Sri Lanka in 15 days - The Land of Spices
Offer with half board to travel to Sri Lanka with friends or as a couple-
3/4 * HOTELS with BREAKFAST and DINNER
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All visits and safaris on the tour are included
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4-person group reference rate: 1550 USD per person
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2-person group reference rate: 1775 USD per person
Sri Lanka in 15 days - The land of Spices
This 15-day itinerary concentrates everything: the most important monuments, incredible safaris, lush nature, easy walks, trekking, adventure, beach, relaxation ...
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In this journey we will live a series of positive experiences that will make both the route and the destination unforgettable.
In addition, taking advantage of the fact that “Sri Lanka is the land of spices”, we will also visit the house of a small farmer where vanilla, pepper and other spices are planted to see firsthand the life of this rural village.
We present this 15-day circuit so you can start dreaming about what your next vacation will be …
day 1. Airport - Kurunegala - Anuradhapura
(Approximate transfer duration: 3 hours and a half)
Welcoming at the airport by our representative and transfer to the accommodation in Anuradhapura.
Location strategically located to carry out the visits and activities of the next few days.
But first we will have a little stop in Kurunegala, the intermediate town between the airport and the next hotel to walk around the city lake and eat something.
day 2. Anuradhapura city and archeological sites - Mihintale - Anuradhapura
(Approximate transfer duration to Trincomalee: 2 hours)
We will start this exciting tour with a visit to one of the ancient capitals of the country: Anuradhapura (IV century BC - X AD).
In addition to ancient temples and stupas, we will see, how Sri Lankans visit and venerate this sacred sites, how they make their offerings to the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date (Bo tree) and much more!
Then we will visit Mihintale, the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. According to ancient chronicles, Buddhism entered Sri Lanka through Mihintale in 237 BC. At the top of this mountain we will find a stupa with incredible views.
day 3. Anuradhapura - Trincomalee - Koneswaram Temple - Est beach in Trincomalee or Nilaveli
(Approximate transfer duration to Mihintale : 2 hours)
The east coast beaches are very similar to the neighbouring Maldives islands.
The long and exotic coasts of fine white sand, coconut trees and the electric blue sea invite you to relax and rest.
So let's enjoy a couple of days of the serene sea breeze in Trincomalee and Nilaveli.
Visit the Hindu temple of Koneswaram in Trincomalee, dedicated to the god Shiva
day 4. Trincomalee / Nilaveli beach - Pigeon Island Marine Park
(Approximate transfer duration of Anura - Aukana : 1 hour and 15 min; Aukana - Sigiriya: 1 hour and 15 min)
In the morning we will visit Pigeon Island National Park.
To do this, we will make a small boat transfer to one of the two islands that make up the park.
On this beautiful island you can snorkel to observe turtles, colourful coral fish, seahorses and much more!
Rest of the day free to enjoy the beautiful beaches of this location.
day 5. Nilaveli - Polonnaruwa - optional: Ayurvedic massage - Sigiriya
(Trincomalee - Polonnaruwa : 2 hours; Polonnaruwa - Sigiriya: 1 hour)
Among the ruins of Polonnaruwa (10th - 13th century AD) We will find gigantic sculptures of Buddha and Kings up to 15 meters high, old ponds and remains of what was once the royal palace.
All this enlivened by friendly macaques playing in the jungle that has always surrounded the old temples of Sri Lanka.
Founded in the 10th century AD, Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka and remained active until the beginning of the 13th century.
OPTIONAL :
If you wish, after this visit, you could receive an Ayurvedic massage session, a practice that dates back to more than 2000 years ago based on the application of oils extracted from medicinal plants.
Rest of the day free.
day 6. Sigiriya - Sigiriya Rock - Safari: Minneriya National Park - Sigiriya
(Approximate transfers duration: 30 min)
We will claim to Sigiriya fortress
This huge magma rock hides the ruins of noble buildings and a breathtaking view on the top
We will pass through the Lions Gate and admire the state of conservation of the frescoes on the walls of the cave
In the afternoon mounted on a four wheel drive, we will participate to this amusing Safari,
famous for the large herds of elephants that inhabit it.
Sometimes you can admire up to 300 elephant specimens
day 7. Sigiriya - Dambulla Golden Temple - Spice Garden - Kandy
(Approximate transfer duration to Sigiriya - Kandy : 2 hours and a half)
In the morning we will visit the Golden Temple of Dambulla
This complex of caves converted into a temple where inside we will encounter a rich decoration of statues and frescoes on the life of Buddha, of ancient Sinhalese kings and of Hindu Sinhalese deities still revered today with flowers, incense and oil lamps ...
Then we will have the opportunity to get to know a Spice Garden on the way to Kandy.
On this visit we will get to know the plants and trees with which the different spices are produced and we will discover their use in cooking and in the ancient natural medicine of Ayurveda
Note Spice Garden :
This visit is optional and free, we will find an attached shop that no one is obliged to buy
Sri Lanka Eden Travels does not endorse purchases in this or any shop.
Transfer to Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988
day 8. Kandy - Tooth Relic Temple - visit to a vanilla garden - Kandy city tour
(no transfers by car)
In the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple we will find the relic of the Buddha's tooth.
For this reason we will always meet Buddhist pilgrims with flowers and offerings.
Since ancient times, this relic has played a very important role in the life of Sri Lanka, as it was believed that whoever possessed it wielded power.
As ancient Ceylon is famous for being the "land of spices", we take this opportunity to learn how aromatic vanilla is grown.
In fact, we will visit the house of a small farmer who plants vanilla in his garden, among other crops such as bananas, coconut, pepper, etc.
