Compare Jovial Sri Lanka Family Tour by Pothigai Tours and Travels vs Sri Lanka: Hike, Bike & Kayak by Intrepid Travel

Day 1

The capital of Sri Lanka- Colombo

Arrival

Sightseeing

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Arrival

Transfers

Stay Included

Welcome to the capital city of Sri Lanka- Colombo.

This 7 nights 8 days Sri Lanka tour package opens up with a refreshing welcome drink at the hotel where you’ll be staying. Check in to the hotel, relax for a while and move to visit the local attractions of Colombo. It takes an interesting blend of the Dutch and British architecture over 600 years in utter concord with the modernist architecture. The Dutch Colonial style of architecture is very much in evidence in the Colombo Fort and the Pettah areas. The President’s House located at the Fort, the Galle Face Green the largest open air stretch in the city bordering the fort along the south, Galle Face Hotel the oldest hotel of the country is locations that one should not overlook. The Pettah area, with many crossing roads remains the busiest bazaar in the city. Amidst the busy commercial surroundings, Colombo is not excluded from the spiritual influence. Many Buddhist Temples, Islamic Mosques, The Dutch Reformed and Anglican Churches are not uncommon sites.

Day 2

Meals: Breakfast

Colombo to Anuradhapura

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Sightseeing

Stay Included

Visit today the most celebrated Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined city.

Have breakfast in the morning and proceed to your next destination on your Sri Lanka tour- Anuradhapura. Enroute visit the famous Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and witness a large variety of Elephants being cared of. Kids enjoy a great time at this place and you can see them so happy seeing the elephants enjoy. On reaching Anuradhapura, a historical sightseeing tour awaits you. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagobas constructed of bricks and hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagobas are the Ruwanweliseya which dates back to the 2nd Century B.C. and is 300 feet in diameter, the Jetavanarama is 370 feet and the Thuparama Dagoba enshrines the collarbone of the Buddha. The city’s most renowned relic is the sacred Bo Tree, which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained Enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world. Overnight stay at Anuradhapura.

Day 3

Meals: Breakfast

Travel to Sigiriya and Dambulla

Rock Fortress

Swimming

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Sightseeing

Stay Included

Enjoy breakfast and proceed to your next destination. Today’s destination in this thrilling Sri Lanka tour package is Sigiriya where the families will visit the Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, built in 5th century A.D, the Water Garden, Bolder Garden, beautiful Mural Paintings, The Mirror Wall, The Lion’s Paws and the Royal Swimming Pool on top. Also on this day, you’ll visit Dambulla which is famous for its magnificent Rock temple of Buddha. The rock ceiling is one great sweep of colorful paintings of Lord Buddha and his previous incarnations dating back to the first century BC. The main shrine at Dambulla, known as the Rangiri Dambulla Viharaya, or the golden cave temple of Dambulla, has been quoted in a routine of spiritual and historical texts. The images in a number of postures are those of the Buddha, the bodhisattvas, gods and goddesses, monks, disciples, and kings. Overnight stay in Sigiriya.

Day 4

Meals: Breakfast

Transfer to Kandy

Temple

Cultural shows

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Sightseeing

Stay Included

Explore the charms of Kandy.

After breakfast proceed to Kandy. On reaching, check in to the hotel with a welcome drink and move to a city on a tour of Kandy. Witness the charms of Kandy on your Sri Lanka family tour including Temple of the Tooth Relic and thereafter see a cultural appearance. It is also noted for its tourist attractions that include the wildlife sanctuary, historical heritage sites, unparalleled scenic vistas, botanical gardens, and tonnes more. Kandy is also prominent for its pilgrimage places of the Buddha, which are religiously and historically very important and draws in tourists who love pilgrimage places all over the world.

Day 5

Meals: Breakfast

Late morning drive to Nuwara Eliya

Tea plantations

Ramboda Waterfalls

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Sightseeing

Stay Included

Proceed further to your next destination which is very much like an English town- Nuwara Eliya.

