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Best time
Dec-Apr
Price
From £ 3,850 pp
Ideal length
16 days
Flight time
10hrs 45mins
Currency
Sri Lankan rupee
Language
Sinhala
Make Sri Lanka your playground, as you connect with your adventurous side and embark on a fifteen-night journey specially designed with families in mind and a curated collection of unique local experiences.
Sri Lanka’s laidback style makes the island a great match for families or small groups craving a tropical pursuit. You’ll start your luxury holiday in Sri Lanka with an overnight close to Colombo where you can unwind and acclimatise before meeting your professionally trained private driver-guide in the morning. Head north to the Cultural Triangle and Sigiriya, where you have a couple of days to explore the fascinating UNESCO site of Sigiriya and meet the inquisitive monkeys of the ancient site of Pollonaruwa with a local guide. With free time in between where you can take in the beautiful surroundings at Water Gardens and enjoy a well-deserved dip in the secluded pool.
On route to Kandy, you are taken to a private spice and fruit plantation for a wander through the gardens followed by a sumptuous home-cooked lunch. Once you’ve arrived into Kandy, your afternoon will be spent on a tuk-tuk tour exploring the last capital of the Sri Lankan Kings which fell to the British Empire in 1815. The next morning you head to the charming train station in Peradeniya and board the train to Hatton in the Tea Country. A chance to slow down and reflect on the previous days; the train journey is also a great opportunity to immerse the family in a local everyday experience.
The Tea Country makes a great base on your Sri Lanka adventure holiday not only for following the footsteps of the Tea Planters but also for mountain biking, walking, white water rafting and canyoning on a day excursion to Borderlands. Each excursion will leave you with stories to recount on your way back to your bungalow. It’s time to leave the Tea Country, grab your binoculars and your Sri Lankan wildlife guidebook and head off for a Yala National Park safari.
Camping at the KK Tented Camp on the fringe of the park will be the perfect introduction to your upcoming wildlife encounters in the park. After your captivating safari, you’ll continue your holiday following the coast and arriving at the family-friendly Why House, near Galle and a few minutes from the beach. Follow the rhythm of rural Sri Lanka on a cycling trail, unlock Galle Fort’s history on a Treasure Hunt, trek through the Kanneliya Rainforest with a local guide, and feel goosebumps whilst whale watching on your private Catamaran. Enjoy plenty of time for some sun-drenched beach therapy in between your excursions. You then wave goodbye to the welcoming team at the Why House after fussing one last time over Henrietta’s adorable sausage dog and you’ll be driven to your last stop, Colombo city. You meet your local guide by the old Dutch hospital in central Colombo who will take you through the streets of the capital city to sample street food and embrace the thrilling chaos of the back streets, bringing your adventure tour in Sri Lanka to a tasty conclusion.
Experience highlights
- Experience the fascinating UNESCO site of Sigiriya Rock Fortress on this luxury family holiday in Sri Lanka. Your private guide will bring the story behind Sigiriya to life. Marvel at the pleasure gardens before climbing the 1,200 steps to the top, where the views will leave you breathless.
- Get introduced to “the Monkeys of Polonnaruwa”, three species of diurnal primates – the purple faced leaf monkey, the toque monkey and the grey langur – who have clearly made the ancient cultural site their playground. You’ll learn about the excellent conservation work the Research Centre has been conducting for nearly five decades.
- Wander through a working spice and fruit plantation in a remote village close to Matale, on route to Kandy. With a hosted home-cooked rice & curry lunch prepared with traditional spices and vegetables from the plantation.
- Satisfy your curiosity, as you hop on a three-wheeled tuk-tuk for a tour of Kandy with a twist, delving into the history of UNESCO city of Kandy.
- Board the train from Peradeniya to Hatton in the Tea Country. This two-and-a-half-hour-long journey, voted as one of the most scenic train journeys of the world, is a chance to slow down and enjoy the changing panoramic views. Grab some local snacks outside the Peradeniya train station before boarding the train; a packed lunch will also be provided.
- Immerse yourselves in the world of tea, visit a local Tea Factory and sample a fine cup of local tea of course.
- Get ready for an adrenaline rush at Borderlands with white water rafting and canyoning on the Kelani River, not far from where The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed.
- Escape to Leopard Safaris by KK Collection for two nights of luxurious camping on the fringe of leopard hotspot, amidst the wilderness of Yala National Park.
- Jump in a safari vehicle from the camp and accompanied by your safari guide embark on a game drive in Yala National Park. Your safari guide will show you the wild side of Yala National Park. Get your camera and prepare for getting up close and personal with majestic elephants, leopards, sloth bears, jackals, and crocodiles. Like in many other areas of Sri Lanka, the birdwatching is also excellent.
- Get glimpses of everyday life on a cycling tour through the beautiful countryside around Galle, passing glittering lime green paddy fields, bathing water buffaloes, and farmers working in the fields. On your route you’ll stop in the shade of an ambalama for a well-deserved fresh king coconut drink.
- Get competitive, follow the clues and unlock the historical past of Galle Fort with a family treasure hunt. You’ll be walking through the cobbled lanes of Galle Fort discovering its colonial past.
