13 Day Spectacular Sri Lanka
✓ Small group - 16 people max
✓ Return international airfares with a full-service airline
✓ Return airport transfers
✓ 11 nights in 5-star accommodation
✓ Daily breakfast, 3 lunches and 6 dinners
✓ Escorted by an English-speaking guide throughout
✓ Incredible sightseeing as per the itinerary
✓ Dedicated private transportation throughout
✓ Ride on the world-famous train through the hilltops around Nuwara Eliya
✓ 24/7 customer service and your own Dedicated Support Agent
Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.
Welcome to Sri Lanka! Today begins your magnificent tour through one of this year’s top travel destinations. Upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, you’ll be warmly greeted by one of our representatives and transferred to your hotel nearby in Negombo.
Negombo is a city on the west coast of Sri Lanka, north of the capital, Colombo. Near the waterfront, the remains of the 17th-century Dutch Fort now house a prison. Negombo Lagoon, lined with fishermen’s huts, feeds into the Dutch-era Hamilton Canal. The canal leads south to Colombo. Neoclassical St. Mary’s Church, completed in the 1920s, features a ceiling decorated with vivid religious paintings.
Please note - most flights arrive into Colombo after midnight. To maximise suitable rest time before the tour starts on Day 2, we suggest departing the day before Day 1.
Check in: Passengers will be arriving at various times throughout the day from as early as 6am through to late evening. If arriving prior to standard check-in time, which is generally 3pm local time, you are welcome to leave your luggage with hotel reception and explore your surroundings until check-in becomes available, as there are generally no scheduled activities on Day 1 of the itinerary. The hotel may grant early check-in, however this is strictly subject to availability and at the hotels discretion.
Enjoy a late start to the day, with plenty of time to relax and adjust after your flight yesterday. A little after breakfast there will be a welcome briefing with the group before we begin our guided city tour.
Colombo is a vibrant place with a laidback ambience. It's also a melting pot of cultures and religions, with a mix of Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Roman Catholic residents. Our walk today will cover the main spots in the city, taking in the local architecture and offering insight into the local lifestyle. We will visit both Buddhist and Hindu temples, the Dutch Reformed Church and the mesmerising Red Mosque, all while learning about Sri Lanka’s complex and fascinating history. We’ll also tour the bustling and colourful Pettah Bazaar – a whirlwind of sights, sounds and scents – as well as Independence Square, Parliament and the National Museum. Our city tour will finish with a shopping opportunity for a good cause at the Barefoot fair-trade store. Here you can find a collection of handicrafts from around the country and support local cottage industries.
Following our tour, we will depart Colombo and head for the carefully preserved colonial city of Galle, which features an interesting blend of European architecture and South-Asian traditions. Upon arrival in Galle we will take a tour of the Old Town of Galle and its fortifications – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We'll meander through winding passageways, a maze of gallery-filled narrow streets and 400 years of rich history. Afterwards, we will continue on to Weligama, a beach town on the south coast where we will check in to our hotel for the evening.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. This exquisite tea plantation in the hills above Koggala offers highly informative tours of the estate. You’ll sample and learn how they produce over 25 varieties of tea here, including the fabled Virgin White tea, a delicate brew made from the tiniest and newest leaves. Where the average large plantation worker will pick 23kg of black tea in a day, the workers here manage but 150 grams of virgin white leaves.
Your morning is free to relax alongside the pool or catch some sun at the beach. In the early afternoon, we will depart Weligama and transfer to the town of Tissamaharama. En route we will stop for lunch and enjoy a very special Inspiring Taste experience, meeting with a local fisherman to learn about their craft as they tell us about their life. Enjoy the freshest seafood lunch you've ever sampled with the fisherman’s family – a wonderful crab curry is likely to be on the menu. Following lunch we will continue on to the hotel and check-in for the evening.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Set out on an early morning whale and dolphin watching safari.
Today is one you have certainly been waiting for! After breakfast, you may relax or partake in one of our bonus Inspiring Sights. This afternoon we will transfer to Yala National Park and enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant before we begin our afternoon jeep safari. The National Park encompasses a variety of diverse ecosystems and an impressive array of wildlife, including sloth bears, elephants and lots of exotic birds. We’ll search for the leopards that lounge in trees or stalk through the brush, crocodiles that patrol the river or wild elephants that graze across the savanna. Many of the species that we will see are endemic to Sri Lanka.
