Sri Lanka on a Shoestring
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Sri Lanka on a Shoestring Introduction Get yourself to a destination that's long been a culture-loving backpacker's dream, on this affordable 12-day whirlwind tour of central and southern 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. Duration: 12 days Start/Finish City: Negombo to Hikkaduwa Travel Style: 18-to-Thirtysomethings Fast, fresh, and fun adventures that never slow down, made for young, budget-minded travellers. Service Level: Basic Simple and clean hotels and hostels; affordable public and private transport; lots of optional activities. Trip Type: Small Group Group trips average 12 travellers per departure, depending on the adventure. The maximum is usually no more than 16, but some can be smaller or bigger, depending on the trip. Physical Grading: 2 - Light Light walking and hiking suitable for most fitness levels. Nothing too challenging. NOTE: Accommodations vary per departure and are subject to change until tour start date; they are not final and should be used as examples only. Day 1Negombo Arrive at any time. There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting. Meet Your CEO and Group 1h Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Optional Activities Welcome Dinner You've arrived! Why not share a meal and a drink with your new travel mates? Accommodation Sea Horse Hotel (or similar) Hotel Day 2Negombo/Sigiriya Transfer to UNESCO World Heritage City, Sigiriya. Opt to visit the Dambulla Cave Temple or the ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Private Vehicle Negombo – Sigiriya4h30m156km Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. Free Time Sigiriya Head out to discover the area. Optional Activities Dambulla Cave Temple Visit Sigiriya1h-1h30m 12USD per person Visit the ancient Dambulla cave temples at one of the most well-preserved temple and cave sites in Sri Lanka. See Buddhist mural paintings that line the walls of the seventh-century caves as well as a collection of hundreds of statues of Buddha in different poses. Sigiriya Rock Fortress Visit Sigiriya2h-3h 15-20km 30USD per person Be mesmerized by this rock fortress, which captivates every visitor with its well-laid out gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with beautiful wall motifs. Start at the water gardens and climb more than 1,200 steps to reach the top. Pass caves with frescoes and boulders to find the ruins of a palace on the flat surface of the old volcanic magma rock. The rock rests 370m (1,213 ft) above sea level with a shear drop on all sides. Accommodation Pelwehera Village Resort Dambulla (or similar) Resort Day 3Sigiriya Enjoy a free day to explore more of the region. Opt to visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress, Polonnaruwa Temple, Minneriya National Park or Anurhadhapura historical site. Free Time Sigiriya Get out and explore. Optional Activities Sigiriya Rock Fortress Visit Sigiriya2h-3h 15-20km 30USD per person Be mesmerized by this rock fortress, which captivates every visitor with its well-laid out gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with beautiful wall motifs. Start at the water gardens and climb more than 1,200 steps to reach the top. Pass caves with frescoes and boulders to find the ruins of a palace on the flat surface of the old volcanic magma rock. The rock rests 370m (1,213 ft) above sea level with a shear drop on all sides. Dambulla Cave Temple Visit Sigiriya1h-1h30m 12USD per person Visit the ancient Dambulla cave temples at one of the most well-preserved temple and cave sites in Sri Lanka. See Buddhist mural paintings that line the walls of the seventh-century caves as well as a collection of hundreds of statues of Buddha in different poses. Polonnaruwa Ancient Capital Visit Sigiriya1h30m-2h 60-70km 25USD per person Visit Polonnaruwa, the second ancient capital city (for three centuries), and home to many well- preserved ruins of palaces and monasteries. Don't feel like walking around? Opt to rent a bike and cycle through the ruins instead. Accommodation Pelwehera Village Resort Dambulla (or similar) Resort Day 4Sigiriya/Digana(Lunch | Dinner) Visit a spice garden en route to a homestay in Digana near Kandy. Arrive at Tamarind Gardens Farm for lunch before embarking on a guided village walk. Stop at the home of a jewellery maker who handcrafts delicate Kandyan jewellery and the cottage of a local woman making incense. Learn to make Sri Lankan bread or sweets while helping out with dinner. Accommodations at Tamarind Gardens Farm homestay are simple and authentic. Rooming will be in twin and triple-share rooms. Private