× Our children's prices are now 25% lower than the adult cost for Exodus-operated guided trips, and that goes for ages up to 16 years!
Itinerary Include flights Expand all London to London Day 1 Depart London. Flights usually depart London in the evening. Day 2 Arrive Colombo; transfer to beach hotel at Chilaw. We arrive in the afternoon at Colombo's Bandaranike Airport and transfer to our hotel at Chilaw on the coast, approximately an hour and a half north of the airport. Those not flying with the group will join us at the hotel in time for the welcome briefing.Carolina Beach Hotel or similar Day 3 Drive via Kurungala to Sigiriya; relax by the pool. Today we drive out to Sigiriya. This can take approximately 3½ hours but there will be two stops, including a rest by the lake in the historic city of Kurunegala. The town is famous for its impressive 5th century rock fortress, which rises 600 feet from the plains and overlooks the surrounding countryside, giving far reaching, magnificent views. The afternoon is free to enjoy the town, relax at the hotel and jump in the pool!Sigiriya Village Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 4 Explore ancient Polonnaruwa; game drive at Minneriya National Park. After breakfast we take a short drive to the 10th century capital of Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa. Here there are many Buddhist relics and ruins dating from a thousand years ago when Sinhalese culture reached its zenith. In the afternoon we will go on a safari at Minneriya National Park where we should see elephants in their natural habitat.Sigiriya Village Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 5 Climb to the top of Lion Rock and cycle through local villages. Sigiriya is our base for the next two days. We will climb ‘Lion Rock’ in the morning whilst its cooler (the return trip usually takes around three hours). Once used as a safe haven from invaders, the route to the top is up a series of steep steps and gangways. Crowning the flat summit of the rock are extensive remains of the King’s Summer Palace from where there are breath-taking views of the surrounding countryside. The descent is much easier and will take a lot less time. Please make sure that your children are accompanied at all times as there are some steep drops on this climb. It is of course optional and you may not wish to climb to the top of the fortress itself. In the afternoon we include the opportunity to cycle slowly through local villages and soak up the atmosphere, which is usually a great experience for everyone (if you do not wish to participate you can hire a tuk tuk locally for approximately £10 per tuk tuk and follow the group but not cycle).Sigiriya Village Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 6 Cave temples at Dambulla; visit a spice garden; drive to Kandy visiting a traditional rope factory (using coconut husk) en route. Today we visit the magnificent Cave Temple at Dambulla, for some, the most impressive sight in Sri Lanka. There are colourful, and very well preserved, paintings and statues of the Buddha inside the caves, which date back to the 1st century BC. After lunch we stop at a spice garden near Matale where we can smell the various spices and herbs growing and the resident expert explains their uses. There's a chance to stock up on massage oils, spices and Ayurvedic medicines. Before we drive to Kandy we stop by a rope making factory – which is a local house in the Matale area. The group will be able to visit the facility on the way to Kandy and witness the traditional process of rope making. Children will also be able to witness – and even experience – how interesting masterpieces are carved out a busy machine that strings out ropes of all colors and sizes. The activity lasts for approx. 30 minutes and the process could be a rewarding sight for both children and adults. We then drive to Kandy.Royal Kandyan Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Visit the Temple of the Tooth. Kandy is a picturesque hill town situated on a lake and home to Temple of the Tooth, Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic. We begin with a visit to the temple during the ceremony. The Tooth of Buddha was taken from the funeral pyre in 543 BC and only found its way to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD. There are normally hundreds of worshippers who visit the temple each day and it is open to the public. We then visit a sari factory, where we learn about these traditional garments that have been worn in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. We will watch how the silk is weaved into rolls of beautiful coloured fabric and there's even time for some dressing up! The rest of the day is free to wander round Kandy, by the lake or take a taxi up to the surrounding hills for wonderful views over the town.Royal Kandyan Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Visit a tea plantation in Nurawa Eliya and have a go at tea-picking; stay in the beautiful highlands. Today we make the spectacular drive through the tea plantation district to Nuwara Eliya. This was the favourite hill station for the British during the colonial era, situated in the cool highland air at 1890m, it has a very British feel to it. Known locally as 'Little England' it is dotted with British style houses, hotels and even a racecourse. The area