Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Makandura
You'll arrive and get transferred to The Notary's House in Makandura, a restored heritage property sitting right on the lake surrounded by coconut plantations. Spend the rest of the day settling in and relaxing after your journey.
Landmarks/POIs Makandura Lake - Day 2
Dambadeniya and Local Village
Take a guided tour of Dambadeniya, an ancient kingdom that doesn't get many visitors. Climb up to Vijayasundaramaya rock fortress, which is rarely crowded with tourists. Later, walk across the lake to check out the nearby village and visit the local Buddhist temple where you'll meet the priest for a blessing and spend time talking with locals about how they live.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Dambadeniya ancient kingdom
- Rock fortress climb and visit to Vijayasundaramaya
- Evening village walk and temple visit
- Buddhist priest blessing ceremony
Landmarks/POIs Dambadeniya Vijayasundaramaya - Day 3
Anuradhapura and Evening Pooja
Head to your hotel near Anuradhapura and then explore two major historical sites. Walk through Anuradhapura, the ancient Sinhalese capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the sacred Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Bo Tree and join an evening pooja ceremony with flowers, incense, and oil lamps. By evening, you'll have a candlelit dinner prepared in a traditional mud hut right in a rice paddy, which is something you won't forget.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (7-course dinner served in middle of rice paddy surrounded by candlelight and lanterns, lovingly prepared in traditional mud hut)
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Anuradhapura UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Visit to Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Bo Tree
- Evening pooja ceremony with flower, incense, and oil lamp offerings
- Dinner in rice paddy setting
Landmarks/POIs Anuradhapura Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi - Day 4
Farmers' Village and Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Start by visiting a traditional farmers' village where you'll learn about rural life and try actual farming techniques yourself. You'll travel by tuk-tuk, tractor, and on foot before having a home-cooked lunch with fresh produce from the fields. After lunch, climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a 5th-century fortress rising 180 metres. You'll see beautiful frescoes, the Mirror Wall, and the lion platform as you work up 1200 steps to the top. The climb gets strenuous in spots but it's not too difficult overall.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Home-cooked meal with produce from the paddock), Dinner
Included Activities
- Traditional farmers' village experience
- Agricultural technique participation
- Village exploration by tuk-tuk, tractor, and foot
- Home-cooked lunch with local produce
- Sigiriya Rock Fortress climb and exploration
- Viewing of ancient frescoes and summit complex
Landmarks/POIs Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Day 5
Polonnaruwa and Minneriya National Park Safari
Explore Polonnaruwa, the second ancient kingdom that ruled for over 150 years. Walk through Buddhist and Hindu temples, palaces, audience halls, and bathing ponds spread across 5000 acres. During lunch, you'll have authentic rice and curry at a local home with a cooking demonstration included. Later in the afternoon, go on safari at Minneriya National Park where you might see herds of up to 150 elephants, plus wild buffalo, deer, bears, and lots of birds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Authentic Sri Lankan rice and curry at local home with cookery demonstration), Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided exploration of Polonnaruwa ancient kingdom
- Visit to Buddhist and Hindu temples, palaces, and historical sites
- Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch at local home
- Cookery demonstration participation
- Afternoon safari in Minneriya National Park
Landmarks/POIs Polonnaruwa Minneriya National Park - Day 6
Dambulla Cave Temple and Vedda Community Experience
Climb 365 fairly easy steps up Dambuthulla Cave Temple, an isolated rock mass that goes back to 1 B.C. Inside the caves where King Walagamba once sheltered, you'll see a 47-foot recumbent Buddha and various deities carved into the rock. From there, head to Gal Oya Lodge eco-lodge and then set off with the Chief of the Vedda community, Sri Lanka's indigenous forest people. You'll learn about their ancient hunting grounds, medicinal plants, and their unique way of life.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Dambulla Cave Temple
- Climb 365 steps to cave temples
- Viewing of 47-foot recumbent Buddha image and Buddhist deities
- Discovery walk with Vedda community Chief
- Learning about Vedda culture, hunting grounds, and medicinal plants
Landmarks/POIs Dambulla Cave Temple Gal Oya - Day 7
