Itinerary Expand all Depart London. Flights usually depart London in the evening. Day 1 Start Dambulla. The group flight arrives at Colombo's Katunake Airport and we transfer to our hotel at Dambulla (160km, 4hrs drive). Those not flying with the group can meet us at the hotel or the airport in time for the transfer. Please be aware if you are meeting the group at the airport for a transfer you might need to purchase a ticket outside to enter the arrivals hall. Pelwehera Village Resort or similar Arrive Colombo and transfer to Dambulla. The group flight arrives at Colombo's Katunake Airport and we transfer to our hotel at Dambulla (160km, 4hrs drive). Those not flying with the group can meet us at the hotel or the airport in time for the transfer.Pelwehera Village Resort or similar Day 2 Visit Dambulla Caves, village walk towards Sigiriya; afternoon visit to Lion Rock Fortress. After breakfast we visit the magnificent Cave Temple at Dambulla, one of the most impressive sights in Sri Lanka. There are colourful and very well preserved paintings and statues of Buddha inside the caves, which date back to the 1st century BC. We then have a short, gentle, warm up walk which takes us through villages and rice paddies and on towards Sigiriya, where we have lunch. In the afternoon we visit the imposing 5th century rock fortress, which rises 180m from the plains overlooking the surrounding countryside giving far-reaching views. Used as a safe haven from invaders, the route to the top is up a series of steep steps and gangways. From the base, where a moat surrounds impressive water gardens, we ascend 200m and pass an overhanging rock under which superb portraits of native maidens holding flowers and temple offerings still adorn the walls. Crowning the flat-topped summit are extensive remains of the King's Summer Palace from where there are breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. The descent is much easier and we have a final 35 minute drive back to our hotel in Dambulla. Approximate walking distance 6km. Alt. gain 395m, Alt. loss 395mPelwehera Village Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 3 Drive to Illukkumbura; walk the Manigala Trail in the Knuckles Range. The next two days takes us across the famous Knuckles Mountain Range. We start early with a three hour drive to the start of our walk, from where we begin with an easy descent past rice paddies and through the villages of Pitawala Patana and Etanwala. Descending to the river we cross a small bridge and start to climb up through more farmland. Finally emerging at the top of an escarpment we are rewarded with great views of the surrounding countryside. An easy trail takes us along the top of the escarpment to Manigala Top at 1115m, the high point of today. Next we descend to the Mahalakotuwa village area which leads to the main road and then it’s a 20 minute walk to our campsite by the river where we can bathe in the cool, refreshing water. Today is the longest walk and is approx. 7 hours walking, 15KM, Alt gain 900m, alt loss 100mAlt. gain 240m, Alt. loss 450m (Please note – occasionally due to high water levels we use an alternative campsite. The alternative campsite is about 40 minutes’ drive from Illikumbura).Camping at Knuckles with Eco Team or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Walk through forests to Meemure; transfer to Orutota We begin with a short half hour drive to the Narangamuwa Temple at Ranamuregama. We then pass rice paddies and coconut groves before entering a heavily forested area. The trail climbs gently for an hour and then levels out before undulating though this lush forest. The only sound we can hear is the birdsong all around us. Emerging from the forest in the village of Meemure, make sure to look back for a spectacular view of the peaks of Lakegala. Passing farms growing pepper and other spices, we come to a small tea shop where we have lunch. After lunch, we take a truck or rickshaws for a bumpy 90-minute ride to Corbetts Gap, a famous viewpoint. Our bus will meet us here for the 1.5hr drive to our hotel at Orutota overlooking the Victoria Reservoir. Oruthota Chalets or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 5 To Kandy; visit the Temple of the Tooth. A relaxing morning to enjoy the garden and pool at the hotel. Mid-morning we have a short 18km drive to Kandy and have the afternoon to explore. The town is located around a small lake and we can walk round to hopefully spot several varieties of water birds and large water monitors. Later we visit the Temple