Basix
18 to 35s
Essential Sri Lanka
11 days • 4.8
5
Excellent
76 reviews
11 days
Start
Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finish
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Code
HPYL
Min Age
18
Trip Size
1 - 16
Physical Rating
Meals
10 breakfasts, 1 lunch
Transport
Train, Private vehicle
Accommodation
Hotel (10 nights)
From £612(11 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Cruise around in a 4WD on a wildlife safari, searching for elephants, lone leopards and aquatic birdlife in Yala National Park.
Learn the benefits of washing down a spicy curry with piping-hot Ceylon tea during lunch in a lush mountain village near Ella in a local home.
Kick back on the warm sands of paradisical palm-lined Unawatuna, with plenty of free time to relax and soak up the sun at the beach.
Leave the imprint of your face on the train window as you stare out wide-eyed on a journey from Kandy to Ella – this scenic rail ride is basically a 6-hour nature documentary, there’s so much amazing scenery!
Enjoy super fun included activities mixed with plenty of free time to choose your own adventure – maybe use some of it to visit UNESCO World Heritage Site Sigiriya. These palace ruins sit atop a massive rock structure surrounded by gardens and are a must-see for any Sri Lanka visit.
Is this trip right for you?
This trip puts the power in your hands – there’s tonnes of free time for optional activities, so you’ll have plenty of freedom to decide what you want to do.
The journey from Ella to Tissamaharama takes a winding road down the mountains to the coast, which means the drive can feel a little slow. But don't worry, it also means that you’ll get to see the awesome scenery from literally every angle.
Itinerary
Spot wildlife on safari, soak up some beachside sun and sip the finest Sri Lankan tea
Take Sri Lanka, boil it like the tea leaves the country’s famous for and strain out all the best stuff. On this 11-day trip through natural paradise, small villages and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, you’ll wander past barracuda at the Negombo Fish Market, search for elephants in Yala National Park, feast on spicy curry prepared by a local in Ella, hike through lush mountains and get horizontal on the beach in Unawatuna – Sri Lanka’s idyllic beach spot, perfect for lounging and sipping cocktails. With a local leader who knows where to find all the best teahouses and a group of likeminded travellers, this one’s gotta be an adventure of a lifetime!
Inclusions
Meals
10 breakfasts, 1 lunch
Transport
Train, Private vehicle
Accommodation
Hotel (10 nights)
Included activities
Negombo - Fish market
Matale - Spice garden visit
Kandy - Scenic train ride to Ella
Ella - Trek to Ella Gap
Ella - Nine Arch Bridge
Ella - Lunch at a Local Family Home
Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
Galle - Walking tour
Colombo – Guided market visit
Galle - Local train ride to Colombo
Optional activities
Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress (entrance) - USD35
Dambulla - Cave temples (entrance) - USD7
Kandy - Cooking Demonstration and Dinner in a Local Home - USD12
Kandy - Botanical Gardens - USD10
Kandy - Cooking Class in a Sinhalese Home - USD12
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth - USD7
Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance - USD7
Dates and availability
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Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Train tickets are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets, but if we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.
Reviews (73)
5 stars
59
4 stars
13
2 stars
1
kerri
Jun 04, 2025
Do not hesistate to book this trip, especially if you get Nilanga as your guide. Some of the accomodation could have been better, places we stayed two nights we all agreed would have been better to have a pool, but overall the trip has a special place in my heart and i will be telling everyone to take it! We also went in ‘monsoon season’ and it rained once the entire time! Nilanga our guide was amazing and we all hope to meet him again in the future!! i have friends for life, unbelievable photos and extremely special memories 🫶🏼
Tessa
Jun 04, 2025
Fantastic mix of adventure and relaxation in Sri Lanka. The wildlife, food and hiking were all highlights. Our guide Nilanga was excellent.
Cornelia
Jun 04, 2025
Samantha
May 28, 2025
I had an absolutely fantastic time on my Sri Lanka Intrepid tour, our guide Chathu was very knowledgeable about the country and culture. All the hotels we stayed at were great and overall the tour was such a great experience.
Ashleigh
Apr 28, 2025
The weather was great, only rained once in the day despite being monsoon season. The early morning trip to sigiriya rock was a highlight. Recommend the optional extra to minneriya national park for fun close encounters with elephants. Accomodation was good, but unawatuna was a decent walk/ tuk tuk to the beach.
Mikaela
Apr 23, 2025
This trip was a fantastic way to see Sri Lanka. My highlights were the optional elephant safari in Dambulla, the train ride through Ella and the cooking class in Ella (can not be missed). I'd recommend this trip to anyone who's looking for a fun way to make friends, broaden their palette and see a beautiful country. 10/10 would recommend!
Dionie
Apr 23, 2025
Brilliant trip, a great balance of scenery and city.
Rob
Apr 16, 2025
This trip was a blast. Sri Lanka is a truly beautiful country and our tour guide, Darshana, was super knowledgable about the history and culture. We particularly enjoyed his enthusiasm for the local wildlife. Thanks for a great trip!
Åsne
Apr 03, 2025
Great trip, the perfect length, amazing country, and the best tour leader Darshana. Everyone that gets to do a tour with him are lucky. Can definitely recommend this tour. Amazing experience in so many ways.
Connor
Apr 03, 2025
I had and absolutely incredible time on this tour, the most scenic sights I’ve ever seen, delicious food, a flourishing natural world to see in the national parks. Our knowledgeable tour guide made this an unforgettable trip.
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