This morning enjoy some leisure time at the hotel surroundings before transferring to Nuwara Eliya (Approx 4.5hours).
En-route why not try one of Sri Lankas favourite ingredients, buffalo curd, served in bright terracotta pots with thick, golden treacle, often eaten as a snack, as an accompaniment to meals or as a dessert. Sri Lankan's are famed for their sweet tooth and this is just about as sweet as it gets.
We also make a photo stop at Ravana Falls in Ella. The Ravana Falls (popularly known as Ravana Ella in Sinhala) is a popular sightseeing attraction in Sri Lanka. It currently ranks as one of the widest falls in the country. This waterfall measures approximately 25 m (82 ft) in height and cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. During the local wet season, the waterfall turns into what is said to resemble an area flower with withering petals. But this is not the case in the dry season, where the flow of water reduces dramatically.
We then head to Nuwara Eliya and commence a small orientation tour around this quaint town, before checking into our Inspiring Stay at the iconic Grand Hotel, where then the remainder of the day is at your leisure.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package.
Jump into a Jeep and enjoy another safari tour as we search for the animals that eluded us yesterday.
This morning you will get the opportunity for another iconic Sri Lankan experience, a visit to a tea plantation. Embark on a tea tour through the factory to experience the makings of world-famous Ceylon Tea's from start to finish, including tastings. You may also get the opportunity to get up close and personal with the local tea pluckers.
Today we also visit the famous Hakgala Botanical Gardens, where then the rest of the day is at your leisure.
Later this afternoon, enjoy the infamous High Tea back at The Grand Hotel.
At approximately 5:30am, leave for Horton Plains National Park. This park holds great importance due to the rich and unique biodiversity and being a catchment area feeding some of the main rivers of Sri Lanka. It is also known to be a 'super biodiversity hotspot' and thus declared a UNESCO site in 2010. The national park is most famous for the vista - World's End.
You will be accompanied by a private escort the entire duration of the hike - from the Horton Plains Park Park Office, to World's End (via Mini World's End) and back. Wear strong and comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunglasses. Bring sunscreen, food and water. The weather can change very quickly on the plains – one minute it can be sunny and clear, the next chilly and misty. Bring a few extra layers of warm clothing.
Start time: 5:30am departure from hotel
End time: 12:30pm return to hotel
Distance: 7.5km round trip - 150m elevation gain
Inclusions: return transfers, entrance into Horton Plains National Park, packed breakfast, private escort
There are no safety rails available so we recommend this activity for those who are physically fit and go on long walks often. We do not recommend this if you have a difficult time walking along uneven, potentially wet, and rocky terrain.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package.
Walking to this small, scenic waterfall offers sweeping views of tea plantations and the picturesque countryside of Nuwara Eliya. Known for its romantic folklore, this impressive waterfall is a natural gem.
Today, we say farewell to Nuwara Eliya as we hop on what is widely recognised as one of the world’s most scenic train rides, winding around mist-shrouded hilltops and through vivid green valleys.
The original train system in Sri Lanka was introduced in 1864 to transport tea from the hills to Colombo, but today it serves as a fantastic way to see Sri Lanka’s magical landscapes. You’ll have the chance to experience the tea culture of Sri Lanka on a tour and tasting of the famous Ceylon Tea, in Nuwara Eliya. Ceylon (Sri Lankan) tea is known for its quality worldwide, and with this guided tour you'll learn how the entire process works, from plucking to drying to packing and more. Guests can also enjoy another unique experience, should they wish – plucking tea leaves in the company of local pickers.
After our experience in Nuwara Eliya, we then transfer to Kandy by private bus. This evening you will enjoy a riveting cultural show with some traditional dancing in Kandy.
Perched on a mountain ridge overlooking the lush green countryside, the city of Kandy offers many a photo opportunity. Kandy is the second largest city in the country and the capital of the central hill regions. It's a very peaceful place that's centred around a lake.
Today, we'll learn all about this former capital during a city tour. In the morning we'll explore the captivating Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa). Located in the heart of town, this is the most revered site in the country, housing a relic of a tooth of Buddha, taken from his funeral pyre.
