Colombo, Caves & Kandy - 8 days
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Overview
Highlights
- Colombo – Enjoy a guided tour of the city including the Old Fort area and impressive Gangaramaya Temple
- Polonnaruwa - Explore the remarkable ruins of the ancient capital city of Ceylon
- Sigiriya - Climb to the top of the iconic 5th century Lion Rock fortress and see the Heavenly Maidens
- Dambulla - Discover over 150 images of Buddha in the incredible complex of caves at Dambulla Rock Temple
- Kayanwala Village - Canoe to the village and help cook a delicious traditional lunch with a Sri Lankan family
- Matale - Learn all about Sri Lanka's herbs and spices at the spice gardens in Matale
- Kandy - Take in the highlights of Kandy including the famous Temple of the Tooth, enjoy a tuk tuk ride and watch a cultural performance
- Giragama Tea Factory - Take a tour of a working tea factory with a long history
- Take a scenic train ride passing waterfalls and tea plantations en route from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and drive though Nuwara Eliya's 'Little England'
- Udawalawe National Park - Go in search of wildlife on a game drive in Udawalawe, home to the nation's largest herd of Asian Elephants
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Trip includes
- Breakfast daily and 1 lunch
- 7 nights 4-5 star hotels and heritage properties
- Guided sightseeing - Dambulla, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Nuwara Eliya, Udawalawe and Colombo
- Scenic train trip from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, canoe ride and tuk tuk trips
- Jeep safari/game drive in Udawalawe National Park
- Escorted by an English-speaking national guide for groups of 6 or more (professional chauffeur guide for groups of 5 or fewer)
- Airport arrival and departure transfer on days 1 and 8
- All relevant transfers and transportation in private air-conditioned tourism vehicles
Itinerary
Saturday. Welcome to Sri Lanka! Airport arrival transfer and remainder of the day at leisure. Our start hotel located on the seafront is a short walk from Galle Road and many of the city highlights. Choose to head out and explore, take a dip in the pool or enjoy a cocktail whilst you watch the perfect sunset over the Laccodive Sea.
Colombo - Dambulla - Polonnaruwa - Dambulla. Bidding farewell to Colombo this morning we drive inland to Dambulla, stopping en route at a fruit and vegetable market in Naramwela Town. Dambulla Rock Temple is an incredible ancient complex of caves which date back to th...
Dambulla - Sigiriya - Kandy. This morning we explore Sigiriya and the famous ‘Lion Rock’ fortress. Built over 1500 years ago, this beautiful citadel stands 200 meters high in the middle of verdant jungle and was an important stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town...
This morning we take a sightseeing tour of Kandy - the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. Our first stop will be the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Legend has it that one of Buddha's teeth was taken from him as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was then smuggled into Sri ...
Kandy - Nuwara Eliya. This morning offers free time before transferring to the railway station for our scenic train trip. Passing kilometre upon kilometre of verdant tea plantations that hug the winding mountain passes, we'll see waterfalls, suspension bridges and tea...
Nuwara Eliya - Udawalawe National Park. Today we head south to Embilipitiya, our base for exploring Udawalawe National Park. This national park is probably one of the best places to spot the famous Sri Lankan Elephant, the biggest of all the Asian Elephants. It is tho...
Udawalawe National Park - Colombo. This morning we visit the Gem Mine and Museum at Ratnapura. Sri Lanka is famous for its gem industry and is home to 40 out of the 85 types of gems in the world. Arrival Colombo and commence a city tour, seeing the Fort area in th...
Saturday. Today offers free time for you to independently explore the city, before your included departure transfer to the airport.
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Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with On The Go Tours.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
On The Go Tours Reviews & Ratings
We loved this tour
We felt like it gave a good mix of different things to see in Sri Lanka. Our tour guide Akhtar was amazing. He was incredibly knowledgeable and was constantly sharin...
Monroe was a fantastic guide, giving us plenty of options and information about the history of places
The hotels were all of a higher quality than I expected, which wa...
I cant say enough about this tour! travelled with a great bunch of travellers from Australia, South Africa and England
Akhtar was an amazing guide he had a wealth of knowledge and a love for his country. Even though I was only in Sri Lanka for a week I feel like I have a wealth of kn...
An absolute fantastic tour, amazing guide with tremendous knowledge
The tour was very well structured, really showing Sri Lanka as it is, with the home-stay meal a major highlight. The only slight concern was the quality in Nuwara El...
Our guide, Akhtar, was amazing, so knowledgeable and passionate about his country
Nothing was an issue for him and he found solutions to any problems. A true gentleman. The tour was fantastic but felt a little too rushed at times - perhaps an ext...
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Tour Operator
Escaping a cold London winter back in 1998, we followed the sun for a colourful adventure around the world. Discovering amazing history, interesting cultures and the jaw-dropping beauty of our planet, the friends we made along the way made our journey all the more special. Inspired to share our experiences, the seeds were sown and On The Go Tours was born.
Over the years we’ve grown into a small yet global company, with a purposeful local ethos. True to our own travels, authenticity is core to our holidays. We’d love you to experience a country the way it really is, with people who live there and know it inside out. We know this makes the difference between a great holiday and a truly memorable one. Our carefully sought out English-speaking local guides are passionate about sharing their country with you and we believe that they are amongst the best in the business.
We know too that adventure feels better with a chilled beer poolside or a soft pillow at the end of each day and we search out comfortable hotels and boutique properties for your stay. As we love to say - travel with us and adventure in style!
Unbeatable value: Combining authentic local experiences with an excellent range of 3-5 star hotels & boutique properties, our tours represent unbeatable value. Add in airport transfers, passionate tour guides and all transportation and you do get the best of adventure travel and creature comforts too.
Great group size: With an average of 15 and a maximum of 24, our group size really works well on tour, so you’re bound to meet like-minded travellers and make lasting friendships. Our festival tours do have larger group sizes due to their ‘one-off’ nature.
100% Guaranteed: Not only are all our group tour departures 100% guaranteed, we are also fully financially bonded, so you can book our tours with absolute confidence. We’re proud to say that we recently won 2 prestigious British Travel Awards and were runner up for another 3, testament to the quality of our holidays.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International flights and visa
- Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$3-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture
- Entrance Fees: USD$120-$140pp, paid in USD
Accommodation
Over 15 if accompanied by an adult
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