This guided, 13-day tour stitches together amazing experiences and some of the most scenic destinations of Sri Lanka. Join us as we take in the stunning landscape and ancient culture of this country which is often referred to as the 'pearl of the Indian Ocean'.
Zig-zag your way through the west coast of the country and traverse through the island's northern cultural triangle. See wild elephants in Gal Oya National Park during a boat safari, go swimming under cascading waterfalls, discover little visited rural enclaves where time seems to stay frozen and spend the last three days relaxing on golden sand beaches.
Do not miss out on this chance to experience some of the hidden gems that Sri Lanka has to offer. Please scroll down to the itinerary section for more details.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Lodge, Resort, Villa
Age Range
1-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Sigiriya, Kandy, Anuradhapura, K
Sigiriya, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Kotugoda, Weligama, Gal Oya National Park, Wellawaya
Lahiru was fantastic to work with! He was incredibly responsive and provided us with the trip of a lifetime in Sri Lanka. We enjoyed the extra experiences that were so unique and felt like we truly experienced the best of Sri Lanka, even though we were only there for a week. We always appreciate trips that inspire us to return! Without a doubt, we would gladly choose this tour operator again in the future!
From ancient heritages to bustling cities and stunning beaches to stunning rural scenery, this comprehensive, 20-day Sri Lanka tour will bring you face to face with the best that this country has to offer. Starting from Negombo, you will travel to Anuradhapura, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Sigriya, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya during this tour before heading off to Waskaduwa to relax on the beach.
Get the glimpse of Sri Lanka's history across millennia in Anuradhapura, and Sigiriya among other places and explore the modern cities of Kandy, Nanu Oya and Galle to understand the country's more-recent colonial past.
Along the way you can also choose to explore Sri Lanka's pristine national parks and get a chance to see herds of elephants in the wild. You'll also be able to see rescued baby elephants at Udawalwe’s Elephant Transit Home. Also learn the local way of life during a train ride from Kany to Nuwara Eliya and enjoy an intriguing crab-cooking session in Jaffna.
After experiencing the verdant hills and expansive tea plantation inland, end your trip soaking up some sun on the picturesque beaches of Kalutara.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
7-79 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Negombo, Sigiriya, Kand
Colombo, Negombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Jaffna, Galle, Minneriya National Park, Nuwara Eliya, Udawalawe, Kalutara, Waskaduwa, Anuradhapura, Nagadeepa Islands, Trincomalee
Our 20-day tailor-made trip to Sri Lanka was truly unforgettable, largely thanks to our wonderful guide Lahiru. We had the pleasure of visiting some of the country's most famous national parks, including Wilpattu and Yala, and Lahiru's extensive knowledge of the wildlife, regions, and local cultures made the experience all the more enriching. He went above and beyond to ensure that our trip was a success, and we couldn't have asked for a more helpful and accommodating guide.
Throughout the planning process, Lahiru was extremely communicative and clear in his explanations of everything from airport pickup to lodging to costs. The lunches provided were delicious, with a warm lunch on the first day and quintessential 'boxed' lunches on subsequent days. The dinners were all buffet-style, but with plenty of options, including vegetarian.
Overall, we feel that our trip was worth every penny and would jump at the chance to do it all over again. Thank you, Lahiru, for an incredible Safari adventure!
Wildlife safaris and game drives
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Camping, Eco Lodge, Hotel, Lodge, Resort
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Negombo, Sigiriya, Mirissa, Anur
Negombo, Sigiriya, Mirissa, Anuradhapura, Galle, Ella, Yala National Park, Horton Plains National Park, Sinharaja, Wilpattu National Park, Minneriya National Park, Kaudulla National Park, Nuwara Eliya
We reached out to several operators but chose to work with Lahiru due to his honesty and straightforwardness. We provided him with a list of our desired activities and accommodations for our 15-day trip, and Lahiru responded with an excellent itinerary and fantastic hotel recommendations. The price was reasonable, and the all-inclusive package meant we didn’t have to worry about any additional services.
The hotels we stayed at was great, excellent food and amazing hospitality. The van was in good condition, equipped with air conditioning, and our driver, Asanka, skillfully navigated Sri Lanka's challenging roads. Lahiru, who also served as our guide, was incredibly knowledgeable and kind, making our experience even more enjoyable.
Without a doubt, this is one of the best tour operators in Sri Lanka.
Thank you,
Linda and John
Adventure
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Negombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Anurad
Negombo, Sigiriya, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Galle, Ella, Yala National Park, Colombo, Tissamaharama
Experience luxury at affordable rates and within the guidelines of current travel restrictions, This carefully-crafted itinerary takes you to some iconic and spectacular places as well as some lesser-known spots of Sri Lanka and is comprised of carefully selected boutique accommodation that you are sure to love!
