Earls Regent Negombo
Our CategoryOfficial Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
14 Day Private Tour
Sri Lanka
Cultural and Wildlife Tour, Special Tour
Private Tour
01 Pax onwards
This tour offers lovely insight into Sri Lanka, your journey begins with a relaxing stay near the beach and then to the beauty and grandeur of medivial Srilanka in Pollunaruwa and Sigiriya, you will visit a Elephant Orphanage and the famous tooth relic temple in Kandy , also enjoy visit to the tea factory and plantation and beauty of Nuwar Eliya and also enjoy trek/hike to Horton Plain National Park to see what is called “the Worlds End” followed by wildlife safari in the famous Yala National Park to try and sight the leopards and other animals and then spend time at the beautiful beach of South Srilanka to relax at the end of the trip of if interested enjoy water sports or diving, snorkeling etc.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
NOTE:- This is a Private Tour with your own private vehicle and personal guides and drivers. We can also book it for a couple of family or a group of friends as per your request. Please raise a request for the same to us and we will revert to you.
Your journey begins in Colombo. On arrival at the airport, your driver will be there to meet you and take you to your hotel in Negombo for check in.
Overnight in Negombo
Meals included: Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy a half-day city tourin Negombo with your local guide. Visit thebusy fish markets where a variety of seafood istraded each morning when the fishermenreturn with their catch. Spend the afternoon atyour leisure.
Overnight in Negombo
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Today you will be collected from your hotel andtaken to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage - atruly wonderful experience. The drive here isapproximately 2 hours. The Pinnawala ElephantOrphanage was established in 1975 to home andnurture young elephants that had lost theirmothers. Baby elephants are dependent on their mothers for the first 2 - 3 years and often stay with them much longer. The orphanage is also home to injured elephants and those who have been displaced due to loss of their natural environment.Here you can watch the elephants play and bathe in the river - a visit is sure to leave you with a smile on your face. After your time here, continue on towards Sigiriya where your driver will take you to your hotel. The drive is approximately 2.5 hours.
Overnight in Sigiriya/Habarana
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Today visit the World Heritage Sigiriya RockFortress, also known as Lion Rock due to thehuge lion's paws carved into the bedrock. A rockthat rises out of the jungle with a flat-toppedsummit, it is home to ruins of an ancient city.The views from the top are astounding andSigiriya is a highlight for many that visit SriLanka.
Please note: To get to the top there are a series of staircases.
Later in the day visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa - a place where kings once ruled. Get a taste of glories gone by, see the Royal Palace complex, the Quadrangle and the spectacular Gal Vihare complex of four massive images of the Buddha, cut from a single slab of granite.
Optional addition: If you would like to include a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park, we can provide you with a quote to add this in. The park is something of a transit lounge for elephants travelling from Kaudulla to the Wasgamuwa National Park. In the dry season (June to September) the park has around 200-300 Asian elephants. "The Gathering" refers to the annual meeting of elephants (reported to be the largest known wild gathering of Asian Elephants) who come together at the Minneriya tank where the elephants drink, bathe and keep an eye out for a mate. Please note, with this option you will need to start out early in the morning and won’t return to your hotel until early evening.
Overnight in Sigiriya/Habarana
Meals included: Breakfast and DinnerAfter breakfast, your driver will collect you andtake you to the World Heritage Dambulla CaveTemple complex - an amazing temple that is built underneath a huge rock. This temple is inuse today and has been since the 3rd centuryBC. You can explore the cave temples filled withrock paintings and over 150 Buddha statues.After your time here, continue on to the Matale Spice Gardens. Take a tour of the gardens with a local herbalist and discover how cinnamon grows, what vanilla pods look like, the cardamom flower, where cloves come from and more.Continue on to Kandy where you will be taken to your hotel.The drive from Dambulla to Kandy is approximately 3 hours.
Overnight in Kandy
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Set on a plateau amongst the rainforest with mountain views from every angle, the city of Kandy is a lovely place to visit.Enjoy a city tour of Kandy including the famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - home to a tooth of Buddha (you won't actually see the tooth as it is kept in a golden casket).
