Itinerary

Day 01: Airport – Negombo

Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by our friendly English-speaking Chauffeur Guide and transferred to a delightful beachfront hotel in Negombo.

Negombo is a lively town on the west coast, located in proximity to the Bandaranaike International Airport. It is a buoyant city dotted with many cheerful hotels and guest houses, pubs, bars, restaurants, colourful shopping precincts and markets, sultry wetlands teeming with flora and fauna, and a smattering of remnants from the colonial past.

Relax, unwind, and acclimatize considering that you just arrived in the island. Retire for an early night after dinner.

Day 02: Negombo

Full day at leisure, free to explore vivacious Negombo.

Although very much a modern tourist location, Negombo’s tell-a-tale topography is a subtle reminder of its colonial past. This colourful beach town was a valuable source of cinnamon for the Dutch, who characteristically built the Hamilton Canal stretching a total distance of 120 km – southward up to Colombo and northward up to Puttalam, during their occupation. The remnants of the colonial era Negombo Fort with ‘1678’ inscribed on its gate, is still visible today.

If you head out to the lagoon in the morning you will see the fishermen of Negombo sailing landward in their colourful outrigger canoes, laden with the bounty of the sea. The beach front hotels are often quick to grab the ‘prize catch’ of the day, straight off the boats – your sea food platter at dinner could not possibly get fresher than that!

The sea food markets in the town centre and at Duwa, teeming with artful auctioneers, haggling buyers and gregarious locals will provide a novel and often amusing experience to those who care to explore.

A tuk-tuk ride, which takes you on a nerve wrecking adventure through the busy shopping precincts of Negombo is yet another novel experience not to be missed.

Enjoy a romantic dinner for two on the hotels golden beach backyard, under a starry sky; whilst the Indian Ocean plays a serenading ‘Moonlight Sonata’.

Day 03: Negombo – Pinnawela – Kandy

After breakfast proceed to Kandy visiting the Elephant Orphanage & Captive Breeding Centre in Pinnawela, en-route.

The Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala, is home to a large herd of orphaned elephant calves. The encounter with these gentle giants, is guaranteed to delight you. Watching the orphaned elephant calves being hand-fed by staff out of oversized milk bottles and witnessing the adorable pachyderms enjoying their daily bath in the Ma Oya river is a truly engaging experience.

Upon arrival in Kandy check in to a selected hotel in the area. Relax and unwind in the hotel pool or spa.

Day 04: Kandy

After breakfast proceed on a city tour of Kandy including a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

Kandy is an ancient capital of Sri Lanka steeped in history, heritage, and culture. Yet, modern day Kandy is a bustling city with a self-sufficient commercial hub, a high concentration of well ranking schools, recreation clubs and playgrounds, public and private healthcare facilities and busy shopping precincts lining its maze of winding thoroughfares. The historic sites and attractions that adorn Kandy’s cityscape co-exist in perfect harmony with their modern counterparts.

Kandy’s salubrious climate, easy pace, and charming gentle demeanor are most appealing to travellers. The city’s many historic and cultural attractions, vibrant pageantry, exotic woodlands, beautiful gardens, and scenic mist laden mountainous landscapes make it an ideal destination for exploration with your significant other.

Overnight at the hotel in Kandy.

Day 05: Kandy – Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast leave for Nuwara Eliya. Visit the Rambodde Falls and a tea garden and factory en-route.

Nuwara Eliya lies at an altitude of 1868m above sea level, in the central highlands and has distinct features that set it apart from the rest of the island. Its salubrious sub-tropical highland climate dictates annual temperature averaging between 11° C – 20° C. The dense green mountains of pristine cloud forests rise in all directions enveloping the city of Nuwara Eliya whilst breathtaking waterfalls plunge from its precipitous cliffs.

There are many tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya, thus it is known as the ‘tea capital’ of Sri Lanka. The mountain slopes of this famed city are carpeted with verdant tea gardens. The colourfully clad tea plantation workers carefully pick the tender ‘two leaves and bud;’ the soulful ingredient that goes into making the characteristically aromatic and flavourful ‘Ceylon high grown teas,’ enjoyed by many tea lovers world over.