is famous for its high quality tea and we visit a working plantation later in the day. This will also include a short tea picking session in a working tea plantation, depending on the weather condition. We stay in the hill country overnight at Bandarawela.Bandarawela Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 Drive to Yala National Park via Ella gap; afternoon game drive. This morning we continue on to the Ella Gap where we have spectacular views of the coastal plain nearly 1,000m below. Almost the entire southern part of the island should be in view and on a particularly clear day the shimmering silver of the ocean is visible. We then head south out of the hills to Kataragama down on the plains, which is our base for visiting Yala National Park. After lunch we will have a game drive; the park is best known for its elephants but we may also see deer, monkeys, buffalo and a wide range of bird life. If you are lucky you may also see a leopard as Yala has one of the highest concentrations of these beautiful animals in the world (Please note that the sanctuary is closed for 4-6 weeks from September to October allowing the park authorities to check the animals. We therefore go to an alternative area close by, usually the Udawalawe National Park).Mandara Rosen or similar Meals included: Breakfast Days 10-12 Transfer to our beach hotel via Tangalle; 3 nights by beach to relax or explore the area. Today we leave for the coast and its beautiful palm fringed bays. On the way we stop at Tangalle and walk through a rice field to a village where you can try some unusual local delicacies such as boiled manioc served with coconut and a spicy mixture of chillies, onions, peppers and lemon. You will see daily life and may even take part in some traditional Sri Lankan games. We then head back to our bus in little tractors used by the farmers. We will arrive at Ahangama in the afternoon and the rest of your time here is free with a chance to swim, relax on the beach or by the pool or do any one of numerous optional activities that your leader can organise for you.Insight Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 To Colombo via the old Dutch Fort at Galle. We set off today and drive along the coastal road to the historic port of Galle, which dates back to the 17th century, and now a UNESCO world heritage site. On the way we stop at a small folk museum inspired by the local writer Martin Wickramasinghe. The museum is a typical house from the Koggala region and is set amongst beautiful gardens. We continue along the expressway to Colombo reaching our hotel in the late afternoon. Hotel Mirage or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 14 Fly to London. We have a relaxed breakfast before those flying on the group flight transfer to the airport for an early afternoon flight. Arrangements for those not flying with the group will end after check out. Meals included: Breakfast
Maldives If you are keen to end your holiday on a very relaxed note we can arrange a visit to the Maldives for you. The flight from Colombo is around 1 hour and upon arrival you will be transferred by speedboat (approximately 20mins) to the Paradise Island 4* resort. Paradise Island is a beautiful coral island with a total land area of 178,900 square metres, covered with lush tropical vegetation, numerous palm trees, surrounded by a wide sandy beach and the crystal clear waters of an azure lagoon. You can choose to add on as many extra nights to your trip as you wish; your time on the island will be at leisure for you to do as you wish. The accommodation used has a swimming pool, restaurant, bar, room service and all rooms are air‐conditioned and have en suite facilities. As well as the modern amenities of the resort there is also access to scuba diving and snorkelling or for the less active the chance to swim in these wonderful, calm waters. Either way it is a veritable paradise and a memorable end to the trip. If you choose to take advantage of this opportunity then we can arrange flights for you to Malé as well as booking the hotel and speedboat transfer to the island.
Sri Lanka A visa (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is required if you are British and for most other nationalities. If you do not hold a British passport, please check the visa requirements with your local Sri Lankan Embassy or the ETA website www.eta.gov.lk. Passengers should also be aware of local laws and customs in Sri Lanka (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/local-laws-and-customs). The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is an offence; please note that people have been refused entry to Sri Lanka because of visible tattoos of Buddha. Those British passport holders who travel to Sri Lanka before 30.04.2020 for tourist purposes are exempted paying ETA fee (applicable for 30 days). ETA application for pre approval is required before the journey. Exodus visa information sheet for British passport holders.
Sri Lanka There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels You will spend 12 nights in hotels all with en suite facilities. The hotel at Sigiriya, where you will be spending 3 nights is surrounded by lush jungle and commands stunning views of the magnificent rock fortress. The hotel features a swimming pool and a luxury sauna. Single accommodation (available on request).
