Sri Lanka's Natural Wealth Bespoke Holiday Itinerary / Experience Tour

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Sri Lanka is extraordinary with wildlife and nature all around. This holiday is for the casual wildlife enthusiast, who wants to see the islands varied natural landscapes whilst getting a feel for day-to-day rural life and enjoying a relaxing holiday too.

Stay at Treetops Jungle Lodge (Yala National Park) - one of the best immersive wildlife experiences in the country - if not Asia. Track leopards, elephants and more.
Enjoy the tranquility of a quiet coastal region near Tangalle - beautiful beaches and turtles hatching at certain times of the year.
Explore Sinharaja Rainforest - one of the last tracts of virgin rainforest in the country and home to an incredible amount of birdlife in particular.
Take a scenic train journey into the tea clad hills and stay in a cottage with magnificent views.

The accommodation is in a range of unique properties that beautifully complement the surrounding environment.

DAY 1 DEPART THE UK

Depart London Heathrow for Colombo

DAY 2-3 HORATHAPOLA - RELAX IN THE COCONUT PLANTATIONS

Arrive in Colombo and be met by your chauffeur-guide and private car. A short drive inland through coconut and pineapple farms brings you to Horathapola, a converted 8 bedroom boutique hotel. The idyllic gardens, and personalised service, create a wonderfully tranquil setting in which to unwind. Here you can relax by the pool, explore the coconut estate and enjoy fantastic Sri Lankan food.

DAY4-5 THE MUDHOUSE - BIRDS, ROCK FORMATIONS & RURAL LIFE

Today your guide will transfer your north to The Mudhouse in a little visited and beautiful corner of Sri Lanka. A stay here is very unique and all about experiencing rural Sri Lankan life. This area is characterised by peculiar rock formations and ‘tanks’ –reservoirs which have provided the means for agriculture for thousands of years. The Mudhouse is rustic yet very comfortable and provides a truly memorable experience.

During your time here you can enjoy locally guided excursions such as cycling, bird spotting, visiting the local temples or visiting the local tank for a swim and kayak followed by a picnic.

Days 6-8 JIMS FARM – THE ORGANIC FARM AND HISTORIC SIGIRIYA

Your next stay will be at Jims Farm. The resort is housed in an organic farm between Kandy and The Cultural Triangle. During your time here there will be chance to explore the world heritage site of Sigiriya Rock Fortress and to immerse yourself in rural life. Learn about the local harvest, taste delicious home cooked food, meet local families and more.

Day 9-10 KELBURNE COTTAGES – Explore THE TEA CLAD HILLS

Today you travel into the hill country. The journey from Jims Farm takes in a car journey and a scenic train ride past tea clad hills and mountain peaks. Your accommodation in the hills is at Kelburne Estate Cottages in a comfortable bungalow, the views here are magnificent.

During your stay there will time to enjoy the surroundings with a guided tour of the plantations. One option is to explore on a guided cycle tour where you can weave around the hills, past waterfalls and tea factory’s, tasting the odd cuppa along the way.

DAY 11-12 YALA - TRACK LEOPARDS AND ELEPHANTS

It’s onward to Yala National Park today- and the incomparable Treetops Jungle Lodge. The integrated approach taken by Treetops, their experienced local guides and the beautiful hidden away location makes it the best option for wildlife lovers visiting Yala.

Yala National park enjoys the reputation of harbouring the largest concentration of leopards in the country, as well as healthy numbers of elephant, buffalo, wild boar and water birds. During your stay there will be chance to enjoy one of the lodge’s speciality wildlife walks and to take morning and afternoon game drives in the company of very experienced driver guides who are specialist trackers.

DAYS 13 -16 TANGALLE - TURTLES AND BEACHES

Heading south to Tangalle you will be able to relax on this beautiful stretch of coastline, unhindered by tourist crowds. Turtle Bay is a small and tranquil hotel that provides peace and tranquillity and simple comforts. It is as away from it all as it gets. There is much to explore in this region too, from sleepy fishing villages to bird sanctuaries and numerous turtle hatching beaches.