Commence your tour from the heritage city, Sigiriya where you will explore a few of the main ancient sites such as Anuradhapura ancient city. Experience a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park as well. Arrive in Kandy after exploring the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and enjoy your stay at the royal city. Afterward, drive to the lesser-known Wellawaya area with few optional activities proposed for you to choose from. Spend a marvelous 3 nights stay at Tangalle. Visit the Udawalawa Elephant Transit Home and explore few other locations suggested optionally as per your preferences.
We look forward to seeing you in beautiful Sri Lanka.
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Resort
Age Range
12-60 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Sigiriya, Kandy, Anuradhapura, U
Sigiriya, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Udawalawe, Colombo, Minneriya National Park, Wellawaya, Tangalle Beach, Galle
Set off on a hill country tour to visit breathtakingly lush tea estates and cultural highlights such as the Temple of the Tooth that is sure to mesmerize you. From the last royal capital of Sri Lanka to a town in the mountains known as “Little England”, discover the awe-inspiring beauty of the region, which has its own unique old-world charm.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Bungalow, Hotel
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
spanish, dutch, french, italian, german, english
Destinations
Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella
Colombo, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
Join this eleven-day exciting adventure in an earthy paradise. Discover a wild world hidden in the Sri Lanka National Parks, witness lush landscapes, and marvel at rich biodiversity through safari, walking and cycling tours.
AdventureActive and outdoor
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Camping, Hotel, Resort, Lodge
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
spanish, dutch, french, italian, german, english
Destinations
Colombo, Negombo, Wilpattu Natio
Colombo, Negombo, Wilpattu National Park, Anuradhapura, Habarana, Gal Oya National Park, Yala National Park
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
We booked the Classic Ceylon Sri Lanka Tour for our honeymoon. The tour agent was Aitken Spence Travels. Day 1: Arriving at Colombo airport, we were greeted by our guide/driver named Rane (guide and driver are the same person throughout the tour). Our first stop was the Ramada Hotel in Columbo, where we checked in. You can take advantage of the afternoon to explore the city or relax at the hotel. We have reviewed each hotel separately in this thread if you want to learn more about each hotel review in detail. Our guide agrees on a time for you to be picked up the next morni g, which was ours at 8am. to start on time. Colombo is a busy city so traffic can be very busy. Day 2: Drive from Colombo to Dambulla, which is approximately a 4-hour drive away. Your guide will make a rest stop for a drink if you wish. Once we reach Dambulla we visit the Temple of the Rock. This fascinating temple is built on the side of a rock with some historical monuments of Buddhas and paintings. Once we had visited the temple, we stopped for lunch at one of the various Sri Lankan tourist restaurants. The food is in keeping with the country and there are usually rice, potatoes, various meats and salads on the menu. We were never disappointed. Lunch is not included in the tour price so it is extra, but at approx 600 rupees it is very reasonable in terms of cost. Some days we didn't fancy lunch and you can skip this if you want. Your driver will be very accommodating. We were then taken to our hotel which would be home for the next 3 nights: Amaara Forest Hotel (review available separately). The following days consisted of: Day 3 - Drive from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa to visit the 2nd Heritage of the Capital City. This is an amazing experience that offers a fantastic insight into Sri Lankan history. After this we reached Minneriya to the national park. The opportunity to see elephants in the wild is something not to be missed. There are also wild buffaloes, monkeys, birds, and many more animals to witness. We also visited a silk shop where silk was made, and we were dressed in traditional Sri Lankan clothing, where you can take photos of each other. The ladies at this store were wonderful and we bought a few items. The woodcarving factory is also a good stop, where you can watch how they make traditional Raksha masks and other items. We really wanted to buy a pair of these and the factory store on site had plenty to choose from at reasonable prices. Day 4 - Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Lion Rock). This spectacular rock of approximately 200 m high has impressive views. The only way to achieve this is through lots of steep steps so you will need to wear some good trainers as flip flops will wreck your feet. It can get quite busy on the stairs for the first part as there are historical paintings to see a third of the way which causes the delay, but it picks up soon after. Don't let this delay put you off, I almost decided not to bother you, but the wife talked me into it and I'm glad I did. When you get to about 2/3 of this way, this is where the Lions entrance is. At one point this one had a huge rock lion face on it which is sadly gone. From this point you can reach the top and the view of Sri Lanka can be seen for miles. Word of advice to all of you, there are people who offer to "show" you the rock, they will expect payment for their services, so you politely say no or agree to a cost up front. Also when on the stairs there will be men offering to help