Full Cricket Tour

DAY 1: DEPART UK

Depart the UK on your overnight flight to Colombo.

DAY 2: TRANSFER TO GALLE

On arrival, you will be picked up by your driver and taken to your hotel in the heart of the city where you will spend the next seven nights.

DAY 3: WELCOME DRINKS

After relaxing around your hotel or taking in the sights of Galle today, enjoy welcome drinks in the evening hosted by the ETG team at a local hotel. The Co-Founder and members of the ETG team will be on hand to talk all things Sri Lanka and cricket, along with offering advice and support.

DAYS 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8: ENGLAND VS SRI LANKA – GALLE TEST MATCH

Over the next 5 days, you will watch England take on Sri Lanka at Galle Stadium. Tickets to the matches and lunch outside the grounds each day is included. On day three of the test match, the ETG team will be hosting drinks and canapes at a local hotel where all guests are welcome to join and catch up with the team and other visitors.

DAY 9: TRANSFER TO HAPUTALE

This morning you will be transferred to the mountainous region of Haputale by your private chauffeur who will remain with you until the end of the trip. Known as ‘the hill country’,  Haputale is made up of tea plantations, beguiling forests and rocky crags, making for a lovely scenic journey through the hills.

DAY 10: WALKING IN TEA COUNTRY

Take a short and easy walk up to the famous viewpoint at ‘Lipton’s Seat’ where you will be rewarded with some truly spectacular panoramic views across the tea estates and landscapes of Southern Sri Lanka. Later, you will visit the humble home of an estate worker for lunch where you can experience the food introduced to Sri Lanka from South India through workers who were brought in to work in the tea plantations.

DAY 11: TRAIN FROM HAPUTALE TO NANU OYA

You will be dropped at the station by your guide who will continue on with your luggage while you travel by train through the hill country. Offering a unique perspective of local life, you will be able to sit back and enjoy the scenery and unhurried charm of the area for two and a half hours. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Kandy where you will be for a six night stay.

DAYS 12 & 13: ENGLAND VS SRI LANKA – KANDY TEST MATCH

Watch England vs Sri Lanka in the Kandy Test Match over the next two days, with lunch included.

DAY 14: CONTRASTS OF KANDY

Head out early this morning to wander around the Botanical Gardens of Pradeniya before the sun gets too hot. After refreshing yourself with a cold beer or coconut drink, you’ll take a short drive to Suriyakantha, a fascinating heritage home and centre. Here you will be guided through this 200-year-old house and its contents, such as Sinhalese paintings, antiques and treasures from the Sigiriya excavation site before sitting down for a Sri Lankan lunch. In the afternoon, you will head back to Kandy in your tuk tuk, making several stops along the way before journeying back to your hotel.

DAY 15: ENGLAND VS SRI LANKA – KANDY TEST MATCH

Enjoy a day of cricket before venturing to Kandy’s sacred Temple of the Tooth in the afternoon, one of the world’s most important Buddhist shrines that is believed to hold a tooth belonging to Buddha.

DAY 16: ENGLAND VS SRI LANKA – KANDY TEST MATCH

Your last day in Kandy will be spent at the Kandy Test Match. Tickets are included, along with lunch outside the grounds.

DAY 17: TRANSFER TO CULTURAL TRIANGLE

Journey about three hours from Kandy this morning to the Cultural Triangle. In the afternoon, you will explore the Dambulla Cave Temple, a special World Heritage Site where origins of the cave temples are traced back to over 2,200 years when Buddhism arrived on the island. You’ll have some fantastic views across the surrounding landscapes and can admire many different statues of Buddha and religious murals.

DAY 18: SIGIRIYA & FARM VILLAGE EXPERIENCE

The early wakeup call today is worth it to beat the crowds at the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. The climb up is mostly by stairways, which at some points are steep and arduous, but at the top you will experience magnificent views of the area and ancient frescoes.

Travelling by tuk tuk and tractor, you will then visit a number of local farms, learning first-hand about the life and work of the villagers. After meeting the farmers and their families, you will be treated to a home-cooked lunch entirely from the land. You are sure to gain an authentic taste of rural life, as this is truly off the beaten trail.

DAY 19: POLONNARUWA & ELEPHANT SAFARI

Your day will combine both the cultural and natural highlights of Sri Lanka, beginning at the brilliant World Heritage ruins of Polonnaruwa, one of the country’s oldest cities. After lunch, you will visit one of the Cultural Triangle national parks, a great place to spot some wild Asian elephants, sloth bears, sambar deer, Sri Lankan leopards and wild boar.

DAY 20: TRANSFER TO COLOMBO

After a 5 hour drive this morning, you will arrive at your last destination, Colombo. In the afternoon, you will be guided through the city on an informative walking tour of the Sri Lankan capital. Your guide will open up the cultural heart of the city, focusing on colonial heritage, traditions and cultures that have shaped and formed the city of the intervening centuries.

DAYS 21 & 22: ENGLAND VS SRI LANKA – COLOMBO TEST MATCH

Over the next two days, you will watch England go head to head with Sri Lanka at Colombo Stadium. Lunch and tickets are again included.

DAY 23: COLOMBO TUK TUK TOUR

Heading out in your tuk tuk, you will be introduced to the life, history and heritage behind Colombo. As your driver manoeuvres through the back streets, you will come across the biggest attractions, friendly shops and best kept secrets.

DAYS 24 & 25: ENGLAND VS SRI LANKA – COLOMBO TEST MATCH

The last two days of your holiday will be spent enjoying England and Sri Lanka in the Colombo Test, while your lunch is provided outside of the grounds.

DAY 26: FLY HOME

Your driver will take you to Colombo Airport for your flight back to the UK. 

Your bespoke proposal with Experience Travel Group will include:

• International Flights (we can omit if you prefer)
• Accommodation as described
• Privately guided tours and transfers
• Tips for guides and drivers
• Original Experience Travel Group "signature" experiences 
• Full financial protection (ABTA and ATOL bonding.) 
• 24-hour in-country backup while away
• Your dedicated travel expert in the UK