Ultimate Sri Lanka and South India

Itinerary

1. Intro

   Introduction
2. Day 1

   Colombo to Negombo

   Colombo to Negombo Show on map
3. Day 2

   Negombo

   Negombo Show on map

   Meals

   Dinner (Welcome dinner on the beaches of Negombo)

   Included Activities

   • Boat ride through Muthurajawela Wetlands Sanctuary with wildlife observation
   • Visit to Negombo fish market
   • Exploration of churches and Dutch canals in Negombo
   • Evening walking tour of Negombo Fort ruins with local expert
   • Welcome dinner on Negombo beaches

   Landmarks
   Muthurajawela Wetlands Sanctuary
   Negombo Lagoon
   Negombo Fort

4. Day 3

   Negombo - Pinnawala - Anuradhapura

   Negombo - Pinnawala - Anuradhapura Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
   • Exploration of Anuradhapura ruins, stupas and sacred Bodhi tree
   • Visit to Aukana Buddha Statue

   Landmarks
   Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
   Anuradhapura
   Sacred Bodhi Tree, Anuradhapura
   Aukana Buddha Statue

5. Day 4

   Anuradhapura

   Anuradhapura Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Scenic excursion to Nachchaduwa Lake
   • Scenic Sundowners event with free-flow drinks at sunset

   Landmarks
   Nachchaduwa Lake

6. Day 5

   Anuradhapura - Polonnaruwa - Minneriya - Sigiriya

   Anuradhapura - Polonnaruwa - Minneriya - Sigiriya Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Exploration of Polonnaruwa historical city
   • Safari in Minneriya National Park with elephant viewing

   Landmarks
   Polonnaruwa
   Minneriya National Park

7. Day 6

   Sigiriya - Dambulla - Kandy

   Sigiriya - Dambulla - Kandy Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Visit to Dambulla Cave Temple
   • Lunch at traditional spice garden with cultivation and uses education

   Optional Activities

   • Climb Sigiriya (Lion's Rock) with UNESCO frescoes and panoramic views - Scenic Freechoice
   • Relax at hotel in the morning - Scenic Freechoice

   Landmarks
   Sigiriya (Lion's Rock)
   Dambulla Cave Temple
   Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy
   Kandy Lake

8. Day 7

   Kandy

   Kandy Show on map

   Meals

   Dinner (Dinner at hotel following Kandyan cultural dance performance)

   Included Activities

   • Exploration of Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
   • Visit to Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
   • Kandyan cultural dance performance with dinner at Scenic Enrich event

   Landmarks
   Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
   Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandy

9. Day 8

   Kandy to Hatton

   Kandy to Hatton Show on map

   Included Activities

   • Scenic train ride from Kandy to Hatton through tea estates
   • High tea overlooking tea plantations and Castlereagh Reservoir

   Landmarks
   Castlereagh Reservoir

10. Day 9

    Hatton

    Hatton Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Afternoon high tea

    Optional Activities

    • Visit to working tea factory with tea planter and tasting - Scenic Freechoice
    • Guided kayak on Castlereagh Lake - Scenic Freechoice
    • Guided bike ride through estate trails - Scenic Freechoice
    • Self-guided walking trails around estate
    • Croquet or tennis at the property
11. Day 10

    Hatton to Balapitiya

    Hatton to Balapitiya Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit to Geoffrey Bawa's Lunuganga Estate with garden exploration
    • Madu River cruise through wetlands with village and traditional fishing observation

    Landmarks
    Lunuganga Estate
    Madu River

12. Day 11

    Balapitiya to Galle

    Balapitiya to Galle Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Dinner at Pedlar's Inn, former British post office now transformed into a charming café in the old quarter)

    Included Activities

    • Visit to sea turtle hatchery with conservation education
    • Guided exploration of Galle Fort with local expert
    • Dinner at Pedlar's Inn

    Landmarks
    Galle Fort

13. Day 12

    Galle

    Galle Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Dinner at The Fort Printers, former printing house turned characterful boutique restaurant in the heart of the fort)

    Optional Activities

    • Cooking with Mama experience inside Galle Fort - Scenic Freechoice Dining
    • Cinnamon Influence lunch with guided cinnamon plantation to plate experience - Scenic Freechoice Dining

    Landmarks
    Galle Fort

14. Day 13

    Galle to Colombo

    Galle to Colombo Show on map

    Meals

    Lunch (Lunch at Ministry of Crab, one of Asia's most acclaimed restaurants), Dinner (Dinner at Cricket Club Café, celebrating Sri Lanka's cricket passion with memorabilia from legendary players dating back to the 1940s)

    Included Activities

    • Visit to Natural History Museum
    • Lunch at Ministry of Crab

    Landmarks
    Natural History Museum, Colombo
    Galle Face Green

15. Day 14

    Colombo to Kochi

    Colombo to Kochi Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Scenic Enrich guided walk through Colombo with local expert Mark Forbes

    Landmarks
    Colombo

16. Day 15

    Kochi

    Kochi Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Welcome dinner featuring regional specialties)

