Family Sri Lanka And Maldives Adventure

Guide

Tour Leaders are quite simply the glue that holds our tours together. They are chosen for their travel experience and people skills and are thoroughly trained by Explore, widely acknowledged as some of the best training in the industry. A Tour Leader's ultimate aim is to ensure everyone is well looked after and have a fantastic trip. They are there to ensure that the tour logistics run smoothly, that health and safety is adhered to and provide comprehensive briefings at the beginning and throughout the tour.

Meals

A key facet of our responsible approach to tourism is that we encourage our groups to eat in local restaurants that prepare locally grown food. We give customers choice as to their meals and do not use rather bland and impersonal hotel restaurants or all- inclusive options 14 Breakfasts 7 Lunches 7 Dinners

Others

All accommodation, activities and meals that are shown in the itinerary are included in the total cost of your trip You will also receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport if you arrive on day 1 of the trip and depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information.

Transport

Bus, 4WD, Bicycle, Boat, Flight, Rickshaw, Train, Tuk Tuk

Accommodation

4 nights simple boat 6 nights standard hotel (1 night at Pegasus Reef Hotel (or similar), 3 nights Giritale Hotel (or similar), 1 night Heaven's Edge (or similar), 1 night Coral Rock by Bansai (or similar)) 1 nights premium hotel (Mahaweli Reach Hotel (or similar)) 2 nights standard hut (Back of Beyond, Pidurangala (or similar)) 1 nights standard tented camp (Athgira River Camp (or similar)) Comfortable - Our mid-range accommodation offers a good level of service often with other amenities such as a restaurant, bar, garden or swimming pool. Generally rooms will be comfortable with en-suite facilities. We spend two nights at a jungle lodge in Pidurangala. Due to the nature of its remote location the facilities are more basic compared to other night stops, but the benefit is its proximity with nature. The resort features a combination of bungalows, cottages and treehouses. We regret that it is not possible to allocate these in advance as the allocation will be based on the group size and make up of each family. There are normally two Dhoni cruise boats that travel together on this tour with a capacity of up to ten per boat. The cabins have either double or bunk beds and there are a number of toilets with showers on board. There is a bar and dining room with a sundeck to relax and sunbath throughout the day plus a TV and DVD player on board. Provided equipment includes; snorkelling gear, fishing equipment, various board games, life jackets and first aid kit. Traditional Sri Lankan cuisine is excellent, and although it can be very spicy there are many dishes that feature cooling coconut milk or have a spicy sambar on the side to allow you to adjust the meal to your taste. There isn't a culture of eating out in Sri Lanka, most locals will eat at home, and as such there are very few restaurants around, and those that exist tend to be in hotels. As tourism develops a few independent restaurants are beginning to appear, mainly in Colombo but also in Kandy, Galle and in the coastal resorts. During the tour we will endeavour to eat out at local restaurants wherever possible but for many nights, at this point in time, the hotel restaurants are the only option available. Family swimming Most of the hotels have pools, we also visit a local 'weva' also known as a tank, a body of water that varies in size from small ponds to large reservoirs; not only are these offer prolific wildlife viewing opportunities; it's also possible to take a refreshing dip. There are plenty of opportunities when on the dhoni sailing boat in the Maldives Triple Rooms : This trip allows the option for triple rooms to be included within the booking on a selected number of night stops within the holiday in Sri Lanka (but not on the cruise). If you would like this option, a discount may be applicable on the cost of the trip - please ask our Sales team for further information.

Optional

The following excursions and/or activities are usually available and may be arranged locally. Estimated costs are provided below for guidance only, are on a per person basis unless shown otherwise, and may depend on the number of participants. Prices quoted are correct as of the date these tour notes were originally issued but may change at any time due to currency fluctuations. Please note: These activities are booked and paid for direct with the supplier and do not form part of your Explore holiday contract. A selection of optional activities are listed below to help you budget for your Family adventure. Whilst the basic tour price you pay before you travel includes a great selection of highlights, we have also built in free time to allow you the flexibility to choose from a carefully selected range of additional excursions and activities or take time to relax, the choice is yours. At certain destinations along the way there may be several options to choose from and it may not be possible to fit all the activities in; your Explore Leader will be able to give advice on which are the most suitable for your family. Day 7: Kandy Evening cultural show £5.00 per person Days 11 to 13: Maldives Diving can be available for around USD $100 per person in Alimatha or Dhiggiri which is in the Vaavu Atoll, and in Fun Island, Rihivel or Fihalhohi resort in the South Male Atoll

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

Others

Any visa costs, spending money and tips are not included in the trip price. You can also book extra nights’ accommodation at the beginning and end of the trip and the cost of this accommodation along with any transfers would be quoted separately.

Flights

International flights not included in the tour cost