Itinerary
- Day 1
Negombo
You'll arrive in Negombo and settle into your hotel. Your tour leader meets you at 6pm for a welcome meeting if you make it in time. The rest of the day is yours to spend however you'd like. Head down to the beach and relax, use the pool, or wander around town and catch the sunset with the local fishermen bringing in their boats. It's a good chance to shake off travel fatigue and get oriented.
- Start point
- No.209, Lewis Place, Negombo 11500, Sri Lanka (Catamaran Beach Hotel, Hotel reception, 18:00)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Earls Regent Hotel), Hotel (Earls Regent Hotel (or similar))
Optional Activities
- Dinner with tour group after welcome meeting
- Visit fish market
- Watch sunset at the beach
- Explore Negombo coastal town
Landmarks Bandaranaike International Airport Negombo Beach 
- Day 2
Negombo to Anuradhapura
You're heading north along the coast with stops through Chilaw and Putalam, which takes about 4 hours total. Once you reach Wilpattu National Park, you'll switch to jeeps for an afternoon safari looking for leopards, elephants, and sambar deer. The park has nearly 60 lakes and feels less crowded than Yala. After the safari wraps up, it's another hour's drive to Anuradhapura for the night.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Lakeside at Nuwarawewa), Hotel (Lakeside at Nuwarawewa (or similar))
Included Activities
- Jeep safari at Wilpattu National Park with wildlife viewing
Landmarks Wilpattu National Park 
- Day 3
Anuradhapura to Sigiriya
Start early at Mihintale, the small mountain peak where Buddhism first came to Sri Lanka. Climb the shallow stone steps up to the summit for views across the region. You'll travel by tractor-drawn cart and dugout canoe to Hiriwaduna village for a traditional lunch with curries and rice. From there, head to Dambulla to see five cave temples carved into the rock from the 1st century BC, full of Buddha images and Hindu sculptures. End your day in Sigiriya.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Sri Lankan lunch of various curries and rice in Hiriwaduna village)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Acme Hotel), Hotel (Acme Hotel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Mihintale with guided ascent to summit
- Traditional Sri Lankan lunch in Hiriwaduna village
- Visit five cave temples at Dambulla
Landmarks Mihintale Dambulla Cave Temples Hiriwaduna Village - Day 4
Sigiriya to Kandy
Get up early and climb Sigiriya before the crowds and heat arrive. The 5th-century fortress rises dramatically from the plains, and you'll pass between those enormous carved lion paws on your way up the switchback steel stairs to the 200-meter summit for jungle views. Head back to your hotel for a late breakfast and freshen up. Then it's roughly a 2.5 hour drive (112km northeast) to Kandy. Once you're there, explore this historic town at your own pace. The Temple of the Tooth is worth visiting, or take a tuk-tuk out to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Late breakfast at hotel after Sigiriya climb)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Hotel Casamara Kandy), Hotel (Hotel Casamara Kandy (or similar))
Included Activities
- Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress to summit
Optional Activities
- Visit Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy
- Tuk-tuk ride to Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
Landmarks Sigiriya Temple of the Tooth Peradeniya Botanical Gardens 
- Day 5
Kandy to Koggala
Visit a small tea factory to see how Sri Lanka's tea is processed, watch the drying and grinding, and try different blends. After that, you'll drive about 4 hours southwest to Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Portuguese and Dutch fortifications from the 16th and 17th centuries. Walk the historic ramparts, check out the old houses, churches, and warehouses. Then continue along the coast to Koggala for your final two nights, where shallow waters and beaches let you settle in properly.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Koggala Beach Hotel), Hotel (Koggala Beach Hotel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit tea factory with processing demonstration and tasting
Landmarks Peradeniya Botanical Gardens Loolecondera Estate Galle Fort - Day 6
Koggala
You have a free day to do as you'd like. Galle is only a 30-minute taxi ride away if you want to explore a pretty coastal town with an arts scene, boutique shops, cafes, and local artists working around the streets. If relaxation is more your speed, local Ayurvedic massages with natural herbal oils are available. Between December and April, whale-watching trips can take you out to spot humpback and blue whales depending on the season.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Koggala Beach Hotel), Hotel (Koggala Beach Hotel (or similar))
Optional Activities
- Visit Galle town (approximately 30 minutes by taxi)
- Ayurvedic massage with natural herbal oils
- Whale-watching trip (December-April only)
Landmarks Galle 
- Day 7
Koggala to Colombo
Drive back to Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport along the coastal road, about 3 hours away. You'll arrive around 10am where your tour ends. The earliest flight departure is 12:45pm, so check your flight time and plan accordingly for check-in.
- End point
- Canada Friendship Rd, Katunayake 11450, Sri Lanka (Colombo Airport, Departures Hall, 10:00)
Landmarks Bandaranaike International Airport 
