8-Day Tour of Sri Lanka's Highlights from Negombo

Lake Colombo

Colombo skyline

Highlights

Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic

Enjoy whitewater rafting in Kitulgala

Stroll through the Udawalawe National Park

Embark on a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park

Marvel at the architecture of the Galle Fort

Colombo, Ella, Kandy, Negombo, Udawalawe National Park, Yala National Park

adventure sports, Whitewater Rafting, Wildlife

Private Tour

8 Days

Easy

English

Description

Embark on a tour of Sri Lanka from Negombo and make your first stop at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic to enjoy a cultural dance performance. Visit the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, and relax with a meditation session before enjoying a jeep safari in Minneriya. Explore the Galle Fort and Colombo markets, try the local delicacies, and visit historic buildings.

Itinerary

Day 1: Negombo
- Arrive in Negombo and connect with your tour guide to start the program.
- Attend the welcome meeting.
- Free time to relax on the beach.
Day 2: Negombo/Kandy
- Drive to Kandy. Visit a spice plantation en route.
- Visit Temple of the Tooth Relic.
- Enjoy an evening folk dance performance by a local cultural group in Kandy.
Stay overnight.
Day 3: Kandy/Kitulgala
- Visit a local tea plantation and savour a cup before beginning the day's journey.
- Take a train to Nawalapitiya.
- Drive to Kitulgala.
- Enjoy rain forest camping at an eco-lodge.
- Have some free time to try your hands on whitewater rafting.
Day 4: Kitulgala/Udawalawe
- Drive to Udawalawe after breakfast.
- Visit the famous Elephant Transit Home.
- Enjoy a nature walk around the Udawalawe National Park.
Spend the night in a tented camp on the border of the park.
Day 5: Udawalawe/Tissa
- Enjoy a guided meditation session in a local temple.
- Visit Kataragama.
- Enjoy an afternoon Jeep safari in Yala National Park.
- Relish an evening cooking demonstration.
- Have dinner and stay overnight.
Day 6: Tissa/Ahungalla
- Travel to Galle for a tour of the Galle fort.
- Witness the beauty of the Portuguese architecture in Galle city.
- Drive to Ahungalla beach.
Spend the day and night in Ahungalla.
Day 7: Ahungalla/Colombo
- Head to the capital of Sri Lanka, Colombo.
- Explore the city. See its markets, try the local dishes and visit historic buildings.
Day 8: Colombo Departure
- After breakfast, depart to the airport to board your return flight.

What's Included

Guided Meditation Session, Kataragama/Tissa

Spice plantation visit

Kandyan cultural dance performance

Temple of the Tooth visit (Kandy)

Tea plantation visit (Giragama)

Rain forest stay (Kitulgala)

Elephant Transit Home visit (Udawalawe)

Nature walk (Udawalawe)

Kataragama visit

Yala NP safari

Cooking demonstration

Galle city and fort tour

All transport between destinations and to/from included activities

Accommodations

Standard hotel (5 nts), rainforest camping (1 nt), tented camp (1 nt)

Meals-7 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Transportation

Private vehicle, train, 4x4, walking

Staff & experts

Chief Experience Local Guide (CELG) throughout

What's Excluded

Ayurveda herbal spa

Lunch and dinner

Whale and dolphin watching

Udawalawe National Park safari

Turtle hatchery

Know Before You Go

When arranging your transportation, please take into consideration the below time restrictions for joining, and departing from your group

Your flight must arrive by or before: 11:59 p.m. on Day 1

Your flight must depart no earlier than 12:00 a.m. on Day 8

Get yourself to a destination that's long been a culture-loving backpacker's dream, on this affordable 8-day whirlwind tour of the southern half of Sri Lanka. Discover beautiful ruins, hike through tea plantations, tour a spice garden, and then chill out on Hikkaduwa Beach. Explore Sri Lanka with a group of new friends and you'll never want to travel solo again.

Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.

While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion, it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations.

Group Leader Description:

You will be accompanied by one of our Chief Experience Local Guides (CELG). The aim of the CELG is to take the hassle out of your travel and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues, and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. We also use local guides where we think more specific knowledge will add to the enjoyment of the places we are visiting - we think it's the best of both worlds.

Group Size- 14 (Maximum), 6 (Average).

Meals Included

7 breakfasts, 1 dinner

Transport: Private vehicle, train, tuk-tuk, walking

Youth Travellers

We believe youth travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

The airport in Colombo (Katunayake) is around 32 km north of the Colombo center. Taking a cab is the most convenient way to get to your hotel in Negombo. Taxi drivers are famous for overcharging, so we recommend using the prepaid taxi service offered at the airport - you can make the arrangements at designated counters outside the baggage-claim area.

You can change money into the local currency (Sri Lanka Rupee) at exchange counters open 24 hours at the airport. The Airport Taxi service, supervised by the Airport & Aviation Services, operates a counter in the arrival lobby and accepts Sri Lanka Rupees. Please hire the vehicle from this counter & make full payment. They will provide you with an official receipt. Unfortunately, scammers have set up similar services, so make sure the counter is operated by The Airport & Aviation Services. Your destination, the time of your arrival and the amount of luggage determine the rate, which you pay in advance at the counter, but should be between LKR 2000 to 3000 to Negombo. A person will escort you to the designated taxi. If the driver demands more rupees, politely refuse, if they have driven safely you may like to tip him around LKR 250.

If you have paid in advance for an arrival transfer, an NIO Adventure representative will be at the airport to meet you. If for any reason you are not met at the airport, please call our local support line. If you are unable to make contact for whatever reason, please make your way to the joining point hotel via taxi.

