres of lush woodland, paddy fields and the Ulagalla Reservoir. Among the many activity options, Ulagalla even has its own riding stables, enabling you to explore the area on horseback.
5
Kings Pavilion
Kandy
Surrounded by greenery with views of the Hunnasgiriya and Knuckles mountain range, Kings Pavilion is located 10 minutes from the Kandy town and provides accommodation in 9 stylish rooms that are perfect for couples, families and friends.
5
Camellia Hills
Hatton, Hill Country
Camellia Hills is a modern interpretation of a tea bungalow. Offering accommodation in five ensuite rooms overlooking the majestic Castlereagh reservoir and surrounding tea plantations, the bungalow is great for relaxation and operate on all-inclusive basis.
3
Uga Chena Huts
Yala National Park, Yala
Yala’s first boutique hotel, Uga Chena Huts is comprised of fourteen private cabins sprawled across seven acres of scrubland, edged by the ocean and just five minutes from the entrance to Yala National Park. This luxurious accommodation offers exquisite food, excellent service and a peaceful atmosphere. There is a pool, spa, and each cabins is complete with a private plunge pool.
5
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Sigiriya, Cultural Triangle
Sigiriya is one of the most dramatic and inspiring historical locations in the world, a huge rock fortress rising impossibly from Sri Lanka’s central plains, and possessed of a glorious history that has caused millions of travellers to gape in wonder.
Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa, Cultural Triangle
The well-preserved ruins of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka’s medieval royal capital, are one of the country’s most prominent cultural sites. You can spend several hours wandering freely between the various ruined temples, imposing Buddha statues and royal bathing pools.
Dambulla Cave Temple
Dambulla, Cultural Triangle
Dambulla Cave Temple is one of the most popular religious cultural sites in Sri Lanka, attracting tourists from across the globe. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, it is the largest, best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. This World Heritage site has the largest number of Buddha statues all housed in one place, including a colossal, 14-metre-long figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the rock.
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura, Cultural Triangle
Anuradhapura was Sri Lanka’s first civilisation and the centre-point of the island’s greatest kingdoms, acting as the royal capital for over 100 kings between the 2nd century BC and 1073 AD. At its height, Anuradhapura was home to thousands of monks from dozens of different monasteries, and it remains Sri Lanka’s most important cultural site, both in terms of history and religion.
Royal Botanical Gardens
Kandy
The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, located just outside of Kandy, are Sri Lanka’s largest landscaped gardens, spanning over 60 hectares, and can lay claim to being the finest in Asia. They will delight anybody who loves to see nature showcased at its best.
Millenium Elephant Foundation
Kegalle, Kandy
Visit the Millenium Elephant Foundation which works to improve the care, protection and treatment of captive elephants in Sri Lanka. Get up close and personal with some of Sri Lanka’s most majestic and iconic creatures and discover the complex issues which affect their conservation in Sri Lanka.
Knuckles Mountain Range
Knuckles, Kandy
The Knuckles mountain range, so called because its appearance resembles the knuckles of a clenched fist is located to the east of Kandy and Matale in central Sri Lanka, and consists of five mountain peaks and several other smaller peaks.
Kandy Temple and City Walk
Kandy
Walk back in time through the historic hill capital of Kandy and visit the temple that houses Sri Lanka’s most valued Buddhist relic. Kandy is a place steeped in history, culture and religion. Although the effects of modernisation are visible, peek into the heart of this hill country capital and you will see that the core of this cool city remains traditional and friendly.
Lipton's Seat
Haputale, Hill Country
Lipton’s Seat is the chosen viewpoint of Sir Thomas Lipton, the Scottish businessman who, like so many other British colonisers, saw the profit that could be made from buying into Ceylon’s blossoming tea industry in the 19th century. One of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Sri Lanka highlands, it offers a stunning and majestic panorama of rolling lush green tea fields framed by dramatic mountains and it is said that you can see all the way out to seven of Sri Lanka’s provinces. It is a beautiful place to spend a relaxing morning.
Nine Arch Bridge
Ella, Hill Country
Nine Arch Bridge in the Sri Lanka highlands town of Ella regularly takes centre stage in one of the most iconic pictures in the hill country. It is part working railway viaduct, part tourist photo opportunity. This setting, beloved by thousands of Instagram accounts, somehow conveys the relaxed vibe that makes Sri Lanka one of the most treasured holiday destinations in the world.
Yala National Park
Yala National Park, Yala
Yala National Park is one of the largest and certainly the most popular national park in Sri Lanka, and has the highest density of leopards anywhere in the world. Hidden away in the far south-east of the country, it comprises five separate blocks covering 141sqkm.
Bundala National Park
Bundala, Tissa & Kataragama
Bundala National Park is one of the best places to for birdwatching in Sri Lanka, especially between December and April as this is the park’s peak season. Beautiful lagoons, mesmerising waterways, thorny scrub jungles and dazzling dunes make Bundala’s landscape particularly eye-catching. It is home to 200 species of vibrant birds, ranging from little bee-eaters to the extraordinary open-billed storks. The rare black-necked stork and the great thick-knee are usually a main highlight. Spotting the blue-tailed bee-eater, spoonbill, red shank, green shank, spot-billed pelican, blue-faced malkoha, brahminiy kite, crested-hawk eagle, and the brown strikes are easy. Bundala National Park is also a winter home to the greater flamingo, which can be seen between September and March.
Galle Dutch Fort
Galle Fort, Galle Coast
Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, originally built by the Portuguese in the 16th century and then further developed by the Dutch and the British over the next 350 years. It covers nearly 4sqkm and is protected by 12 bastions and connecting ramparts. During the early 18th century, the Old Dutch Gate was the entrance to the Fort, but subsequently the British built the Main Gate that is still used today. Buildings of interest include the Dutch Reformed Church, All Saints Church, Amangalla Hotel (formerly the New Oriental Hotel),the lighthouse and bell tower. The Dutch also developed what was then an innovative tide-based sewage-system within the Fort.
Kanneliya Rainforest
Kanneliya, Galle Coast
Trek through Kanneliya Rainforest with a wildlife tracker and spot birds, monkeys and chameleons, and discover the fascinating array of tropical flora.
Mask-Making Workshop
Galle Fort, Galle Coast
Masks have long been an important part of Sri Lankan culture and this hands-on craft session allows you to closely engage with the long-held tradition of mask-carving in Sri Lanka. Today, traditional masks are used mostly in dramas and dance performances, but in rural areas they are still believed to have healing and protective powers. After an introduction to Sri Lankan masks – the various types and their different uses – you can have a go at carving a Kolam mask yourself. Your host will help you draw outlines of typical designs and demonstrate the carving techniques for each section, and assist when needed.