On arrival to Colombo, clear immigration and customs, meet your Tour Executive in the arrival lounge who will assist you with the transfer to your lodge in Hunumulla, located in the middle of a functioning coconut estate called Kotaliyadde Estate, Ambarellan(Standard check in time at the Hotel is 1400 hrs).

Lodge provides a perfect introduction into the Sri Lankan culture. The air feels so fresh during the night with the lovely surrounding with the coconut estate around the property. An inviting pool is a welcome invitation to cool off after walking and exploring the area. Enjoy a walk around the lush gardens, or a night dip in the pool under the stars. 

Meal : Dinner

Overnight Stay at Ambarella Lodge, Hunumulla – Superior Rooms

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

After a relaxed breakfast proceed to Kalpitiya, check in at your resort and spend the afternoon at leisure.

Kalpitiya is a coastal town located in the North-Western shores of the island. With the lagoon in one side and the ocean from another, this unique location boasts of a great ecological diversity.

Dolphin Beach Makara Resort in Kalpitiya is nestled right on the beach and features cozy, stylish villas designed with a touch of local flair. The deck offers a panorama of the Indian Ocean and the western coastline, and the infinity pool of the resort is inviting for a refreshing dip.

Overnight stay at Dolphin Beach, Kalpitiya - Standard Tents

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning you will head out to the lagoon bordering Kalpitiya and Puttalam for a half day volunteering session on seagrass restoration. This is conducted in collaboration with the OCEA Sri Lanka project, an environmental charity that operates on the three main pillars of Research, Education and Action.

Seagrass is being lost globally at a rate of 1.5% per year. Existing seagrass beds need to be conserved and expanded in order to increase marine productivity, biodiversity, quality of water and fishing resources, all of which directly or indirectly benefits the local communities.

The activity mainly involves collecting plugs of seagrasses collected from a nearby donor seagrass bed and transplanting them in shallow areas of the lagoon. Prior to commencement, a quick briefing will be given on the methods to be followed. The experience also involves a short boat ride and at the end you will be served a simple lunch prepared at a village house. 

Note: This is only recommended for travelers who really want to go out and actively take part in volunteering and conservation during their vacation. This involves quite a bit of hard work, working under the hot sun for about 2-3 hours and walking in the muddy areas. 

What to wear: Clothes that can get wet and ideally quick dry material. Please bring along a change to wear after the session.

On completion, proceed towards Wilpattu for an amazing experience in the wilderness. 

The Backwaters Lodge, your abode in the wilderness is an interesting project in itself. Conservation is their ethos and all around the place you’ll find upcycled-items that would otherwise end up in a junkyard. Used shipping containers become elevated guest rooms, discarded pallets are transformed into masterpieces of furniture. It still offers some of the best of comforts, but not at the cost of the environment. Local produce is used to prepare the meals from their very own locality – from the kamaranka flower drink, the wild karapincha in your curry to the passion fruit mallum.

To start off the whole experience, in the afternoon we set out on a boat ride along the Uppu Aru (River). As you go along, keep a close eye especially for the riverine birds like Kingfishers and Grebes.

Overnight stay at Backwaters Lodge, Wilpattu – Standard Rooms

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As the saying goes, early bird gets the worm! So, we wake up early and with a packed breakfast head towards Wilpattu National Park for a full day game drive.

Located in the North-Western region of the island, Wilpattu spans across 1,300 km 2 and is the largest national park in Sri Lanka. Wilpattu derives its name from the fact that it is home to more than one hundred natural lakes which are called Willus. Now you can imagine why no other national park can even come close to Wilpattu when it comes to natural beauty. It is popular for its sightings of majestic elephants, lithe leopards, spotted deer, sloth bears and gigantic crocodiles. The park also bear witness to striking flocks of peacocks, painted storks, jungle fowls as well as mongooses. Thick foliage interwoven with shrubbery, streamlets and tanks that expand during the monsoons and contract during the dry season - the landscapes of the Wilpattu National Park reflect an ideal hideout for the varied wildlife species.  

Since the park is relatively bigger and you need a bit of time to get into the inlands of the park, you ideally need a full day safari instead of two half day safaris. Patience is the key when exploring Wilpattu, take your time and be surprised by what it offers. The lower volume of visitors in Wilpattu make sightings all the more exclusive, you won’t regret it.

Tip: After the point where you will stop to have breakfast, there won’t be any decent toilet facilities inside the park. As the saying goes over here, don’t feel shy to catch a rabbit in the bushes!

Return to your lodge for a well-earned rest.

Overnight Stay at Backwaters Lodge, Wilpattu – Standard Rooms

Meal : Breakfast

After a relaxed breakfast, proceed to Habarana.

Upon arrival check-in to the property.

Sevanagama Villa is a nice lower mid-range boutique property located a bit off the beaten path in Habarana. Featuring a minimalist architectural style and built on a serenely beautiful natural locale, the villa offers modern conveniences, the best of Sri Lankan cuisine, and is ideally located for exploring around the cultural triangle.

