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Spot wildlife on safari, soak up some beach-side sun and sip the finest Sri Lankan tea

On this trip we’ve taken Sri Lanka, boiled it like the tea leaves the country is famous for and strained out the most delicious stuff. Wandering past barracuda at the Negombo Fish Market, searching for elephants in Yala, munching a spicy curry in Ella and getting horizontal on the beach in Unawatuna, this 11-day tour is a Sri Lanka snapshot.

This trip is for 18 to 29-year-olds

Some of our under-30 travellers prefer to get around with people their own age. If that’s you, you’re in the right place!

Over 29? We’ve got over 900 other great adventures to choose from for solo travellers, friends, families, food lovers, hiking enthusiasts, and more.

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Terms & Conditions
Start
Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finish
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Destination
Sri Lanka
Style
Basix
Theme
18 to 29s
Code
HPYL
Physical rating
Ages
Min 18, Max 29
Group size
Min 1, Max 16

Travel solo, together

You're never alone when travelling solo with Intrepid

Why you'll love this trip

  • Cruise around in a 4WD on a wildlife safari, searching for elephants and leopards, then relax lakeside at tranquil Tissa.

  • Get a taste for the vibrant culture in Sir Lanka with visits to the sensational Negombo Fish Market, the bustling markets of Colombo, and the tranquil Kandy Lake.

  • Learn the benefits of washing down a spicy curry with piping-hot Ceylon tea during lunch in a lush mountain village near Ella.

  • Leave the imprint of you face on the train window as you stare out wide-eyed from Kandy to Ella – it’s basically a 6-hour movie of amazing scenery.

  • Two nights on Unawatuna's golden, palm-lined beaches can cure almost all of life’s problems, including any residual tightness in your photo-taking finger.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This trip puts the power in your hands – there are few inclusions, so you’ll have plenty of freedom to decide what you want to do.

  • At 6 hours, the train ride from Kandy to Ella is the longest travel day. But the only reason you’ll want to get off this train is to charge your camera after what is basically a long, natural photoshoot.

  • The road from Ella to Tissa Lake takes a winding road down the mountains to the coast, which means it can get frustratingly slow. But don't worry it also means that you’ll get to see the awesome scenery from literally every angle.

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GISL-srilanka-unawatuna-travellers-accommodation-pool
GISL-srilanka-kandy-sigiriya-leader-group
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Itinerary
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Welcome to Negombo, Sri Lanka. Your adventure kicks off with a welcome meeting at 6 pm where you’ll meet your tour leader and fellow travellers. Although Colombo is the commercial capital and by far the largest city in Sri Lanka, it's still relatively small so you can explore a whole lot of it in no time at all. If you arrive early, you might like to stroll the seaside observing the local fishing craft and perhaps feasting on fresh seafood. Or, explore the beautiful surrounding countryside on a bicycle, which you can rent with help from the hotel reception. You won't be staying in the capital itself, but in a place by the beach. There are plenty of beach bars, pubs and restaurants available close by.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
If you can't arrange a flight that will have you arrive in time for today's welcome meeting, you may wish to arrive a day early so you're able to attend. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please have these on hand.

Head to the fish market in Negombo this morning. This can be quite an intense affair, but the variety of fish being presented by the locals is a great experience. From here, begin your journey by private vehicle to Kandy and visit a spice garden on the way, which should take around three hours in total (120 kilometres). On arrival to Kandy, there's an optional visit to the Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa), the most important shrine in the country. It's also worth attending a cultural show while in town - the Kandyan dance performances are awesome. The Royal Botanical Garden is just ten minutes away from your accommodation and there is access to the swimming pool of Kandyan Residencies (next door). Your evening is free to do as you wish.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Negombo - Fish market
  • Matale - Spice Garden visit
Optional Activities
  • Kandy - Private Cultural Dance Performance - USD4
  • Kandy - Botanical Gardens - USD7
  • Kandy - Temple of the Tooth - USD7
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Today is a free day to explore Kandy or perhaps organise a day trip to visit both Sigiriya Rock Fortress and the Dambulla Caves Temple. The World Heritage-listed temple has been a pilgrimage site for 22 centuries and for good reason, these interconnected caves offer ancient Buddhist cave art. At Sigiriya, also on the World Heritage list, you can scale the remains of an ancient fortress carved into the magnificent rock that juts from the low-lying plains. Chat to your leader and fellow travellers about organising and booking optional activities while in Kandy.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Kandy - Botanical Gardens - USD7
  • Kandy - Temple of the Tooth - USD7
  • Kandy - Private Cultural Dance Performance - USD4
  • Dambulla - Cave temples (entrance) - USD7
  • Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress (entrance) - USD30
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Transport costs for Dambulla and Sigiriya is dependent on group numbers and will be advised by your leader on the day of booking.