of the Tooth, which houses Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic - The Tooth of Buddha, which was taken from the funeral pyre in India in 543 BC and only found its way to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD. There are literally hundreds of worshippers who visit the temple each day and in July/August the most spectacular ceremony takes place.Hotel Hilltop or Royal Kandyan or similar Meals included: Breakfast Days 6-7 Ascend Adams Peak (2243m). This morning we drive to Dickoya (3 hours), where we stay for two nights in simple colonial tea planters bungalows, with wonderful view of the Castlereagh Reservoir. On a clear day we can see the outline of Adams Peak in the distance. In the pilgrim season (December-May) we have the day to relax or you can take a short walk around the lake (approx. 6km). We leave around midnight for the walk up Adams Peak (approx. 14km). This will take around 4 hours and we should reach the top, with the many pilgrims at sunrise. In the off season (May – November) we spend Day 6 (Day 7 Ex London) at Dickoya and can walk around the lake and on Day 7 (Day 8 Ex London) we will climb Adams Peak during daylight hours. Total accent 1211m, decent, the same. (Day 6: B) (Day 7: B,L)Glencarin Bungalows or similar Day 8 Drive to Nuwara Eliya; optional walk to explore the town This morning we have a wonderful drive through tea plantation districts to Nuwara Eliya. This was the favourite hill station during the British era, situated in the cool highland air at 1890m and has a very British feel. Known locally as 'Little England' it is dotted with British style houses, hotels and a racecourse. There will be an optional walk into the hills around the town and also time to explore the bazaar.Windsor Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 Early morning to Horton Plains; walk to World's End viewpoint; to Ella by train. Today we drive to Horton Plains, a large plateau over 2,000m above sea level, overlooked by the second and third highest peaks in Sri Lanka. The scenery is beautiful and is best explored on foot. We trek through the rolling grasslands, seeing forest and unusual wildlife, such as the sambar deer and purple faced monkey, all the way to 'World's End', one of the most stunning sights in Sri Lanka. Here the ground drops 1050m to the plains below. We then catch the train from the highest railway station in the country; within two hours we’ve dropped from 1889m to 1097m. The train travels through the cloud forest into the tea plantations, the views are spectacular; we disembark at Ella.Hotel Country Comfort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 10 Daywalk around Ella; visit the Ravana Waterfalls and Ella Gap. We drive to Kithalaella and climb up to a rocky area to enjoy stunning views of the waterfalls. Continuing on to Ella Gap, we have dramatic views of the coastal plain nearly 1,000m below. Almost the whole of the southern part of the island is in view and on a particularly clear day the shimmering silver of the ocean is visible (approx. 12km walk). We return in the late afternoon to our hotel in Ella.Hotel Country Comfort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 11 Drive to Yala National Park; afternoon game drive. We now head south out of the hills to Tissamaharama down the plains stopping en route to visit the spectacular Ravana Waterfalls as well as the Kataragama Temple. This is a pilgrimage place for both Hindus and Buddhists, who come to worship here in the early mornings and evenings. Colourful and noisy, the temple is always busy. Tissamaharama will be our base for visiting Yala National Park. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years, but recently the park has become well known for leopard. The park, which is primarily shrub jungle with several salt and fresh water lagoons, has one of the highest concentrations of leopard per square kilometre in the world. We will have a game drive in the afternoon. (Please note that the sanctuary may be closed for 4-6 weeks from September to October allowing the park authorities to check the animals. In this instance we will go to an alternative area close by, usually the Udawalawe National Park).Chandrika Hotel or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 12 Visit Kataragama Temple and walk around Tissamaharama lake; transfer to the coast. This morning we drive to the beautiful Tissamaharama Lake where we walk for approximately 3.5 hours (approx. 