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Reviewed September 2017 Gillian Dunlop Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Tropical highland wanderer A good family holiday to Sri Lanka. We certainly saw many aspects of the island, though due to the group size at times it felt more of a bus tour than a cultural experience What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Fear going to sigyris rock What did you think of your group leader? He coped reasonably with a large and varied group. Birthdays for part members were well felt with. He did not manage to engage the whole group at all times. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I'd advise going on a smaller group. Ours was too large Is there anything else you would like to add? As above. Time on buses wasted time. It took away from opportunity to see more of the country. In towns when alone we safely wandered and saw the towns as they are. More of this and less of the tourist trail would be appreciated. We were warned by another tour operator about the safari. Never believed we would witness the 50 jeeps to a herd of elephants that we saw. It all felt manufactured and there for the paying customers. All very safe and sanitised
Reviewed September 2016 Dawn Clifford Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Best holiday ever! From a warm welcome at the airport to a sad goodbye at the end, this was the best holiday we have ever had! Our tour leader ensured we experienced the real Sri Lanka in a responsible way with numerous activities and something to suit everyone. Our group of 8 adults and 8 children (aged 10-17) became great friends and the organisation of our leader meant we could relax and enjoy our holiday. Be warned - going back to work is difficult after such a great trip!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Kandy festival Elephant safari Bike ride What did you think of your group leader? Sujeewa was friendly, organised and knowledgeable - all you want in a leader, but so much more. He went out of his way to ensure every single member of the group had a fantastic holiday. He was particularly attentive to the needs of a family tour. Like he said 'if the children are happy, he parents are happy'. We couldn't have asked for a better leader. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Don't miss the optional elephant safari - it was the highlight of our trip in August. All rooms are air conditioned (can be noisy) with only sheets on the bed (can get cool). No need to pack an adaptor (hotels will have UK sockets or an adaptor), but a 4-way plug would be useful for charging all the gadgets. Teenagers - yes, there is wifi! Is there anything else you would like to add? This is a fantastic trip offering the best of Sri Lanka for families - temples, festivals, historical sites, friendly people and great food - and of course elephants!
Reviewed August 2016 Jacqueline Heath Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Tropical island Wanderer Sri Lanka is lush, vibrant and colourful and our trip had some fabulous highlights but there is a lot of time on the coach! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing the Rock fortress at Sigriya before breakfast and so in the cool of early morning with very few other tourists around. This excursion offered everything: an exhilarating climb, stunning views, enticing ruins and exquisite paintings.
Reviewed August 2015 Christina Heppleston Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Tropical Island wanderer the tour was a great introduction to this very beautiful and exotic island. It was well organized and well paced providing a balance of culture and nature, with plenty of relaxing time too. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The temple visits and learning about buddhism from our excellent tour guide. What did you think of your group leader? He was excellent, well organized, calm, very well informed, thoughtful and a very nice person. (Sujan) Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The hot and very humid weather is tiring and there are several long drives on winding roads. Remember to pack mosquito repellent and use it liberally. Is there anything else you would like to add? We were all very impressed with the quality and variety of food available. The safari trips were great fun, binoculars are a must.
Reviewed April 2015 Rosemary Taverner Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Tropical Island Wanderer We had an amazing time on this trip; all of the members of our family- 2 adults and 3 children aged 16, 14 and 12 enjoyed it hugely. It was a great mix of culture, wildlife and beaches! Sri Lanka is a gorgeous island, the people are incredibly friendly and welcoming, and the food was fantastic- we especially enjoyed the food made by local families, which we lucky enough to try several times What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing the rock fortress at Sigiriya was a definite highlight, as was coming pretty much face to face with countless elephants on the game drive near Polonnaruwa. The kindness of the people we met was definitely inspirational. What did you think of your group leader? Absolutely brilliant -hugely enthusiastic, friendly, cheerful and informative. Neelaka made everyone feel immediately at ease, and took care of all of the little details for us. We couldn't have asked for a better group leader. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you can afford the trip, don't hesitate to go!! It is definitely worth taking up the guide's offer to set up a "kitty" to cover tips for all of the meals and hotel staff, and for buying bottles of water every day - this makes life a lot easier. Although it is tempting to just sit by the pool (or the beach towards the end of the trip) when there is any free time, we would recommend fitting in as many of the optional activities that you can. It is also easy to organise your own activities - at Ahangama, we organised a group trip by tuk tuk down the coast to Weligama, and had a superb afternoon of surfing (or trying to surf!). Is there anything else you would like to add? Thank you to the other members of the group- we had a great time on holiday with you. Loved everything about the trip- if we were to add one thing, we would have enjoyed trekking.
Reviewed September 2014 Christopher Cooke Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Family Tropical Island Wonderer Sri Lanka Such an amazing holiday from start to finish. Was an excellent opportunity for our us and our son to experience the culture of this wonderful country with like minded families. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Without a doubt, it was the opportunity to bathe one of the elephants in the river. Such majestic creatures. What did you think of your group leader? Wasanta was magnificent. A very knowledgeable and likeable man with a willing to please. He made things happen for the group and maintained a 'happy camp'!! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? There is a lot of time spent on the coach as there is so much to see and this may be an issue for younger travellers especially. Also a few roads are very 'winding' and if you do not travel well it would be most advisable to obtain a travel sickness solution that works for you. Also invest in decent mosquito repellent - we did and did not receive 1 bite!! Be prepared for visiting the temples with appropriate clothing to cover shoulders and knees, this applies to everyone, even children, and remember not to pose in front of Buddha. Is there anything else you would like to add? Would just like to thank everyone on our trip for making it a happy and memorable one.
