Original
Food
Sri Lanka Real Food Adventure
4.8
Excellent
154 reviews
12 days
Start
Negombo, Sri Lanka
Finish
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Trip Code
HPZM
Min Age
15
Trip Size
1 - 12
Physical Rating
Meals
10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 3 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle, train, jeep
Accommodation
Hotel (11 nts)
From £1,575(12 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
Take a look behind closed doors when you’re invited for a home-cooked Tamil lunch in Haputale and feast on a freshly caught meal with a fisherman’s family in Mirissa.
Learn the secrets of Sri Lankan cuisine during a cooking class in a Sinhalese home in Kandy and a demonstration in a local home in Bandarawela.
Experience some of Sri Lanka’s most remarkable sights, including Lion Rock, the Dambulla Cave Temples, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, Yala National Park and Galle Fort.
Spoil your tastebuds with flavour-filled curries, seriously fresh seafood, sweet desserts, roti, hoppers, dosa, idli and more.
Discover Sri Lanka’s favourite beverage when you visit a tea plantation in Bandarawela, meeting local tea pickers, learning about their craft and tasting a freshly brewed cuppa.
Is this trip right for you?
The cuisine of Sri Lanka includes a lot of meat and seafood. For vegetarians and vegans we recommend reviewing the itinerary and inclusions to ensure that you will be able to fully participate and enjoy this trip. We also have many other trips to Sri Lanka which can accommodate a range of dietary requirements.
We visit a number of temples on this trip, which requires a certain level of modesty. Please bring clothes that cover the arms and pants/skirts that go past the knees. A light scarf is also a good idea for covering shoulders and arms when it’s hot.
Though its equatorial position means fairly constant year-round temperatures, the summer months in Sri Lanka are very hot with short, sharp monsoons in the south-west of the country. Be sure to use adequate sun protection and drink plenty of water.
The Rock Fortress – or Lion Rock – of Sigiriya is spectacular. However, those with a fear of (or even an aversion to) heights may wish to sit the excursion out. Scaling the rock involves walking up lots of rough, narrow steps and tight walkways.
In September and October, when Yala National Park is closed annually for infrastructure development and rejuvenation, we visit Udawalawe National Park.
Yala National Park is a beautiful, but popular tourist attraction. At times of high visitor numbers, we will change our itinerary to visit Udawalawe National Park. This is to minimise our impact on the wildlife and environment. Please refer to the Itinerary for more details.
Some temples on this trip require your head to be uncovered when visiting. You can opt out of temple visits if this requirement doesn't suit you.
Itinerary
Take a bite out of Sri Lanka on a food-filled exploration
Hungry for adventure? This food-focused journey through Sri Lanka hits the spot. Explore the fish market in Negombo, take part in a Sinhalese cooking class in a local home in Kandy, tuck into a Tamil family lunch in Haputale and enjoy a cooking demonstration with a fisherman’s family in Mirissa. Lie back on the coast, cool down in the highlands and weave through the streets of the buzzing capital. When you’re not busy eating, you’ll explore the rich culture of Sri Lanka – think elaborate temples, ancient fortresses and wildlife-filled countryside.
Inclusions
Meals
10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 3 dinners
Transport
Private vehicle, train, jeep
Accommodation
Hotel (11 nts)
Included activities
Negombo - Fish market
Madampe - Coconut plantation visit
Dambulla - Wholesale Markets tour
Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
Sigiriya - Chena Cultivation tour by jeep
Dambulla - Cave Temples
Matale - Spice Garden tour and lunch
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
Kandy - Cooking Class in a Sinhalese Home
Kandy - Tea factory visit
Kandy - Market wander & tastings
Bandarawela - Cooking demonstration & local meal
Kandy - Scenic train ride from Kandy to Bandarawela
Haputale - Tamil family lunch
Bandarawela - Hike through tea fields
Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
Tissamaharama - Curd and treacle tasting
Mirissa - Fisherman's Cooking Demonstration and Lunch
Galle - Dutch Fort
Galle - Walking tour
Galle - Biriyani lunch with a local family
Colombo - City tour by bus
Colombo - Dutch Burgher Lunch
Colombo - Street food
Dates and availability
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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. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. Please advise us of any dietary requirements at the time of booking so that we can ensure you’ll enjoy this trip.
4. Please provide your full name and passport number exactly as it appears on your passport at the time of booking (including any middle names listed on your passport). If we do not receive your passport details in time, we cannot guarantee your train journey. Fees may apply for adding or amending details within 45 days of departure, and in some cases, you will be required to cover the cost of issuing a new ticket. Train tickets are in very high demand in Sri Lanka. We always try our best to secure tickets, but if we cannot book them, you will continue your journey by private vehicle.
Reviews (150)
5 stars
134
4 stars
10
3 stars
2
2 stars
4
Diane
Oct 05, 2025
Chamodi is the ultimate guide!! She is extremely knowledgeable, passionate, patient and most of all a lot of fun! Her love for Sri Lanka permeates all her interactions. The tour itself is a great mix of the country’s attractions and its traditional food. Experiencing cooking in people’s home made it a unique and more authentic experience. Special mentions for our driver Thissara and assistant Harsha who also ensured the logistics were taken care of smoothly. I highly recommend the Sri Lanka Real Food Adventure.
Kelly & Mark
Sep 28, 2025
Our first group tour… what a pleasant surprise. 11 people with similar interesting in cooking and travel made for a terrific holiday. I would highly recommend Intrepid tours. The staff were super helpful, friendly and had a great sense of fun.
Murray
Sep 27, 2025
Wonderful trip! Food element was interesting and detailed with great backup from our knowledgeable guide Chamodi. Cultural excursions also interesting. Great views.
Andrew
Sep 25, 2025
Highly recommended. Everything organised for you and clear, easy to have a good time. The Sri Lankan food tour has 1-2 daily home-cooked meal demonstrations - it gives you amazing access to real people in their kitchens, while still covering all the usual sights. I loved it!
Ailsa
Sep 01, 2025
We did this trip as a family of 4 and would highly recommend it. It included a great mix of cultural sights and wildlife as well as a great selection of cooking demonstrations and food-related activities. All the food that we had was delicious -and not too spicy! Overall a fantastic trip.
Elaine
Aug 26, 2025
What an amazing food tour of Sri Lanka - the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and knowledge of our guide Manoj absolutely made our trip a unique and unforgettable experience. We met like minded people in our group and have built life long friendships and connections. Already planning our next trip!!!!
Alison
Aug 26, 2025
What an amazing country! Sri Lanka is truly the pearl of the Indian Ocean. Manoj was an exceptional leader and we were well taken care of the entire trip. The accommodations were excellent, the food was incredible and this trip really gives you a flavor for the people and culture of this beautiful country. If you’re hesitating, don’t. You won’t regret this trip!
Aden
Aug 26, 2025
Was a great trip, as someone who dosent eat seafood there was always other options available, all of the meals were delicious, accomodation comfortable and inclusions were great!
Violet
Aug 12, 2025
Wonderful trip, getting to try lots of food and meet many local families. Chamodi is the best guide and made sure our trip was unforgettable!
Margaret
Aug 07, 2025
I absolutely loved Sri Lanka and the Intrepid tour I did. The small group was a great way to travel through Sri Lanka in the company of others. Our tour leader was amazing and was so organised, happy, enthusiastic and accommodating. She really made the trip extra special. I will never forget the outstanding country, tour, the beautiful tour guide and the incredible memories I made. I would recommend Intrepid to anyone as our ages ranged from 28 to 72 and I loved the mix of ages and people. Intrepid is for everyone.
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