< Designed Trips

The Trip

​This fast-paced, adventure-filled travel experience is steeped in rich culture, breathtaking natural beauty, outdoor activities, amazing wildlife and incredible food. Over 12 days, you’ll travel to sacred Buddhist temples, through misty tea plantations, hike up mountain peaks and through dense jungles, and ride in open-air trains. You’ll see wild elephants (and maybe leopards!), and walk along serene white sand beaches. Starting in the seaside Negombo, you’ll head to the culturally rich city of Kandy and continue on to the epicenter of Sri Lankan tea production in the unique colonial town of Nuwara Eliya, located in the central highlands. Take the stunning train trip to the mountainous village of Ella, followed by a jeep safari in Yala National Park, home to a plethora of wild animals. Spend a few days on the calm beaches of Tangalle, and end in the colonial era fort town of Galle. The scenery, and the adventure, will change with every new day.

The Details

​​Price:
  • From $1,745 per person
Duration​:
  • 11 nights, 12 days
Inclusions:
  • Highly-rated boutique hotels
  • All transportation within Sri Lanka
  • Private & small-group experiences
  • Sri Lanka mini-guide
  • Trip preparation & support

The ​​Itinerary

Negombo
  • Day 1: Welcome to Sri Lanka. Step outside to tuk tuks and (somewhat) organized chaos. A private transfer will bring you to your nearby hotel in the seaside town of Negombo. Get settled and enjoy your first (very healthy) Sri Lankan dinner, nearly always served with daal (spiced lentils) and fresh squeezed juice or coconut water. Get a good nights sleep.

Kandy
  • Day 2: Today, your adventure begins. After a relaxed morning, a private transfer will pick you up for the 2.5 hour drive to the small city of Kandy, the gateway to the central highlands. Pull over for egg hoppers and locally grown cashews along the way. Check-in to your peaceful hillside boutique resort outside of the bustling town center. Take a short tuk tuk into town for dinner.
  • Day 3: Today you have choices. Hop back in the car for a full-day, privately guided trip to the Rock Cave Temples of Dambulla and the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya (translation: Lion Rock). Explore the ancient caves and Buddhist temples with your local guide, enjoy a tasty lunch, then head off to climb the 1200 steps up the side of the rock to the ancient King’s fortress at Sigiriya. Drive back to Kandy in the late evening. Alternatively, stay in Kandy and discover Sri Lanka’s second largest city on a private tour of it’s highlights and hidden spots. Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, stroll through an exotic forest, and uncover the secrets that lie behind the city’s giant white Buddha.

Nuwara Eliya
  • Day 4: After an early breakfast, you’ll make your way to the Kandy Train Station for the first leg in what is widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful train journeys. Over about 4.5 hours, you'll travel through mountainous jungle, slowly gaining elevation as you enter the central highlands. Cruise past rolling hills covered with tea plantations before arriving in the curious town of Nuwara Eliya, with its striking similarities to an English village. Check in to your luxury hotel, then enjoy a traditional English high tea before settling in for the night.

​Ella
  • Day 5: Enjoy a hot cup of local tea and a delicious breakfast at your hotel before taking a short tour of one of the region’s most well known tea plantations where you’ll learn how the tea is plucked, dried, processed, and prepared for export. After, a driver will take you back to the train station for the short (~2 hour) continuation of your epic train journey through central Sri Lanka. Upon your arrival in the relaxed backpacker town of Ella, check in to your hotel before heading out for the short hike up little Adam’s Peak, for some of the most impressive views in all of Sri Lanka, especially magical right before sunset.

