Sri Lanka Unearthed

26 November – 7 December, 2024

Colombo – Sigiriya – Kandy – Nuwara Eliya – Balapitiya - Galle – Negombo

SEE BELOW FOR TOUR DETAILS

Overview

• Colombo ( Taj Samudra - Luxury hotel - Luxury ocean view room )
• Dambulla ( Amaya Lake Resort - Deluxe hotel - Signature suite )
• Kandy ( Cinnamon Citadel - River facing Deluxe hotel - Superior room )
• Nuwara Eliya  ( Grand Hotel - Luxury hotel - Deluxe room )
• Balapitiya  ( Sundara by Mosvold - Boutique beach resort - Deluxe room )
• Galle ( Fort Bazaar - Boutique hotel - Bazaar/Banyan bedroom )
• Negombo ( Jetwing Blue - Deluxe beach resoret - Day use room )

WELLNESS EXTENSION
• Santani ( Santani Wellness Resort – Luxury resort )

Trip Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival / Colombo  Arrive in Colombo, the trade and commercial capital has long been the traditional gateway to the Orient. Sri Lanka’s largest city is located on the west coast and draws together the many cultures, religions and influences that foreign trade have brought into a kaleidoscope of sounds and colour. The original traders and settlers, the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and the British have left churches and monuments, names and costumes, food and parts of their languages. Check in to the hotel. Free time for dinner. Enjoy the evening at your leisure. Overnight at the Taj Samudra hotel.

Day 2

Colombo Explore the city and its many influences including Parliament House and the home of Geoffrey Bawa, Asia’s most celebrated and influential 20th century architect. Barefoot Café for an alfresco lunch. Afternoon visit to the heritage part of Colombo City, including the Dutch Fort and Old Dutch Hospital now host to high end restaurants, bars and shops. Move on to the lighthouse and Galle Face Green promenade. Early dinner at the famed ‘Ministry of Crab’, one of one of the best restaurants in Asia. Overnight at the Taj Samudra hotel.

Day 3

Colombo / Dambulla  Breakfast time. Depart Colombo and drive 4 hrs to Dambulla and check-in to the hotel. Early afternoon, we depart to explore the World Heritage site of Sigiriya to climb the rock fortress. Late afternoon enjoy an exclusive & private experience, with country boat ride, then spend time with a Sri Lankan elephant, with the opportunity to feed and bathe her. Return to hotel for dinner. Overnight at the Amaya Lake Resort.

Day 4

Colombo / Dambulla  Breakfast time. Drive to the original capital of ancient Sri Lanka, ‘Anuradhapura’ a UNESCO world heritage site and centre of the island's Buddhist civilisation. The oldest historically documented tree on earth, over 2,200 years old, is the ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ (sacred tree), which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Enjoy a traditional home-cooked Sri Lankan meal, prepared using wood fire & clay pot, at rural café, located in the the rice fields. After lunch we will venture into Kaudulla or Minneriya National Park with our park naturalist. Witness herds of wild elephants at close range & flocks of birds. Return to hotel for dinner & overnight at the Amaya Lake Resort.

Day 5

Habarana / Kandy Breakfast at the hotel. Journey to Dambulla world heritage site known for its richly painted cave temples. Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass and it was here that King Valagam Bahu took refuge from invasions in the 1st century BC, later turning the caves into a rock temple. Some of its frescoes are over 2,000 years old. We visit a local private Spice farm in Matale, where fragrant clove, cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmet and Vanilla, amongst others are grown. Learn how to use them in a diversity of cooking styles. Drive onto Kandy, the hill station is remarkable for the natural beauty of its setting in a peaceful wooded valley overlooking a vast lake. Check in to hotel. Early evening visit to the Temple of the Tooth, which holds the sacred tooth relic of Buddha, for evening ‘Puja’ ceremony. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight at the Cinnamon Citadel hotel.

Day 6

Kandy Breakfast time. Town tour and visit market square featuring Kandy’s renowned Batik & Gem stores. Continue to Pilimatalawa and enjoy a special lunch at the home of a local French professor who has restored an 18th century Dutch mansion and turned into a Cultural & Art centre. Lunch talk about the Kandyan and Gampola kingdoms followed by traditional Kandyan dance & drumming. Return to hotel. Dinner and evening at hotel. Overnight at the Cinnamon Citadel hotel.

Day 7

Kandy / Nuwara Eliya Breakfast time. Check out & visit the impressive Royal Botanical Gardens, formerly the pleasure place of the Kandyan Kings, regarded as a marvellous collection of tropical world flora and a herbarium. Next, train ride for a 2 ½ hour ride through spectacular scenery, to the tea-side town of Nuwara Eliya. An engineering marvel and the most picturesque of rail journeys. Nuwara Eliya was built entirely during the 19th century and its architecture mimics an English country town, with redbrick walls, country. Dinner at hotel and evening at your leisure. Overnight at the Grand hotel.

