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Family

Sri Lanka Family Holiday

12 days • 4.9

Excellent

49 reviews

12 days

Start

Negombo, Sri Lanka

Finish

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Trip Code

HHFL

Min Age

Trip Size

1 - 16

Physical Rating

Meals

11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners

Transport

Private bus, train, bicycle

Accommodation

Hotel (10 nights), Camping (1 night)

From £1,480(12 days)

Trip Informations

Why you’ll love this trip

See the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya – from the massive stone lion paws at the entrance to the 200-metre climb to the top, this UNESCO World Heritage site will impress the whole family!

Spot elephants in their natural habitat during a jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park – this is something your kids (and you) will never forget.

Share dinner with a Sri Lankan family before sealing the friendship with an informal lesson in traditional Kandyan dance.

Explore the Dambulla cave temples, where prehistoric Sri Lankans lived thousands of years ago and ancient murals and statues depicting the Buddha are on display.

Soak up some sun during your beach break along the palm-fringed sands of Mirissa, where the kids can splash, and you can relax.

Is this trip right for you?

Though its equatorial position means constant year-round temperatures, the summer months in Sri Lanka are very hot with short, sharp monsoons in the south-west of the country. Please consider your family’s suitability to the season you wish to travel in.

Part of travelling with Tuuur means respecting local cultures and sensibilities. That way you get the most out of your interactions with local people and environments. We visit several temples on this trip and all members of your family will need to have clothes that cover from wrist to below the knee to access them. A light scarf is also a good idea for covering shoulders and arms when it’s hot.

Itinerary

Discover exotic wildlife, ancient forts and colourful culture on a family adventure

Naturally gorgeous, culturally captivating and steeped in mysticism, Sri Lanka makes for a wonderful introduction to the Indian subcontinent for both kids and adults. Embark on a 12-day family adventure and discover temples carved from cliffs, fortresses built on boulders and wildlife-rich parks. Expose your family to different ways of life while cycling through peaceful villages and touring working tea plantations. Search for the local wildlife when you go safari, looking out for wild elephants, deer and crocodiles, and chill out by the beach in Mirissa with the other families. Educational, active and leisurely paced, this trip is everything you could want in a family getaway.

