Overview
This 5-day Sri Lanka highlights tour is designed to give you a comprehensive experience of the island’s most iconic cultural, natural, and historical landmarks. You’ll explore the ancient wonders of Sigiriya, the sacred Buddhist sites of Kandy, the scenic hill country of Nuwara Eliya, the stunning landscapes of Ella, and the wildlife-rich Udawalawe National Park.
However, due to the wide variety of attractions and their spread across different regions, this is a bit of a busy tour. You’ll be covering a fair amount of ground each day with multiple stops, making it ideal for travelers eager to see as much as possible in a short amount of time. While the pace can be fast, it ensures you experience the best of Sri Lanka, from historical sites to wildlife safaris and scenic views.
Highlights
- Day 1: Colombo → Sigiriya & Dambulla
- Day 2: Sigiriya → Polonnaruwa → Kandy
- Day 3: Kandy → Nuwara Eliya
- Day 4: Nuwara Eliya → Ella → Udawalawe
- Day 5: Udawalawe → Colombo or Connect Ayurveda Panchakarma Cure
Itinerary
Upon your arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, your dedicated tour guide will warmly welcome you with a friendly smile and assist you with your luggage. After exchanging greetings, you'll embark on your journey to Dambulla,(Depending on your arrival time) where the adventure begins. The drive from Colombo to Dambulla is around 4 hours, so you'll have a comfortable and scenic ride, allowing you to unwind and enjoy the changing landscapes of Sri Lanka.
Once you arrive in Dambulla, you’ll have a short break to stretch, refresh, and relax.
you’ll head straight to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, where you’ll climb the famous rock and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
Optional: Afterward, you can visit the Dambulla Cave Temple, which is located a short distance away. By the end of the day, you’ll have explored two major UNESCO World Heritage sites, but you may feel a bit tired from the journey and exploration. You’ll stay overnight in the Sigiriya/Dambulla area.
The second day starts early, as you drive from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa (about 1.5 hours). In Polonnaruwa, you’ll explore ancient ruins and see the Gal Vihara rock carvings. This is a fascinating historical site, but you’ll need to keep a steady pace to cover the major points of interest. Afterward, you’ll drive for about 3.5 hours to Kandy, where you’ll visit the Temple of the Tooth, a sacred site for Buddhists. It’s a full day, and by the time you reach Kandy in the evening, it’ll have been quite an active day with lots of history to absorb.
On day 3, you’ll head to Nuwara Eliya, which is a 2.5-hour drive through the hill country. Along the way, you may want to stop at a tea plantation and enjoy a guided tour of how Sri Lanka’s famous Ceylon tea is made. Once you arrive in Nuwara Eliya, there’s a lot to explore: Gregory Lake, the colonial-style town, and the beautiful surrounding landscapes. The pace is a bit quicker because of the distance to be covered, and you’ll be on the move throughout the day. By the evening, you’ll get to enjoy the cool weather of the hill station, which offers a relaxing break after the busy previous days.
Cost
The Cost Includes
- Pick-up or Drop-off service from and to Airport(in our own vehicle)
- Transportation to and from!!
- Food all along the trip(Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and a cup of coffee or tea) and accommodations during the trip in hotels with family environment
- Transportation, food, accommodation and insurance of Guide during the trip
- Down jacket, all-season sleeping bag, duffel bag and trekking map(in case if you don’t have your own. Down jacket, sleeping bag and duffel bag must be returned after completion of the trip)
- First Aid Medical Kit(Your guide will carry the Medical Kit but we also advise to bring yourself for your own use, as far as possible)
- All the required permits and paperwork
The Cost Excludes
- International Airfare
- Visa Charges
- Hotel Expenses(In Kathmandu, some packages do include hotel expenses)
- Your travel and medical insurance
- Personal Expenses such as shopping, bar bills, hot shower, telephone, laundry, titbits etc
- Food and accommodations in Kathmandu
- Services not mentioned or not promised by the agent/agency
- Emergency expenses such as expenses on chartered helicopter.
FAQs
Annapurna Base Camp is a Grade B or a moderately difficult trekking route. So any fit person can do this trek, even if you do not have any previous experience. You should be aware of what to expect and mentally prepare for it. Then, as long as you will too, you can.
On average, you walk about 4 to 6 hours per day. One or two days can be as less as 3hrs and one or two days can be as long as 7hrs.
The highest altitude reached is 4190m. This is the elevation of Annapurna Base Camp. ABC is the highest we will climb in this trek.
Yes, you can charge batteries en route. Charger should be brought. There are hot shower facilities as well. You may have to pay a certain amount for both ($1-$2). Negotiate. Also, a hot water facility could be free at a lower elevation.
No. There are no ATMs on this trek route. You will have to draw enough cash in Pokhara or Kathmandu. There are a number of ATMs in these cities. Everything is paid in Nepali rupees. So money should be exchanged before the start of the trek.
Yes. The Internet can be accessed in most places. Sometimes, there might be some technical problems. The Internet in Nepal is not as fast as you are used to and at times you can just lose connection.
Not really. It depends on you. If you want, ABC trekking can be done independently. You could hire a guide and a porter by yourself instead of going through an agency or not hire a guide at all. Although, not having a guide can be a little problematic during the offseason.
It really depends on you. Is it your first time in Nepal? How confident are you of being able to find your way around? How pressed on time are you? If you go through an agency, it will be costlier but everything will be planned. You will only have to come, trek and return.
For the Annapurna region, pay for guides range from $20 to $30 per day and porters take $15 to $25 per day.