Following this you may choose another Inspiring Sight, visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens. Our city tour will also include a walk through a local market, where we can taste a large number of endemic fruits while experiencing the city’s day to day life.
This evening you will get another chance to visit a local home to experience an interactive cooking class and delicious meal for our second Inspiring Taste. We’ll join a Sinhalese family who will spoil your sweet tooth with a traditional Sri Lankan dinner. Try your hand at crafting the perfect hopper (a savoury, bowl-shaped pancake made from rice flour, coconut milk and eggs) and try a chicken curry made with spice-infused coconut milk. We’ll then fill up on specialty sweets inspired by Dutch and Portuguese dessert traditions.
You’ll have the choice between 2 of 4 bonus sightseeing experiences to enhance your journey. You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. The Peradeniya Botanical Gardens are just west of the city and attract 2 million visitors annually. Located near the Mahaweli River, it is renowned for its stunning collection of orchids.
This morning is yours to spend at your leisure, or alternatively, enjoy a local market tour as one of our bonus Inspiring Sights to enhance your experience.
In the afternoon we will depart Kandy and head towards Sigiriya, our next destination. En route we will pay a special visit to the breathtaking Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Gold Temple of Dambulla, where we will explore this magnificent cave complex. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed monastery has been a pilgrimage site for 22 centuries and for good reason. Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, and features vast swathes of Buddhist mural paintings as well as 157 statues. After our tour here, we will continue on to Sigiriya.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Explore the Wholesale Market and dodge the trucks and people piled high with every type of produce imaginable. Boasting an incredible array of fresh food, much of which is subsequently transported to Colombo for sale, this is the perfect place to get a sense of Sri Lanka’s agricultural diversity.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. On this safari you will be able to witness large numbers of Sri Lankan elephants who are attracted to grass fields on the edges of the reservoir during the dry season. The elephant gathering will be a very unique experience.
Early this morning we will set off for the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya, or Lion Rock – one of the highlights of any visit to Sri Lanka. A dramatic rocky outcrop that rises from the surrounding plains like a mirage, the 200-metre tall rock column is topped by the ruins of a 5th-century citadel. Reaching the top of the rock requires a little leg work, but is well worth the effort. The stunning stone facade has been weathered over many centuries and the panoramic view from the top is awe-inspiring. On our climb we’ll explore the beautiful water garden, the boulder garden, the colourful frescoes and the so-called 'mirror wall'. Once we pass the lion's paws, hewn from solid rock, it’s a steep climb with plenty of steps and walkways. Those who don't wish to venture to the top can rest at the lion's paws until the rest of the group return.
In the afternoon we’ll visit the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa and the fascinating Archaeological Museum. The second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, the ruins of this city were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982, and used as a backdrop for some scenes for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package.
Experience the authentic rural life and interact with locals on this exciting guided walking tour.
This morning you'll have the choice to participate in another one of our bonus Inspiring Sights. Alternatively, you may spend the morning at your leisure. After our visit to this ancient city we’ll travel to Negombo, a city on the west coast of Sri Lanka. En route you’ll have the opportunity to visit a coconut plantation.
Upon arrival in Negombo, we'll spend the evening touring the city with our guide. Near the waterfront, we’ll visit the remains of the 17th-century Dutch Fort, which now houses a prison. Negombo Lagoon, lined with fishermen’s huts, feeds into the Dutch-era Hamilton Canal, which leads south to the capital, Colombo. Our tour will finish with a visit to a few local temples.
You may choose to include 2 optional Inspiring Sights throughout your tour, free as part of your package. Experience a tour in the sacred city of Anuradhapura, one of the main shrines of Buddhism in the country. Explore through intricate monuments and amazing architecture. While here you’ll witness the famous sacred fig tree, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.
Unfortunately today is our last day in this splendid country. After breakfast, take some time to relax before you need to check out of the hotel. From the hotel we will enjoy a lovely market tour to do some last minute shopping and enjoy the cheerful goings-on alongside the beach road. At the appropriate time, you will be transferred to the airport to board your flight back home. We hope you have enjoyed every minute spent in this beautiful and welcoming country.