DAY 1
Day 1 • Negombo
Ayubowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka. Known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, the island offers travellers palm-studded beaches, rolling plantations and sacred sites steeped in spirituality. Your adventure begins in Negombo with a welcome meeting at 5 pm, where you’ll meet your local leader and the other families travelling with you. If you arrive early, why not go out an explore at your own pace or book yourselves into the Urban Adventures day tour. After the meeting, maybe join your group for dinner and get to know the delicious local cuisine.
Accommodation
Ruvisha Beach Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals
There are no meals included on this day.
Special information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information for each member of your family. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Some travellers have reported being approached by locals offering excursions before their Tuuur trip commences. This has been particularly prevalent in and around the hotels used by Intrepid. These guides are in no way connected to Tuuur and we cannot guarantee the safety or quality standards of their tours. We advise customers against joining any tour offered by the unauthorised guides.
For more information on the Spirit of Negombo day tour, speak to your booking agent or visit urbanadventures.com/Colombo-tour-spirit-of-Negombo
DAY 2
Day 2 • Dambulla
Today you’ll officially start your adventure by heading to Dambulla – this town plays home to some of the world’s most spectacularly decorated cave temples. When you arrive, you can choose whether to join an optional excursion to the vegetable wholesale market – a labyrinth of shops and stalls that offers a look at the vast range of produce grown in Sri Lanka. Later, explore the Dambulla cave temples, where prehistoric Sri Lankans lived thousands of years ago and thousands of ancient murals and statues depicting the Buddha are on display.
Accommodation
Pelvehara Village Resort or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Dambulla - Cave Temples
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
DAY 3
Day 3 • Dambulla
Today’s adventure takes you from Dambulla to Sigiriya – a colossal stone monument hosting a ruined fortress and an impressive UNESCO World Heritage site. Let the kids burn off some energy with a climb to the top of the enormous rock, checking out the murals and caves along the way. If the weather is playing alone, you should be able to take in sweeping views of the thick forests from the summit before descending. Once you return to Dambulla, take the family for a bike ride around the countryside. After a day full of activity everyone should be nice and tuckered out by the time night falls.
Accommodation
Pelvehara Village Resort or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Sigiriya - Bike ride
Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
DAY 4
Day 4 • Kandy
Say farewell to Dambulla this morning and drive to Kandy, often called the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. The hills surrounding the city, along with the lake in the centre, creates the perfect scenery for family phots, and the old shops and restaurants will keep you busy for hours. Spend the afternoon soaking in the rows of flowers and towering palm trees in the Royal Botanical Gardens – home to more than 4000 species of plants including orchids, spices, medicinal plants and various trees. After, continue to the Spice Gardens to learn about Sri Lankan spice plants and herbs.
Accommodation
Hotel Senani or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Kandy - Botanical Gardens
Matale - Spice Garden
Optional activities
Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance - USD7
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
DAY 5
Day 5 • Kandy
This morning, visit Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth), which houses the country's most sacred relic – a tooth said to belong to the Gautama Buddha. Pilgrims have been coming to pay homage at this site since the 16th century and they still come in droves today, making it a fascinating place to teach kids about one of the world’s oldest religions still being widely practiced. This evening, join a local family for dinner and learn the steps to a traditional Kandayan dance during some lessons from local performers.
Accommodation
Hotel Senani or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Included activities
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
Special information
When visiting the Temple of the Tooth you must remove your hats and shoes. Store them with the ‘shoe keepers’ for a small charge or put them in your rucksack, as if you leave belongings outside monkeys will run off with them.
DAY 6
Day 6 • Bandarawela
After breakfast, hit the road to Nuwara Eliya – a former hill station built entirely during the 19th century. The old world architecture reflects what you might expect to find in an English village and the town is a fascinating mix of water buffalo and brick Victorian buildings, golf courses and tea plantations. From here, you’ll all board a train to Bandarawela. Soak up the views across the hills and tea plantations from your accommodation this evening.
Accommodation
Orient Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Train ride from Nanu Oya to Bandarawela
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.
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.
DAY 7
Day 7 • Bandarawela
After a few busy days on the road, today will be at a slower pace. Bandarawela is a quiet hill town that exists to supply the needs of the tea plantation workers and their families. Another distinctive feature of Bandarawela is the preservation of the many old buildings, including the Bandarawela Hotel and the old supermarket. Enjoy a leisurely morning walk through the countryside, past tea workers plucking the tips of the plants and throwing them into the baskets on their backs, before settling in for a local home-cooked lunch. The afternoon is free for you to relax, go for another walk or explore at your own pace.
Accommodation
Orient Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Included activities
Bandarawela - Country side trek
Bandarawela - Tea Plucking Experience
DAY 8
Day 8 • Udawalawe
After a hearty breakfast, you’ll drive to Udawalawe National Park. This park has an amazing array of animal and birdlife, with more herds of wild elephants than anywhere else in Sri Lanka! Following lunch, hop in a jeep for a safari inside the park. Other wildlife regularly spotted here includes macaques and larger monkeys, spotted deer, crocodiles and sometimes even leopards. This is a real safari experience, nothing like a zoo or safari park. Check into the campsite at around 6 pm after a full day of adventure.
Accommodation
Udewalawe Camping (with basic facilities) or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
Included activities
Udewalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.
Tents are fitted with a bedroom and an en-suite bathroom with hot and cold water. The beds are raised and fitted with comfortable mattresses. Pillows, bed linen, towels, a flashlight and basic bathroom amenities are provided.
DAY 9
Day 9 • Mirissa
After breakfast this morning it's time to farewell the camp and head west towards the coast and the town of Galle Fort. The kids will be able to learn about the interesting history of the town and see the remains of the walled fortress – now one of the most important UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. After lunch, they’ll love getting hands-on and making their very own kites to fly. Kite flying is a fun and popular pastime activity for local families and if you’re visiting in summer, you're likely to see skies filled with colour along the coastline. After, it's time to head to the chilled-out beach town of Mirissa, where you will spend the next 2 nights.
Accommodation
Paradise Beach Club – Mirissa or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Included activities
Mirissa - Kite Flying
DAY 10
Day 10 • Mirissa
Mirissa is one of the best spots in Sri Lanka and you and your family will enjoy a full free day to explore it your way. Wander around the scenic waterfront or consider gathering the family together to head to the nearby Weligama by tuk-tuk or bicycle to see colourful fishing boats bringing in the daily catch to sell along the shore. Enjoy some fresh fish for lunch and perhaps go for a splash in the clear waters of the Laccadive Sea or relax on the sandy beaches.
Accommodation
Paradise Beach Club – Mirissa or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
Special information
Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.
Previous travellers have raised animal welfare concerns about whale watching experiences in Mirissa. Tuuur follows the best practice guidelines for whale and dolphin watching provided by our Tuuur Foundation partner, Whale & Dolphin Conservation. Unfortunately, there are currently no operators in Mirissa that comply with these guidelines. For this reason, we are currently not able to offer or recommend whale and dolphin watching as an optional activity here.
DAY 11
Day 11 • Colombo
Check out of the hotel and head towards Colombo. When you arrive, take a bit of time to wander through the bazaar and take in the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling market. After, enjoy a bit of free time. You’re in the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, so there’s more than enough things to occupy the whole family. The waterfront is full of life and makes for an excellent starting point. Regroup in the afternoon and head to Galle Face Green – five hectares of ocean-side park bliss – with your fellow families.
Accommodation
Fairway Colombo or similar (1 night)
Meals
Breakfast
DAY 12
Day 12 • Colombo
Your Sri Lankan family holiday ends this morning after breakfast. There are no activities planned for today and you can depart the hotel at any time after check out at 12 pm. If you are departing later in the day, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel. IF you’d like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time.
Meals
Breakfast

