Sri Lanka Summer Holiday – May to October (Private Tour)

Welcome to Sri Lanka! This is a private tour for your family to enjoy at your own pace. On your arrival you will be picked up by your own private chauffeur who will be with you throughout the tour. The drive to Negombo will take about 25 minutes. On arrival you and your family can either spend the day at the hotel or go for a walk on the beach.

After breakfast, you will drive to Wilpattu. Your family can anticipate a different accommodation experience with your family, It is an overnight stay at an eco-friendly campsite in jungle settings! Evening we will take you on a game drive with snacks and refreshments in a private jeep. This will give you a chance to spot the elusive Sri Lankan leopard and Sri Lankan sloth bear and a chance to see a rich diversity of flora and fauna. Wilpattu is the largest national park on the island and has an interesting landscape of natural lakes, shrubland and thick forests. The dry season increases the chances of sighting leopards.

Then greater thrills, you will drive to Trincomalee, one of the finest natural deep-water harbours in the world. Home to beautiful white beaches, clear waters around the Pigeon Island, it’s a wanderlust for families with long stretches of beach and warm blue waters to revel in! If your children would like to see whales, remember, March to September is the best time and means spending about half a day out in the ocean.

On this day, you will be taken to Pigeon Island just off Trincomalee. You will enjoy this adventure on your holiday in Sri Lanka. It comprises two islands. It is called the Pigeon island National Park, why? Because of its prized coral reef that extends to about 100m in width and 200m is length. You will be astounded by the sea life within the reach of the beach, protected by a rocky islet. With over 300 species of coral reef fish keeping the water alive with colour – you will love your time here. But take care to wear slippers constantly to avoid coral cuts!

Whether you want to book some water sports activities, go diving and snorkeling to several key sights at Trincomalee, make it a fun-filled day with your family. The pool is always a treat to laze by with cool drinks, but the inviting beach is amazing to soak up the sun or play with your children. Pigeon Island is not far to take a boat ride to and explore. It is surrounded by coral reef and turtles and reef fish can be sighted here. Building sandcastles, tap rugby, football… taking photographs of the landscape or selfies with your loved ones, Trincomalee is beautiful.

After breakfast you will head towards Sigiriya; the 5th Century AD fortress. You will check in at your hotel in Sigiriya and stay relaxed till early evening. Today will be your day to climb the Sigiriya Rock – a highlight of Sri Lankan tourism. The remains of gigantic sculptured lion paws will greet you at the start of the climb. You will ascend 600 metres to reach the zenith of the Lion Rock where you will be struck by the panoramic view and vantage point for a king. The foundations of what once housed a gathering hall, sleeping quarters – remain to be admired. There is the Mirror Wall which features the Sigiriya frescoes that are unfortunately fading. On descending, you will enjoy walking by once landscaped gardens with their own irrigation systems.

With an early start, we’ll drive you to Polonnaruwa and walk around this UNESCO Site amidst its ruins of pavilions, palaces and even ponds. The Gal Vihara temple cut from one slab of granite stone possesses a jewel of Sri Lankan art: the statues of Buddha in the recumbent, seated and standing positions.
Next, we will take you for a cookery demonstration of a typical Sri Lankan lunch: prepared in clay pots giving it an authentic taste – followed by tucking into it for lunch!

Finally, we head for the Minneriya National Park. Annually, in August/September during the dry season, wild elephants migrate from Wasgamuwa National Park to Minneriya National Park in search of food and shelter. It’s a wanderlust dream to see over 350 majestic mammals, migrate across the expansive parks.

You will carry on to the hill city, Kandy, surrounded by mountains and blessed with cool weather, where the Temple of the Tooth Relic is located: home to the Sacred Tooth of Lord Buddha. Enroute you will visit Dambulla Cave temple, 5 caves full of ancient Buddha statues and wall paintings.
When you reach Kandy, your first port of call will be the Temple of the Tooth built in the 16th century, a prominent temple where Lord Buddha’s tooth lies; surrounded by artistic murals and paintings capturing the journey of Buddhism. You will find the daily rituals ‘pooja’ held amidst drumming and chanting, very intense and colourful – attracting many worshippers daily.

Next day is a short drive to Peradeniya, to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens. A sprawling garden of about 60 hectares, hemmed in by the Mahaweli River, it also has a suspension bridge to cross to the other side of the river! You will be amazed by the impressive diversity of flora: from orchids, local indigenous plants, magnificently tall Burma bamboo, the stately avenue of royal trees (also named as Cannonball fruit tree) and of course the iconic Javan fig tree that sits in the lawn; a singular beauty with its ever-reaching canopy of shade. You will see bats, monkeys, amidst birds and butterflies too.

After breakfast and check out, it is time for us to safely transfer you and your family to the airport, well in time for an unhassled check in and safe journey back home or your onward destination. The short drive to the Bandaranaike International Airport will be under 3 hrs.
A tour taking you across the different gems of this island in just three weeks; formidable ancient ruins to verdant tea plantations to sweeping lengths of pearly beaches. We hope your family takes incredibly colourful memories of their holiday back with them. Sri Lanka bids farewell…wishing to see you again.