Vehicle Sigiriya – DiganaMorning Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. Spice Garden Visit Kandy Visit a herbal centre where students of Ayurveda learn the traditional medicinal uses of various spices for massages and treatments. Enjoy demonstrations and learning about the different plants and their uses. Digana Guided Village Walk DiganaAfternoon Get a crash course in local life with a village walk through Digana. Learn about some of the essential local industries like it's milk collection point and dolomite mine. Meet with a local jeweller creating handicrafts from copper sheets and precious stones then take home personally crafted incense after a lesson in incense production by a local woman. Employing other women from the community, watch as oils and resins are mixed to craft the perfectly scented incense! Accommodation Tamarind Gardens Homestay (or similar) Homestay Day 5Digana/Kandy(Breakfast) Enjoy a free day of exploration. Opt for an early wake up call helping the Tamarind hosts feed the farm animals. In the afternoon, transfer to Kandy and opt to visit the Temple of the Tooth, enjoy a traditional Kandyan cultural show, or watch a cricket match. Early birds can opt to get a productive start to the day and join their Tamarind hosts for their morning routines. Join Ayesha and Nalin at 6:00 am for first-hand experience with farm life. Get up close with the farm animals, feeding the cows and chickens. Enjoy breakfast at Tamarind Gardens and soak in the views of the Victoria Reservoir over tea before departing for Kandy. Have an afternoon of free time to explore the stunning city that is Kandy, opting to visit a cultural dance, the Temple of the Tooth, or a cricket match. Private Vehicle Digana – KandyAfternoon Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. Free Time KandyFull Day Explore Kandy with a full free day. Optional Activities Temple of the Sacred Tooth Tour Kandy 1km 10USD per person Enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Tooth, which houses an important relic – a tooth of Lord Buddha kept in a well-preserved golden casket. Learn about the importance of this site from local guides. Kandyan Cultural Dance Kandy45m-1h 1-3km 3-5USD per person Be swept away by an entertaining performance that will provide insight into the local culture in Kandy. Tamarind Farm Duties Digana Ever wondered what it was like to live on a domestic farm? Get up close with the farm animals at Tamarind and help feed the cows and poultry their morning meals. Royal Botanical Gardens Visit Kandy2h-3h 10-12km 10USD per person Enjoy a leisurely walk in the colourful Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya. See 300 varieties of orchids of Sri Lanka as well as a range of other plants. Day 6Kandy/Nuwara Eliya(Breakfast) Stop for breakfast at Sthree Craft Shop and Café. Travel to stunning Nuwara Eliya. Visit a tea plantation and opt to explore the nearby hills on foot. Tea Plantation Visit Nuwara Eliya1h-1h30m 26km The town of Nuwara Eliya produces the finest Orange Pekoe Ceylon tea, and is inhabited mainly by tea planters and plantation workers. Pay a visit to one of the factories to learn all about tea production. Private Vehicle Kandy – Nuwara Eliya3h80km Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. Accommodation Royal Hills Hotel (or similar) Hotel Day 7Nuwara Eliya/Ella Opt to trek the trails of Horton Plains National Park in the early morning. In the afternoon, travel to Ella and enjoy a free evening. Choose to relax and explore Ella or participate in a traditional cooking class. Private Vehicle Nuwara Eliya – Ella1h30m-2h Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle. Free Time EllaAfternoon Enjoy a free afternoon to relax or explore. Optional Activities Horton Plains Trek Horton Plains Nature Reserve – Negombo4h-4h30m 9km 25USD per person 35USD per group Get close to nature and stunning scenery on this Horton Plains Trek. Hike 9km (6 mi) into the Horton Plains and walk through the clouds to discover a majestic drop that provides amazing views over the plains into the sea. Spice Garden Cooking Class Ella2h-3h 2500LKR per person Take a tour of the spice garden, then learn some of Sri Lanka's culinary traditions with this authentic cooking class. Accommodation Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel (or similar) Hotel Day 8Ella Spend the morning trekking Little Adam's Peak. Later, enjoy some free time in scenic Ella. Opt to trek to Ella Rock or take a local cooking class. Free Time EllaFull Day Get outside and explore scenic Ella. Little Adam's Peak Trek Ella2h-3h Enjoy a hike up Little Adam's peak to catch stunning views of the town below.