Wild About Sri Lanka

Upon arrival at Colombo Airport, you'll be met and transferred to our seafront hotel. The remainder of the day is free to relax and settle in.

If you're arriving early, why not join our optional Backstreets of Colombo tour before the main tour begins? Get off the beaten track and experience the real Colombo on this immersive morning adventure. Hop into a colourful tuk tuk and travel to Bambalapitiya to catch a local train into the city centre. Wander through the vibrant streets of Pettah, admire the striking Red Mosque and colonial-era Old Town Hall, and visit the historic Dutch-built Wolvendaal Church. Wrap up the experience with a delicious mutton roll and iced coffee at the legendary Nippon Hotel.

Please note: To join this optional tour, flights must arrive in Colombo before 5:00am on Day 1. We strongly recommend booking pre-tour accommodation.

For those arriving later on, our hotel is just a short stroll from Galle Road and many of Colombo's key sights. Choose to head out and explore, take a dip in the pool, or simply unwind with a cocktail as you watch the sun set over the Laccadive Sea.

This morning we take a sightseeing tour of Kandy - the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. Our first stop will be the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Legend has it that one of Buddha's teeth was taken from him as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was then smuggled into Sri Lanka in 313AD. It now attracts daily pilgrims who come bearing lotus flowers and frangipani. After driving around the Kandy Lake - built by the last Sinhala king, we visit the local bazaar and a gem museum, we then take a Tuk Tuk ride up into the surrounding hills.

This afternoon we stop at a working tea factory at Geragama. Geragama Tea Factory is located in close proximity to the city of Kandy and was established in the year 1903, manufacturing 'Low Grown' and 'Long Leaf' tea.

This evening, we watch a cultural performance of traditional Sri Lankan music and dance.

Today we head south to Embilipitiya, our base for exploring Udawalawe National Park. This national park is probably one of the best places to spot the famous Sri Lankan elephant, the biggest of all the Asian elephants. It is thought that there are around 400 elephants here. The park is also home to the elusive leopard, the Sri Lankan sloth bear and varies types of deer. We enjoy an afternoon game drive here before returning to our hotel.

This morning we depart for Yala National Park - the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. This afternoon, we take a jeep safari of the park. The park also has one of the highest concentrations of Asian elephants in the world - and about 350 live here. Also present are sloth bears, golden palm civets, Sri Lankan krait, crocodiles and some of the biggest numbers of leopards. The coastline around the park is visited by leatherback and loggerhead sea turtles.

This morning we depart Yala for coastal Bundala National Park. This fantastic labyrinth of waterways, dunes and lagoons is the home to thousands of brightly coloured birds, over 200 species. It is also home to the magnificent greater flamingo and has a decent amount of Asian elephants that call the park home. We take a jeep safari here before transferring to the coastal town of Mirissa for the night.