Sri Lanka: Wonders & Wildlife – Premium Adventure

From mighty Sigiriya to the leopard-ruled plains of Yala, discover the heart and soul of this extraordinary island

Sri Lanka is a wonderland for adventurers: Buddhist temples and colonial architecture; tea plantations and spice gardens; safari parks and palm-fringed beaches. Book this Premium trip to explore it beyond the typical tourist track. We join a family to cook traditional curries (which we share with our hosts and local monks) and explore Gal Oya with a chief from the forest-dwelling Veddha community. Of course, there are a few highlights we couldn’t miss, including the rock fortress of Sigiriya and safari in Yala National Park, and we’ve scheduled downtime in beachside on the south coast for a chance to kick back and relax. 

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local guide means our customers will be well informed about local traditions, and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.
• All of the hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff, providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by.
• This tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group, led by a local guide, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We support the responsible rehabilitation of elephants at the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home when visiting with groups. Our local operator fosters a baby elephant at the Elephant Transit Home, currently supporting their second foster elephant since 2018. The first elephant calf was released to the wild after five years of foster parenting.
• By visiting national parks, ruins and museums, our entrance fees contribute to their upkeep. For example, our game drives in Yala National Park promotes animal welfare and financially contributes to conservation projects in the area.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The Exodus Travels Foundation has launched the Community Kickstart Project to help our destination communities recover and rebuild following the impact of COVID-19. In Sri Lanka, we’ve contributed to the Yala Park Driver Support initiative, more details can be found here

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Vegetarian and vegan options are available at majority of accommodation and restaurants.
• This trip favours Sri Lankan-owned and run accommodation wherever possible.

 Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring your own reusable water bottle on this trip; filtered water will be provided where tap water is not drinkable.
• Please be aware there are a large number of stray dogs in Sri Lanka, and you may encounter some during your trip. Our local operators are aware of this and we are monitoring any animal welfare concerns.

Cultural respect:

• One should not touch someone’s head as this is considered disrespectful.
• It’s polite to use your right hand when shaking hands or handing money and small objects to someone else.
• It is common practice to remove one’s shoes before entering someone’s home.
• Especially when visiting temples, clothing should cover shoulders and be on or below the knee.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 1 (Leisurely). For more on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page.

This is not a demanding trip although there are a few long drives on bumpy, twisty mountain roads. There is a lot to see, but everything is scheduled so it doesn’t feel too rushed.

On Day 8, there is a two to three-hour hike along the Pekoe Trail. Generally, this is a leisurely/moderate hike (activity level 2) with the toughest part a near-165ft (50m) ascent up steps; for the most part, the trail gently undulates through forests, tea plantations and local villages.

The buses we use are comfortable and air conditioned. We use open-back 4x4s for the game drives and tuk-tuks for some activities.

Please note, when visiting Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Lion Rock) the final ascent to the top is on metal open stairs fixed against the side of the rock. There are handrails on either side but those with a strong fear of heights may prefer to stay on the lower level (where the lion “paws” are) and not continue to the rock plateau.

Sinhala and Tamil New Year (April departures)

The new year festival known as Avurudu in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil is unique to Sri Lanka and observed by both Sinhala Buddhists and Tamil Hindus across the country. It takes place on 12-13 April 2024 and 13-14 April 2025 (the date varies slightly each year).

If you are travelling in Sri Lanka over these dates, expect to see religious ceremonies, family activities, traditional foods, colourful decorations and a general feeling of goodwill towards neighbours and friends. Parties can run into the night and it can be quite loud during this period. Your leader will be happy to show you some of the activities where your itinerary allows. Please note, during the new year public holiday, most shops, monuments and attractions will be closed; however, your leader will modify the itinerary to ensure minimal disruption

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

Sri Lanka

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tuberculosis and typhoid. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice. Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available; the best form of prevention is to take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Visa

Sri Lanka

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Sri Lanka. Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. 

Transition from ETA to eVisa: Sri Lanka has recently moved from the ETA system to a new eVisa scheme. If you currently hold a valid ETA for an upcoming trip to Sri Lanka, your ETA is still valid for use. However, all future visits will require an eVisa, which costs US$40 for a 30-day tourist visa, plus a service fee of US$10 or US$18.50. 

Find the eVisa application and more information here: www.srilankaevisa.lk. Further information can be found on the Sri Lankan Department of Immigration and Emigration website. 

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below. 

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/sri-lanka
  • Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/sri-lanka
  • United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/entry-requirements
  • USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/SriLanka.html 

You should also be aware of local laws and customs in Sri Lanka (see: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/sri-lanka/local-laws-and-customs). The mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is an offence; please note, people have been refused entry to Sri Lanka because of visible tattoos of Buddha. 

Food & Drink

All breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners are included.

We suggest allowing about 4,000-6,000 rupees (US$13-US$20) per lunch or dinner when not included in the itinerary. You can eat out very cheaply in Sri Lanka, but if you mainly eat at the more expensive restaurants, you will spend more than the suggested amount. Your leader will provide recommendations for where to eat locally; however, some locations may have limited local restaurant options, in which case meals will be at the hotel.

Sri Lankan cuisine is a fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion of fresh local produce with spices brought here by Malays, Arabs, Indians, as well as the Dutch, Portuguese and English. Despite (or perhaps because of) these influences, Sri Lankan cuisine is often referred to as simply rice and curry. This is the staple dish in most restaurants and is usually a serving of rice accompanied by assorted meat and vegetable curries as well as various pickles, sambols (condiments), and a handful of tiny poppadum – all using the contrasting flavours of coconut, chilli, curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic.

Vegetarians are well catered for but please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. Please note, the availability of certain products is minimal or non-existent in Sri Lanka. For example, wheat- or dairy-free options outside of hotels are limited. Please be prepared for this – you may need to bring these from home. Spicier food can be avoided easily and lots of the hotels will serve Western options alongside traditional food.

Mineral water is provided by our local operator in large containers throughout the trip so please bring a bottle with you to refill. Please note, restaurant service can be quite slow.

Weather

Generally, expect rain at some time but with plenty of sunshine. On the plains, temperatures are warm to hot with Colombo having an average daytime temperature of 30C (86F). The temperatures drop as we go higher into the hills and especially at Ella where the temperature typically varies from 15C (59F) in December-January to 28C (82F) in May-August and is rarely below 12C (54F) or above 31C (88F).