Members save more on over 100,000 hotels worldwide
Unlock member discounts
Unlock exclusive discounts and inclusions
Members only pricing
Bonus hand-picked inclusions
Sri Lanka Explorer
Operated by Intrepid Travel
Tripcode: HPSS
Overview
Destination:
Sri Lanka,
Start:Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finish:Colombo, Sri Lanka
Finish:Colombo, Sri Lanka
Duration:12 days
Type:Group tour (max 12)
Travel Period
March 2025 - December 2027
If you're looking for a place where Hindu temples, Buddhist shrines, churches and mosques can all be found on the same stretch, Sri Lanka’s melting pot should be next on your list. On this 12-day adventure, you’ll head from laidback Negombo to ancient Anuradhapura. Explore the secrets of the north, the hidden places of Jaffna and the beautiful coastline of Trincomalee. Learn about the spiritual heart of the country in the temples of Kandy, look out for local wildlife on safaris and spend time with locals keen to share their homes, food and stories.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
1.Some Travellers have reported being approached by locals offering excursions before their Intrepid trip commences. This has been particularly prevalent in and around the hotels used by Intrepid. These guides are in no way connected to Intrepid and we cannot guarantee the safety or quality standards of their tours. We advise customers against joining any tour offered by the unauthorised guides.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. The Perahera Festival is a 10 day period of evening processions to honour the Sacred Tooth, which is enshrined at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth. Each night features thousands of perfomers, including dancers, drummers, and a parade of more than 50 decorated elephants. Due to Intrepid's stance on elephant cruelty we do not visit the Perahera Festival and cannot purchase tickets on your behalf.
4. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
5. Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but on the rare occasion that we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.
2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
3. The Perahera Festival is a 10 day period of evening processions to honour the Sacred Tooth, which is enshrined at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth. Each night features thousands of perfomers, including dancers, drummers, and a parade of more than 50 decorated elephants. Due to Intrepid's stance on elephant cruelty we do not visit the Perahera Festival and cannot purchase tickets on your behalf.
4. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for train tickets. Fees may apply for amendments to details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases you will be required to cover the cost of issuing new tickets.
5. Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but on the rare occasion that we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.
Show more
Standard inclusions
- Meals: Meals: 10 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner.
- Transport: Private vehicle.
- Accommodation: Hotel (11 nights).
- Anuradhapura - Bodhi Tree Temple.
- Anuradhapura - World Heritage Site of ancient kingdom ruins.
- Anuradhapura - Bike tour.
- Jaffna - Jaffna Peninsula tour.
- Jaffna - Cooking class & family visit.
- Jaffna - Jaffna Library.
- Jaffna - Pottery making experience.
- Trincomalee - Palmyrah Toddy and Food experience.
- Dambulla - Cave Temples.
- Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit.
- Minneriya National Park - Entrance Fee.
- Kandy - Spice garden visit.
- Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance.
- Kandy - Temple of the Tooth.
- Kandy - Tea factory visit.
- Colombo - City Tour.
Itinerary
Expand all 
Collapse all
Collapse allDay 1: Negombo
Ayu-bowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka. Your adventure begins in the town of Negombo, located close to the international airport. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 5.30 pm tonight. Those arriving early can get into the spirit of seaside Sri Lanka by observing the local fishing craft and maybe feasting on some fresh seafood. The surrounding countryside is best explored on a bicycle, which you can rent with help from the hotel reception. After your meeting tonight, maybe head out to an optional group dinner to get to know each other.
Day 2: Anuradhapura
Travel north by private vehicle to Anuradhapura today. Along the way, you’ll visit the Negombo Fish Markets. The grand ruins of Anuradhapura point to its status as Sri Lanka’s ruling city for almost one and a half millennia and you’ll take a guided cycling tour of the many archaeological sites when you arrive. See the stupas, citadel and the monasteries, stopping by the Bodhi Tree Temple – the second-most sacred site in Sri Lanka. The rest of your evening is free.
Day 3: Jaffna
Travel north by train to the coastal Tamil town of Jaffna – inaccessible for years due to the civil war. Journey around the Jaffna Peninsula, soaking in the views of Point Pedro – Sri Lanka’s northernmost point. You’ll also stop to see the healing waters of Keerimalai Spring, the ruined dagobas of Kantarodai and Nilawari – a bottomless well where it’s said that the Hindu God Rama shot an arrow to get water. Tonight, visit a local home and learn to cook traditional Jaffna cuisine, then enjoy the fruits of your labour for dinner.