Visit Nuwara Eliya on your second day of the Sri Lanka tour package. Enjoy a late morning drive to this awestrucking beautiful city and on arrival check in to the hotel where you’ll be staying overnight. Housed with bungalows and buildings built in the English architecture, the city offers an ambience of an English town. Enjoy the cool breeze of the city with your family and kids and visit the Gorges Rolling tea plantation which produces the best Ceylon tea. Also visit the breathtaking beautiful waterfalls which makes Nuwara Eliya one of the most beautiful town to visit in the world. Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.

Day 6

Meals: Breakfast

Enter the wild world

Yala National Park

Wildlife safari

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Sightseeing

Stay Included

Welcome to the Jungle Book of Sri Lanka

Have breakfast in the morning and proceed to your next destination on your Sri Lanka family itinerary- Yala. Yala houses Sri Lanka’s second largest and the most visited national park- Yala National Park. Witness the majesty of the wide range of fauna displayed in this magnificent setup with your kids and enjoy the great day here. A safari here is well worth all the time, effort, crowds and cost. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused severe damage on the Yala National Park and 250 people died in its vicinity. The number of visitors has been on the rise since 2009 after the security situation in the park improved. Overnight stay.

Day 7

Meals: Breakfast

The city of golden beaches- Bentota

Water Sports

Beach

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Sightseeing

Stay Included

Explore the glorious beaches of Bentota.

After a delightful breakfast, proceed to Bentota. Check in to the hotel with a refreshing welcome drink. Bentota and its breathtaking sandy beach pretty much transform your dreams and visions of a tropical paradise into an everyday reality. Located close to the Southern tip of the Island of Sri Lanka and only about 200 km from the Equator, this secluded crescent shaped beach is the perfect place to sit back, relax and forget about all the hustle and bustle of your other life that’s a million miles away. This small sandy tropical beach boasts some of Sri Lanka’s best and most stunning sunsets and sunrises. This will surely be one of the best days of your 7 nights 8 days Sri Lanka family tour. Overnight stay.

Day 8

Meals: Breakfast

The day of departure

Departure

Other Benefits (On Arrival)

Departure

It’s time to bid adieu to this beautiful island country.

Proceed to the Bandaranaike international airport and stack all your memories in your mind. This experience will leave you astounded. Pampered, enlightened, moreover animated. A country like no other! Book this amazing 7 nights 8 days Sri Lanka family package and enjoy a trip worth a million memories.

Day 1 Negombo

Ayu-bowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka. Your adventure begins in the beachside town of Negombo with a welcome meeting at 5.30 pm. Known for its centuries-old fishing industry, Negombo is a historic port city close to Sri Lanka's international airport. If you arrive early, maybe watch the fishing boats head out to sea, stroll along the beach to see the daily catch drying in the sun or indulge in a seafood feast. The surrounding countryside, with its network of canals, is a fascinating slice of Sri Lankan rural life and is best explored by bicycle.

Day 2 Sigiriya

Leave bright and early this morning and travel to Dambulla – home to the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. After checking into your accommodation, make the short drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sigiriya for your first activity – a hike up the 1200 steps of the famed Lion Rock. This ancient carved-rock fortress rises dramatically above the surrounding plains, elevating Sigiriya high into the air. On the way you’ll visit the water and boulder gardens, frescoes and the mirror wall. The next section of the climb takes about half an hour along steep walkways and steps all the way up to the rocky plateau, which soars 200 m above the jungle. From here, the views over the surrounding area and the nearby Pidurangala Rock are jaw-dropping. Make your way back down and head back to Dambulla for a relaxing evening.

Day 3 Minneriya National Park & Knuckles Mountain Range

Today you’ll head out on a relaxed jeep safari for about 3 hours through the nearby Minneriya National Park. The park is home to a mix of evergreen forest and scrublands – look out for sambar deer, leopards and elephants roaming the wild. After the safari, travel by private vehicle to the Knuckles Mountain Range – your home for the next two nights. Named after its striking visual likeness to human knuckles, this UNESCO World Heritage site features 34 mountains that range from 900 to 2000 m. Surrounded by dense forest, waterfalls and terraced rice fields, they are home to some of Sri Lanka’s best hiking trails. Tonight, get closer to nature as you set up camp next to the pristine waters and natural rock pools of the Thelgamu Oya stream. To keep you fresh for tomorrow’s hike your activity is limited to an evening walk around the village before relaxing by the riverside with a group dinner.

