Guide

Experienced, English speaking driver/guide with required guiding permit. French, German, Russian, Italian, Japanese speaking guides can be booked for small surcharge.

Accommodation

Accommodation at top reviewed 3* Hotels or guesthouses

Insurance

Full vehicle / passenger insurance by Sri Lanka Insurance Coperation Ltd. Medical / Travel Insurance is the responsibility of the client(s).

Meals

Half-Board (breakfast & dinner)

Others

Driver Accommodation & Meals 24/7 Customer Hotline

Transport

Transportation by a/c luxury limousine or Japanese Mini Van with driver / guide

Optional

Wi-Fi Free Baby Seat Free Wheelchair Free Baby Cot (below 3 years)

Not included:

Flights

International flights are not included

Others

Entrance Fees Safari Vehicles Transportation surcharge for Solo Travelers (US$ 200)

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Pick Up/Airport - Anuradhapura
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Pick Up/Airport - Anuradhapura

After you got picked up at the airport or your hotel, you will proceed the ancient city of Anuradhapura while visiting coconut plantations and observing the famous toddy tappers at work. After you’ve checked into your hotel you its time to explore the city dating back to 3rd century B.C to 10th century A.D. You will visit the Sri Maha Bodhi (the oldest tree in the world with a written history and it is a sapling from the original tree under which Buddha got enlighted), the Brazen Palace, the Ruwanveli Seya Dagoba (biggest dagoba in Sri Lanka), the Thuparama Dagoba (oldest dagoba), the Lankarama Dagoba, the Elephant Pond, the Abhayagiriya Monastery Complex, the world famous Samadhi Buddha Statue and the Isurumuniya Temple (Stone carving of the Sri Lankan Romeo & Juliet).

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Anuradhapura.
Day 2 Day 2: Ancient City Of Polonnaruwa
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Ancient City Of Polonnaruwa

Sightseeing of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa (10th-12th century A.D). You will visit the modern museum, the Parakrama Samudra (gigantic reservoir made by king Parakrama the Great), Statue of King Parakrama, the Library Shrine, Palace of King Parakrama, the Kumara Pokuna (pond used by royal family with the water flowing system), the Shiva temple, the Thuparama shrine room with its glittering statues, the Alahana Monastery Complex, the Gal Vihare (a master peace of stone carving), the Lotus Pond and a traditional wood carving factory. After your afternoon tea you will proceed to Sigiriya.

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Sigiriya.
Day 3 Day 3: Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Dambulla Cave Temple
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Dambulla Cave Temple

In the early morning you will have the opportunity to climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, built 5th century A.D (claimed by some as the 8th wonder in the world), see the water garden, bolder garden, mural paintings, the mirror wall, the lion’s paws and the royal swimming pool on top. Back to the hotel for your well deserved breakfast.

After Sigiriya you will proceed to the Dambulla Cave Temple (built by King Walagamba in the 1st century B.C with 22.000 square feet of ceiling paintings). This is followed by Nalande Gedige (a temple built in the geographical center of Sri Lanka), the spice gardens in Matale and the Aluvihare Cave Temple (this is where Buddhism was brought into book form in the 1st century B.C).

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Kandy.
Day 4 Day 4: Kandy Sightseeing - Temple Of The Sacred Tooth Relic - Royal Botanic Gardens
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Kandy Sightseeing - Temple Of The Sacred Tooth Relic - Royal Botanic Gardens

Kandy Sightseeing including the famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha

In the afternoon visit the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kandy. Established in 1816, these gardens are located about 6.5km before Kandy on the side of the Colombo-Kandy highway. Initially planted with Coffee and Cinnamon, now includes beautiful Sri Lankan and overseas species. No vehicle is allowed entry to this 147-acre garden. It is bounded on three sides by a loop of the Mahaweli River.

The Avenue of Royal Palms, Bamboo-fringed riverside drive, Bat drive, Spice garden, Orchard house, Cactus house and a Glasshouse of anthuriums, begonias, African Violets and other species and the giant Javan fig tree found on the great lawn attract locals as well as visitors from overseas. It covers an area of 1600 sqm. Keep your eyes open for an oxen driven lawn mover.

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Kandy.
Day 5 Day 5: Elephant Orphanage - Tea Plantations - Tea Factory - Nuwara Eliya
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Elephant Orphanage - Tea Plantations - Tea Factory - Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the largest elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka, accounting for around fifty elephants at any given time. The orphanage is open all day but it is best to time your visit with the twice daily feeding and bathing. At 9.15am and 4.15pm, the baby elephants are taken into the stalls where they are tethered and then bottle fed with milk, providing endless photo opportunities. This might be a crowd pleaser but it’s not the highlight; what really steals the show is the bathing of the baby elephants.

Afterwards embark on a picturesque drive through Sri Lanka’s hill country. En route visit a tea factory and tea plantations.

