You need to fly into Colombo Airport, also known as Bandaranaike International Airport, where we will collect you and take you to your accommodation. This is only if you arrive on your start date.
If you are the type of person who is looking for a slightly different adventure, then Sri Lanka is a no-brainer. This beautiful country is still reasonably untouched by the mad tourist rush and offers a spectacle of amazing experiences. The food, the people, the culture, the beaches and the beautiful landscapes are an absolute treat.
Sri Lanka Epic 12 Day: Trip Highlights
THE LOW DOWN
Ok, so looking at joining us in Lanka, what is this trip all about exactly?
Well, imagine travelling around one of the most beautiful countries in the world, staying at some of the best accommodations that Sri Lanka has to offer, all your transport taken care of, experiencing a spectacularly rich culture, eating delicious Sri Lankan cuisine, witnessing some of the most picturesque landscapes on our planet and meeting like-minded fun people while doing it. Sounds great right?
Starting in Negombo and ending in Colombo, this tour of Sri Lanka will take you up into the misty mountain tops and all the way down to the sun-kissed beaches. Also, we explore the national parks in search of elephants! With our Epic Sri Lanka tour, you will experience a 12-day fun filled package taking you through the green and luscious gem of the Indian Ocean, where the smells of spices, tea and delicious foods will spark your senses and send you into a mind-altering experience.
SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT YOU CAN EXPECT
- Piece of mind – Airport collection on arrival
- Meet like-minded solo travellers in your group!
- Visit the most beautiful temples you will ever see
- Learn to surf!
- Go on a safari and spot elephants monkeys, birds of prey and possibly even crocodiles!
- Camping in a national park, surrounded by wildlife
- Learn to make the perfect curry!
- Enjoy some of the most beautiful beaches in the world!
- Witness some beautiful South Asian sunsets!
- Go Whale spotting!
- Visit a Turtle sanctuary!
- Local guide who can tell you about Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Epic 12 Day Photos
Itinerary
DAY 1: Arrival
Arrive in Negombo any time on Day 1. Your guide or your local guidewill pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Wattala.
In the evening you and all the other guests will have a fantastic Sri Lankan Welcome Meal right on the beach.
Meals – Dinner
Accommodation: Twin Share with ensuite
Included Activity – Welcome dinner
Optional Activities – Negombo canal tour, Fish market visit
Physical Rating – Low
DAY 2: Dambulla & Pidurangala Hike
Today the journey really begins! We drive to Dambulla, and stop by the famous Dambulla Cave Temple and marvel at ancient carvings and
statues before heading to a local
restaurant to sample the best food Sri Lanka has to offer and check into our hotel. Spend a few hours by the pool before heading of to Piduranagla rock for unparalleled 360 degree views of the local area and Sigiriya at Sunset
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share with ensuite & Balcony
Included Activities -Dambulla Cave Temple Guided Tour & Pidurangala Monastery
Physical Rating – Moderate
DAY 3: SIGIRIYA ROCK
Start the morning by climbing Sigirya, which is considered by locals to be the eighth wonder of the world. Over 1500 years of history in one place! We’ll then stop for a fantastic Sri Lankan lunch with a local family. The rest of the day is yours to relax by the
pool or book a massage or elephant
safari!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share with ensuite & Balcony
Included Activities – Sigiriya Rock Climb,
Optional Activities – Extra
Safari/Massage
Physical Rating – High
Note: The Elephant Safari here is
included in the tour during the Whale Watching Off-Season
DAY 4: Cooking class and Kandy
Today you leave the flat lands and embark into the Knuckle Mountain range. We head to a spice garden
where you will learn the secrets to Sri Lankan cooking before heading into the country’s second biggest city, Kandy. What better way to see the city than in the back of some local transport, Tuk-Tuks!