For the rest of the day, we will discover the city of Kandy with its bustling centre and its market.
day 9. Kandy - Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - Peradeniya Botanical Garden - Kandy
(Kandy - Pinnawela: 1 hour and 15 min - Pinnawela - Peradeniya: 1 hour; Peradeniya - Kandy: 20 min)
We will arrive at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage early in the morning.
This centre was created to house injured or orphaned puppies found in the jungle.
It is the largest captive elephant reserve in the world.
Kids and adults alike will enjoy seeing dozens of elephants walk the city streets and bathe in the river!
In the afternoon we will walk through the the Royal Gardens.
The Botanical Garden of Peradeniya (14th century) is considered one of the best visits to mythical Ceylon.
It is a huge park that runs along the Mahawelli River where we will admire the beauty of ancient trees, palm trees with strange shapes, Ayurvedic plants and the famous orchids collection.
day 10. Kandy - Ramboda waterfalls - Tea factory - Nuwara Eliya colonial tour
(Kandy - Nuwara Eliya: 2 hours)
On the way to Nuwara Eliya, mountain station (2,000m), we will observe extensive tea plantations and stop for a moment to see the Ramboda waterfalls.
Later we will stop at a tea factory.
If you want to know how the famous Ceylon tea is processed, be sure to visit this factory where they will explain how the delicate tea leaves are processed.
Then we'll take a tour around Lake Gregory and the city to see British-influenced buildings.
day 11. Nuwara Eliya - Horton Plains National Park - Nuwara Eliya
(Nuwara Eliya - Horton Plain: 1 hour and 15 min)
Departure from the Hotel 5:00 in the morning
Packed lunch near the precipice of the end of the world.
Much of the morning will be devoted to Horton Plains National Park. This natural park is a vast plain covered with grasslands.
Your visit consists of a walk along a path of approximately 9 km (approximately 4 hours of walking), where you can admire the famous precipice of "the end of the world", the noisy Baker Falls and the huge Sambar deer.
day 12. Nuwara Eliya - Train from Nanu Oya station to Ella - Excursion in Ella - Tissamaharama
(Duración tren: 3 hours; Ella - Tissa : 2 hours)
Travel by train from Nuwara Eliya Nanu Oya Station to Ella.
It is more than 3 hours of a winding walk in the mountains of the tea plantations.
The Sri Lankan railway network started operating in 1864 and the old trains from that time are still preserved and run perfectly.
The train is subject to availability
We will go up to Little Adam's Peak.
It is a simple 30 minute walk around the tea fields, to enjoy the immensity of the mountains in this part of the island.
day 13. Tissamaharama - Kataragama - Safari: Yala National Park - Tissamaharama
(Tissa - Kataragama: 30 min; Kataragama - Yala: 1 hour; Yala - Tissa: 30 min)
And if you feel like it, the last visit of the day can be Kataragama which is a collection of sacred pilgrimage temples for Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and even Veddha indigenous people.
This synchrony of different religions makes Kataragama a very special place.
Yala National Park has the highest concentration of leopards in the world, as they have no predators.
In addition, you will be able to observe many elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes, black bears and many other animals.
day 14. Tissamaharama - Galle - Unawatuna
(Tissa - Unawatuna: 2 hours)
Galle is the third most important city after Colombo and Kandy.
It was a Portuguese city in the 16th century and a Dutch city in the 18th century, the British also lived in the 19th and 20th centuries.
All these colonisers left an imprint, which is why it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Transfer to Unawatuna.
Free time in the coastal city of Unawatuna, where you can enjoy a more mundane life with the presence of various restaurants, cafes, hotels, shops, beach bars ...
day 15. Unawatuna - Colombo - Airport
(Unawatuna - Colombo: 2 hours, Colombo - Airport: 45 min)
- Transfer to Colombo to visit the Gangaramaya Temple.
This is one of the most important temples in the capital.
Located on the edge of Lake Beira, it was built by mixing different types of architecture from Sri Lanka, Thailand, China and India. - Then you can visit the Red Mosque (outside of prayer hours).
Also called Jami Ul-Alfar it is the most important mosque in Colombo, as well as one of its most recognisable buildings.
Built in 1909 by the neighbourhood's Muslim community, the Jami Ul-Alfar stands out for its unique color stripes and geometric tiles that look more North African than Sri Lankan. - In the afternoon it will be very interesting to visit the Galle Face, where we will delight in a walk by the sea where children and adults play with their kites.
Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport at the appointed time, where we will arrive 3 hours before our departure flight
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- Bed and Breakfast in the selected Hotels
- Private transport with guide/driver english speaking
- Welcoming at the Airport on arrival and escorting service in all Tour till departure
- All the tickets to entry monuments, temples and safari of the itinerary
- Customer support 24/7 for all the Tour duration
- Soft drinks and water, lunches and dinners
- Visits or activities not covered in the Tour
- The International flight
- Travel insurance and PCR
- Visa entry fees for Sri Lanka ETA
to obtain it follow the link and the steps described in our article in Travel Guide > Visa and Passport
Payment methods:
- Payment is 10% or 20% depending on the season (low or high), by bank transfer.
- The remaining 90% or 80% is always paid in cash or by credit card upon arrival in Sri Lanka or by bank transfer.
Cancellation policy:
Up to 30 days before the start of the trip, 100% of the deposit is refunded if a trip cancellation occurs,
withholding the amount of $100 per person for agency fees.Between 29 days and 15 days before the start of the trip there is a penalty of 50% of the deposit amount.
In case of cancellations in the 14 days preceding the trip, no deposit will be refunded.
Note on cancellations:
- All cancellations have an additional administrative cost of 100 USD per person.
- In case of cancellation due to COVID-19, cancellations will not suffer any penalty.