Feeling a little worse for wear? If you’re looking to relax you might want to book an Ayurvedic massage to relax those weary muscles. Or if you haven't had a chance to visit the Royal Botanical Garden yet, then why not take a stroll around it today. 
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Kandy - Botanical Gardens - USD7
  • Kandy - Cooking Class in a Sinhalese Home - USD8
  • Dambulla - Cave temples (entrance) - USD7
  • Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress (entrance) - USD30
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Transport costs for Dambulla and Sigiriya is dependent on group numbers and will be advised by your leader on the day of booking.

This morning, say goodbye to Kandy as you hop on a train for around 6 hours to Ella. It’s a kinda long trip, but you can buy all sorts of yum treats from the onboard sellers. On arrival to Ella, check in to your accommodation which is within walking distance of the station. Once you've dropped off your luggage, perhaps head out for a visit to a local tea factory. If this doesn't take your fancy, go for dinner in one of the many local restaurants and bars.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Kandy - Scenic train ride to Ella
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but on the rare occasion that we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.

Venture out on an included half day trek to Ella Gap this morning. We'll stop in a small mountain village for a spicy curry lunch and a pot of Ceylon tea. This is an awesome way of getting to know the area and a great opportunity to rub shoulders with the locals. The rest of the day is then free to do what you want.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Ella - Trek to Ella Gap
  • Ella - Nine Arch Bridge
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch

Head out of Ella in a private vehicle for around three hours to Tissamaharama. Once settled, you'll head out on a jeep safari where you'll come across the area's native wildlife such as elephants, leopards and aquatic birds. This is an amazing experience that you'll never forget.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Tourism in Sri Lanka is booming, resulting in a huge increase in visitors to Yala National Park. Overtourism and lack of sustainable management practices are of major concern to Intrepid, so in order to reduce our impact on wildlife and the environment we are trialling visits in a less-touristed section of the park known as Block 5 or Veheragala. If we determine that Block 5 is also too crowded to visit responsibly, we will change our itinerary to visit Udawalawe National Park. Udawalawe is home to wild elephants, wild buffalo, sambar deer and leopards.

From September through October when Yala National Park is closed annually for infrastructure development and rejuvenation we go on a jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park.

Journey west in a private vehicle for around three and a half hours to Unawatuna. This fantastic stretch of beach has plenty of local restaurants and bars to relax in. Before you arrive today, you'll take a walking tour of Galle with your locally based leader to guide the way. Then, later on, you'll have plenty of free time to explore Unawatuna and its surrounds.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Galle - Walking tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Life’s a beach, so spend the day on one. With a book and a cocktail and a bottle of sunscreen. Possibly head out early on an optional whale-watching tour or 'bikesplore' the lesser-known areas of the city. You'll be staying at a guest house on the beach tonight, so make use of the many beach restaurants and bars that line the shore.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Mirissa - Whale Watching (Nov to Mar) - USD55
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Transport costs for the whale watching activity today is dependent on group numbers and will be advised by your leader on the day of booking.

Leave Unawatuna behind and make the journey to Galle, where you'll jump on a train to Colombo (approximately 4 hours). On arrival in Sri Lanka's capital, head out on a city walk with your leader. On your way, visit local shops and do some sightseeing. If you're lucky enough to be in Colombo on a Saturday, visit Good Market, a local market full of stalls showcasing social enterprises and responsible businesses. Tonight is free, but your leader will suggest an optional group dinner for your final night together.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Colombo – Guided Market Visit
  • Galle - Local train ride to Colombo
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Special Information
Seating cannot be guaranteed on today’s local train and is subject to availability

Have string hoppers and a super-black coffee for breakfast, then pull your saddest face as our trip comes to an end.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
Want to tailor this itinerary?

Meals

10 breakfasts, 1 lunch

Transport

Public bus, Train, Private vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel (10 nights)

Included activities

  • Negombo - Fish market
  • Matale - Spice Garden visit
  • Kandy - Scenic train ride to Ella
  • Ella - Trek to Ella Gap
  • Ella - Nine Arch Bridge
  • Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
  • Galle - Walking tour
  • Colombo – Guided Market Visit
  • Galle - Local train ride to Colombo

Dates & availability

Trip departures are unavailable.

There are currently no scheduled departures on our Essential Sri Lanka trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. The Perahera Festival is a 10-day period of evening processions to honour the Sacred Tooth, which is enshrined at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth. Each night features thousands of perfomers, including dancers, drummers, and a parade of more than 50 decorated elephants. Due to Intrepid's stance on elephant cruelty we do not visit the Perahera Festival and cannot purchase tickets on your behalf.
3. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
4. Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but on the rare occasion that we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.
5. All visitors to Sri Lanka will need to pay mandatory local covid insurance of 12 USD with one month cover of 50,000 USD through visitsrilanka.gov.lk (check https://www.srilanka.travel/helloagain/ for more info)

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

View Essential Trip Information

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