15 Day Ultimate Sri Lanka

• Return international airfares with a full-service airline
• Return airport transfers
• 13 nights 5 star accommodation throughout
• Including 2 nights at the incredible Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya
• Ride the train from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy (subject to availability)
• 13 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 12 dinners including a cooking demonstration
• The services of a professional fully escorted English speaking guide
• In depth sightseeing including all entry fees as per the itinerary
• Dedicated private transportation throughout Sri Lanka
• 24/7 customer service and your own Dedicated Support Agent

• Colombo – Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka
• Balapitiya – Take a river cruise on the Madu River
• Galle – Tour the iconic Galle Fort and the old stone fortifications that surround this historic coastal town
• Yala National Park – Embark on guided game drives to discover the dynamic wildlife in this epic national park
• Nuwara Eliya – Embark on a famous scenic train ride through Sri Lanka's tea country
• Nuwara Eliya – Learn about the process behind the region’s renowned tea at a tea plantation and factory
• Kandy – Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, a famous Buddhist site within the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy
• Kandy – Enjoy a traditional cultural performance
• Minneriya National Park – Enjoy a thrilling game drive in this paradise for nature lovers, one of the best places to see elephants
• Sigiriya – Climb the magnificent rock fortress of Sigiriya, also known as Lion Rock
• Sigiriya – Visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Chilaw – Take time to unwind in the relaxing coastal town of Chilaw

Inspiring Tastes

• Visit probably the most talked of outlet in Nuwara Eliya, the Grand Tea Lounge. Here we enjoy an iconic High Tea at the Grand Hotel.
• Participate in a local arrack tasting session, sampling six different types of the country's national drink.

Inspiring Sights

To enhance your journey, we're offering guests 2 bonus sightseeing experiences out of a choice of 3 options (options listed under 'Optional Tours').

1. Local Village Visit in Sigiriya 
2. Afternoon visit the Chilaw Town
3. Anavilundawa Wetland

Inspiring Stay

• Enjoy 2 nights at the incredible Grand Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

Airfare Information

• Full-service airline used will be Singapore Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, or Emirates or similar
• Flights are not direct and include a maximum of two connections
• If you would like to travel with a preferred airline, please ensure you mention this in the special request field. Please note that appropriate fare and tax difference will be applicable in order to confirm your request.
• All tickets will include 20 kilos checked baggage per person, along with 7 kilos of hand luggage.
• Despite the airlines baggage allowance, we recommend travelling with 20 kilos per person due to restrictions with internal flights (where applicable), as well as coach and train transportation. Also, you will be responsible for handling your luggage at all times as the services of porters is not included. If travelling over this amount, you will be liable for any excess baggage fees enforced by the airline, payable direct.
• Once ticketed, flights are non-refundable. Any changes will be subject to the airline rules & change fees.
• Full names as per passport (including all middle names) are required.
• Any airline schedule changes or cancellations are beyond our control.

Premium Economy or Business Class upgrades

• Premium Economy available from an additional $2,000 per person in addition to the standard price (subject to availability).
• Business Class available from an additional $4,500 per person in addition to the standard price (subject to availability).

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 $800 per person applies if you wish to arrange your own airfares and transfers. 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:

1. Once you have logged in to your account, click on ‘Book Now’ and complete the required fields until you reach the 'Special Requests' free text field.
2. Here, please specify your preferred flight arrangements and/or preferred airline. Be sure to mention if you would like us to also quote additional nights' accommodation, with the number of nights needed.
3. After finalising your purchase by processing your deposit payment, please proceed to submit your booking form with all traveller details. Your booking will then be assigned to your Dedicated Support Agent who will be in contact with you via email to verify your request.

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.

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
Single supplement is $1,417 per person in addition to 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 return.

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
Minimum: 2
Maximum: 16

Trip Style - Small Group Tour
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 the same price as adults.

Tour Length
The total length of the tour in days includes time spent in flight and is subject to change depending on the flight schedule, please refer to the day by day itinerary for the time spent on land.

Train Journey (Day 7)
Please note that it is not possible to confirm the train ticket reservation due to the fact that Sri Lanka Railway has a manual system for reservations. Tickets can only be booked 30 days prior to departure. The 1st and 2nd class is basic but has air-conditioning. The non-airconditioned 3rd class sometimes is the only option based availability. On the rare occasion the train is fully booked we’ll conduct the route by road.

To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):

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.

Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 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.

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:

Pre and post-tour accommodation (deviating from group flights forfeits your group airport transfers)

• Pre-tour accommodation (Colombo): $334 per room per night for double/twin/single including breakfast and transfer
• Post-tour accommodation (Chilaw): $250 per room per night for double/twin/single including breakfast and transfer

Arrival and departure airport transfers (deviating from group flights forfeits your group airport transfers)

• Arrival Transfer (Colombo): $58 per vehicle
• Departure Transfer (Chilaw): $75 per vehicle

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.

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.

• Within 30km of airport: $139 per vehicle (max 2 guests)
• Outside 30km of airport: You may add this option to your booking and the final price will be adjusted based on the transfer distance.

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.

• Visas
• Travel insurance (recommended)
• Tipping
• Anything not mentioned in the itinerary
• Optional activities (except Inspiring Sights)
• Personal expenses

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