This action-packed cultural trip ticked every box imaginable for me. We saw incredible wildlife including leopards, water buffaloes and caimans on game drives in Yala National Park. We got the chance to taste the famous tea in lush tea plantations in Nuwara Eliya and find out more about the process from leaf to cup. The group also got to see fire-dancing performances in Kandy one evening, which gave us a real insight into the country’s fascinating customs and traditions. The hotels on this trip are also incredible – we were lucky enough to have unobstructed views of Sigiriya Rock from Hotel Sigiriya and breathtaking sunset views overlooking the lush islands in Giritale. The last hotel, Hotel Cinnamon Red, also had a brilliant affinity pool – taking in the skyscrappers of Colombo! For the adventurous, this itinerary doesn’t disappoint either as you can go on whitewater rafting excursions, rural cycling trips and whale watching (in season). Visits to colourful temples, fresh fruit markets and the Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home were other cultural pitstops that gave you a real flavour of what the country was like. Once I arrived home, I wanted to do it all over again. It was an incredible trip with a great group of people that I’ll treasure forever.
Sigiriya
Sigiriya Trips
Perched on a rocky outcrop, the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya rises high above Sri Lanka‘s rainforest canopy. These are the ruins of the fifth-century King Kasyapa’s home and palace, with superb water gardens and paintings. And the location is truly incredible…
Lion Mountain is a vast 200m-high rock that juts up out of the middle of a plain. Getting up there now is tricky enough, with its steep steps and gangways; building a huge fort there must have been near impossible. From the top there are simply breathtaking views of the surrounding countryside. There’s a certain sense of foreboding as you step between the paws of a huge lion carved into the rock to enter the site. Under the deep green and red leaves of the Indian rose chestnut trees below, giant golden Buddhas gleam, peacefully guarding eye-poppingly colourful cave temples.
Sigiriya Holidays
Kristen Whitla Discover Sri Lanka
Jane Cousins Discover Sri LankaJust back from this trip, it was our first trip to Sri Lanka and our second trip with Exodus. It was a really great trip, really varied, we saw so much and yet the pace was just perfect. A beautiful country and very friendly and safe.
Tim Laughton-Scott Cycle the Back Roads of Sri LankaI found Sri Lanka to be an incredibly stunning country. We all felt we got to see so much of it whilst getting an authentic feel to the local way of life through seeing it on a saddle. The itinerary is very well designed, as well as all the cycling we got to climb Lions Rock in Sigiriya, visit spice gardens and ancient ruins in the lowlands, walk through botanical gardens in Kandy, see some of the most beautiful views in Ella and got to relax on the beach, swimming in the Indian Ocean after 9 days of cycling. Being a relatively inexperienced cyclist, I did find some of the cycles challenging yet incredibly rewarding. With the cycling, culture, wildlife, food, lovely accommodation and group you’ll share the trip with, this was an incredible way to experience the best of Sri Lanka!
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