In the afternoon you will reach Nuwara Eliya (the so-called Little England) with its colonial hotels, the race course and golf courses. Nuwara Eliya or City of Light is the tea capital of Sri Lanka at an altitude of 1889 m and is the most visited hill station of the island.

Nuwara Eliya was found by a group of British officers during the earlier part of the 19th century, who as the story goes, had gotten lost while elephant hunting. The British governor at the time, Sir Edward Barnes, was told about this little town and subsequently decided to take residence there, soon creating a health resort, which soon became internationally renown. Nuwara Eliya is surrounded by a seemingly endless array of tea plantations populated by tea pickers who are almost exclusively Indian Tamils, who are distinct from the Ceylonese Tamils who live in the Northeast of the country.

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 6 Day 6: Horton Plains National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Horton Plains National Park

After early breakfast you will be taking a trip to Horton Plains, Sri Lanka’s highest and most isolated plateau. Set on a backdrop of the hauntingly beautiful landscape of cloud forests and endless grasslands, Horton Plains is the perfect place for nature lovers, with its rich biodiversity and stunning views. Those who visit Horton Plains can’t help but be enamoured by the sight of many wild animals and different species of birds enjoying the resplendent surroundings. Walk through Horton Plains to the precipice known as World’s End – a sheer drop of an astonishing 1,050 meters, an excellent place to look out over the surrounding hills, and a popular spot for photos. Return to hotel in the afternoon and then free walk in local market.

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 7 Day 7: Ella (Optional Train Ride) - Yala National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Ella (Optional Train Ride) - Yala National Park

First watch the magnificent views of Ella valley and the Rawana waterfall. (This section of the tour can be undertaken by optional train ride) After a stop at the Wellawaya Pottery Manufactory or for some white water rafting (optional) you will continue to the Yala National Park. Afternoon Jeep safari were you can watch leopards, elephants, bears, thousand of local and migrant birds in the wild. Just to name a few.

Sri Lanka is one of the best places in Asia for seeing wildlife. The island’s isolation from the mainland, the heavy rainfall of the two diagonally blowing monsoons, and the country’s wide range of altitudes have given Sri Lanka a variation in climate and biodiversity normally found only across an entire continent.

The top draw is the Sri Lankan leopard, a sub-species endemic to the country; in certain areas of the park, the average leopard density is as high as one cat to every square kilometre. During the fruiting of the palu trees in June and July, sloth bears are often observed.

Other animals you might spot include sambar (a large deer), spotted deer, buffalo, wild pig, stripe-necked and ruddy mongooses, langur monkey, toque monkey, golden jackal and Indian palm civet.

The combination of freshwater, marine, scrub and woodland areas ensures a high diversity of birds. Indeed, the park hosts 220 different types, and serious twitchers have recorded 100 species in a single day.

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in in Yala/Tissamaharama.
Day 8 Day 8: South Coast Beaches - Galle Fort - Negombo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: South Coast Beaches - Galle Fort - Negombo

On your way back to Negombo, you will drive along the beautiful beaches on Sri Lanka’s South Coast with the opportunity to stop wherever you like to take a dip. The best known beach resorts are Tangalle, Mirissa, Unawatuna.

The port city of Galle is not only of historical interest but the business center of the South of Sri Lanka.

This is the right place if you want to experience the Singhalese culture, away from the touristic hot-spots without loosing out on your holiday itinerary.

Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British, who developed the harbor at Colombo.

Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. The Galle Fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European invaders. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the St. Mary’s Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests.

Overnight at a top reviewed Budget Hotel in Negombo.
Day 9 Day 9: Negombo Sightseeing Tour - Transfer To The Airport Or Your Next Destination
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Negombo Sightseeing Tour - Transfer To The Airport Or Your Next Destination

Depending on your departure time, you can leave after breakfast directly for the airport or spend the waiting time on a Negombo Sightseeing Tour. Near the waterfront you find the remains of the 17th-century Dutch Fort and the Negombo Lagoon, lined with fishermen’s huts, feeds into the Dutch-era Hamilton Canal. The neoclassical St. Mary’s Church features a ceiling decorated with vivid religious paintings.

End of Tour

9 days tour

Sri Lanka Budget Tour 2024

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Sri Lanka Budget Tour 2024

Day 1: Pick Up/Airport - Anuradhapura

Day 2: Ancient City Of Polonnaruwa

Day 3: Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Dambulla Cave Temple

Day 4: Kandy Sightseeing - Temple Of The Sacred Tooth Relic - Royal Botanic Gardens

Day 5: Elephant Orphanage - Tea Plantations - Tea Factory - Nuwara Eliya

Day 6: Horton Plains National Park

Day 7: Ella (Optional Train Ride) - Yala National Park

Day 8: South Coast Beaches - Galle Fort - Negombo

Day 9: Negombo Sightseeing Tour - Transfer To The Airport Or Your Next Destination

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