Visit the Royal Botanic Garden in Peradeniya. The history of the gardens goes back to 1371 AD when the garden was only used by the then King and his officials. It has a collection of about 4000 plant species including Giant Bamboo, over 180 species of orchids and the large Ehetu tree which spreads its foliage out to a staggering
2000 square meters.In the evening enjoy a cultural dance show.*For certain departures in July & August, enjoy the Kandy Esala Perahera Festival. It is also known as the Festival of the Tooth and is one of the grandest Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka. It is an annual procession that pays homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha - a colourful and lively festival with traditional dances and costumes, fire-dancing, great food and much more. Travel during this time incurs a surcharge, please contact us for dates and pricing.
Overnight in Kandy
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
After breakfast at your hotel you will be collected and taken to the train station in Kandy for the scenic and famous train ride to Nanu Oya*. This is a wonderful opportunity to sit back and enjoy the scenery as the train route passes through a spectacular part of the countryside.Your driver will continue by car with your luggage and meet you on arrival in Nanu Oya.
From Nanu Oya, drive on to Nuwara Eliya. Translating to "City of Light" this lovely town is also called Little England as colonial times can still be felt and the climate is somewhat cooler here. Home to the famous Ceylon Tea, some of the world's best tea comes from this area. The tea is hand picked and you can see the local women working in the fields. The mountain slopes are a spectacular sight covered in the bright green tea plantations, all adding to the unique character of Nuwara Eliya.
Visit a tea factory and tea plantation (a must do when in Sri Lanka tea country) and see the local sights of this small town.
*Please note: We do our best to book the trains and the majority of the time we can arrange either First Class or Second Class seats. Occasionally we have to book Non AC Class and at times we may not be able to book the train for you - there are some government controls and regulations around the booking process. If we are not able to book you on the train we will arrange your transfer by car - the journey by road is also picturesque and you can stop at various points along the way including some waterfalls.
Overnight in Nuwara Eliya
Meals included: Breakfast and DinnerToday set off early for a trek in Horton Plains National Park. Your hotel can prepare a packed breakfast for you.Horton Plains National Park is a 1.5 hour drive from Nuwara Eliya and is on a plateau in the central highlands near the village of Ohiya. The plateau is at an altitude of 2,100 - 2,300m and the views of the surrounding grasslands and cloud forest are spectacular.
The trek today is 9km and can take around 3hours depending on each individual. Areasonable level of fitness is required and werecommend good walking shoes. On the wayback to your hotel visit Gregory Lake, StrawberryFarm and the local bazaars.If you would prefer not to do the hike we can arrange a visit to the Seetha Amman temple and for you to have high tea at the Grand, or you may simply prefer to relax and spend the day at your leisure.
Overnight in Nuwara Eliya
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
After breakfast you will be collected and driven to Yala. Along the way visit Ravana waterfall in Ella before continuing on to Yala - the drive today is approximately 4 hours. On arrival at Yala, you will be taken to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your leisure.
Overnight in Yala/Kataragama
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Discover Yala National Park - Sri Lanka's most famous National Park with a morning and afternoon safari. Yala was a former hunting ground under British rule and is now protected with National Park status and has been since 1938. It is said to have the world's biggest concentration of leopards as well as being home to elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, peacocks, sambars, jackals, spotted deer, colourful birdlife and more.
Before the rainy season (starting around May), the low water levels bring the animals into the open making it a fantastic time to visit. The best months are between February and July.
*Please note that parts of Yala National Park can sometimes close in September. If this is the case we will arrange a wildlife tour in a different section of the park for you.
Overnight in Yala/Kataragama
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
This morning you will be drivento Bentota/Hikkaduwa (around a 6 hour drive).Along the way visit the seaside townof Galle - an old fortified city founded by thePortuguese. It is now an Archaeological Reserveand has been identified as a living WorldHeritage Site.Continue on to Bentota/Hikkaduwa where you will be taken to your hotel. The area of Bentota and Hikkaduwa is famed for its palm fringed beaches and golden sands - making for a picturesque tropical beach holiday. Here you can swim, snorkel, sail, wind surf, canoe or simply relax on the shores. The scenery is fantastic as is the shopping at the local shops and bazaar.
Overnight in Bentota/Hikkaduwa
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
After breakfast, enjoy a city tour of Bentota including a visit to a mask factory where you can learn about this popular Sri Lankan tradition. Visit a turtle hatchery in Kosgoda where youcan see baby turtles, albino turtles and learnabout the breeding program and researchcentre - a wonderful experience. Optional tour: if you would like, you can participate in water sports on the Bentota River and/or a river safari on the Madu River please let us know and this can be arranged. Please also note this is not included in the price and the cost will be additional.