Day 4 Knuckles Mountain Range Hiking

Today you’ll head out early for a full-day guided hike along the Manigala Trek through the Knuckles region. Start hiking after breakfast and wind your way through emerald forests and hillsides, past cliffs and alongside fast-flowing rivers. Maybe stop to explore a few of the villages along the way, which are surrounded by sweeping rice terraces. Have lunch by the river and continue up the stone and dirt trail all the way up to the imposing Manigala Rock, for the panoramic views of the peaks and valley below. After taking in the views, make your way back down to camp to enjoy a hearty dinner after a long but rewarding day of hiking.

Day 5 Kandy & Knuckles/Mini World’s End Hiking

Begin the day with a moderate hike through the forest to Knuckles’ renowned Mini World’s End – an observation point overlooking the Thelgamuwa Valley and a sheer drop of 1192 m (4000 ft) to the forest floor below. The panoramic views over the misty valley and distant mountain peaks are truly spectacular, you’ll want your camera today! After the hike, you’ll drive to Kandy, passing the gorgeous scenery along the way. Lying in the hills of the Kandy plateau, this city previously served as the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. The rest of the day is free for your own discoveries – maybe visit the golden roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Housed inside, the relic of the tooth of the Buddha has played an important role in local politics due to the belief that whoever holds the relic holds governance of the country. Kandy’s temple and its status as the last city of the Sri Lankan Kings have made it a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Day 6 Hatton & Tea Country Cycling

Start your day with a scenic train journey to Hatton. When you arrive, cycle from the train station to the small village of Norton Bridge, passing vast tea estates and scenic, tree-lined hills along the way. Check in to your hotel and if you’re still feeling energetic, maybe opt to hike up to Adam’s Peak. The peak is often visited by pilgrims who climb a candle-lit trail in the evening, passing shrines and food stalls along the way. Or you can simply put your feet up with a nice cup of Ceylon tea – the afternoon is yours.

Day 7 Tea Country Cycling & Mirissa

After breakfast, it’s back on your mountain bike for a mostly downhill ride through the heart of tea country. Pedal from Hatton through Bogawantalawa – home to premium Ceylon Tea – to Balangoda. Cycle through the sculpted green hills of ‘the Golden Valley of Ceylon’. Your ride will be broken up with snack breaks and a lunch stop, providing plenty of fuel (and photo opportunities) for your ride. Then, transfer to the delightful coastal town of Mirissa. This town is part fishing village, part beachside resort and is the perfect place to sit back and relax by the beach after a few active days. For those looking to keep their heart rate up, you can visit nearby Weligama – the ideal place to hit the waves at one of the local surf or bodyboarding schools.

Day 8 Gin River Kayaking & Galle Cycling

Start your day with a short drive to the small town of Unanwitiya – your starting point for an exciting day of kayaking down the Gin River. After instruction from your expert guides, you’ll cruise down the clear waters as it winds its way downstream. Paddle past dense forests, sandbanks, tea plantations and rice paddy fields while keeping an eye out for monitor lizards, birds and the occasional troop of monkeys. After kayaking, head to the boathouse for a delicious local lunch and then head to UNESCO World Heritage city of Galle for a countryside cycling tour. Once the main port for local cinnamon trade, this city features a maze of streets with mansions, ancient churches, a lighthouse and the imposing 17th-century fort. Surrounded on three sides by the ocean, this is surely one of the most dramatic structures in all of Sri Lanka. Start your exploration of Galle Fort on a walking tour along the ramparts and winding streets of the Fort. Return to Mirissa in the evening for a well-earned rest tonight.

Day 9 Colombo

Depart Mirissa after breakfast and transfer to Colombo. When you arrive, check into your hotel and then take a leader-led walk past the bustling Petta Bazaar, Independence Square, Parliament, and the National Museum. Your walk finishes with a shopping opportunity at the Barefoot fairtrade store. Here, you can find a collection of handicrafts from around the country and support small cottage industries. Tonight, there's an optional group dinner to celebrate your journey – if you opt in, you’ll go on a fun food crawl along the city's many market stalls.

Day 10 Colombo

There are no activities planned after breakfast today and your adventure comes to an end. You're free to leave at any time after check out. If you'd like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.