Meals – Breakfast, lunch
Accommodation: Dorm Share w/ Shared Bathroom
Included Activities – Cooking class, spice garden visit & Kandy Tuk Tuk Tour
Physical Rating – Low
DAY 5: "That" Train Journey
Start the day by visiting the world famous Temple of the Tooth, then its off to the Tea country! Tour a
working Tea estate, pick tea and taste the finest Ceylon Tea. After lunch jump on the train from Nanu
Oya to Ella voted one of the world’s most scenic train rides!!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share w/ En-suite
Included Activities – Temple of the Tooth, TeaEstate Visit, Train Journey
Physical Rating – Low
DAY 6: Free Day
A day to yourself in the wonderful
mountainous town of Ella! Optional activities include hiking Ella Gap, treating yourself to a massage or using the downtime to just chill by the pool!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share w/ensuite
Included Activities – N/A
Optional Activities – Ella Gap Hike, Massage, cooking classes
Physical Rating – Chilled
DAY 7: Mini Adams Peak & Elephant Safari
Hike Mini Adams Peak and visit the world famous Nine Arch Bridge in the morning. Afterwards, journey out of the mountains to your Campsite. After lunch head into Udawalawe National Park to get up close and personal with the Elephants!
Meals – Breakfast , lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Sweet Glamping spot with a pool & BBQ dinner
Included Activities – Guided Ella Hikes, elephant safari
Physical Rating – Moderate
DAY 8: Beach Time
Leave the campsite and head down to the beach at Mirissa. You have a free afternoon to rent a surf board or just to sit back and catch some rays!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share w/ensuite
Included Activities – N/A
Optional Activities – Surfing, massage
Physical Rating – Low
DAY 9: Whale Watching* and Galle Fort Visit
Wake up early, jump straight onto the boat and go searching for the world’s biggest animal, the Blue Whale!! In the afternoon walk around the old Dutch Fort in Galle, buy some souvenirs and taste some of the best ice cream Sri Lanka has to offer!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share en-suite & balcony
Included Activities – Whale
Watching* & Galle Visit
Physical Rating – Low
*Please note that Blue Whale watching is a seasonal.
activity
DAY 10: Bike Tour and the Beach
Start the day with a 12km cycle
through the lush southern Paddy
Fields, stopping at a local school enroute. Then spend the afternoon
relaxing on the beach or even playing a bit of beach cricket!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Twin Share with ensuite
Included Activities – Bike trip through local rice fields and a visit to a local school.
Optional Activities – Massage
Physical Rating – Moderate
DAY 11: Tsunami memorial and Turtle Sacntuary
Spend the morning on the beach
before heading to the memorial for
the 2004 Tsunami. Afterwards head over to the Turtle Sanctuary to see some really cute and freshly hatched turtles! We then drive to Colombo for our final night.
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: Dorm share w/ shared bathroom
Included Activities – Tsunami Memorial and Turtle Sanctuary
Optional Activities: Colombo Market Tour
Physical Rating – Low
DAY 12: Time to Say Goodbye!
Today is where we all so goodbye to each other. Your tour guide will help arrange your onward travel,
whether to the airport or back to the beaches (own expense).
The adventure doesn’t have to stop here…. Join us in the Maldives for our 5 day / 4 night self-guided tour!!!
Meals – Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
Included Activities – N/A
Optional Activities – Maldives Add-on
Accommodation
We know that the quality of your accommodation can have a huge influence on the overall enjoyment of your trip! So that’s why Xtreme have sourced some of the best accommodation in Sri Lanka – We have personally stayed at all of our accommodations and found some brilliant places to recharge our (and now your) batteries. From sleeping under the stars in a jungle camp deep inside a national park, to luxury beachfront properties in a quaint surf town, we have the perfect mix of hand-picked properties ready for you.
Check out our images!
*rooms are triples, twins, and 2 nights in boutique hostels
Price
What's Included?
- Airport pickups*
- Legendary group leader
- All accommodation. From fancy hotels, hip hostels, local guesthouses, and safari camps
- All transport including private vans, tuk-tuks, and buses
- Welcome dinner
- Climb the UNESCO World Heritage Sigiriya rock fortress
- See the Buddhas of Dambulla
- Visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth in Kandy
- Trip on the ‘most beautiful train journey in the world’**
- Explore the spectacular tea plantations and pick some of your own with the locals
- Climb Little Adam’s Peak
- Stand at the Edge of the World in Horton Plains (option – own cost)
- Discover a spice garden in the mountains
- Learn the secrets of making the perfect curry in a local village
- Camp in Udawalawe National Park surrounded by wildlife
- Catch some waves in a surf lesson
- Get up close with elephants and wild life on a private safari
- Learn about baby turtles at a turtle sanctuary
- Party on tropical beaches
- Good times!
*Pickups available on day 1 only
**subject to availability
What's Excluded?