Please note that Day 1 is an arrival day and no activities have been planned for that day other than your welcome meeting in the evening, so you can arrive at any time. Similarly, the last day is a departure day during which no activities have been planned.

Your representative will organize a short meeting soon after arrival, during which you will meet other tour participants and receive information about general and specific aspects of the trip. A welcome note will be left for you in the hotel so you have all the necessary information regarding the meeting time. If you arrive late, s/he will leave you a message detailing what time and where you should meet the next morning.

Arrival Complications

We don't expect any problems, and nor should you, but if for any reason you are unable to commence your trip as scheduled, please refer to the emergency contact details provided in this dossier and contact us as soon as possible. If you have a pre-booked transfer, and you have not made contact with our representative within 30 minutes of clearing customs and immigration, we recommend that you make your own way to the starting point of the tour.

Emergency Contact

Should you need to contact us during a situation of dire need, it is best to first call our Local Office. If for any reason you do not receive an immediate answer, please leave a detailed message and contact information, so they may return your call and assist you as soon as possible.

Airport transfer

If you have purchased an arrival through us please note that:

Your arrival transfer has been arranged based on flight information provided to us. If you are advised of a flight schedule change within 48 hours of your scheduled arrival time, we will do our best to rearrange your arrival transfer however we cannot guarantee this. If your arrival transfer does not arrive within 30 minutes after you have exited the arrivals area please take a taxi to your start point hotel.

Dress codes:

Modest clothing that covers knees and shoulders (Long pants, long skirts, shirts that cover shoulders)

Shawl or scarf (for temple visits)

Documents to be prepared

Flight info (required) (Printouts of e-tickets may be required at the border)

Insurance info (required) (With photocopies)

Passport (required) (With photocopies)

Required visas or vaccination certificates (required) (With photocopies)

Vouchers and pre-departure information (required)

The months of May-Jul are the rainy season, so please make sure to pack waterproof clothes.

Emergency Fund-Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Tipping- It is customary in Asia to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service. Tipping is expected - though not compulsory - and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. There are several times during the trip when there is an opportunity to tip the local guides or drivers we use. You may do this individually, or your CELG will offer to collect the money and tip as a group. Recommendations for tipping drivers and local guides would range from USD 1-2 per person per day depending on the quality and length of the service; ask your CELG for specific recommendations based on the circumstances and culture. Also at the end of each trip, if you felt your NIO Adventure CELG did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however, as a guideline USD 30-40 per person, per week can be used.

Health- Please note inoculations may be required for the country visited. It is your responsibility to consult with your travel doctor for up to date medical travel information well before departure. You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information well before departure. We recommend that you carry a First Aid kit and hand sanitisers / antibacterial wipes as well as any personal medical requirements. Please be aware that sometimes we are in remote areas and away from medical facilities, and for legal reasons our CELG are prohibited from administering any type of drug including headache tablets, antibiotics, etc. In Asia, pharmacies tend to stock the same western drugs as you get at home but they are usually produced locally so please bring the full drug name with you when trying to purchase a prescription drug. When selecting your trip please carefully read the brochure and itinerary and assess your ability to cope with our style of travel. We reserve the right to exclude any traveller from all or part of a trip without refund if in the reasonable opinion of our group CELG they are unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group.

What To Bring

Binoculars (optional)

Camera (With extra memory cards and batteries)

Cash, credit and debit cards

Day pack (Used for daily excursions or short overnights)

Earplugs

First-aid kit (should contain lip balm with sunscreen, sunscreen, whistle, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, bandaids/plasters, tape, anti-histamines, antibacterial gel/wipes, antiseptic cream, Imodium or similar tablets for mild cases of diarrhoea, rehydration powder, water purification tablets or drops, insect repellent, sewing kit, extra prescription drugs you may be taking)

Flashlight/torch (Headlamps are ideal)

Fleece top/sweater

Footwear

Hat

Locks for bags

Long pants/jeans

Money belt

Outlet adapter

Personal entertainment (Reading and writing materials, cards, music player, etc.)

Reusable water bottle

Shirts/t-shirts

Sleepwear

Small travel towel

Sunglasses

Toiletries (Preferably biodegradable)

Watch and alarm clock

Waterproof backpack cover

Windproof rain jacket

Cancellation Policy

For cancellations upto 2 days before the tour -

Refund of 80% of the tour price.

Price

Persons
1 to 4	/person
This is a private tour

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8-Day Tour of Sri Lanka's Highlights from Negombo

Highlights

Locations Covered

Description

Itinerary

Day 1: Negombo

Day 2: Negombo/Kandy

Day 3: Kandy/Kitulgala

Day 4: Kitulgala/Udawalawe

Day 5: Udawalawe/Tissa

Day 6: Tissa/Ahungalla

Day 7: Ahungalla/Colombo

Day 8: Colombo Departure

What's Included

What's Excluded

Know Before You Go

What To Bring

Cancellation Policy

Price

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8-Day Tour of Sri Lanka's Highlights from Negombo

Highlights

Locations Covered

Description

Itinerary

Day 1: Negombo

Day 2: Negombo/Kandy

Day 3: Kandy/Kitulgala

Day 4: Kitulgala/Udawalawe

Day 5: Udawalawe/Tissa

Day 6: Tissa/Ahungalla

Day 7: Ahungalla/Colombo

Day 8: Colombo Departure

What's Included

What's Excluded

Know Before You Go

What To Bring

Cancellation Policy

Price

Check Availability Hide

Starting from

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Create your own adventure!

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