Depart your home country for your flight to Colombo.
Most suited for
Couples, Friends
Ideal time to visit
December - March
When it comes to ‘foodie destinations’, Sri Lanka flys relatively under the radar yet its cuisine is one of the most layered.
This journey is designed to explore those layers: the interplay of spice, coconut, seafood and slow-cooked curries shaped by centuries of trade and migration. You’ll taste dishes that you’d never try at home, learn from chefs who guard secret family recipes, and experience Sri Lanka’s history through what’s on your plate.
Along the way, we’ve weaved in ancient sites and stays in carefully chosen high-end hotels to make sure you experience the island properly.
This covers the island’s most compelling culinary regions, but we’ll refine it around your tastes.
A Foodie Journey Through Sri Lanka
As with all our holidays, this itinerary is just a starting point. We will create a bespoke package which will be completely unique for you.
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Day 1
Your adventure begins
Day 2
Negombo
Your chauffeur-guide will welcome you to Sri Lanka and drive you to your first hotel, less than an hour away, so you can relax after the flight.
This retreat sits in a coconut estate, making it the perfect place to learn about the skill of Toddy Tapping.
Days 3 - 5
Cultural Triangle
Head north into the Cultural Triangle by road, stopping at Dambulla’s cave temples before visiting a local farm for insight into rural life. By afternoon, arrive at your luxury hideaway, set among forest and working paddy fields. Dig into a traditional Kamatha dinner: multiple delicious, regional dishes served on a woven leaf, using local produce from the organic gardens.
From here, explore Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura with ease. We also recommend a lunch at Hela Bojun Hala. On the surface, it’s a simple food hall; in practice, it’s a government-supported initiative that enables rural women to run their own culinary businesses. The dishes are seasonal and deeply authentic, and eating here is a direct way to support the preservation of Sri Lanka’s food heritage.
Days 6-7
Kandy
Next, you’ll head south to Kandy. Here, you’ll go on a guided walk through the city, which is not only an opportunity to learn about its history and see the sights but also to experience its food culture. From fresh fruits in the market to tempting roadside snacks and baked goods, it covers a range of treats to tuck into.
Days 7 - 9
The Hill Country
Travel by train into Sri Lanka’s Hill Country, climbing steadily through tea estates to Haputale. Your driver will meet you on arrival and take you to a former planter’s bungalow set high above the surrounding valleys. With sections 12, 13 and 14 of the Pekoe Trail nearby, it’s a practical and pretty base for walking.
Trail 13 leads from St Catherine’s viewpoint down through forest, villages and working tea gardens towards Haputale. Along the way, you’ll stop for lunch in the home of an estate worker: a lovely introduction to the South Indian culinary traditions carried here by Tamil plantation communities.
Days 10 - 12
Tangalle
Today, you’ll continue to the coast, stopping en route at AMBA Estate. Here, you’ll gain insight into Sri Lanka’s tea industry from cultivation to production, before tasting a range of single-estate teas that reflect the nuances of the surrounding hills with proper experts.
Later in the day, you’ll arrive at your beachfront hotel. The coastline has an excellent dining scene: from simple seafood shacks serving fresh lobster to buzzy, upmarket restuarants. We’ll reserve a table at Smoke & Bitters, widely regarded as one of Asia’s leading restaurants, where Sri Lankan flavours are reworked with precision over wood fire and paired with spice-led cocktails.
Days 13-14
Malabar Hill
Continue along the coast towards Galle and check into your hotel set in the surrounding hills. From here, you can either slow the pace and take in the views or head into the fort with a local guide to understand its layered history.
While in Galle, you can roll up your sleeves with a private cookery session or sit down to an arrack tasting at Ropewalk in the Galle Fort Hotel: a considered introduction to Sri Lanka’s coconut spirit. For dinner, The Fort Printers remains a reliable address, while the roti stalls near the lighthouse offer something far simpler and equally delicious. We’ll also arrange a biryani lunch, a nod to the Muslim trading communities that have long shaped the town’s food culture.
Days 15 - 16
Colombo
Your final days are spent in Colombo, where you’ll stay in a carefully chosen boutique hotel that feels like an oasis in the capital. Take an interesting Land Rover tour through the city: moving between grand colonial façades and neighbourhoods that reveal the city’s lived-in character, finishing in Hulftsdorp, known for its fantastic street food stalls.
For your last dinner, we’ll reserve a table at Gallery Café, once the office of architect Geoffrey Bawa and still one of the city’s most enduring dining rooms. Next door, Paradise Road is worth a visit for design pieces and tablewear. While in Colombo, we also recommend lunch at the Dutch Burgher Union to try lamprais, a legacy of the island’s Dutch-influenced community.