Reviewed August 2014 Mark and Hilary Carless Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Tropical Island Wanderer - Family This is a full on trip where you feel like you've had a real taste of Sri Lanka. It ticks all the boxes - wildlife, adventure, culture, food, local life and makes you fall in love with a very beautiful country. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? We thought that cycling around the locality of Sigiraya rock one day and then climbing up it the next was phenomenal. It built everything up and fired the imagination once we were on top of the rock, taking in the tremendous views. We were lucky enough to be in Kandy when the Esala Perahera was on and our wonderful guide, Sujee, arranged seats for us to watch. The significance of this ceremony to the Sri Lankan people and their mass involvement was inspiring. Visiting the spice garden and seeing all the things green and growing that are bottled and dried in the kitchen cupboard at home. The oils and remedies are wonderful too. What did you think of your group leader? Sujee, our group leader, was brilliant. He was full of information, avidly promoted responsible tourism and was always available if we needed anything - or had more questions. He was wonderfully flexible too - helping our group to arrange alternative trips to the usual optional ones. We all loved how he bought us unusual fruits etc from the roadside for us all to try. He was greatly complemented by Nisha, who looked after us excellently too, and Gama, our very, very skilful and safe driver. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Water is provided on the bus so you don't need water bottles. Take lots and lots of high factor sun cream and insect repellent. Hotel standards way exceeded our expectations - so no 'roughing' it! The trip is quite exhausting with lots of travelling so the time on the beach at the end is much appreciated. Opportunities to obtain cash from ATMs are identified by the guide so you can plan withdrawals. Is there anything else you would like to add? This was a wonderful trip and we were very lucky that our group got on together so well. It has made me want to visit Sri Lanka again as it was such a great experience.
Reviewed April 2014 Andy Farlow Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer Island Wonders trip Not having been on such a trip with our children (16 and 13) before we were not sure what to expect. Truth was, we had a wonderful time with so many experiences it is hard to list them all here but a few to pick out are the cycling around Sigiriya village, whale watching, elephant riding ,tuk-tuk escapades.... What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Elephant ride closely followed by whale watching. What did you think of your group leader? Sujeewa was brilliant, kind-hearted, patient and adaptable to the different demands of our group. His passion for his country shone out brightly. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The pace I would say is medium, be prepared for a few long stretches of travel although I think that even then they were broken up with interesting, sometimes impromptu stops to pick up fruits to try, crafts to show and views to see. Also pack a small umbrella for those torrential albeit short rain storms. The age for the trip I think is more suitable for over 8s although we did have a 6 year old in the group who got on well. Is there anything else you would like to add? This was a great trip for us, probably our best holiday to date.
Reviewed August 2013 Anonymous Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer TROPICAL ISLAND WANDERER - FAMILY HOLIDAY Another great holiday from Exodus. A bit less full on than the other trips we have done (Egypt and India) which was good and Sri Lanka is well worth visiting for the scenery, people and food! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Watching the elephants from the orphanage in the river when having lunchClimbing Lion's RockTravelling through the mountains - amazing countrysideWent out running a lot - everyone so friendly and amazed to see me running - feels quite lonely going out now I am back in England! (watch out for the dogs though!!) What did you think of your group leader? Suresh was a great tour leader, spent a lot of time and energy making sure all were happy all the time and keeping us all on track, even playing cricket with my son! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? As other people have said there is a lot of time spent on the coach - although the roads are generally good and not too much traffic, the tuk-tuks and cyclists and the winding roads through the mountains mean that progress is generally slow (better down in the south of the island) Is there anything else you would like to add? Go! Is a very relaxing holiday, not too many temples (this is feedback from my children!), elephants amazing, people friendly (and dont hassle you to buy things!) and food very good even for the fussiest of children
Reviewed April 2013 Imran Arshad Trip: Tropical Island Wanderer TROPICAL ISLAND WANDERER - FAMILY HOLIDAY Amazing time and great holiday for kids and families. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing Sigiriya rock Watching blue whales at Mirissa What did you think of your group leader? She was really nice and considerate. Always smiling and helpful. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Lots of sun-screen Is there anything else you would like to add? Great country and amazing trip.
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