This jam packed itinerary really does combine everything that Sri Lanka has to offer. Explore Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle, visit Ella and the nearby tea plantations, spend time in Yala and Udawalawe where you can see the best of Sri Lanka’s wildlife, before finishing your adventure relaxing on the island’s golden beaches.
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Description
1 night – Colombo
2 nights – Anuradhapura
3 nights – Dambulla / Sigiriya (inc Polonnaruwa)
2 nights – Kandy
1 night – Ella
1 night – Yala
1 night – Udawalawe
3 nights – Mirissa
✈️ UK to Colombo (1 night): Upon arrival in Colombo, your adventure begins with a warm welcome from your personal chauffeur who will be ready to take you to your hotel and through every step of your Sri Lankan journey. Beyond simply transporting you between each hotel, your dedicated driver offers you the flexibility to visit any sightseeing attraction you desire both en route and also at each stop in your itinerary. In Colombo, wander through the colourful Pettah market, explore colonial relics including the Old Parliament Building and the Galle Face Green promenade, and indulge in the wonderful Sri Lankan cuisine.
🚗 Colombo to Anuradhapura (2 nights): After a hearty breakfast, your driver will be ready to whisk you out of the city and into the heart of the country’s cultural triangle to the city of Anuradhapura. One of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, it is home to ancient ruins, monasteries, palaces, and three huge dome-shaped stupas: Mirisavatiya, Ruvanweliya and Jetavanaya. One of the oldest living trees in the world can also be found here, the Sri Maha Bodhi, which is a sacred fig tree.
🚗 Anuradhapura to Dambulla / Sigiriya (inc Polonnaruwa) (3 nights): Delving deeper into the cultural triangle, your next stop is Dambulla / Sigiriya, home to some incredible ancient cities and truly fascinating structures. Dambulla is home to the Dambulla Cave Temple complex that features five caves with stunning murals and over 150 carved Buddha statues that have been painstakingly carved directly into the natural rock formations. Just a short drive away is the spellbinding Sigiriya Rock Fortress, also known as Lion Rock, with its incredible ‘rock-cut’ architecture and landscaped gardens built on top of a huge granite rock outcrop. The nearby ancient city of Polonnaruwa is also a must-visit within the area, and its ruins include royal palaces, temples, statues, and stupas, including the Gal Vihara, a rock temple with four huge Buddha statues carved into the granite.
🚗 Dambulla / Sigiriya to Kandy (2 nights): To complete your full exploration of the Cultural Triangle, you’ll head to Kandy, home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic. This Buddhist temple is widely believed to house a revered tooth that belonged to Lord Buddha himself – and therefore holds huge significance in the Buddhist religion. A short walk from the temple complex is the pretty Kandy Lake, surrounded by lush greenery, offering a peaceful retreat in the busy city.
🚗 / 🚂 Kandy to Ella (1 night): Your next destination is the picturesque small town of Ella in the central highlands, and you have the option for your driver to transport you door-to-door, alternatively, you could choose to take a scenic train journey from Kandy to Ella. This captivating train journey takes you through lush tea plantations, mist-covered mountains, and cascading waterfalls, offering an unforgettable experience. Despite its small size, Ella has become a popular tourist destination due to its scenic beauty, offering a range of highlights including Ella Rock with its fabulous panoramic views, the iconic Nine Arch Bridge, and the delicious local cuisine.
🚗 Ella to Yala (1 night): Yala, situated in the south-eastern region of Sri Lanka, is home to Yala National Park, the country’s most visited and second-largest national park. It boasts a wide range of ecosystems, from dense forests to expansive grasslands and coastal lagoons. Within the National Park, you can take a jeep safari to encounter a wide range of wildlife, including the iconic Sri Lankan leopard, elephants, sloth bears, and various bird species.
🚗 Yala to Udawalawe (1 night): Continuing the wildlife theme, you’ll head to Udawalawe, which is a smaller park, and ideal for a more intimate safari experience. Udawalawe National Park is renowned for its large herds of Asian elephants, which can often be seen roaming the grasslands and congregating around the park’s water sources. You can also spot water buffalos, sambar deer, spotted deer, wild boar, mongoose and around 200 species of birds.
