Sri Lanka Explorer

12 Days | Explore ruins, relax on stunning beaches, and discover secrets and hidden beauty of Sri Lanka

4.9 out of 5 based on 38 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
NZD $2,862
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Drive along the road in Sri Lanka and you can pass Hindu temples, Buddhist shrines, churches and mosques all on the same stretch. This fusion – found in the history, the culture, the Arabian, Indian and European-inspired food – makes Sri Lanka a delicious melting pot to explore. From laid-back Negombo venture through ancient Anuradhapura to the lesser explored north, the secrets and hidden places of Jaffna, and on to the beautiful coastline of Trincomalee. Discover the spiritual heart of the country in the temples of Kandy, and enjoy the natural world too, in a country that overflows with plants and wildlife. Spend time with locals keen to share their homes, food, and stories on an adventure that will leave you with many of your own to tell.

Trip overview

Map of Sri Lanka Explorer including Sri Lanka
Start
Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finish
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Sri Lanka
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Original
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
HPSS
This trip generates 35 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Considered to be off-limits for years due to the civil war, the gates to culture filled Jaffna are open to adventurers once more. Discover Tamil culture in this colourful city.
  • Open skies, swaying palm trees and glittering waters – Trincomalee beach is a postcard-perfect landscape for relaxation. Kick back in the sun on this bright and sandy shoreline. Stop by a local village to join the community in making a traditional Tamil meal.
  • Witness ritual and devotion in the spiritual heart of the country during a visit to Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth 
  • Observe wild elephants from basic 'tree houses' and hopefully catch an outstanding sunset in Wasgamuwa National Park, one of the most biodiverse protected areas in Sri Lanka.

Is this trip right for you?
  • Jaffna has opened up to tourism after being off-limits to visitors for the past 30 years, meaning it is quieter, less developed and services and accommodation are not yet quite up to the same standard as the rest of the country.
  • Though its equatorial position means fairly constant year-round temperatures, the summer months in Sri Lanka are very hot with short, sharp monsoons in the south-west of the country. Be sure to use adequate sun protection and drink plenty of water.

Itinerary

Map of Sri Lanka Explorer including Sri Lanka

Inclusions

Meals

10 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Transport

Private vehicle, Train

Accommodation

Hotel (11 nights)

Activities
  • Anuradhapura - Bodhi Tree Temple
  • Anuradhapura - World Heritage Site of ancient kingdom ruins
  • Anuradhapura - Bike tour
  • Jaffna - Jaffna Peninsula tour
  • Jaffna - Nagadeepa Temple
  • Jaffna - Cooking class & family visit
  • Jaffna - Jaffna Library
  • Trincomalee - Palmyrah Toddy and Food experience
  • Dambulla - Cave Temples
  • Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
  • Minneriya National Park - Entrance Fee
  • Kandy - Spice garden visit
  • Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance
  • Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
  • Kandy - Tea factory visit
  • Colombo - City Tour

Dates and availability

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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.

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.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 based on 38 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

Filter by rating

Karen · Traveled February 2024
Anuradhapura, Jaffna & Trinco have plentiful rich cultural sites - with fewer tourist crowds - and adventures by train, bus, bike & boat means you see a lot of local life along the way which we enjoyed with Cham, our lovely well-organised tour leader. The pace of the tour is fine with the right amount of time in each place. We really enjoyed it!
Review submitted 27 Feb 2024

Carolin · Traveled January 2024
Can highly recommend this amazing trip. We saw and experienced Sri Lanka and its beauties to the fullest on this trip. Also our tour guide Matisha was awesome: very knowledgeable, super positive and really wanted us to get to know this beautiful country, food and culture. Sanjay, his assistant was always taking good care of us. Enjoyed the whole trip to the fullest.
Review submitted 10 Feb 2024

Michael · Traveled January 2024
I had a fantastic time and experience much more than I was expecting. The trip was a great introduction to beautiful Sri Lanka! Highly recommended and good value
Review submitted 02 Feb 2024

Susana · Traveled January 2024
Our guide for Sri Lanka was named Mahendra and he was excellent. His knowledge was very thorough and he had a very friendly tone calling us “ his dear friends” which we all loved. His co workers were also amazing, Ugali was so careful in navigating the coach and Thataga was also very diligent in looking after our needs such as filling our water, passing around different things for us to look at and taste such as rice stalks, red bananas and other delicacies. The team made us all feel like a family and we had lots of fun banter, little jokes when someone was late to get to the bus… we clapped them on in fun. The activities were all so varied and we learnt a lot about the customs, history and culture. The food was wonderful… lots of buffets to try different curries and seeing the dance with costumes was a highlight. My favourite part was the Elephant Safari as the elephants were so close to our jeep. There are no complaints as it all went well. I would really recommend the Sri Lankan Explorer as a trip. 11 out of 10 !!!
Review submitted 23 Jan 2024

Sumitren · Traveled January 2024
Really amazing trip that showcases the wonders of Sri Lanka. Best holiday I have had. The guide team could not have done more for us. Thank you!
Review submitted 17 Jan 2024
Sri Lanka Explorer
From
NZD $2,862