Overnight in Hikkaduwa: Citrus Hikkaduwa - Standard Room (Standard); Hikka Tranz or similar - Standard Room (Deluxe); Overnight in Bentota: Cinnamon Bey – Deluxe Ocean Room (Super Deluxe)
Meals included: Breakfast
Spend the day as you wish enjoying thebeach, your resort and the beautiful surroundsof Bentota and Hikkaduwa.
Overnight in Bentota/Hikkaduwa
Meals included: Breakfast
Today after breakfast you will be drivento Colombo (around 2 hours). Enjoy asightseeing tour visiting the highlights of the cityincluding Independence Square, WolfendralChurch, The Courtyard and also some local shopping areas.
The length of the tour will depend on time available to coincide with your departure flight. When it is time for your flight, you will be taken to the airport.
Meals included: Breakfast
13 nights' accommodation.
Check-in & check-out time: generally, check in is after 2 pm and check out before 12 pm.
Early check-in and late check-out are subject to room availability and may generate additional full day room rate.
25 meals as per itinerary - 13 breakfasts, 12 dinners.
All airport transfers - a representative will be there to meet you on arrival and take you to the airport in time for your departure.
Please note: There is one airport transfer on arrival and one airport transfer on departure for the group booked. If within your group you will be arriving separately, please contact us for a quote.
All transportation throughout the tour in a private air-conditioned vehicle. The vehicle used will depend on the size of your group.
Train ride from Nanu Oya to Ella.
Please note: We do our best to book the trains and the majority of the time we can arrange either First Class or Second Class seats. Occasionally we have to book Non AC Class and at times we may not be able to book the train for you - there are some government controls and regulations around the booking process. If we are not able to book you on the train we will arrange your transfer by car - the journey by road is also picturesque and you can stop at various points along the way including some waterfalls.
Private English speaking driver/guide for sightseeing as per the tour program. Please note your driver will also be your guide.
Entrance, safaris and sightseeing fees as stated in the itinerary.
Bottled mineral water (2 bottles per person per day) in the vehicle during journeys and transfersUpon raising request for quote of your tour online, Travelbay will go through your request and will contact you with details regarding price, availability or any other details that you have requested. Our response is typically with-in 24 hrs . Once you give us a go ahead, we will request you to send us a booking advance and start holding accommodation and transportation for your tour.
As soon as we have confirmed the dates (usually within 48 hours sometimes a little longer at weekends) we will email you your booking confirmation.
We will request further information from you to ensure that all your personal preferences are taken care of. This will include details such as dietary requests, allergies, health issues, emergency contact and any special requirements. We will also request a copy of each traveller’s passport and the arrival and departure details.
Capital City: New Delhi
Population: 1.366 billion
Languages: There is no national language in India. Hindi and English are both official languages. India has over 1,000 spoken languages. The languages with the most number of speakers are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi and Tamil.
Currency: Indian Rupee (INR)
Time Zone: (GMT+05:30) Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi
Dialling code: +91
Religion: Hinduism is the predominant followed by Islam, Christianity, Sikh, Buddhism and Jainism
The best time to visit India is from October through to March. At this time, the weather across India is mostly warm and dry.
India is a large country with a huge range of varying climates. Most of the country is sub tropical with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Below is a very general overview to give you some idea of what to expect.
North India
South India:
How to get there
This tour starts and ends in Delhi.
Flights from Australia to India are approximately $900 – $1,200 per person return. The actual price varies depending on departure city, time of year and luck of the draw!
Travelbay works together with an excellent corporate flight booking company and we would be happy to provide you with a free quote.
If you choose to book your flights with Travelbay, we charge a $50 booking fee for this service.
Most nationalities require a visa when travelling to India. You need to apply for and receive your visa before you depart.
You can apply for an e-visa online or you can apply for your visa via VSF Global who works in conjunction with the Indian embassy. For more information you can visit our visa information page.
To find out the visa requirements for India, you can also check here with Visalink.
Please note: We attempt to provide you with the latest information and links. However, please be aware that it is each traveller’s responsibility (and not Travelbay’s) to ensure that you have a valid visa if required for any country you visit.