🚗 Udawalawe to Mirissa (3 nights): You’ll conclude your Sri Lankan adventure with an escape along the southern coast of Sri Lanka, in the picturesque coastal town of Mirissa where you can soak up the sun for the final few days of your holiday. Mirissa is one of the most popular beach resorts in Sri Lanka, where you’ll find pristine beaches, a lively yet laid-back beachfront, and ample opportunities for whale watching, surfing, and snorkelling.
✈️ Mirissa to UK: You will be collected from your hotel and driven to the airport, ready for your return flight home to the UK.
Why choose eShores?
One to One Service
Our experienced personal travel consultants will ensure you find the most suitable holiday, whilst taking care of every last detail. Everything from start to finish will be effortless.
100% Tailor Made
We can use any hotel, in any destination, so we will craft an itinerary to suit your exact needs. Also, as we can provide any itinerary, the only holiday we'll offer, is the one that's right for you.
Fully Protected
Our ATOL bonding provides you with the financial protection you need and as a member of the Travel Trust Association, you'll have 100% financial protection. Covering you for any eventuality.
Competitive Pricing
As a tour operator & travel agent, we'll search the market to ensure that we find you the best price. Also as an online business, we can ensure our prices are as competitive as possible.
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Anonymous
We contacted eShores having visited the website to discuss a tailor made holiday to the Sporades islands. We spoke to one of the Travel Consultants, Kadie Ryan, who was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable. We received a quote shortly following our conversation and with Kadie's help were able to book our holiday with ease the next day. We are very happy with our experience booking this holiday.
Posted 19 hours ago -
ColinMichael
Fantastic Holiday. Just returned from a great South African holiday, Cape Town 3 nights, Pilanesberg Safari 3 nights and a week in Zanzibar. Big thanks to Chris again, his knowledge helped organise and plan this vacation. This is the second long haul holiday he has booked for us. Each holiday has been faultless even though we have changed the itinerary to suit . The Safari he recommended on this trip, Ivory Tree in Pilanesberg was 5 STAR and made the holiday, another tick on the bucket list. Eshores customer service is second to none. I recommended this company to my daughter who is presently on a Canadian fly drive with them and is thoroughly enjoying it. Based on previous experience Chris has now helped us book Australia, Hong Kong & Dubai for next February, can’t wait. All their trips are good value for money, would not have any hesitation in recommending them.
Posted 1 day ago -
Julie
First time booking with eshores, so far So good, everything seems to be going smoothly, our adviser Chris is really helpful and communication and itinerary’s are all great.
Posted 1 day ago -
Susan
Gavin truly understands what we like but isn't worried about suggesting new countries or places of interest. All his suggestions have been spot on and enriched our holidays, he is a pleasure to work with. We look forward to many more adventures.
Posted 3 days ago -
Paul
Very knowledgeable and helpful Prompt replies and very quick to answer any questions
Posted 3 days ago -
DarrenBoyd
Very happy with what we booked, ( we asked for a trip/experience to Egypt), and Rachel put something together and within the budget we asked for. Once we reviewed it, we tweaked it several times for what we wanted in parts and Rachel did the rest. Very personable and pleasant to deal with. I think we will be looking at other experience holidays through E Shore in the future rather than your standard package holiday.
Posted 4 days ago -
Helen
Excellent service from Andy.
Posted 1 week ago -
Ian
Emma did significant grafting on my behalf, and remained understanding when my requirements involved quite a bit of chopping & changing.
Posted 1 week ago -
Jacqueline
Cannot recommend our booking experience enough with Anna, friendly, very efficient and took time to help us get the trip we wanted. Would use exhorts next time we book for certain.
Posted 1 week ago -
Claire
Booked with eshores last year. Holiday was excellent and everything ran smoothly. We had one problem with one of the transfers in which we missed the plane and had to pay for the next flight but that was sorted and refunded when we returned home. Booked with them again for next year. Matt has been extremely helpful (and patient. We are a nightmare). Eshores are very competetive and I would not hesitate in recommending them and I hope to be using them for years to come.
Posted 1 week ago
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