Discover Sri Lanka Incl. Dubai Extension

Let’s start our holiday! We depart for Colombo, Sri Lanka.

After arriving in Sri Lanka, we'll transfer to our hotel in the coastal town of Negombo, just north of Colombo, with our guide. Once we check in, feel free to relax and unwind for the rest of the day.

Join us for dinner! Meals are included tonight and for the next 11 nights of our stay in Sri Lanka.

Please note:

Occasionally on the Discover Sri Lanka, Dubai extension tour, you may arrive and depart on different flights and flight times to the main group. 

Start your day early with our expert guide as we explore Negombo, a lively fishing village that was once a cinnamon trading hub. Catch the local fish market in action before breakfast—it's the perfect time to see the fresh catch being sold. After breakfast at the hotel, we'll continue our guided tour of Negombo before setting off for Habarana, a scenic four-hour journey (150km) through lush tropical landscapes. Your Sri Lankan adventure begins here!

We have arrived! Let’s check into our hotel, which will be our home for the next three nights. Enjoy a leisurely evening to relax, unwind and discover our surroundings.

Discover more of Sri Lanka on a full-day guided tour to Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage site built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). This incredible "Lion’s Rock" fortress sits atop a massive ancient rock and is surrounded by stunning gardens. The climb to the top involves over 1,200 steps with narrow staircases, however there are several platforms along the way where you can pause and enjoy the view. Explore the beautiful Water Gardens, admire the painted frescoes, and see ancient graffiti at one of Sri Lanka's most iconic sites.

In the afternoon, we'll dive into the history of Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital of Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Wander through the Royal Palace complex and marvel at the stunning Buddha statues at Gal Vihara rock temple. The landscape is breathtaking, dotted with vast man-made lakes, including the famous Sea of Parakrama. After soaking in the rich history, we'll return to our hotel, where you can unwind and relax after a day of adventure.

After breakfast, we embark on an unforgettable day trip to the ancient city of Anuradhapura, a treasure trove of history and spirituality. Renowned for its stunning temples, lush, landscaped gardens, and the sacred 'Bo Tree'—the world's oldest known tree, dating back to around 245 BC—Anuradhapura served as Sri Lanka’s capital for over a thousand years from the 5th century BC. Here, you'll find yourself surrounded by awe-inspiring Buddhist monuments that have stood the test of time for more than 2,000 years.

Experience the charm of Sri Lankan traditions as we visit a local village and explore a different way of life. Enjoy the peaceful rural surroundings on a relaxing bullock cart ride, passing by green paddy fields, small shops, and mud-thatched houses. After this unique adventure, we'll head back to the hotel for some well-earned relaxation.

This morning, we say farewell to Habarana and transfer by coach to Kandy, an attractive bustling city that is encircled by hills and has a tranquil lake at its centre.  En-route we experience more of Sri Lanka's treasures with a visit to Dambulla Cave Temple, which has been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries and contains a fascinating array of Buddhist mural paintings and statues of Buddha. The drive will take approximately three hours (96km).

On arrival in Kandy, we uncover more history and culture with a visit to The Temple of The Sacred Tooth Relic, a centre for the Buddhist faith. This 16th-century temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, which was brought to Sri Lanka from ancient India in the 4th century. After the visit we depart for our hotel, which will be our base for the next two nights.

On today’s tour, we revel in the beauty of The Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya, home to exotic plants such as coffee, tea, nutmeg, rubber and Cinchona. The gardens feature an arboretum, an Orchid House and a colony of flying foxes.

After we visit the gardens, we uncover more delights with a Tuk-Tuk ride around Kandy, one of the best ways to discover this city! During our adventure, we pass the British Garrison Cemetery, Aniwatta Residencial area, Kandy Market, Kandy Lake and finish with picturesque scenes from the Kandy viewpoint. The Tuk Tuk ride will take around two hours, after which we return to our hotel to relax and reflect on our day of sightseeing and discovery.

All aboard! This morning, we depart our hotel for Kandy railway station. We embark on a scenic colonial era vintage train journey through sub-tropical forests, to lush green tea plantations, and mountainous backdrops, passing shops and local life along our journey to Nuwara Eliya. The train journey will take approximately 3.30 hours (subject to availability).

On arrival in Nuwara Eliya we set off in our coach to visit a tea plantation and tea factory, we’ll also have a guided tour of the town before checking in to our hotel. The town’s name translates as “City of Light”, but it is also known as “Little England” as it was a popular destination for 19th century British colonialists who indulged in pastimes such as fox, deer and elephant hunting, polo, golf, and cricket. The colonial history of the town can still be seen in buildings such as the Queen's Cottage, General's House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, and Town Post Office.

This morning, we transfer onwards to Yala and en route we stop at Ella Waterfalls for a refreshing break. Today's journey will take approximately five hours (185km) with comfort stops.

Let's experience more, on a jeep safari drive in Yala National Park, the second largest national park in Sri Lanka and home to elephants, leopards, bear, water buffalo, crocodiles, as well as countless other animals and birds. The park has also been featured on Discovery and National Geographic documentaries, which focused on leopard research and conservation. After our adventure, we continue to our hotel for an overnight stay and evening at leisure.

After breakfast, we experience one more game drive in Yala National Park and a second chance to spot the elusive Leopard! Cameras ready for action!

After our exhilarating safari, we depart for Galle. The drive will take approximately four and a half hours (205km). En route, we will experience more with a guided tour of Galle and explore the 17th century Portuguese and Dutch Fort in which the central city is contained.  We stroll through the streets to admire the Dutch-influenced architecture, old British residences, and mosques with their Arabic flourishes before proceeding to our hotel in Galle.

We can take it easy for the rest of the day and evening, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the ocean air.

Relax more! We have two full days at leisure in the delightful setting of Galle. Enjoy the fresh sea air, sit back and chill out as we near the end of our unforgettable visit to Sri Lanka.

Our expert guide will be happy to tell us about local attractions and activities. Depending on the time of year and weather permitting it may be possible to do whale watching, this can be organised locally.

For those wanting to explore more, there may be the possibility of an optional excursion to a turtle hatchery and then experience the mangrove forests of Madu River home to 300 species of fauna, birds and more, and end your day with a visit to a tea plantation.

Today set out on our excursion to discover more of Sri Lanka. Enjoy a gentle cruise down the river by boat, in search for crocodiles, water monitors and colourful birds. Enroute, visit a small island called Koth Duwa with its beautiful temple and statue of the Buddha. After enjoying a stroll through a tea plantation and end the day with a visit to an antique tea factory, before sampling a cup of Ceylon tea, a delightful way to end this excursion.

Return to our hotel after your 3-hour excursion.

After a leisurely breakfast, we transfer by coach to our hotel in Colombo where we’ll spend our last night in Sri Lanka. The drive will take approximately three hours (147km) travelling from Galle.  The rest of our day is at leisure to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy our final evening.

Departing Colombo, we will reflect on a treasure trove of memorable moments from our Discover Sri Lanka tour. We depart Colombo and fly to Dubai.

On arrival in Dubai, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Spend the next three nights in Dubai on a bed and breakfast basis.

Please note:

Your extension in Dubai will be on an individual basis rather than as part of a big group and that guide services are not included as part of the tour.

The next two full days are at leisure to fully discover Dubai at your own pace. Enjoy an independent stay in Dubai, a cosmopolitan city where the traditional and contemporary meet. You could visit Jumeirah Mosque, Dubai’s largest mosque, or Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the city. Relax on the beach, or shop till you drop in one of the many shopping malls Dubai has to offer!

Transfer to Dubai Airport for your flight home.