In the afternoon, visit and explore Ritigala Archeological Monastery.

Think of Indiana Jones – well that is a bit exaggerated but Ritigala in a way has that feel of undiscovered, a world away from the most famous sites in Sri Lanka. This is not just another visit to a cultural site but also a forest walks which comes in as a bonus that creates the perfect blend of history and culture! Make sure you take time to explore in depth and walk all the way to the higher part of the complex. The archeological site bears a certain mysterious nature owing to the long meditational pathways that open into the thick jungle and large stone-lined reservoirs. Take time to sit down and connect with nature in this ancient meditation sacred grounds. 

Overnight stay at Sevanagama Villa, Habarana – Deluxe Rooms

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch

This morning you will set out on a village cycling tour which explores the lifestyle of the local villagers. This experience is all about the PEOPLE because after all, it’s people that makes places beautiful. 

You start off by going along the inner village roads where it’s good to keep an eye for birdlife. The experience doesn’t really have a script and is not staged, so you will be visiting different houses where certain cottage industries take place.

Some of the stops includes a place where they make bricks out of clay, a house where coir brooms are produced, a quick stop at the house of the village dancing teacher to observe some of the traditional dancing steps and also a stop at a house where a grandma produces a traditional ayurvedic oil. Along the way you will also stop for a local snack with a Tea served in a coconut shell. These are all local experiences which you probably won’t experience back at home.

The final stop will be at a village house where you get to taste a mouth-watering traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch prepared by Dilini, a lady from the village.

Notes: Your cycling guide for the trail will be a villager from the area itself and fluent English doesn't come to them naturally. But he will make up for it with his typical Sri Lankan hospitality and in-depth knowledge of the area. The trail is approximately 12 KMs in distance and anyone with decent fitness and cycling balance can manage it since it's mostly flat terrain.  

Later in the afternoon, climb Pidurangala Rock for sunset to catch some nice views if you are lucky.

This is said to be the royal temple at the time when King Kashyapa was at the helm. Be prepared to climb, the hike takes about one hour depending on fitness – the last part is a bit tricky over rocks but it can be done with care. It is all worth it once you reach the top and are rewarded with views of a green carpet of forest punctuated with Sigiriya rock in the distance. Breathe in the fresh air, you are on top of a magical place. If you want to be in peace and avoid the tour buses, this is the place to be.

Overnight at Sevanagama Villa, Habarana – Deluxe Rooms

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a relaxed breakfast, commence your drive towards Gal Oya, yet another hidden gem.

Gal Oya is an unexplored treasure in Sri Lanka. A National Park surrounded by water. It is rustic but it has all you need wonderfully appointed lodgings, an excellent team of guides and some of the best food to be found in the country. One thing to note is that there’s only very poor phone signals, a real luxury in this modern age to get away from your electronic devices!

The Gal Oya Lodge Team is committed to being an eco-tourism lodge that has a positive impact on the wildlife within the remote region of Gal Oya National Park in Sri Lanka.

They have found multiple species of animal surrounding the Lodge, such as mouse-deer (smallest species of deer in the world), wild boar, land and water monitor, porcupines and the highly endangered and most trafficked animal in the world, the thick-tailed pangolin. Furthermore, they have observed 3 out of the 4 species of wild cats in Sri Lanka: fishing cats, jungle cats and rusty-spotted cats. 

They are planning on soon concentrating our efforts on studying the 4th species of wild-cat in Sri Lanka, the leopard. Although they haven’t yet seen any leopards on their cameras on the property, their naturalists have seen more than a dozen over the last few years in and around the National Park. They are aiming to determine as much as they can about their population dynamics, diet and population numbers. They will mostly be doing this using an elaborate grid of 20+ trail cameras and non-invasive DNA analysis.

Later in the afternoon join a resident naturalist for a walk around the lodge, enjoying the abundant birdlife and beautiful surroundings. The walk offers a number of possible routes through the trees and around the nearby lake, to observe a wide range of bird species such as Kingfishers, Eagles, Kites and many aquatic birds. Feel free to discuss your interests with your naturalist for a tailored trip to suit your preferences.

Overnight at Gal Oya Lodge, Gal Oya - Bungalows (Non-A/C)

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

It’s another day starting early. Today enjoy a boat safari at the Gal Oya National Park which is truly a unique experience. You will also have the privilege to have a picnic at a remote island within the park itself. 

A great opportunity to observe the wildlife from the stunning Gal Oya Lake: including crocodiles, deer, elephants and many rare and endemic species of birds. This experience is the only one in Sri Lanka that enables you to spot wildlife from the water and to truly immerse yourself in the animals’ habitats. You may be lucky enough to see elephants swimming between islands or bathing at the lake’s edge. Today you’ll ride through the national park and embark on a boat.

Cruising over the lake make sure to keep a sharp eye out for the wildlife! 