Check out: Passengers will be departing at various times throughout the day. Standard hotel check-out times will apply no matter what time your flight is scheduled to depart. Check-out time is generally anywhere from 10am-12pm. You are welcome to leave your luggage at hotel reception and spend your final moments of free time exploring the area or alternatively please speak with hotel staff if you would like to extend your check-out time. Please note this service is subject to availability and will likely come at an additional cost. Your tour guide (or hotel staff) will confirm the time of your airport transfer with you directly.
Arrive home today.
Inspiring Stays
Inspiring Sights
To enhance your journey, we're offering guests 2 bonus sightseeing experiences out of a choice of 9 options (further details listed under 'Optional Tours').
Inspiring Tastes
Deposit & Payments
Booking Process
Airfare Information
Premium Economy or Business Class upgrades
Please specify this as a 'Special Request' when completing your booking and you will be quoted for the additional fare. In the event your selection is unavailable, or that you are dissatisfied with the quote, you will be provided with a full refund.
Land Only discount
A reduction of $900 per person applies if you wish to arrange your own airfares. To purchase a land-only fare, please select this option in the booking process under 'Departure City'.
Please note, if you are not arriving or departing as per the group itinerary, airport transfers are also no longer included. If you would like us to arrange this service for you, please refer to the ‘Extra services’ section for pricing.
Extending Your Stay
Some customers like to enhance their holiday by extending their stay pre- and/or post-tour or including a stopover in another destination. If you wish to do so, please follow these steps:
By choosing to extend your stay, please note that a supplement of $150 per person, plus applicable fare and tax differences will apply. We will contact you via email with a quote and proposed flight itinerary, and then proceed with collecting the additional payment required to confirm your request.
Maldives Extension
You may wish to extend your stay to the beautiful Maldives at the end of your journey.
Package includes:
Please note - There are no included activities, however this can booked directly through the resort
Cost - $2,969 per person Twin share ($4,729 single, $2,530 Triple)
Valid through to 31/10/2020
Please click HERE for itinerary. Please click HERE for information on the Adaaran Club Rannalhi Resort
If you wish to book the Maldives Extention package after your tour, please select this under 'Upgrade Options' before completing your booking. You will then be invoiced for this in your final payment.
The $150pp extension supplement does not apply if selecting this option.
You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour, adding a stopover package en-route or booking a tour extension. On this tour you can choose from the following options:
Airport chauffeur
Take the hassle out of getting to the airport with private chauffeur transfers to and from your home airport. Your personal chauffeur will meet and greet you, attend to your luggage and drive you to your destination in a luxury vehicle.
Additional surcharges may apply depending on pick-up time, tolls and government levies.
Airport Chauffeur can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add this service, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance.
Pre and post tour accommodation (deviating from group flights forfeits your group airport transfers)
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Your transfer may be shared with other Inspiring Vacations customers.
Please specify in the 'Special Request' field when making your purchase your preferred travel arrangements and if you would like our team to book additional nights' accommodation and/or airport transfers. The additional cost for these land arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.
Airport lounges
Escape busy airport terminals and relax at a cosy and catered lounge instead. Departure lounge access in Sydney $70 per person (up to 6 hours); Melbourne & Brisbane $55 per person (up to 3 hours).
Airport lounge passes can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add this service, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance.
To enhance your journey, we're offering 2 free Inspiring Sights out of the following options. Guests may also purchase any of the remaining Inspiring Sights (cost is per person):
The following tour is also optional, but is not part of the bonus Inspiring Sights:
Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online or speaking with your Dedicated Support Agent for assistance.
Optional Tour Bundle
As well as choosing 2 optional tours for free, if you're wanting to make the most of your time in Sir Lanka, why not purchase our value-for-money optional tour bundle? These optional tours have been hand-picked by our staff and based on our customers personal favourites:
$150 per person.
Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 65 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.
Fitness Requirements
While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.
As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.
This particular tour is categorised as a “3”:
3 – Moderate Tour: A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.
Tipping
A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. At the commencement of your tour you will be asked to provide tipping to your guide towards a ‘kitty’, which is then used towards the guide tipping for the services of helpers, hotel staff, restaurants and airport porterage. You will be asked for LKR7000 per person. Please note that this tipping is not for the guide or driver, merely for the guide to tip the services of other local workers during your tour. Tipping towards the kitty is compulsory. Your cooperation in this instance is most appreciated.
