Cultural Explorer

Start your trip in Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. A heritage-listed city, with a rich history of Portuguese, Dutch and British influences. Colombo offers plenty to the cultural traveler in the form of museums, a historical parliament house, temples, natural lakes and a gorgeous ‘Galle Face Green’. Colombo is also a modern city and can accommodate any condition of stay, varying from guest-house experiences to luxurious hotel stays by the water. Contact our travel agents to customize your Sri Lankan itinerary with a bespoke structure in mind.
Overnight stay in Colombo

Galle is major city in Sri Lanka, located a few hours south of Colombo. Galle’s rich history dates well before the Dutch period (around the 18th century), however is mostly reflective of features from the Dutch era. The famous Galle Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1588, expanded by the Dutch and later occupied by the British and is now a UNESCO Listed Heritage site. Galle is home to a range of acclaimed restaurants, shopping boutiques and deluxe guest houses catering to a variety of needs. Galle is also well known for its whale and dolphin watching boat tours and its serenading sunsets.
Overnight stay in Galle

This day is subject to your own activity structure. For those travelers that have already been to the Galle fort on day 2, why not check out more of what Sri Lanka’s southern coastline has to offer. You could travel to Unawatuna Beach, recognized for its never-ending turquoise water. Swimming, surfing and or simply relaxing by the shore, sipping a margarita are all options in this picturesque location. Alternatively, why not take a stroll through Galle; meet a friendly and charismatic group of locals, always happy to help out if you ever get lost amongst the city’s charming streets.
Overnight stay in heritage bungalow in Galle

From Galle head inland towards Ella, a journey that will take around 5 hours by car. Arriving in Ella you will firstly notice the much cooler climate, and with it a thicker native vegetation. It is easy to find yourself surrounded by tea plantations and a lively bunch of townsfolk, eager to strike up a conversation. Some favourite travel destinations in Ella include: Little Adams Peak, Nine Arch’s bridge and Ella rock, all of which require a short but well worth climb.
Overnight stay in Ella

Do take some time out of your day to spend in Ella town which by itself is chic gem. Its cozy cafe’s and inviting kitchens specialising in a variety of cuisines will definitely be a delight to your taste buds. Alternatively, you could also wind down at a traditional Ayurvedic massage parlour or spa. Of course another spot you must visit in Ella is the eco-friendly 98 Acres hotel, one of Sri Lanka’s most luxurious hotels. If you do get here or even better, spend your night at 98 Acres and do try their delightful high tea!
Overnight stay in Ella

No trip to Sri Lanka is truly complete until you ride aboard a local train embarking at Ella station. Grab yourself a comfortable seat or snatch onto an exit and claim it as yours to truly experience a ride like no other with the train running alongside forests, waterfalls, local villages and tea plantations. From here, jump out at Kandy station. Kandy is another popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka and is recognised as the country’s culture capital. Kandy’s most famous landmark is its sacred ‘Temple of the Tooth’ which is believed to hold a sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. For visitors travelling in the period of July-August, the Asala Perahara (pageant) is a sight to see with various cultural dances and decorated elephants parading through Kandy’s streets. Other attractions include a museum, lake and the Peradeniya botanical gardens. At night, visit an entertaining cultural show with traditional dances, plays and fire acrobats.
Overnight stay in Kandy

Wake up early and hop on a private cultural tour of Kandy. Activities will include temple hoppings with visits to the Temple of the Tooth and the Gadoladeniya Temple, a visit to the museum and other landmarks rich in culture. After this, spend your afternoon strolling through Kandy’s streets, either window shopping, mingling with some locals or trying out some of Kandy’s most famous street kitchens. An intriguing spot to hangout is at Kandy lake, here you can silently peer into the rituals conducted by monks and worshippers outside the Temple of the Tooth and experience Sri Lanka’s Buddhist culture and its traditions unfold in front of you.
Overnight stay in Kandy

From Kandy, Habarana is a short 3-hour car ride but is packed with sites to visit for every traveler. Start your day by visiting the Dambulla Cave Temple. This temple is home to a large network of underground caves with statues, stupas and well preserved artworks dating back to the era of Sri Lankan royalty. It is a must visit location in your cultural tour of Sri Lanka and is one that is preserved by its status as a UNESCO heritage listed site. After spending a few hours exploring the cave complex, head to Minneriya for an afternoon safari. Minneriya National Park is known for its large gatherings of wild elephants amongst other mammals. Guided safari tours can be organised.
Overnight stay in Habarana