5km). This is an opportunity to see the day to day life of the local people as well as a range of birdlife. In the late afternoon we drive for approximately 4 hours to the coast.Insight Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 13 Free day to relax on the beach or optional activities including whale watching (Nov to April). Free day to relax on the beach or by the pool. There are also numerous optional activities including a boat ride through mangrove swamps to a cinnamon plantation, or from November to April you can go whale watching off Dondra Head. This is one of the best places in the world for seeing Blue and Sperm whales.Insight Resort or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 14 To Galle; transfer to Colombo. We set off today and drive along the coastal road to the historic port of Galle, which dates back to the 17th century, and now a UNESCO world heritage site. On the way we stop at a small folk museum inspired by the local writer Martin Wickramasinghe. The museum is a typical house from the Koggala region and is set amongst beautiful gardens. We continue along the expressway to Colombo reaching our hotel in the late afternoon (the drives takes around 2-3 hours, plus stops). Hotel Mirage or similar Meals included: Breakfast Day 15 End Colombo. If you are travelling on the group flight we will have a morning transfer to the airport for the daytime flight to London. The arrangements for those not flying with the group ends after breakfast. Meals included: Breakfast Fly to London. If you are travelling on the group flight we will have a morning transfer to the airport for the daytime flight to London. The arrangements for those not flying with the group ends after breakfast. Meals included: Breakfast
Maldives If you are keen to end your holiday on a very relaxed note, we can arrange a visit to the Maldives for you. The flight from Colombo is around 1 hour and upon arrival you will be transferred by speedboat (approximately 20mins) to the Paradise Island 4* resort. Paradise Island is a beautiful coral island with a total land area of 178,900 square metres, covered with lush tropical vegetation, numerous palm trees, surrounded by a wide sandy beach and the crystal clear waters of an azure lagoon. You can choose to add on as many extra nights to your trip as you wish; your time on the island will be at leisure for you to do as you wish. The accommodation used has a swimming pool, restaurant, bar, room service and all rooms are air‐conditioned and have en suite facilities. As well as the modern amenities of the resort, there is also access to scuba diving and snorkelling or for the less active the chance to swim in these wonderful, calm waters. Either way it is a veritable paradise and a memorable end to the trip. If you choose to take advantage of this opportunity then we can arrange flights for you to Malé as well as booking the hotel and speedboat transfer to the island.
Sri Lanka A visa (Electronic Travel Authorisation) is required if you are British and for most other nationalities. If you do not hold a British passport, please check the visa requirements with your local Sri Lankan Embassy or the ETA website www.eta.gov.lk. Passengers should also be aware of local laws and customs in Sri Lanka (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/local-laws-and-customs). The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is an offence; please note that people have been refused entry to Sri Lanka because of visible tattoos of Buddha. Those British passport holders who travel to Sri Lanka before 30.04.2020 for tourist purposes are exempted paying ETA fee (applicable for 30 days). ETA application for pre approval is required before the journey. Exodus visa information sheet for British passport holders.
Sri Lanka There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Hotels & Camping You will stay 13 nights in hotels all of which have en suite facilities; all hotels have twin bedded rooms with attached bathrooms. There will also be 1 night of full service camping. The tents have two camp beds with bedding. There is a toilet tent with sit down toilet and a shower tent. A cook team will prepare meals which are usually served outside. Wi-Fi is available at the majority of places, either in the rooms or the communal areas. Single supplements are available on request (not available for 3 nights). Please note, paying the single supplement may not mean that you receive a double or twin room for sole use. The room you are allocated may differ from hotel to hotel, and on some nights a smaller room for ‘one person’ may well be allocated.