him up (at one point taking my wife's hand and escorting her down the stairs which I soon said no to) in all fairness once I say no they will leave you alone, so don't do it. Don't let this discourage you, but be prepared. This day you also have a tour of a rural town in a carriage and a boat ride. You may be offered lunch here which is a great experience and at 600 rupees well worth it. A local lady prepares dinner in her cabin in the woods, and there is a good choice to have. You won't get a chance to experience this again so totally recommend it. Day 5 - Kandy. The journey from the hotel above to here is around 2.5 hours, but it breaks down to an intermediate stop at Spice Garden, where you can see how various spices grow and are shown how to make curry mixes from scratch. The day also included a visit to a gem museum. Generally these places have a room or two showing the history of the gems etc but then a shop at the end. We found the gem shop too expensive for what we wanted to get out of our souvenir shopping, so we didn't buy anything. Again, you don't have to buy anything if you just want to look around. After you transfer to another hotel, we stopped at Earls Regent in Kandy. Day 6 - We visit the Botanical Garden which is a lovely relaxing day where you can walk slowly and take in the surroundings. After this, you can have lunch or return to the hotel to relax. Day 7: We visit a tea plantation on this day where you can see the process from tea leaf picking to the final product. We were allowed to pick tea leaves in the hills as well as visit the shop on site to pick up some reasonably priced local tea/souvenirs. From this point, you can return to the final hotel of the tour to rest in Nuwara Eliya. You can, if you wish, take a walk in the area near the hotel. Day 8 _ This is the route back to the airport, which takes around 7 hours in total, but is broken down by the different sights offering opportunities for waterfalls and a few breaks at local cafes and restaurants. As a guide, we leave at 8:30 am and arrive at the airport at 3:30 pm. Overall the tour was amazing but very tiring. It's not a relaxing vacation, so if you can get a second week in a row somewhere, you can relax. We went to the Maldives which is a 1 hour flight to Male airport. Some final points:
We were advised to tip the driver between $5-10 per person per day as an example, but you can tip what you feel was worth. Your guide will offer to take you to other places that are not listed on the tour and will be charged. If you don't want to do this, just say no thanks and they won't accept you. We almost fell for this and arrived at a spa which we were told would cost 5,000 rupees each for an hour which works out to a total of �40 so not a huge cost but we really didn't want a spa visit So we politely said we weren't interested. On the last day you will also be asked if you want to go rafting, which we didn't do as the last thing we wanted was to get wet en route to the airport. Overall, a worthwhile trip to an amazing country.
This comprehensive tour takes you to discover the enchanting Kandy and its surroundings. Make a stop at a typical tea factory and learn about its process in Giragama. Experience an ancient Kandyan legacy engraved around its crown jewel, the temple of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Walk into the 147-acre Botanical Gardens and visit the spice garden in Matale.
Active and outdoor
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Bentota, Kandy, Sigiriya
Bentota, Kandy, Sigiriya
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
Trip was amazing. We covered all the places as per the itinerary. Our guide is very humble and great person, explained about all the places in detail. Worth visiting the coutnry with Aitken & Spence.
PRIVATE TOUR: Experience the best of Sri Lanka. Colourful Colombo, ancient cities, Buddhist temples, colonial relics, spice and flower gardens, tea plantations, abundant wildlife and spectacular scenery in the National Parks, topped off with some blissful beach time in Kalutara!
Cultural, religious and historic sites
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-80 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Colombo, Yala National Park, Kal
Colombo, Yala National Park, Kalutara, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
Brilliant Central Highlands + Sirigiya Tour. My parents, husband and I booked a private tour with Aitken Spence to travel to Sirigiya and the Central Highlands for a 5 day 6 night trip and we couldn't be more pleased. From start to finish the whole tour was very well organized thanks to a great organizer and great driver-guide Kusum who was very helpful and approachable throughout the trip. He was also very knowledgeable about Sri Lanka and was able to answer almost every question we asked him about the country! He was also, most importantly, a very safe driver who was highly skilled at driving (a useful skill when navigating the narrow roads of the central highlands). Aitken Spence also booked us in on some of the most amazing hotels we've ever stayed at. The lake views and amazing room upgrade at Heritance Kandalama was particularly memorable. The service and atmosphere at the Heritance Tea Factory, located inside a tea plantation, was also unforgettable. 98 Acres, facing Little Adam's Peak, gave us a wonderful sunrise and star gazing opportunity. Overall a great experience and I highly recommend it.
Art and architecture
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
6-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Bentota, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
Bentota, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
15% OFF TODAY
This deal is valid for limited time. Book now to reserve your seats.