Day 17
Fly Home
Sadly, it’s time to wave goodbye to the island. Your driver will drop you off at Colombo airport for your flight back home.
Very highly regarded in Sri Lanka
Two-week tour through relatively undiscovered Sri Lanka staying in six bespoke locations from eco lodges to homestays. ETG were attentive to our needs, imaginative and they have a wonderful ethos/brand that we could see whilst we were travelling.
Nigel
13 March 2025Excellent
850 Reviews
850 Reviews
What’s included:
With ETG, what’s included is shaped around ease. We take care of the practical details that can distract from the experience itself, so you’re free to relax into the journey and enjoy it as it unfolds.
Here’s what comes as standard in all of our holidays:
All flights (unless you’ve booked your own)
Carefully selected guides and drivers
All accommodation
Many meals and snacks
Immersive experiences throughout
All regional transport
Gratuities
24/7 In-Country support
Personal travel consultant throughout
Pricing:
Each journey is shaped around you, so costs vary depending on season, flight choices, accommodation and how much is built in.
As a guide, most of our two-week trips fall between £5,000 and £10,000 per person.
Some fall below that, particularly for families or travel outside peak periods. Others go beyond it when the brief includes business-class flights, longer stays, or more ambitious hotel choices.
We discuss budget early, so everything is clear from the start.
Meet Our Sri Lanka Experts
Holly is a true Sri Lanka enthusiast, with a talent for designing holidays that blend the must-see highlights with the hidden corners of the country. Whether it’s a family-friendly wildlife encounter, a romantic retreat in the tea hills, or an off-the-beaten-track adventure, Holly loves curating trips that surprise and delight ETG travellers.
“The candle-lit Kamatha dinner overlooking Ulagalla’s paddy fields is genuinely one of the stand-out experiences on this trip. It’s not just the setting, it’s the way the traditional spread is presented and explained.”
Holly
Sri Lanka Travel Specialist
Explore Our Hotels & Villas
Wherever you go, and whatever you do, at the end of every day you can always be sure of a comfortable rest. Every location on our list of hotels is handpicked, and in its own way, shares the history, the hospitality, and the soul of Sri Lanka. Below are some examples of the different hotels we use.
The ETG Guarantee
We guarantee you an experience no one else has ever had.
The travel magic you’ll remember won’t be found on a well-trodden – or over-Instagrammed – itinerary. It will be the surprises, discoveries and secrets that you’ll uncover along the way with us.
Do you ever feel like people aren’t listening to you?
We get it. And we will – that’s a promise. Your holiday starts with with a proper, no-pressure call to understand what you want, what you don’t want, and what matters to you.. From there, we create a completely unique adventure, inspired by our conversation together.
And because of our long-standing relationships with trusted partners across Asia, you’ll have access to experiences you can’t find on Google. The kind of special experiences that are literally impossible to find on your own.
Experiences of Sri Lanka
Immersive experiences sit at the heart of what we do. Each one is specially designed to confound preconceptions and create moments that are magical and memorable.
Important FAQs about Sri Lanka
At Experience Travel Group, we’ve been curating immersive Sri Lanka holidays since 2006 long before the island became a mainstream destination. Our deep-rooted local knowledge, trusted partnerships, and passion for meaningful travel make us the ideal choice for discovering Sri Lanka beyond the ordinary.
Over nearly two decades, we’ve developed unique experiences that blend cultural depth, comfort, and flexibility. Whether it’s staying in boutique hotels hidden in tea country, meeting local artisans, or exploring UNESCO heritage sites with expert guides, we design every journey to reveal the real heart of Sri Lanka, not just the tourist highlights.
With our thoughtful planning and in-country support, you’ll have peace of mind while enjoying a tailored adventure that suits your interests and travel style. We don’t do off-the-shelf holidays — we create personalised journeys that capture what’s truly special about Sri Lanka.
Let us show you the Sri Lanka we know and love.
Sri Lanka is a year-round destination, but the best time depends on where you’re going. One of the best times to visit is between December and March. The summer month and September is also a great all-round option, with good weather and fewer crowds.
Every ETG holiday to Sri Lanka is carefully designed to be seamless, immersive, and stress-free. Your journey typically includes international flights (if requested), chauffeur guide throughout and accommodation in hand-picked, characterful hotels.
You’ll enjoy incredible, immersive experiences unique to you, all planned by dedicated Sri Lanka specialists, with the added reassurance of 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
The Curious Traveller’s Guide to Sri Lanka
Wondering when to visit Sri Lanka? Our Curious Traveller’s Guide to Sri Lanka will give you a more detailed breakdown of the best time of year to book a holiday, as well as tips on the best beaches, unmissable sites, and much more.