- Immerse yourself in the Kanneliya Rainforest with a specialist tracker from the area. Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys, snakes, chameleons, and endemic birds. The flora is equally fascinating with tropical trees and plants. Your experience ends with a delicious Sri Lankan lunch cooked by the tracker’s wife.
- Set sail on your own private catamaran in Mirissa for your whale watching experience. Enjoy the incredible spectacle of whales majestically gliding through the Indian Ocean and possibly other marine life like dolphins as they continue undisturbed. This is an incredibly humbling and breathtaking experience that will leave a lasting impression.
- Sri Lanka’s culinary scene has truly boomed the last few years; on your Colombo food tour your local guide will steer you away from the sleek new restaurants and will guide you to street vendors and little unassuming local stalls and cafes you may never have thought to enter otherwise.
Experience highlights
Experience the fascinating UNESCO site of The Sigiriya Rock Fortress
The Sigiriya Rock from above
Explore the fortress at The Sigiriya Rock
Get introduced to “the Monkeys of Pollonaruwa”
Wander through a working spice and fruit plantation in a remote village close to Matale, on route to Kandy
Hop on a three wheeled tuk-tuk with a twist as you delve into the history of UNESCO city of Kandy
Board the train from Peradeniya to Hatton in the Tea Country
This two-and-a-half-hour-long journey is voted as one of the most scenic train journeys of the world
Immerse yourselves in the world of tea, on a visit to a local Tea Factory
Go canyoning and white water rafting in Sri Lanka and feel the adrenaline rush on the Kelani River in Borderlands
Spot herd of majestic elephant in Yala National Park
On a guided safari drive you'll track wild leopards
Your luxury tented camp at the Leopard Safaris Yala by KK Collection
Arrive in the coastal town of Galle
Take a cycling tour through the beautiful countryside around Galle
Get competitive, follow the clues and unlock the historical past of Galle Fort with a family treasure hunt
Entrance to Galle Fort
Immerse yourself in the Kanneliya Rainforest with a specialist tracker from the area
Keep your eyes peeled for monkeys, snakes, chameleons, and endemic birds.
Hop on your own private catamaran for your Mirissa whale watching experience
Embark on a street food tour of Colombo
Request your tailor-made family itinerary to Sri Lanka
Where you’ll stay
The Wallawwa, Negombo
A restored two-hundred-year-old manor house resting in sprawling bird-rich gardens, The Wallawwa manages to deliver unbridled tranquillity despite being only a fifteen-minute hop from the international airport. It’s a convenient stop at both the top and tail of any Sri Lankan adventure but it also rewards those who choose to linger longer with its traditional Sri Lankan cooking, day trips to nearby Colombo or simply slowing your pulse by slinking into its jungle-fringed pool.
Water Garden, Sigiriya
Water Garden’s beautifully landscaped grounds are flanked by rice paddies and centuries-old trees for a gorgeous rural setting. As its name suggests, Water Garden is built around manicured water gardens, inspired by the ancient equivalent that sits at the base of its famous neighbour, Sigiriya rock fortress. All of its chalets are angled for unblemished views of the icon, while the spa and swimming pool keep you as serene as the surrounding landscape.
Kandy House, Kandy
Colonial luxury living at its peak, Kandy House is a boutique hotel situated within a former nineteenth-century mansion built by the last chief minister of the Kandyan kingdom. The palatial features of his former villa have been retained and its rooms boast vivid fabrics, black woods and whitewashed walls. Dinner is a personalised affair with tailored chef recommendations, while the twice-weekly ten-course curry feasts are taste sensation.
Camellia Hills, Hatton
A modern take on an authentic tea bungalow, the five-bedroom Camellia Hills sits plumb in the middle of the Tea Country’s lime-green hills so beloved by the British during the colonial era. If you can pull yourself away from the panoramic terrace and the soft cosy sofas in front of the fire then you will find one of the most beautiful parts of Sri Lanka with myriad tea estates, unexpected chapels, Hindu temples, and magical emerald hills with tea pickers in colourful saris.
Leopard Safaris Yala by KK Collection, Yala National Park
Your safari experience starts right here at the Leopard Safaris Yala by KK Collection camp; sleeping under canvas in a luxury tented camp surrounded by nothing but the jungle on the fringe of Yala National Park. Head out to the National Park with one of the camp’s specialist rangers in a customised safari vehicle, cool off in the eco-pool late afternoon, dine al fresco under stars and then fall asleep to the sounds of the Sri Lankan bush.
Why House, Galle
Thanks to its charming staff, intimate atmosphere and peaceful setting, we think Why House should really be called Why Home because it’s exactly that – a home from home. Few come back without mentioning the very professional and knowledgeable Henrietta and Jelly, her sausage dog. Three acres of landscaped tropical gardens, tastefully styled rooms, a very attractive and a generously sized swimming pool make this your very own Sri Lankan sanctuary.
Maniumpathy, Colombo
Passed down over five generations of the same family, Maniumpathy feels like a home from home. Now a boutique hotel with just eight charming colonially dressed rooms (each one is named after a woman from a different generation), it’s as if you’ve been transported back to relive the experiences of residents in years gone past. Found in the leafy Cinnamon Gardens district of Colombo, the hotel feels like a secret you’d want to keep to yourself as you step out of the busy street and into this peaceful walled retreat.
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