- International Flights
- Drinks
- Some Meals
- Travel insurance
Frequently Asked Questions
-
-
You will always need a visa to visit Sri Lanka and it must be organised before you arrive. Sri Lanka tourist visa charges USD $30 per person for NON SAARC countries & USD $15 for SAARC countries, can be obtained directly via this site. Payments can be done easily online and you’ll receive confirmation within 48hrs. Easy! Just remember – your passport has to be valid for at least six months from the day of arrival. You will also need to have proof of onward travel (flight tickets out of the country).
We advise you to check with your local Sri Lankan consulate or embassy to get the most up-to-date conditions. Xtreme cannot apply for your visa for you, so please make sure you have sorted it by the time you arrive!
-
The currency in Sri Lanka is the Rupee and AUD$1 is roughly R115. When you join an Xtreme trip, we like to keep extra costs to a minimum and include as much as possible to make it easier for you to budget. Luckily, Sri Lanka is a cheap country for most things! You will be able to feast on the freshest seafood and homemade curries for just a few dollars and buy fresh coconuts on the beach for pennies. An average local meal of rice and various curries will set you back around AUD$4. The local beer called Lion is delicious and costs around AUD $2 per pint.
Spending money all depends on the kind of person you are. Each person knows their own likes/dislikes and spending habits. You may like to drink cocktails in hip lounges by the beach, or crack open a local beer under a palm tree on the sand.
Tips are expected in Sri Lanka. They are not compulsory, but there is very much a tipping culture for hotels and restaurants for around 10% of the bill. We usually find it easier if your group leader says how much the tip should be and everyone can pitch in together.
-
You have nothing to worry about, in fact, most of our customers are solo or even first-time travellers. Our guide is always around for you and you have 24-hour support.
-
Well, the trip ends in Colombo, if you haven’t decided to stay longer and ad-on the Maldives extension, then your guide can help you organise a taxi or tuk-tuk back to the airport (own cost) in time for your flight home.
Sri Lanka Epic 12 Day Trip Dates
Starts in Negombo; Sri Lanka / Ends in Colombo; Sri Lanka
2019 Start Dates
August
26th August 2019
September
9th September 2019
16th September 2019
23rd September 2019
30th September 2019
October
7th October 2019
14th October 2019
21st October 2019
28th October 2019
November
4th November 2019
11th November 2019
18th November 2019
25th November 2019
December
2nd December 2019
9th December 2019
16th December 2019
23rd December 2019
27th December 2019
2020 Start Dates
January
3rd January 2020
6th January 2020
10th January 2020
13th January 2020
17th January 2020
20th January 2020
24th January 2020
27th January 2020
31st January 2020
February
3rd February 2020
7th February 2020
10th February 2020
14th February 2020
17th February 2020
21st February 2020
24th February 2020
28th February 2020
March
2nd March 2020
6th March 2020
9th March 2020
13th March 2020
16th March 2020
20th March 2020
23rd March 2020
27th March 2020
30th March 2020
April
3rd April 2020
6th April 2020
24th April 2020
27th April 2020
May
1st May 2020
4th May 2020
8th May 2020
11th May 2020
15th May 2020
18th May 2020
22nd May 2020
25th May 2020
29th May 2020
June
1st June 2020
5th June 2020
8th June 2020
12th June 2020
15th June 2020
19th June 2020
22nd June 2020
26th June 2020
29th June 2020
July
3rd July 2020
6th July 2020
10th July 2020
13th July 2020
8th July 2020
10th July 2020
17th July 2020
20th July 2020
24th July 2020
27th July 2020
31st July 2020
August
3rd August 2020
7th August 2020
10th August 2020
28th August 2020
31st August 2020
September
4th September 2020
7th September 2020
11th September 2020
14th September 2020
18th September 2020
21st September 2020
25th September 2020
28th September 2020
October
2nd October 2020
5th October 2020
9th October 2020
12th October 2020
16th October 2020
19th October 2020
23rd October 2020
26th October 2020
30th October 2020
November
2nd November 2020
6th November 2020
9th November 2020
13th November 2020
4th November 2020
11th November 2020
16th November 2020
20th November 2020
23rd November 2020
27th November 2020
30th November 2020
December
4th December 2020
7th December 2020
11th December 2020
14h December 2020
18th December 2020
21st December 2020
24th December 2020
28th December 2020
31st December 2020