Overnight at a selected hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 06: Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast leave for Hakgala Gardens, situated 10km southeast of Nuwara Eliya, which is a delightful Botanical retreat. Its star features include the vibrant orchid collection, colourful and intoxicatingly fragrant rose garden, tranquil Japanese garden and refreshing cedars and cypresses.

Overnight at the hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 07: Nuwara Eliya – Sinharaja – Ratnapura

Early morning – leave for the Sinharaja Rain Forest. Sinharaja is Sri Lanka’s most distinguished tropical rainforest. Due to its international significance and impressive biodiversity it has been designated a Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.

Explore this dynamic eco system with our expert Guide. Make your way through the tangled mass of near impenetrable flora, as you catch fleeting glimpses of vibrant birds, technicoloured butterflies, and elusive reptiles. Bring out the naturalist in you, as you connect with pristine and heeling nature at her best.

Thereafter proceed to Ratnapura. Overnight at a hotel in Ratnapura.

Day 08: Ratnapura – Udawalawe – Hambantota           

Early morning – visit a Gem lapidary and museum in Ratnapura, famed for some of the world’s best Blue Sapphires, Rubies and Cats Eyes.

Proceed to Udawalawe National Park and engage in an exciting jeep safari. This national park is undoubtedly one of the world’s best places to see large herds of Asian elephants roaming in the wild. Apart from having a high density of gentle giants, Udawalawe is also home to many types of monkeys, deer, sloth bears, a colourful myriad of birds and the occasional leopard.

Proceed to Hambantota for overnight stay.

Day 09: Hambantota

After breakfast explore Hambantota.

The southern coastal town of Hambantota is home to the international airport in Mattala and the Magampura seaport. Tourist focused additions such as the Mirijjawila Botanical Gardens and Ridiyagama Zoological Gardens are popular attractions. Bundala National Park is another popular attraction in the vicinity of Hambantota. The park is particularly famous for its teeming birdlife; the vibrant pink hued flamingoes being the most noteworthy.

Overnight at the hotel in Hambantota.

Day 10: Hambantota – Galle

After breakfast leave for the alluring city of Galle and check in to a luxury resort hotel upon arriving at your destination.

It is almost as if Galle has a split personality. On the one side it is a lively town with the hustle and bustle of people getting about their daily business. It is also the administrative capital of the Southern Province and the port today plays a critical role in naval surveillance and shipping support services in the Indian Ocean. However, within the confines of the colossal coral bastions, lie rows of Dutch heritage villas and other colonial edifices fringing the cobblestone paved streets, almost frozen in time. The perfectly preserved colonial topography of Galle is of quiet, solemn character, contrasting with the workaday buzz of the modern city. These two diverse personalities blend harmoniously to make Galle what it is today; an intriguing and refreshing city, not to be missed in your travels around Sri Lanka.

Spend the day at leisure. You can opt for a healing native ayurvedic wellness treatment or pamper yourselves at the luxury spa. Thereafter, partake in dinner, with a renewed sense of wellness and rejuvenation.

Overnight at a selected luxury hotel in Galle.

Day 11: Galle 

After breakfast proceed on a city tour of Galle including visits to the Old Dutch Fort, Lighthouse and National Museum of Galle.

The city is famed for numerous other attractions such as the Flag Rock, heritage mansions, and old religious and administrative buildings. Important natural geographical features in Galle include Rumassala in Unawatuna, a large natural hill that forms the eastern protective barrier of the Galle harbour and the beautiful meandering river Gin that falls to the sea at Ginthota.

You are bound to work up a voracious appetite in time to enjoy a romantic dinner by candlelight, in a splendid restaurant that opens out to the vast Indian ocean.

Overnight at the hotel in Galle.

Day 12: Galle – Colombo

After breakfast proceed to Colombo. You will be taken on a guided city tour upon arrival.

Colombo is Sri Lanka’s commercial capital and the gateway to the island. It is a cosmopolitan metropolis and a cultural melting pot. Colombo’s character features contemporary values, a progressive mindset, and a suave, amiable, and accepting nature. It is a great city for travelling couples to explore at their own pace.

Enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner, on your last night in the island. Reminisce your beautiful holiday, where abundant memories were made to last a lifetime, and ‘make a vow’ to visit again, sometime soon. 

Day 13: Colombo – Airport

Departure transfer to the airport.

Detailed/tailored itinerary and pricing provided on request.