Simply Sri Lanka - Journeys of Distinction Light

13-DAY SRI LANKA ENLIGHTENED TOUR

Sri Lanka’s rich cultural heritage and spectacular scenery will fascinate and captivate as you travel from bustling city to ancient relic to mountain valley.

So much is included in the price
• Return flights to and from the UK, with Sri Lankan Airlines including all UK taxes and first class travel on the train from Nanu Oya to Kandy
• Overland travel between major sites including the Old Dutch Fort and turtle hatchery of Galle, a jeep safari in Yala National Park, and Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
• Sightseeing as specified with transfers and entrance fees included
• Your local guide will meet you at the airport, accompany you throughout and give you a real insider’s view of the country
• Free time to explore independently
• 11 breakfasts, 2 dinners
• Quality hotels throughout

Extend your holiday
Once the travel bug bites you, it’s hard to return to normal life; but you can always put it off for a bit longer by booking an extension or stopover to give yourself a few more days’ holiday and a wealth of different experiences.

Negombo Beach Extension

Days 1 & 2 Negombo
Instead of flying home, you’ll stay in your Negombo beach hotel for another two nights. Spend your days lounging by the pool, on the beach and at the Ayurveda Spa, or explore the ancient trading port of Negombo itself.

Day 3 Negombo to Heathrow
Today you’ll make the short transfer to Colombo’s airport for your direct flight to Heathrow.
Meals: 2 breakfasts, in-flight
Hotel: 2 nights Goldi Sands
From £115 per person

Maldives Extension

Day 1 Colombo to Biyadhoo Island
After a short flight to Male, you’ll board a speed boat to your island resort.

Days 2, 3 & 4 Biyadhoo Island
Indulge at the spa, relax on the beach, snorkel at the reef; it’s up to you.

Day 5 Biyadhoo Island to Heathrow
A speed boat will return you to Male airport for your flight to Heathrow.
Meals: 4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 4 dinners, in-flight
Hotel: 4 nights Biyadhoo Island Resort
From £258 per person

Tour itinerary

Day 1 Depart Heathrow
Your overnight flight travels direct to Colombo.
Meals: In-flight

Day 2 Arrive Colombo
You’ll land this afternoon, and enjoy the rest of today at leisure in the capital.
Meals: In-flight
Hotel: Renuka

Day 3 Colombo to Galle
A drive through lush countryside takes you to Galle for a brief city tour, a visit to the Old Dutch Fort and a trip to the turtle hatchery.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Closenberg

Day 4 Galle to Kataragama
You have a free morning, with the option of a whale watching excursion. This afternoon, you’ll travel to Kataragama, the gateway to Yala National Park.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Priyankara

Day 5 Yala National Park
After a free morning, you’ll embark on a luxury jeep safari in Yala National Park to spot elephants, leopards, sloth bears, spotted deer and porcupines, as well as a variety of indigenous birds. This evening, join your fellow travellers for dinner
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Priyankara

Day 6 Kataragama to Nuwara Eliya
En route to Nuwara Eliya this morning, you’ll stop at Buduruwagala Temple which means ‘the rock of Buddhist sculptures’, where the carvings date from the 10th century. The nearby Hakgala Gardens lie at the foot of a mountain peak and include many exotic species.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Jetwing St Andrew’s

Day 7 Nuwara Eliya
You have a free day to explore this picturesque town. Alternatively, we’ve arranged an optional excursion to Horton Plains for a picnic breakfast overlooking the breathtaking sheer precipice of “World’s End”.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Jetwing St Andrew’s

Day 8 Nuwara Eliya to Kandy
From your first class observation carriage, you can gaze out at beautiful green hillsides, rushing waterfalls and tea plantations on your way to Kandy, set in a stunning mountain valley. This afternoon, you’ll be free to explore or we can arrange an optional short tour with traditional cultural show.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Hotel Topaz

Day 9 Kandy
After a free morning you’ll visit the Temple of the Tooth relic this afternoon; a 17th century temple which houses what is believed to be the tooth of the Lord Buddha.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Hotel Topaz

Day 10 Kandy to Dambulla
On the way to Dambulla, you’ll stop at the spice garden and the batik factory, then, this afternoon, you’ll visit the centuries old Dambulla Cave Temple and contains magnificent carvings.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Thilanka Resorts and Spa

Day 11 Dambulla
You have a full free day to explore today, or join in with an optional excursion. Choose from a trip to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a visit to Polonnaruwa, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, or a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park, home to Sri Lanka’s largest population of elephants.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Thilanka Resort and Spa

Day 12 Dambulla to Negombo
You’ll set off for Negombo this morning, visiting the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage on the way, which is home to over 65 elephants and has bred more than 25 babies. You’ll arrive at your beach resort later today and join your group for dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Hotel: Goldi Sands

Day 13 Arrive Heathrow
You’ll catch your return flight home from Colombo or continue with a beach extension, either at Goldi Sands on the Sri Lankan coast or in the Maldives.
Meals: Breakfast, In-flight