DAY 17-18 THE ARK - DISCOVEr NATURE TRAILS

For the last part of your holiday you’ll travel north towards the border of the tropical Sinharaja Rainforest. Here you’ll stay at an eco-resort called The Ark with spectacular views over the mountains, paddy fields, tea and rubber plantations. The setting is idyllic and your time at The Ark can be spent taking nature walks, birdwatching tours or even enjoying some water sports.

Day 19 - fly home

Today you travel back up the coast towards Colombo for you onward flight home.

As every holiday is unique to you, prices vary. To give you an indication, two-week holidays range from roughly £2,500 to £8,000 per adult, with an average price of £3,300. We also offer substantial child and seasonal discounts.

Fill in our Quote Request form to get your quick, no-obligations proposal.

As every holiday is unique - Call our experts on 1-888-577-8452 for an inclusive, personalised quotation for your preferred dates or use the quote request form below...

Inclusions

Your personalised quotation with Experience Travel Group will include:

International Flights (which can be omitted from your quotation if you prefer)
Accommodation as described
Privately guided tours and transfers
Original Experience Travel Group "Signature" experiences
Full financial protection (full ABTA and ATOL bonding)
Meals as described
24 hour in-country backup whilst away
Your own dedicated travel expert in the UK

For more on our pricing policy read here.

You can book this holiday tour on its own, with flights or it can be tailored for you.

Here are the hotels and villas within this holiday as standard...

Horathapola Coconut Estate, Pannala

Beautiful tropical mansion offering unpretentious luxury on a working Coconut Estate...

Jim's Farm Villas, Dambulla

Found halfway between Kandy and Dambulla, this charming hotel is a great place from which to explore the country's cultural and wildlife highlights.

Kelburne Estate Cottages, Haputale

Two and three roomed tea estate cottages with awe inspiring views and a cosy traditional feel.

Mudhouse, Anamaduwa

Stunning jungle lodge and hideaway with unique accommodation, superb service and off-the-beaten track excursions

The Ark Sri Lanka, Bentota

Breathtaking views of lush green jungle from on high make this secluded hilltop villa experience truly unique.

Turtle Bay, Tangalle

Secluded boutique beach property in sleepy Kalamatiya. There is not much to do here, but relax, admire the scenery and enjoy the peacefulness.

You can book this holiday tour on its own, with flights or it can be tailored for you.

Here are the experiences & activities within this holiday as standard...

Aukana Standing Buddha, Habarana

Visit the 12 m high standing Buddha as the sun rises to see it glow.

Galle Fort, Galle Fort

Explore Galle's beautifully preserved fortified city

Horton Plains & Worlds End, Nuwara Eliya

Stunning wilderness National Park high in Sri Lanka's mountains

Lipton's Seat, Haputale

Take a walk up to the legendary Sir Thomas Lipton's favourite spot for a spectacular view.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Sigiriya

One of the unofficial wonders of the world - a spectacular, must-visit ancient site full of mystery and intrigue

Sinharaja Forest Reserve, Sinharaja

Experience the wilderness in Sri Lanka's last remaining patch of virgin rainforest.

Train through the hill country, Kandy

One of Asia's great train journeys, with spectacular views from start to finish

Whale watching, Mirissa, Mirissa

Spend the morning on the lookout for Moby Dick

Yala National Park, Yala

Sri Lanka's Yala National Park has the world's highest density of leopards - so this is your best chance to see them.

Yapahuwa Citadel, Anamaduwa

One of Sri Lanka's ancient cities, Yapahuwa once housed the sacred tooth relic.

Customer Feedback

We're very happy with Becky and the services we've received from Experience Travel Group. We had had a Travel Agent in our home area for 13 years (now retired) so were a little apprehensive about trying someone new, but we couldn't have been happier - everything was tailored to our requirements and went like clockwork.

- Katharine, March 2015

Customer Protection

The air holiday packages shown are ATOL protected by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is ATOL 9324. Please see our booking conditions for more information.

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