Inclusions

Meals

11 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners

Transport

Private bus, train, bicycle

Accommodation

Hotel (10 nights), Camping (1 night)

Included activities

Dambulla - Cave Temples

Sigiriya - Bike ride

Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit

Kandy - Botanical Gardens

Matale - Spice Garden

Kandy - Temple of the Tooth

Train ride from Nanu Oya to Bandarawela

Bandarawela - Country side trek

Bandarawela - Tea Plucking Experience

Udewalawe National Park - Wildlife safari

Mirissa - Kite Flying

Optional activities

Kandy - Cultural Dance Performance - USD7

Dates and availability

Starting

Ending

Remaining

Prices From

Saturday Jun 28, 2025

Wednesday Jul 09, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 7 spaces left

£1,766£1,589

Sunday Jun 29, 2025

Thursday Jul 10, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 8 spaces left

£1,645£1,480

Thursday Jul 03, 2025

Monday Jul 14, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 1 space left

Saturday Jul 05, 2025

Wednesday Jul 16, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left

£1,645

Tuesday Jul 08, 2025

Saturday Jul 19, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 1 space left

Saturday Jul 12, 2025

Wednesday Jul 23, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 9 spaces left

£1,683

Saturday Jul 19, 2025

Wednesday Jul 30, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 2 spaces left

£1,683

Saturday Jul 26, 2025

Wednesday Aug 06, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 4 spaces left

£1,815

Saturday Aug 02, 2025

Wednesday Aug 13, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 2 spaces left

£1,876

Saturday Aug 09, 2025

Wednesday Aug 20, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out

Tuesday Aug 12, 2025

Saturday Aug 23, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 5 spaces left

£1,799

Saturday Aug 16, 2025

Wednesday Aug 27, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 12 spaces left

£1,634

Saturday Sep 20, 2025

Wednesday Oct 01, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - Sold Out

Tuesday Sep 23, 2025

Saturday Oct 04, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 16 spaces left

£1,634

Friday Sep 26, 2025

Tuesday Oct 07, 2025

Trip size max: 16 - 5 spaces left

£1,815

Important notes

1.Some travellers have reported being approached by locals offering excursions before their Tuuur trip commences. This has been particularly prevalent in and around the hotels used by Intrepid. These guides are in no way connected to Tuuur 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 trip begins with an important welcome meeting at 5pm. There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time.

4. Please provide your full name exactly as per passport at the time of booking for entrance 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. These trips are for adults and children travelling together and there must be at least one child under 18 with you in order to book.

6. Minimum age for children on this trip is 5 years old.

7. 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 (51)

5 stars

4 stars

Devy

Apr 18, 2025

What a magical experience we had in Sri Lanka! Our local guide Mahendra, the other families, the welcoming locals, all made it a trip we will never forget.

Marion

Apr 18, 2025

The most wonderful trip ever! Our guide, Mahendra, was knowledgeable, generous and made small adjustments to the itinerary when asked. Sri Lanka is a beautiful and interesting place, and it was the things on the itinerary, as well as the surprises along the way that made this so memorable for our family as well as the benefits of travelling with a group. We were very sad to say goodbye to Sri Lanka, our guide and all of our new friends

Stuart

Apr 17, 2025

An amazing trip around a fantastic island. Can’t recommend it enough!

Tom

Apr 15, 2025

The Sri Lanka family trip was amazing! The whole family learned loads about this fabulous country. It is beautiful place and we experienced so much with the diverse itinerary. Our guide (Mahendra) and drivers were amazing and made the trip! Thank you.

Kate

Feb 04, 2025

This Sri Lanka trip really is an eye opener given how kaleidoscopic the experiences were from: modern cities, historical sites, tea retreats, and rustic beaches. Sir Lanka really is quite unique. Highly recommend.

Jude

Dec 29, 2024

Peter

Dec 29, 2024

This was a great experience to travel with a great group of families and learn about Sri Lanka.

Pia

Dec 29, 2024

Shinan, our guide was very friendly and the other families were very fun to be with. Overall I loved the trip because it was super fun and relaxing.

Rob

Aug 27, 2024

Sri Lanka is a country or contrast. Having left the recent past behind them (Civil war, tsunami, COVID, uprising) the people of Sri Lanka are happy and friendly. Their country is full of history, traditional stories, multiple religions living side by side, UNESCO sites everywhere and some delicious cuisine. Sri Lanka truly is a resplendent island. Beautiful, exciting, delicious and somewhere I would love to return to.

Jessica

Aug 26, 2024

This trip was the best family holiday we've ever taken. Our leader, Upul, was amazing. The itinerary was great and the driving distances manageable. Longer distances had interesting stops along the way. This covered all of the highlights of Sri Lanka.

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