Sri Lanka Waves & Wilderness – 8 Days

Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Arrival in Colombo to Negombo

   You'll touch down at Colombo International Airport where the tour team is waiting to greet you. After a 45-minute drive, you'll arrive at your hotel in Negombo on the coast. Spend the afternoon however you like - relax by the pool, wander through the tropical gardens, or just settle in after your flight and get some rest.

   Start point

   Colombo, Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka Waves & Wilderness – 8 Days)

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Airport welcome and assistance
   • Transfer to Negombo hotel

   

2. Day 2

   Negombo to Kalpitiya

   Following breakfast, head north toward Kalpitiya on the northwestern coast. On the way there, you'll stop at Anawilundawa Wetland Sanctuary to look for birds and learn how the local ecosystem works. After that, continue to Kalpitiya Beach where you can kick back on the sand and take in the calm atmosphere. The water here is clear and the area's good for dolphin watching or kite surfing if you're interested.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Visit Anawilundawa Wetland Sanctuary
   • Transfer to Kalpitiya
   • Beach relaxation at Kalpitiya

   Optional Activities

   • Dolphin watching excursion
   • Kite surfing

   Landmarks/POIs
   Anawilundawa Wetland Sanctuary
   Kalpitiya Beach

3. Day 3

   Kalpitiya

   Start your morning with a boat ride to catch spinner dolphins in action, and if you're lucky, you might see sperm whales or blue whales too. Later on, check out Kalpitiya Fort from the 1600s, which used to be important for the cinnamon trade. Nearby sits St. Peter's Kerk, a Dutch Reformed Church built in 1706 and one of Sri Lanka's oldest Protestant churches. By afternoon, head back to the beach to unwind and relax.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Dolphin and whale watching boat excursion
   • Visit Kalpitiya Fort
   • Visit Dutch Reformed Church (St. Peter's Kerk)

   Optional Activities

   • Kite surfing

   Landmarks/POIs
   Kalpitiya Fort
   Dutch Reformed Church (St. Peter's Kerk)

4. Day 4

   Kalpitiya

   Take a slower pace today at Kalpitiya Beach. After breakfast, you'll have time to sunbathe, take quiet walks along the water's edge, or go for a swim in the gentle waves. It's one of those days where there's no itinerary pressure - just the chance to soak in the coastal setting and do whatever feels right.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Beach relaxation at Kalpitiya

   Landmarks/POIs
   Kalpitiya Beach

5. Day 5

   Kalpitiya to Sigiriya via Wilpattu National Park

   After breakfast, drive about 2 hours to Wilpattu National Park for a full-day wildlife safari through dry zone jungle. Watch for Sri Lankan elephants, leopards, sloth bears, and different deer species roaming around. The wetland areas here draw painted storks, spoonbills, and garganey ducks. You'll take a break during the day, then transfer to your hotel in the Habarana area near Sigiriya in the evening so you're ready for the next day.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Wilpattu National Park game drive
   • Wildlife exploration in the park

   Landmarks/POIs
   Wilpattu National Park

   

6. Day 6

   Sigiriya

   Early on, tackle the climb up Sigiriya Rock, a 5th-century fortress sitting 200 meters up on a massive rock column that King Kashyapa built long ago. From the top, you can see across the landscape and over to Pidurangala Rock. Then visit a rural village nearby to get a feel for authentic Sri Lankan country life, trying things like bull cart rides and river safaris through farmland. Later, climb Pidurangala Rock for wide views and step into its ancient cave temple where Buddhist, Hindu, and Western art all mix together.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Climb Sigiriya Rock
   • Experience Sri Lankan village life
   • Bull cart riding and river safari
   • Paddy field activities

   Landmarks/POIs
   Sigiriya Rock Fortress
   Pidurangala Rock

   

7. Day 7

   Sigiriya to Negombo via Dambulla

   Head toward Negombo after breakfast and make a cultural stop at Dambulla, where the Golden Temple and Cave Temple complex sits as a UNESCO site. Walk up stone steps into five cave sanctuaries holding more than 150 Buddha statues and thousands of square meters of Buddhist paintings from as far back as the 1st century BC. You'll learn about the old techniques and skill that went into creating it all. Then continue to Negombo, check in at a beachfront hotel, and do a quick city tour hitting the Dutch Canal, the fish market, and St. Mary's Church.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Visit Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple)
   • Explore spice garden en route
   • Negombo city tour including Dutch Canal, fish market, St. Mary's Church
   • Beach relaxation in Negombo

   Landmarks/POIs
   Dambulla Cave Temple (Golden Temple of Dambulla)
   Dutch Canal
   St. Mary's Church

8. Day 8

   Negombo to Colombo (Departure)

   Eat breakfast at the hotel, then head to Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, roughly 1 hour away depending on traffic and your flight time. As you drive, you'll have time to think back on the past week of ancient temples, beaches, jungle wildlife, and the friendliness you've encountered throughout Sri Lanka.

   Meals

   Breakfast

   Included Activities

   • Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport