Sri Lanka & Maldives Adventure

Arrive at any time. There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.

Included Experiences

• Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Drive to Kandy, visiting a spice plantation en route. Enjoy lunch at G Adventures-supported Sthree Craft Shop and Café. Later, explore Temple of the Tooth.

Included Experiences

• Spice Plantation Tour: Visit the herbal centre of spices for an interactive session with students of Ayurveda. Learn all about the medicinal uses of various herbs used by the people of Sri Lanka in their massages and treatments.
• Lunch at Sthree Craft Shop and Café: Stop for a delicious traditional Sri Lankan lunch prepared by Sthree Craft Shop and Café. This social enterprise offers opportunities for local women and youth living with disabilities, through handicraft and hospitality training.
• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Tour: Enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Tooth, which houses an important relic – a tooth of Lord Buddha kept in a well-preserved golden casket. Learn about the importance of this site from local guides.

Optional Experiences

• Kandyan Cultural Dance: Be swept away by an entertaining performance that will provide insight into the local culture in Kandy. (5-8 USD per person)

Explore Kandy with a free day.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Get out and explore more of Kandy.

Optional Experiences

• Royal Botanical Gardens Visit : Enjoy a leisurely walk in the colourful Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya. See 300 varieties of orchids of Sri Lanka as well as a range of other plants.
• Ayurvedic Center: Visit an Ayurvedic Center to learn about the history behind Ayurveda and the role it plays in Sri Lankan society. Gain an understanding of Ayurvedic oil massage treatments and its various benefits.

Travel by private vehicle to the historic town of Nuwara Eliya and enjoy some free time. Continue the journey to the rolling green valleys of the Ella area and spend 2 nights at the G Adventures-supported AMBA estate, an organic farm and guest house. Livelihood opportunities in the valley of Bandarawela, Sri Lanka are limited for low income community members. Many rely on agricultural work, especially in the tea plantations, which can be arduous with little financial gain. Amba Estate came to the area with the purpose of promoting economic growth through their organic tea plantation, paying fair wages, sharing their profits with their workers, and creating opportunities for growth. Having established its place in the travel market, Amba is now ready to support community cooperatives as a means of better spreading the income of tourism throughout the valley. Planeterra is working alongside Amba Estate by supporting the initial investment for the first community-led microenterprise that will work in partnership with Amba. Planeterra’s catalyst grant covers the equipment, training and setup costs for a group of six women to formally become a chutney co-operative. The chutney will be sold back to Amba Estate for travellers to consume, as well as sold to guests and in markets throughout Sri Lanka. G Adventures travellers began visiting Amba in July 2018. They now have the opportunity to eat the delicious chutneys, meet the women and see how it’s made!

Included Experiences

• AMBA Estate: Tucked into the hills of Ella Rock, Amba Estate is an organic tea plantation that provides the local community with meaningful employment opportunities and fair wages. During your two-night stay at Amba Estate, you'll learn about traditional hand-rolling techniques used in tea production along with preparing (and eating) delicious local food.

In the morning, enjoy a tour through the tea plantation and learn about one of the nation's most popular exports followed by a tea tasting. After enjoy free time to soak in the stunning scenery, opt to hike to Ella Rock, or visit Ella town by tuk tuk. This evening, enjoy a cooking demonstration of classic homestyle Sri Lankan dishes, a delicious mixture of savoury and sweet.

Included Experiences

• AMBA Estate: Tucked into the hills of Ella Rock, Amba Estate is an organic tea plantation that provides the local community with meaningful employment opportunities and fair wages. During your two-night stay at Amba Estate, you'll learn about traditional hand-rolling techniques used in tea production along with preparing (and eating) delicious local food.
• Tea Plantation Tour: Learn about one of Sri Lanka’s most exported commodities with a visit to a local tea plantation. Meet a local tea expert who will enlighten you on how the leaves are harvested and processed. Enjoy a taste of pure Sri Lankan tea direct from the factory, and experience a cup of truly fresh tea from one of the world’s most renowned tea regions.
• Free Time: Discover all Ella has to offer with a free afternoon.