    Included Activities

    • Observation of Chinese fishing nets in Kochi harbour
    • Guided tour of Fort Kochi with colonial history
    • Visit to Mattancherry Palace
    • Visit to Jew Town
    • Visit to Synagogue
    • Traditional Kathakali performance
    • Welcome dinner with regional specialties

    Landmarks
    Kochi Harbour
    Fort Kochi
    Mattancherry Palace
    Jew Town, Kochi
    Synagogue, Kochi

17. Day 16

    Kochi to Kumarakom

    Kochi to Kumarakom Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • First night on luxury houseboat (Kettuvallam) - must be pre-booked and included at no extra cost

    Landmarks
    Vembanad Lake
    Kerala Backwaters

18. Day 17

    Kumarakom

    Kumarakom Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Evening sunset cruise on the backwaters from Kumarakom hotel

    Optional Activities

    • Keralan cooking class and lunch at Philip Kutty's Farm - Scenic Freechoice
    • Traditional Ayurveda massage before lunch at resort - Scenic Freechoice

    Landmarks
    Kerala Backwaters

19. Day 18

    Kumarakom to Periyar National Park

    Kumarakom to Periyar National Park Show on map

    Included Activities

    • 90-minute boat cruise on Lake Periyar

    Landmarks
    Periyar National Park
    Lake Periyar

20. Day 19

    Periyar National Park to Madurai

    Periyar National Park to Madurai Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Lunch at family-owned spice plantation with home-cooked meal

    Optional Activities

    • Early morning guided jungle walk in Periyar Reserve - Scenic Freechoice
    • Jeep tour through countryside with spice farms and panoramic Tamil Nadu views - Scenic Freechoice

    Landmarks
    Periyar National Park

    

21. Day 20

    Madurai

    Madurai Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Early morning heritage walk through Madurai
    • Exploration of flower and vegetable market
    • Exploration of weaver's market
    • Visit to Sri Meenakshi Temple
    • Evening viewing of temple puja ceremony

    Landmarks
    Sri Meenakshi Temple

22. Day 21

    Madurai to Chettinad

    Madurai to Chettinad Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Bullock cart ride through Karaikudi streets
    • Exploration of colonial-era bungalows and merchant mansions
    • Weaving demonstration

    Landmarks
    Karaikudi

23. Day 22

    Chettinad

    Chettinad Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Typical Chettinad wedding dinner menu following classical dance performance)

    Included Activities

    • Kolam making experience
    • Visit to pottery village with Athangudi tiles
    • Heritage walk
    • Visit to Chettinad Palace
    • Scenic Enrich traditional cooking demonstration
    • Scenic Enrich private Bharatanatyam classical dance performance
    • Chettinad wedding dinner menu

    Landmarks
    Chettinad Palace

24. Day 23

    Chettinad to Trichy

    Chettinad to Trichy Show on map

    Optional Activities

    • Climb Rock Fort Temple with panoramic city views - Scenic Freechoice
    • Visit island temples of Srirangam, revered Vaishnavite Hindu pilgrimage sites - Scenic Freechoice

    Landmarks
    Rock Fort Temple, Trichy
    Srirangam Island Temples

25. Day 24

    Trichy - Tanjore - Puducherry

    Trichy - Tanjore - Puducherry Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit to Brihadishvara Temple, UNESCO World Heritage site

    Landmarks
    Brihadishvara Temple, Tanjore

26. Day 25

    Puducherry

    Puducherry Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Heritage walking tour with French and Indian influences
    • Visit to Aurobindo Ashram

    Optional Activities

    • Nalavadu Coastal Fishing Village immersive walk - Scenic Freechoice
    • Auroville experimental township visit - Scenic Freechoice
    • Creole Kitchen experience learning age-old Creole recipes - Scenic Freechoice

    Landmarks
    Nalavadu Coastal Fishing Village
    Auroville
    Aurobindo Ashram, Puducherry

27. Day 26

    Puducherry to Chennai

    Puducherry to Chennai Show on map

    Included Activities

    • Visit to World Heritage-listed Shore Temples, Mamallapuram

    Optional Activities

    • International cuisine at Spectra restaurant - Scenic Freechoice Dining
    • Chinese cuisine at China XO restaurant - Scenic Freechoice Dining
    • Indian specialties at Jamavar restaurant - Scenic Freechoice Dining

    Landmarks
    Shore Temples, Mamallapuram

28. Day 27

    Chennai

    Chennai Show on map

    Meals

    Dinner (Farewell dinner)

    Included Activities

    • Visit to Basilica of San Thome
    • Farewell dinner

    Optional Activities

    • Walk through Georgetown with markets and colonial laneways - Scenic Freechoice
    • Exploration of 8th-century Hindu temples in Kanchipuram - Scenic Freechoice

    Landmarks
    Georgetown, Chennai
    Kanchipuram Hindu Temples
    Basilica of San Thome, Chennai

29. Day 28

    Chennai

    Chennai Show on map