Gal Oya Water-Based and Jungle Safari
Start with Sri Lanka's only water-based safari by boat through Gal Oya Dam, which takes 2 to 3 hours. You might spot elephants swimming between islands or bathing along the lake edge. You'll also see the tree cemetery filled with cormorants and local fishermen. After a 40-minute drive, go on a 2.5-hour jeep safari through the Nilgala section of the park to find herds of elephants, four different deer species, and plenty of birds. There's also a guided hike option to the Makara river mouth if you prefer jungle trekking instead.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Water-based safari by boat (2-3 hours)
- Gal Oya Dam tree cemetery and village exploration
- Jeep safari in Nilgala section (2.5 hours)
Optional Activities
- Guided hike to Makara river mouth with expert naturalist
Landmarks/POIs Gal Oya National Park Gal Oya Dam Nilgala Makara river mouth - Day 8
Nine Arch Bridge and Living Heritage Koslanda
Travel to Ella in the high country, about 165km and 4.5 hours away. Stop at the Nine Arch Bridge, known as the 'Bridge in the Sky' and a great example of colonial railway construction. Check into Living Heritage Koslanda, a luxury resort with simple villas and a nice pool. Take a guided jungle tour to a waterfall surrounded by squirrels, monkeys, jackfruit trees, and exotic birds, with a Forest Ambalamba spot where you can relax by a natural plunge pool.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Nine Arch Bridge
- Guided jungle tour to waterfall
- Forest Ambalamba relaxation and natural plunge pool swimming
Landmarks/POIs Nine Arch Bridge - Day 9
Lipton's Seat and Tea Estate Experience
Trek to Lipton's Seat at over 1900 metres where you'll get views across tea estates and southern Sri Lanka. On clear days you can see all the way to the southern coast and national parks at Yala and Udawalawe. Visit Dambethenna Tea Factory to see how tea gets made. Walk through Sherwood tea estate to meet workers, and then have a vegetarian lunch with Tamil cuisine like dosas and vadeis, prepared by locals from the Tamil community who brought their culinary traditions from Southern India during colonial times.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious vegetarian lunch featuring Tamil cuisine including dosas and vadeis, prepared by Tamil community estate workers)
Included Activities
- Short trek to Lipton's Seat
- Dambethenna Tea Factory tour and tea production viewing
- Walk through Sherwood tea estate
- Visit to estate worker's home
- Vegetarian lunch with Tamil cuisine preparation observation
Landmarks/POIs Lipton's Seat Dambethenna Tea Estate Sherwood tea estate - Day 10
Galle Fort Arrival
Transfer to Galle, about 5 hours away. Check into your hotel, an 18th-century mansion restored into an elegant small private hotel right next to the 16th-century Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The evening is yours to explore the city and historic fort at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Evening exploration of Galle city and UNESCO World Heritage Galle Fort
Landmarks/POIs Galle Fort - Day 11
Galle Leisure Day
The day is completely yours to explore Galle however you like. You can check out nearby beaches, walk the historic streets, visit local markets, or see other coastal attractions. It's your time to do what interests you most.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Exploration of Galle city
- Visit to nearby beaches
Landmarks/POIs Galle Fort - Day 12
Colombo and Culinary Experience
Transfer from Galle to Colombo, 130km away and about 2.5 to 3 hours of travel. Check into your centrally-located hotel near restaurants and attractions. Tonight you'll have a 7-course tasting menu at the hotel restaurant showcasing Sri Lankan favorites. Each course comes with an explanation of its origins and history, showing how ingredients central to Sri Lankan cooking arrived during the colonial period.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (7-course tasting menu showcasing Sri Lanka's favourite dishes with educational content about origins and colonial culinary history)
Included Activities
- 7-course tasting menu dinner showcasing Sri Lankan cuisine
- Educational discussion of dish origins and colonial culinary history
- Day 13
Negombo and Departure
Take a walking tour of historic Negombo, a former Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial port that was the main cinnamon export harbor. Walk through markets and churches, explore the busy fishing harbour, and see Negombo Lagoon with its many birds. Watch traditional outrigger canoes fishing for shrimp and lobster the way they've done for generations. After that, head to the airport for your evening flight.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Walking tour of historic Negombo
- Exploration of markets and churches
- Visit to fishing harbour
- Negombo Lagoon birdlife viewing
- Observation of traditional outrigger canoe fishing
Landmarks/POIs Negombo Lagoon Negombo