Day 8

Nuwara Eliya Breakfast time. Morning visit to the Tea plantations witnessing the local life of the tea plucking community. We visit the local factory to understand the process of Tea manufacturing. Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest exporters of tea. At the factory, learn to ‘taste’ tea and try to identify the subtle differences in flavour produced at the factory. Return to hotel and later in the afternoon we enjoy high tea at Grand Hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Grand hotel.

Day 9

Nuwara Eliya / Balapitiya  Breakfast then travel to the beach resort town of Balapitiya and check-in to a Boutique beach resort. Time at your leisure before departing for Kosgoda and visit a Turtle hatchery where you will be given the opportunity to release 3 day old baby turtles into the ocean at sunset. Return to hotel for dinner. Overnight at Sundara by Mosvold.

Day 10

Balapitiya / Galle This morning after a leisurely breakfast journey to the historic coastal fort town of Galle. The ancient trading post of Galle was an essential port of call for Chinese, Persian, Arab and Indian, Portuguese traders and Marco Polo’s arrival in 1299AD. Check in boutique hotel located within the ancient Fort town. This afternoon you will embark on a private heritage walking tour. Dinner and overnight at Fort Bazaar hotel.

Day 11

Galle  Early this morning you will have the option to visit the local fish market to see the fresh catch of the day. Return to hotel for breakfast. Later this morning we visit the Folk Art Museum followed by a photo stop at the famous ‘Stilt Fisherman’. Leisure time to explore on your own. Special farewell dinner tonight at a local beachside restaurant.Return to hotel. Overnight at Fort Bazaar hotel.

Day 12

Galle / Colombo / Departure Breakfast at the hotel and morning at your leisure. Afternoon transfer to Negombo with hotel day use room, then in time transfer to airport for your international departure flight home.

YALA NATIONAL PARK post tour EXTENSION
3 Days /2 Nights

One of the reasons wildlife lovers travel to Sri Lanka is to go on safari in Yala National Park, a visit here is one of the best places in the world to see leopards in the wild.

LUXURY SANTANI RESORT & SPA post tour EXTENSION
5 Days /4 Nights

Santani Wellness Resort is the first and only purpose-built wellness resort offering its guests luxury experiences beyond compare in Sri Lanka. Located within one of the world’s lushest environments, one hour north-west of Kandy in misty mountains on private river frontage. Named for the Sanskrit word meaning “in harmony with,” to bring oneself into balance with nature. Santani Wellness Programs specialise in Ayurveda, detox, yoga and spa, offering you a bespoke menu, pampering and rejuvenation with enlightened learning for a healthy living lifestyle long after you leave.

Prepare for your trip

 Sri Lanka’s aromatic past

Sri Lanka is the capital of a rich variety of spices that determined its history, being the cause of many an invasion. Fragrant Clove, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Mace, Pepper, Cocoa and Vanilla amongst others account for a diversity of cooking styles and applications.  

Given that it's such a lush country, it's no surprise that Sri Lanka grows many of its best goods. Tea is an obvious purchase; all manner of spices are another. In addition there are various handicrafts and a growing range of designer items.

Colombo is full of stylish designer boutiques, galleries and markets galore sell just about anything, with plenty of surprises on offer.

The island may be small, but the animals are big, especially the herds of Asian elephants that live inside and outside the national parks. Leopards and water buffaloes are just some of the other creatures you might spot.

‘Ayubowan’ is the word used in Sri Lanka to greet someone. It means ‘Long Life’. One is Generally greeted by joining two hands in prayer-like manner and saying ‘Ayubowan’. This phrase can be used any time of the day. However, in the city it is more common to be greeted with a hand shake, while the village folks still greet you in the traditional way. Thank you very much is ‘Bohoma Istuti’ and Please is ‘Karunakara’.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

All tours include domestic flights, accommodation, transport, air-conditioned mini coach with refreshments, sightseeing entrance fees, special tour events and activities, local guides, most meals and tipping (including national guide). Prices may be subject to currency fluctuation or surcharges. Sri Lanka visa required.

As part of a conscious initiative to reduce the use of single use plastic bottles, TIKKA TOURS ground operator now provides alternatives to plastic bottled water. Re-usable metal water bottles with re-filling facility are part of our guest’s vehicles.

TOUR PRICE

12 Days /11 Nights
$9,599 (twin share per person)*
$2,970 (single supplement )*
Fully escorted by founder of TIKKA TOURS, Claudia Wolf
( Based on 8–12 passengers )

*EARLY BIRD DEAL – To receive the special Early Bird discount of $500 per person, the booking and deposit must be made by 30th April, 2024

Spaces are limited (8-12 passengers only) so hurry to secure a seat on this locally escorted, highly personalised Sri Lankan tour

YALA NATIONAL PARK
post tour EXTENSION
3 Days /2 Nights
$1,855 ( twin share per person )
$520 ( single supplement )
Private tour ( Based on min 2 passengers )

SANTANI WELLNESS post tour EXTENSION
5 Days /4 Nights
On Request ( twin share per person )
On Request ( single supplement )
Private tour ( Based on min 2 passengers )