Further, tipping for your guide and driver will be collected at the conclusion of their services. To remove the uncertainty and stress of not knowing how much is appropriate to tip we recommend LKR1200 per person per day for your guide and LKR600 per person per day for your driver to be paid in local currency. The amount you wish to contribute is dependent on the services received and at the complete discretion of the guest. Thank you for your understanding.
Accommodation
The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences, however any changes are beyond our control.
Single Supplement
The single supplement is $1,199 on top of the twin-share price.
Triple Share
Available. If you wish to purchase triple-share please phone 1300 886 688. The third person will also be charged the twin-share price.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is required to protect yourself against the unexpected.
We have partnered with nib to offer our customers competitive rates for their travel insurance. You can book comprehensive or budget cover simply by clicking HERE to arrange your policy.
Visa & Passport information
It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of your return.
An e-visa is required for entry into Sri Lanka. The Department of Immigration and Emigration launched a system called "Electronic Travel Authorization - ETA" in order to grant prior approval for a visa online for foreign nationals who visit Sri Lanka. You can visit http://eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ to purchase your visa online. The cost is US$35 per person. We can assist you over the phone as best as possible, however cannot submit the application on your behalf.
Please note that these details are subject to change without notice. We recommend visiting https://smartraveller.gov.au for up to date information in terms of entry requirements.
Tour Documentation
Final documentation, including e-tickets and hotel details, will be provided approximately 30 days prior to travel.
Group Size
4-16 people.
Trip Style - Small Group
These tours are our proudest creations. They have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. You will travel with only a maximum of 20 other guests. Enjoy choice features such as hand-picked accommodation, a sampling of the region’s best culinary delights and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.
Children
Children must be 5 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are charged the same price as adults.
Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent inflight and is subject to change, depending on the flight schedule. Please refer to the day-by-day itinerary for the time spent in your destination(s).
Train Journey Information - Day 7
Please note that it is not possible to confirm the train ticket reservation as the Sri Lanka Railway Department has a manual system for reservations. Tickets can only be booked 30 days prior to departure. The first and second class carriages are basic but have air conditioning. The third class carriages are not air-conditioned, but on occasion this is the only option available. In the rare event that the train is fully booked we’ll conduct the journey by road.
Click HERE for more information on weather in Sri Lanka
Refundable deposit within 28 days of purchase:
For cancellations made within 28 days of paying the deposit on any tour, your deposit can be refunded in full or can be transferred to a new booking should you decide to change to another package or destination. Please note this change of mind guarantee does not apply for bookings made within 90 days of departure, after which time our standard 48 hour cooling off period applies. After this time, your booking becomes non-refundable.
All cancellation or change requests must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Refund times will vary and the timeframe of which will be advised at the time of cancellation. Any refund of deposit will be issued back to the original form of payment.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Transferrable second installment up until 90 days before scheduled departure:
Following the second installment payment and up until 90 days before your departure only, should you wish to postpone your travel or transfer to another package, we can provide you with a credit note of the current balance paid on your booking, to be used to rebook within 18 months of the credit being issued.
Any change request must be advised in writing to our Customer Service Team at support@inspiringvacations.
Any bookings made prior to 13 March 2020 must abide by the original payment term conditions.
Please refer to our full Terms and Conditions for more details
Please note that Yala National Park closes for a period between the months of September and October. The exact closure dates are made clear closer to the time. The closure is due to the prevailing dry weather prior to this time and taking into consideration the well-being of the wildlife in the reserve. For departure dates that fall over this period, as defined in the departure dates listed below, Yala National park will be replaced with a visit to Udawalawe National Park, while still being able to visit Block 4 or 5 of Yala National Park. Please refer to the itinerary.
Although smaller in size to Yala National Park, Udawalawe National Park is considered one of the world's best places to see wild elephants. Largely comprised of grasslands and bush forest, Udawalawe is also one of the best national parks in Sri Lanka for game spotting and being far less crowded than Yala, it makes for a more enjoyable experience for travellers and therefore, we believe is a more than suitable alternative for one safari day. You will still be able to visit Block 4 or 5 of Yala National Park, so you are able to experience both.
Wondering what to expect when you visit the iconic Yala National Park? Click HERE to learn more about Yala