Day 4: Jaffna
Today, you’ll explore more of Jaffna with your leader. First, you’ll head to a hands-on pottery class that’s run by a local, family-owned business. The local potter will show you the different techniques and teach you about the art of pottery. Then, you’ll get to shape and mould your own creations, making a small pot to take home! After, you’ll head to lunch in a local Hindu home. Feast on a traditional vegetarian meal and learn more about the Hindu population in Jaffna. This afternoon, you’ll head to a beautiful library that’s recently been restored after being destroyed in the war. See the Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil – an important local Hindu site – then return to your accommodation for a relaxing evening.
Day 5: Trincomalee
Leave Jaffna today and travel to Trincomalee. Discover the beach vibes of ‘Trinco’, relax in the shade of a palm tree and try ‘toddy’ straight from its flowers. Trincomalee was one of the world’s finest deep-water harbours, attracting famous sailors like Marco Polo to its shores. There are no activities planned today, so there's plenty of time to relax around the pool or head to the beach.
Day 6: Trincomalee
Today, visit a local village and learn how local tappers extract toddy from Palmyrah and learn how palmyrah leaves are weaved to make different items. Then, join the local women and see how odiyal kool is prepared (Tamil seafood soup), then try some for yourself. In the afternoon you’ll have free time to maybe visit the colourful and intricate Pathirakali Amman Hindu temple or sit back, relax and enjoy the lazy beach lifestyle.
Day 7: Dambulla
Drive from Trincomalee towards Dambulla – your base to explore the colourful Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka. Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple – this UNESCO World Heritage site is the largest and best preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, many of which are full of colourful, large statues and paintings related to Gautama Buddha and his life. After returning to Dambulla, there’s the option of going elephant, sambar deer and leopard watching on a safari in the evergreen scrublands of Minneriya National Park.
Day 8: Dambulla
Today you’ll visit Sigiriya's Lion Rock – this ancient carved-rock fortress that rises dramatically above the surrounding plains is a UNESCO World Heritage site and if you’re game, you can climb the many stairs to see the amazing views of the surrounding jungle. Then, head out for a wildlife safari at Minneriya National Park – home to Sri Lankan elephants and sloth bears, and claimed to be the best National Park in the world to witness elephants in large herds in their natural habitat (between July and December). Return to Dambulla for the night for a free evening.
Day 9: Kandy
Leave Dambulla and head onwards to Kandy (approximately 3.5 hours), the last capital of Sri Lanka’s ancient kings era. As you continue on, a stop in at a spice garden might yield scents of cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, clove, nutmeg, vanilla and more as you learn the secrets of cultivating these palate pleasers. After arriving in Kandy, visit a Kandayan dance show to experience the colourful traditional costumes and evocative performances live in action.
Day 10: Kandy
Start the day with a visit to the Giragama Tea Factory for an insight into local production techniques, then head to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. This golden roofed temple is home to Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. After, enjoy the rest of the day with free exploration of the city. Perhaps take a walk around the beautiful lake in the centre of town, explore the local Buddhist temple or while away the afternoon amongst the trees and flowers of the Royal Palace Park.
Day 11: Colombo
Drive to Colombo today – the nation's capital. Stop by some of the city's main sights on a bus tour, including Independence Square, Parliament and the National Museum. End your tour with a spot of shopping at the Barefoot Fair-Trade Store. Here, you can find a collection of handicrafts from around the country and support small cottage industries. If you’re lucky enough to be in Colombo on a Saturday, you can visit Good Market – a local market full of stalls showcasing social enterprises and responsible businesses. Tonight, there's an optional final group dinner to celebrate your journey together.
Day 12: Colombo
There are no activities planned for today and you can depart the hotel at any time. If you'd like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.
Departure dates
Select your preferred date or enquire
Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid is a small group tour travel company with humble beginnings that now sends over 100,000 travellers a year on grassroots and responsible travel tours.
Important Information
*Terms and conditions
Please note: We are proud to be an independent agent to travel providers of hotels, flights and other related services. We are not a tour operator. Details and information on the offer are provided by 3rd party businesses and although we do our best to verify the information, we cannot guarantee its accuracy on all occasions. These offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer unless otherwise stated. Pricing and availability are subject to change without notice.
For more information, please see Terms of Use
Book now
Need help?
Price from
$2,631
$2,500
*
Member price from
$2,500*
per person
11 nights
Check departuresCan't find the answer you're looking for? Get in touch with our friendly Travel Consultants.
Call 1800 850 888Speak to one of our friendly consultants, available during business hours.
Mon to Fri · 9am - 5pm AEST
Speak to an expert in-store
Prefer to plan in person? Make an appointment at our Travel Store to speak with one of our experts
You might also like
© 2025 Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) All rights reserved.