Commence day nine by visiting the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, recognized by UNESCO as the 8th wonder of the world. Make sure to pack some comfortable walking shoes as climbing this fortress is not for the faint of the heart with its steps often cascading into the crevices of the rock. Exploring this architectural marvel is an absolutely must for any trip to Sri Lanka but do expect crowds as it is one of the country’s most visited sites. Following Sigiriya, explore the ancient kingdom of Polonnaruwa. The city has preserved within itself remnants of age-old Sri Lankan architecture consisting of temple ruins, lakes and large stupas. Afternoon tours can be organized to explore a collection of such sites in Polonnaruwa.
Overnight stay in Habarana

Spend your day familiarizing yourself with Sri Lanka’s traditions and its culture by grabbing a rare glimpse of its rural village life. In this local tour, carefully curated by our team, you will be taken through villages amidst luscious paddy fields. Here you will get the chance to ride a traditional bullock cart, engage in some authentic cooking classes inside a mud house and enjoy canoeing at a nearby lake. From here, leave to the Ritigala Forest Monastery. Aim to spend at least a few hours at these ruins, which historically was a housing complex for local monks. Take the unbeaten path and hike up to arrive at the clearing, crossing thick vegetation, small streams and hand-crafted stone pathways.
Overnight stay in Habarana

From Habarana, Trincomalee is a short one and a half hours away. Enroute, explore the Koneswaram Temple, one of Sri Lanka’s most famous temples sacred to worshippers of the Hindu religion. This landmark is a classical medieval temple that is located on the edge of a cliff and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It’s a holy place of worship for pilgrims in Sri Lanka’s East and is surrounded by magnificent views from all directions. After exploring this temple, head straight to your accommodation and spend the rest of your afternoon/day exploring, relaxing and/or cooling off in the water at Trincomalee beach.
Overnight stay in Trincomalee

Recognised as having Sri Lanka’s best beaches and some of the world’s best is Sri Lanka’s coastal city of Trincomalee. This quiet, chic gem boasts cultural relics and temples amongst the hustle of incoming surf goers and beach lovers; Nilaveli beach being the hotspot. Further offshore is Pigeon Island National Park for avid snorkelers – home to Turtles, Reef Sharks and a vibrant coral system. Studded with Whales during their migration period, whale watching is a keen crowd gatherer. Furthermore, for those travelers looking to relax, the therapeutic essence of Trinco’ is emulated by the 7 natural hot springs in Kanniya. Elegant beach villas with private beaches can be arranged to make this trip the perfect Sri Lankan beach holiday.
Overnight stay in Trincomalee

Besides Trincomalee’s white Sandy shore, the town is also home to a number of cultural sites including the holy Konneswaram Hindu temple and the seven hot springs in Kanniyai believed to hold therapeutic powers. Other points of interest in Trincomalee include Fort Fredrick, a fort built by the Portuguese, a variety of local bars, cafe and beachfront kitchens serving some of the freshest and spiciest fish curries in the area.
Overnight stay in Trincomalee

Wake up early and transfer to Anuradhapura which is around 2 hours by car from Trincomalee. Anuradhapura having been Sri Lanka’s first capital for over 1400 years offers an unparalleled view into Sri Lanka’s ancient history. Monumental relics that depict past life include the many Buddhist temples and manmade lakes – even take an all-inclusive private cultural tour. On tour, visit some of Sri Lanka’s oldest temples built during the era of Kings and an archeological museum that houses artifacts from a restored relic chamber to traditional drawings. Cultural ambience radiates from this township and visitors are invited to attend sessions of worship and meditation to gain knowledge of Sri Lanka’s most prominent religion, Buddhism. To include any particular temple visit not already included into your Sri Lankan travel itinerary, please get in touch with our travel agents.
Overnight stay in Anuradhapura

To finish off your trip, relax, rejuvenate and reflect on your experience in Negombo, a coastal city an hour north of Colombo. Negombo is a popular destination for both foreigners and locals due to the city accommodating a wide array of actives that range from water sports at the Negombo beach to exploring tours of Negombo’s colonial churches and boutique shopping outlets. As part of your tour, visit the famous fish markets, explore fishermen’s bay and visit the St. Mary’s Church to catch a glimpse of 16th century Dutch architecture.
Overnight stay in Negombo