Optional Experiences

• Trek to Ella Rock: Set off on a trek to Ella Rock, passing through the lush landscape and a local tea plantation. Take in scenic views of the surrounding green valleys and plains from the peak.

Depart Amba Estate in the morning after enjoying a delicious home cooked breakfast. Begin the journey to Udawalawe National Park for an afternoon wildlife safari through Udawalawe National Park.

Included Experiences

• Udawalawe Reserve Safari: Drive through this massive nature reserve and keep an eye out for the mighty Sri Lankan elephants – they live in abundance here and often wander along the road. Make several stops to observe these beautiful animals.

After breakfast transfer from Udawalawe to Galle for a tour of the fort and city. Later, head to Unawatuna, on the south coast.

Included Experiences

• Galle Fort and City Tour: Visit the Galle Fort, a 16th-century fort first built by the Portuguese, and later occupied by the Dutch. The ramparts are still standing even after being battered by Mother Nature, including the 2004 tsunami. Explore more of the beautiful capital, taking in the Dutch architecture and lively atmosphere. The Dutch Hospital shopping complex is a great place to scoop up some souvenirs.
• Local Bus: Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.

Hop on a flight to Malé for the Maldives portion of your trip. Transfer to South Malé Atoll. Settle in, and set sail on a voyage of discovery. You will be met by airport representatives who will transfer you to the Malé town waterfront to meet our boat captain and crew. Once settled into our cabins, we will depart. Cruise south for 2-3 hours through the Vaadhoo Canal to a nearby island in South Malé Atoll; probably Guraidhoo, a small inhabited island where the plan is to moor in (or just outside) the small harbour for the first night on board.

Included Experiences

• Plane: Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
• 11m (37 ft) Converted Dhoni: Climb aboard this converted Maldivian fishing boat and float on to the next stop.

Spend the next five days cruising around the South Malé and Felidhu atolls, disembarking to visit islands and sandbars along the way. Snorkel ship wrecks and reefs and Bodu Moro Island is home to idyllic uninhabited beaches – the perfect photo opt. Aboard the dhoni, spend free time as you please – lounge on the sundecks and take in the views, relax with a good book, or socialize with fellow travellers as you enjoy delicious local seafood. Off the boat, opt to swim and enjoy snorkelling about twice a day amongst the spectacular marine life of the Maldives. The shallow islands and amazing coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and octopuses. Cruise to the southernmost point of South Malé Atoll before crossing the channel into Felidhu Atoll. The main industry here is fishing and there is typically an opportunity to see traditional boat-building on at least one of the islands.

Included Experiences

• Snorkelling in the Maldives: The Maldives offer some of the most amazing snorkelling and marine life viewing opportunities in the world. The shallow islands and plentiful coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. 70 different species of colourful corals make up the flora of this underwater city, with more than 700 species of fish and other marine life making up its fauna. Snorkelling is one of the simplest ways to experience this impressive underwater world.
• Maldives Plastic Clean Up: Unrecycled plastic in the Maldives is compromising sea life, shorelines, and health for communities. On your trip you will have the opportunity to do a beach clean up to support community environmental initiatives in the country. All plastic collected through our partner is properly recycled and reused to create new materials.
• Bodu Mora Island Visit: Experience one of the Maldives uninhabited islands, with a visit to stunning Bodu Mora. The island's stretch of idyllic beach is home to lush palm trees, soft sands, and crystal clear blue waters.
• Maldives Dhoni: Climb aboard this Maldivian boat and float on to the next stop.
• Free Time: Relax on the sundeck, snorkel in the crystal-clear waters, go for a swim, have a cocktail, or read a book. Free time is yours to enjoy!

In the morning, make the short crossing to Malé. The tour ends on arrival at Malé International Airport.

Included Experiences

• Departure Day: Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.
• Maldives Dhoni: Climb aboard this Maldivian boat and float on to the next stop.