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11-Day Culture, Wildlife & Sea Tour

Customisable Itinerary
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Trip Overview

Sri Lanka has a rich Buddhist heritage and the first known Buddhist writings were composed on this historic island. This itinerary gives you the best that this beautiful country can offer, including ancient cities, fields of tea, wildlife parks and beaches looking out onto the Indian Ocean.

This Sri Lanka wildlife tour will take you to Minneriya National Park, where you can see large herds of elephants quenching their thirst on the banks of the river - it is said to be the largest known meeting place of Asian elephants in the world!

You'll also visit Yala National Park which is the most-visited and second-largest in Sri Lanka. Here, you will be able to spot leopards, elephants and crocodiles. Moving on to the southern coast, you'll stop in Mirissa to do some whale and dolphin watching off the coast.

You'll end your adventure in the capital of Colombo - a must-see city in Sri Lanka. Here in this port city with a rich colonial heritage, you'll explore the old and new, with colonial buildings and old precincts mixed with new shopping centres and hotels.
Outdoors & Nature
Sightseeing
Culture & Arts

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Itinerary

Day 1

Welcome to Your Sri Lanka Wildlife Tour!

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Welcome to Your Sri Lanka Wildlife Tour!

After being picked up from the airport by your guide, you'll head to your first destination: Sigiriya, home of the famous Lion Rock. You'll have the afternoon to relax and unwind in your luxury hotel after checking in. In the evening, dinner will be a traditional Sri Lankan meal served in the hotel's main restaurant.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Oak Ray Elephant Lake3 star

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), Canada Friendship Rd, Katunayake, Sri Lanka to Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Dambulla

Day 2

Climb Pidurangala & Sigiriya Rock

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Climb Pidurangala & Sigiriya Rock

Today, you'll be up early to climb Pidurangala Rock, which has a natural feel to it, despite housing a temple. Following the climb at Pidurangala, you'll have a break for lunch before climbing the UNESCO-listed Sigiriya Lion Rock to see its frescoes and ruins. The palace on top of Sigiriya was built in the fifth century but the rocks provide evidence that people lived here over 5,000 years ago. After descending Sigiriya Rock, you'll head back to the hotel for dinner.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Oak Ray Elephant Lake3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Pidurangala RockOptional Activity

    Sigiriya Lion RockOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Oak Ray Elephant Lake to Sigiriya

    Private Driver from Sigiriya - The Lion Rock to Oak Ray Elephant Lake

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Dambulla

    Sigiriya

Day 3

Visit Polonnaruwa Ancient City

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Visit Polonnaruwa Ancient City

Today, you'll venture out on a journey towards the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Polonnaruwa Ancient City, Sri Lanka’s splendid medieval capital from the 11th century. After visiting one of the most aesthetically pleasing urinals you'll ever come across, you'll visit the great Parakrama Samudra, a shallow reservoir built in the 13th century. In the afternoon, you'll head out on a half-day jeep safari in Minneriya National Park where you'll see many Sri Lankan elephants.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Oak Ray Elephant Lake3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Ancient UrinalOptional Activity

    Parakrama Samudra

    Minneriya National Park SafariOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Oak Ray Elephant Lake to Polonnaruwa

    Private Driver from Parakrama Samudra to Minneriya

    Private Driver from Minneriya to Oak Ray Elephant Lake

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Dambulla

    North Central Province

Day 4

The Road to Kandy

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The Road to Kandy

Leaving Sigiriya behind, you'll head towards the city of Kandy. Before reaching Kandy you'll visit several sites of interest along the road there. The first stop will be at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Dambulla Cave Temple. Following on from here, you'll stop and take an educational tour around the Isiwara Ayurvedic Village introducing you to the wonderful world of spices and herbs here. Once you reach Kandy, you'll be able to enjoy your afternoon as you wish before dinner in the hotel.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Oak Ray Regency Hotel3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Dambulla Cave TempleOptional Activity

    Isiwara Ayurvedic VillageOptional Activity

    Sri Dalada MaligawaOptional Activity

    Free Time in KandyOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Oak Ray Elephant Lake to Kandy

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Dambulla

    Sabaragamuwa Province

    Kandy

Day 5

Explore Kandy

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Explore Kandy

Today you'll spend the day visiting the best sights in and around Kandy, beginning with the Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens, one of the best of its kind in the world. Here, you'll be able to wander around beautifully kept flowers and vegetation which are native to Sri Lanka. You'll also enjoy a complimentary lunch at the famous Aloy Restaurant, followed by a sightseeing tour of Kandy's main city sights, such as the Kandy Lake. Finish the day with a traditional Kandyan cultural dance show.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Oak Ray Regency Hotel3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Peradeniya Royal Botanic GardensOptional Activity