Yala National Park
  • Day 6: ​Wake up early for a short hike to the stunning Nine Arches Bridge. By now an Instagram legend, the bridge is one of Sri Lanka’s prime examples of Colonial-era railway construction. After, head back to your hotel where a private car will take you from the highlands to the laid-back town ot Tissamaharama, (~ 2 hours), where daily life is centered around coconut farming and rice cultivation. Check in to your safari resort just outside Yala National Park. Hit the pool and rest up for tomorrow’s early morning safari.
  • Day 7: Wake up before the sunrise for your private morning safari of Yala National Park, where you and your local guide will search for water buffalo, wild boar, crocodiles, elephants, and the elusive leopard. Yala is a the perfect example of how naturally diverse Sri Lanka is, with a wide array of amazing wildlife and vegetation that spreads all the way to the wild beaches of the Indian Ocean. Alternatively, choose a private afternoon safari. While there are less chances of seeing a leopard in the afternoon, the park is a bit quieter and makes for a more relaxing morning.

Tangalle
  • ​Day 8: Sleep in and enjoy a tasty Sri Lankan breakfast before your private car arrives. Today’s short, 1.5 hour drive will take you southwest to Tangalle and one of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Settle in to your boutique beach resort, where all you’ll have to do for the next two days is make the difficult decision between beach and pool. 
  • Day 9: ​Enjoy another quiet, calm, and relaxing morning as you unwind from the fast-paced week behind you. Cycle to a nearby cafe for freshly caught fish or just hang at the resort. This region’s quiet, nearly untouched beaches are the perfect place to truly unwind and watch the day go by.

Galle
  • Day 10: ​Wake up to the sound of waves before heading to the final stop of your Sri Lankan adventure. Meet your private transfer for a short (1 hour) drive along the beautiful southern coastline to the picturesque colonial town of Galle and its historic fort. Check in to your boutique hotel, stroll the fort walls, and take the rest of the evening to explore the quaint town.
  • Day 11: ​After breakfast, meet a local guide for a private tour of Galle and its interesting colonial era history. Alternatively, join a small group for a cooking class with Sri Lankan chef, Wasantha. Sip on a cup of ginger tea, take a tuk tuk to the Dutch market and pick out vegetables, then swing by the Galle fish market to find the best fresh fish. Then head back to the restaurant where you’ll learn how to cook traditional Sri Lankan curries before sitting down to enjoy the delicious food you’ve just prepared. Take the rest of the day to continue exploring Galle or just hang at the hotel. 
  • Day 12: It’s your final day. Either talk to us about extending your trip (the Maldives are nearby!) or jump in your private transfer to the airport and hop on the plane for your flight home.​

Pricing & Inclusions

Inclusions
  • ​​1 hotel night in Negombo
  • 2 hotel nights in Kandy
  • 1 hotel night in Nuwara Eliya
  • 1 hotel night in Ella​
  • 2 hotel nights at Yala National Park​
  • 2 hotel nights in Tangalle
  • 2 hotel nights in Galle​
  • Private airport arrival and departure transfers in Colombo
  • Private transfers throughout the duration of the trip
  • First class train tickets from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
  • First class train tickets from Nuwara Eliya to Ella
  • Private full-day tour of Sigiriya Rock & Dambulla Caves -OR- Private full-day Kandy Heritage tour
  • Afternoon Tea at the Grand in Nuwara Eliya
  • Tea factory & plantation tour in Nuwara Eliya
  • Private half-day safari in Yala National Park
  • Small-group authentic Sri Lankan cooking class
  • Curated Sri Lanka mini-guide
  • Trip preparation & support

Exclusions
  • International flights to Sri Lanka​​
  • Meals & activities not listed above
  • ​Travel insurance
​
​Pricing
  • With boutique hotels
    • From $1,745 per person
  • With luxury boutique hotels
    • From $2,280 per person
  • ​Pricing for Cohica Designed Trips is based on double occupancy and may vary depending on travel dates and total number of travelers.
  • This Designed Trip offers the flexibility to make date changes after booking (ask us for details)

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This Designed Trip to Sri Lanka includes travel tips, restaurant recommendations, and off-the-beaten-path sights based on our own trip in February 2020.
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