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Reviewed March 2019 Annabel Ions Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Walking and cultural experience in Sri Lanka This was a wonderful trip with an excellent guide Neelanka made this an amazing trip His English and knowledge of nature and local culture was very good His efficiency in allocating room keys was one of the best - very important after a long drive We did not need to touch our luggage from exiting the airport to arriving back Our strap broke and within half an hour it was repaired!!!! Water was freely available from large containers that we could fill our reusable bottles or containers and complimentary Sigiriya and the Lion Rock Fortress was an amazing visit Unfortunately we did not get to the summit of Adams Peak due to the masses of mainly local people. However I did feel the experience was something like I have experienced before with family carrying the frail and old, babies being carried and some only in flip flops or barefeet Leech socks used and needed What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Lion Rock Fotress Adams Peak despite not getting to the summit Horton plains Lunch in a local restaurant and then in a local house What did you think of your group leader? Neelanka is an excellent guide and one of the best we have had the opportunity to meet and have guide us Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Leech socks Some long distances in varied transport if not a good traveller (not us) Be prepared to be sociable with other members of the group (this reall applies to all guided trips) Some compromise needed at times Is there anything else you would like to add? No think I have said it all!!!
Reviewed February 2019 Anne Rogers Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka A fantastic experience with a first class leader and exciting experiences A first class holiday experience with all the hall marks we have come to love from Exodus holidays. An efficient engaged leader with a real love of his country and ability to show us so many insights into the nuances of Sri Lanka..... even though the weather was changeable we had a fantastic trip made up of interesting walks, wild life and getting to know the local culture and people of the highlands. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing Adams peak with lots of wonderful other Sri Lankans felt very privileged to have this experience What did you think of your group leader? Very good professional well informed and engaged with the group he was warm and friendly and couldn't do enough for us Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Leech socks a must! do it .....
Reviewed February 2019 Anne Rogers Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka A fantastic experience with a first class leader and exciting experiences A first class holiday experience with all the hall marks we have come to love from Exodus holidays. An efficient engaged leader with a real love of his country and ability to show us so many insights into the nuances of Sri Lanka..... even though the weather was changeable we had a fantastic trip made up of interesting walks, wild life and getting to know the local culture and people of the highlands. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Climbing Adams peak with lots of wonderful other Sri Lankans felt very privileged to have this experience What did you think of your group leader? Very good professional well informed and engaged with the group he was warm and friendly and couldn't do enough for us Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Leech socks a must! do it .....
Reviewed February 2019 Karen Carrington Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Walking Tour This was an amazing tour. It was very well organised. The walking was good. The countryside and people were fantastic and the guide himself was very personable and knowledgeable. It was totally enjoyable. I would recommend going up Adam's peak on a Monday-Thursday evening to avoid the crowds, but that is the only thing I would have changed. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Everything was good What did you think of your group leader? He was born for a job of this type - friendly, funny and knowledgeable
Reviewed February 2019 Chris Burden Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Highlands of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is a very beatiful island with loads of natural and cultural highlights, The tour is descrfibed as walking and treking. If you read the detailed notes it's fair to say that, yes there are walks, but nothing that I would describe as treking. The walks are comparatively gentle; the jungle walks a bit like Lakeland walks underfoot - but in forest. The climb up Adam's Peak certainly got the heart pumping, although with the crowds of pilgrims all around there were plkenty of enforced spots where you rested. There was a lot of travel time in vehicles. All as described in the trip details - What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Sigiriya was magnificent, beautiful, and unique in my experience. Well worth the well-protected stairs up the rock face to the top. The Adam's Peak pilgrimage to see the Buddha's footprint and sunrise from the summit was a great experience, being a fierce stairway climb shared with grannies who could scarcely move from one step to another, and younger aduklts carrying their babes in arms. Not your usual climb to a summit. What did you think of your group leader? Neelaka, our group leader was excellent, as were his team. Neelaka had a great knowledge, particularly re wildlife. H ekpetr us well informed always with great charm and humour. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Look carefully at the details. But I'm glad we didn't. Coach tours are not usually our thing - but this one was excellent.
Reviewed January 2019 Margaret Curran Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Varied and interesting trip Well organised tour and great tour leader and with plenty of activities and reasonable accommodation. Offers lovely scenery and some challenging hikes, recommended! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Hike up Adam's Peak What did you think of your group leader? Excellent Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Make sure you're fit! Is there anything else you would like to add? The train journey would be better and more enjoyable with a seat!