    Kandyan Cultural Dance ShowOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kandy

Day 6

'Little England' of Sri Lanka

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'Little England' of Sri Lanka

Today, you'll make your way from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, the beautiful colonial hill town reminiscent of the English countryside. En route, you'll stop at the beautiful Ramboda Falls viewpoint, followed by the Glen Loch Tea Factory to learn about this mass industry in Sri Lanka. Once you reach Nuwara Eliya, you'll visit Gregory Lake, built by a British Governor, enabling the expansion of the town in the late 1800s. Following this, you'll take a short tour of Nuwara Eliya town.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hotel Ashford3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Ramboda Falls

    Glenloch Tea FactoryOptional Activity

    Pidurutalagala

    Gregory Lake

    Nuwara Eliya

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Oak Ray Regency Hotel to Nuwara Eliya

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Kandy

    Central Province

    Nuwara Eliya

Day 7

Visit Yala National Park

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Visit Yala National Park

The day will start with an adventure south towards Yala National Park. After leaving Nuwara Eliya, you'll drive for a couple of hours before stopping at Ramboda Falls to see the water gushing down a concave rock. Another 2 hours of driving and you'll reach Yala National Park which is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. It also contains the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, as well as Asian elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted deer, and crocodiles.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Oak Ray Lake Tissa Resort3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Ravana Falls

    Yala National ParkOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Hotel Ashford to Tissamaharama

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Central Province

    Uva Province

    Southern Province

    Tissamaharama

Day 8

Onwards to Mirissa

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Onwards to Mirissa

Today you'll head towards Mirissa, your next stop on your Sri Lankan adventure. Leaving in the morning, you'll stop at the Hummanaya Blow Hole to witness this marvellous geological feature which is also said to be the second large blowhole in the world. Moving on you'll stop in Galle, to witness another phenomenon, the fisherman on stilts. You can observe this brilliant method of fishing before heading to Mirissa to check in to your hotel and have dinner.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Insight Resort3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Hummanaya Blow Hole

    Stilt Fishermen

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Oak Ray Lake Resort Tissa to Mirissa

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Tissamaharama

    Kudawella

    Galle

    Ahangama

Day 9

Whale and Dolphin Watching in Mirissa

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Whale and Dolphin Watching in Mirissa

A big draw to this part of Sri Lanka is one of the most exciting water activities you can do during your holiday: whale and dolphin watching. Today, you'll venture out on an half-day tour hoping to spot blue whales, bottlenose and spinner dolphins. Starting early is the best way to increase your chances of sighting whales. Spend the day on board looking out for those blowhole signs and marvelling at these magnificent creatures. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Insight Resort3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Whale and Dolphin Watching TourOptional Activity

    Mirissa BeachOptional Activity

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Ahangama

    Mirissa

Day 10

The Capital City of Sri Lanka

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The Capital City of Sri Lanka

Today, you'll travel to the rich colonial heritage port city of Colombo. On the way, you'll stop at a few sights before arriving in Colombo where you'll take a city tour. One stop will be to visit the sea turtle hatchery and learn about this conservation project, then you'll take a river cruise in the Madu River. Once you arrive in Colombo, you'll visit Independence Square, ODEL Shopping Mall, the Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, and Galle Face Green before retiring to the hotel for dinner.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Berjaya Hotel4 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Galle Dutch Fort

    Sea Turtle HatcheryOptional Activity

    Madu River Boat SafariOptional Activity

    Independence Square

    ODEL Shopping ComplexOptional Activity

    Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct

    Galle Face Green

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Insight Resort to Colombo

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Ahangama

    Galle

    Habaraduwa

    Southern Province

    Colombo

    Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

Day 11

Goodbye Sri Lanka!

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Goodbye Sri Lanka!

This is sadly the end of your Sri Lanka wildlife tour. Today, after a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, your guide and driver will transfer you to Bandaranaike International Airport, where they will bid you a safe and pleasant onward journey.

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Berjaya Hotel Colombo to Bandaranaike International Airport

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

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What’s included?

  • 10 nights accommodation
  • 12 activities
  • 9 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 10 dinners
  • Airport transfer
  • Ground transportation
  • Licensed English speaking guides

What’s not included?

  • Alcohol beverages
  • Domestic flights
  • Entrance fees
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
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