Note: The Boat safari could be scheduled for either early morning or afternoon depending on the availability of the boats from the Department of Wildlife Conservation who owns the boats and monitors the movements within the national park. You might need a hat and sunscreen while you are at the national park as it could get a rather hot once the sun is up. 

Later this afternoon, meet with the indigenous people of the country. 

You may not be familiar with the word Veddha, but it’s an ancient word evocative with Sri Lanka culture and tradition. The Vedda are the forest-dwelling, indigenous people of central Sri Lanka. They have inhabited the island for hundreds of years, living off the land and being at one with nature. Our Gal Oya Lodge neighbors are one of the last remaining communities of the Veddha people. We can invite the village chief to take you on a walk through the jungles of his ancestors. The forest comes alive as he explains his tribe’s use of medicinal plants, the location of their ancient hunting grounds and cave dwellings, as well as how hunter-gatherers sustained themselves in the ancient jungles of Gal Oya.

Overnight stay at Gal Oya Lodge, Gal Oya - Bungalows (Non-A/C)

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

After a relaxed breakfast, proceed to Bandarawela.

Bandarawela is a serene town situated in Sri Lanka's central highlands. Known for its cool, refreshing climate and surrounded by lush tea plantations and rolling hills, it offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle. The area features picturesque landscapes, including lush forests and scenic viewpoints, making it ideal for nature enthusiasts and hikers.

Upon arrival check in to the property.

Villa Perpetua is the perfect getaway for relaxing and connecting with nature. The property’s name is inspired by a modern-day love story, dedicated to a beautiful wife named “Perpetua” by her loving husband. Set in peaceful surroundings, it offers elegant rooms that blend comfort and style, along with attentive service, making it an ideal retreat.

Overnight at Villa Perpetua, Bandarawela – Standard Rooms (Non-A/C)

Meals : Breakfast, Dinner

Today after an early breakfast, drive towards the outskirts of Bandarawela from where you will commence on a hike through the lesser visited tea plantations, guided by a local host from the area. (Approx. 20 mins drive to the starting point)

While Ceylon Tea is world famous as a brand and often you might see tea factory visits on many standard tour itineraries, on this experience you will be treading off the beaten path slightly as you join a local guide who will share more in-depth stories about tea along the way.

You will get to learn about the techniques and patterns of planting, how tea is plucked and most importantly about the daily lifestyle of the tea estate workers and their back-breaking hard work.

If you are lucky, you might be able to see the workers plucking tea.

During the hike, you will take a break to taste a typical tea estate worker’s meal/snack – Coconut Roti, Vadai & a cup of plain tea. While this for you is a delicacy by choice, for the estate workers it’s a day-to-day meal by default given their low income where a meal at a restaurant is a distant dream, sadly.

The views are stunning throughout the trail, extending into the distant mountain valleys but the mountain weather is quite unpredictable as a blanket of mist might cover the entire view within a few minutes. So, make sure to take your photos as soon as you get a clear view, otherwise youmight regret it in two minutes. The hike ends in the outskirts of Haputale.

Elevation details;

Starting Point – 1,390m above sea level

Mid-Point – 1,590m

Highest point – 1,700m

End point – 1,525m

Note: The total distance of the hike is approx. 10KMs with slight elevation gains and drops.

Usually, it takes around 4-5 hours in total depending on the pace you go at. Anyone with moderate fitness should be able to do this and we recommend to bring along trainers or hiking boots. A rain coat will come in handy. There might be some leeches during rainy days but not as many as in a rainforest, still it’s good to be prepared with some repellent.

Overnight at Villa Perpetua, Bandarawela – Standard Rooms (Non-A/C)

Meals : Breakfast

After a relaxed breakfast proceed to Galle and set out on a walk around the Galle fort with your Chauffeur Guide.

There are places in the world that speak of another era of times gone by, the Galle Fort is one them. Imagine cobbled streets that have seen four hundred years of history from Arab merchants to the adventurous Portuguese and the industrious Dutch, with colonial homes complete with their red tiled roofs, an impressive rampart surrounding a small peninsula jutting out to the Indian Ocean and you begin to get an idea of the Fort in Galle. Perhaps one of the most remarkable things about the Fort is that it is still an inhabited living monument. However, with development, many families are choosing to sell their homes to be turned into a new boutique hotel and in a couple of years’ time, the fort might become a place full of hotels and tourist restaurants. So, our advice is to come and see it now before it changes forever.

On completion check-in to the property.

The Fort Printers, your home for the night is an 18th century mansion which has been restored into an elegant small private hotel. The mansion traces its origin to the Dutch period but substantial additions were made in the English era after 1796, including high ceilings and large windows.

Overnight Stay at Fort Printers, Galle Fort – Church Suites

Meals : Breakfast

Sadly, it's time to leave the isle of Serendipity!

Proceed to the airport 3 hours prior to your flight.

(Standard check out time from the Hotel is 1200 hrs.)

* Travel times are subject to change