Reviewed January 2019 Felicity Brown Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Truly an incredible country The trip was extremely well organised! The day walks were challenging but beautiful and climbing Adams Peak is a must! Our leader Ruwan was exceptional. He really helped us connect with the locals and showed us the culture of Sri Lankan villages. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who is curious to see what Sri Lanka has to offer. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? To see how people can live a life so happily with so little. Sri Lanka peoplewere incredibly kind and generous to us throughout and really made you feel safe and welcomed into their home. What did you think of your group leader? Absolutely faultless. Ruwan went above and beyond for all of us and gave our group such a unique look into Sri Lanka. Outstanding! He is a true asset to your company. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared for leeches in the knuckles mountain range. Although there isn’t much to fear. Try to be as open minded as possible! Try everything! Probably not a good country to choose if you don’t like a bit of spice in your food!
Reviewed June 2018 Graham Ritchie Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Great trip! A thoroughly enjoyable and well planned trip. Our guide Sujan was great. Hotels of good standard. Good bunch of people. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the devotion of old people climbing Adam's Peak. What did you think of your group leader? Excellent, very amusing. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Wear socks on temple visits to avoid burnt feet. Leeches are a problem, wear leech socks (£20) or poly bags inside your boots (free). Is there anything else you would like to add? Camping was disappointing (and I do a lot of camping). I would have liked to have included Anuradhapura and Polonnawura and instead miss out on the day spent hanging around a (wet) tea planter's bungalow after the Adams Peak climb. We were in Galle during the Buddhist New Year and museums/churches were closed.
Reviewed March 2018 Nicolo Tassoni Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Highlands of Sri Lanka walking tour Two weeks walking tour in Sri Lank. through cultural hotspots, mountain ranges, tea plantations, national parks. An excellent programme for a first discovery of the Country, its traditions, its people and its wildlife. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I particularly enjoyed the trekkings in the Knuckles Ranges, but found extremely interessing as well the atmosphere of the Temple of the Tooth in Candy and the train journey from Ella to Badulla. Most pleasant place to stroll and relax definitely Galle. What did you think of your group leader? Sujeewa, our team leader has been truly excellent: very knowledgeable on subjects as different as Wildlife, history, traditional handicrafting. He has also been extremely nice to all of us, attentionate and helpful as well as an excellent organiser. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? It is a very good tour for thos who want to discover a wide range of aspects of Sri Lanka. Walking is an integral part of the trip but not overwelming on other activities such as cultural visits etc.
Reviewed March 2018 Andrew and Anne Bowden Trip: Highlands of Sri Lanka Highlands of Sri Lanka Good walking and sight seeing and experience of Sri Lanka. Adequate/good hotels. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Seeing the leopard in Yala national park. Staying in tea plantation bungalow. Walk to Ella Rock and Little Adams Peak. What did you think of your group leader? Sujan- very knowledgeable, friendly, calm and experienced. Could pronounce place names slower please and clearer and talk about only one day at a time to avoid confusion. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take socks for hot temple courtyards, ear plugs for occasional noisy air conditioning. Beware of hot spicy food, including salad and soup, test everything before you eat. But the curried meat is often mild, the heat is in the sauce. Is there anything else you would like to add? Adams Peak was so crowded as to be dangerous. The top half was inaccessible owing to numbers of people. NKAR should have known this. A big disappointment. 2.5 hours in jeep on Knuckles with sideways seats and no seat belts, being thrown about on a road that was barely servicable was not a good experience. Why change hotels in Kandy - unnecessary. Why go to a hotel in Colombo when we did not see the town? Stay near airport? Walking round Kandy lake horrid and polluted when beside road. Only temple side of lake is enjoyable. Horton Plains disappointing-crowded with noisy people and so no wildlife. Rethink!
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