Sri Lanka: Wild Family Adventure

What's Included

• All breakfasts and three lunches & three dinners

• All accommodation

• All transport

• Monuments and attractions entrance fees as detailed in the itinerary

• Village Cycling

• Afternoon Game Drive

• White water rafting

• Local Cooking Class (one of the included lunches)

• Tour leader throughout

What's Not Included

• Travel insurance

• Single accommodation (available on request)

• Visas or vaccinations

Food

All breakfasts and three lunches and three dinners are included.



We suggest allowing about 7,000 rupees (US$23) per day for lunch and dinner.

You can eat out very cheaply in Sri Lanka and your leader will provide recommendations for where to eat locally however, the options may not always be suited to larger groups. Some locations you stay may have limited local restaurant choice, in which case meals will be at the hotel. Hotel meals are generally buffets; the majority offer an à la carte menu, but service can be slow. Where suitable, your tour leader will be happy to arrange a shuttle transfer into the local town or, if you prefer to be more independent, take a tuk tuk or taxi. Your leader can help recommend some good places to eat.



Sri Lankan cuisine is a fascinating reflection of the island’s heritage; there is a unique fusion of fresh local produce with spices brought to the island over the centuries 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 in large containers throughout the trip so please bring a bottle with you to refill. Please note, restaurant service can be quite slow.

Accommodation

On this family adventure, we spend 11 nights in comfortable hotels and one night in a simple lodge in Kitulgala. Most of the properties are in quiet village areas with limited local restaurants and shops, so many of your evening meals are in the hotels, typically buffets with a mix of international and local cuisines. Where possible, the tour leader can recommend local places to eat but often these will be small establishments where the service is relaxed. The normal accommodations used on this trip can be found on the day-to-day itinerary; however, below are a few of the notable places we stay.



Sigiriya: Sigiriya Village Hotel (nights 2-3)







The hotel at Sigiriya is surrounded by lush jungle and commands stunning views of the magnificent rock fortress. It is styled in a traditional village theme and has a swimming pool and wellness centre for rest and relaxation after days out sightseeing.



Kitulgala: Kithulgala Rest House (night 5)







Kithulgala Rest House is a historic property on the Kelani River with a tropical backdrop. Rest houses have a long history in Sri Lanka, dating to the 18th century when they were introduced to host European traders and families. The guestrooms at our rest house are simply decorated with dark-wood furniture, clean, comfortable facilities, and private bathrooms. The area is also home to a bird sanctuary, where you can see a variety of rare birds.



Ahangama: Insight Resort (nights 8-10)







Insight Resort is right on the beach, where it is possible to swim in the sea most of the time. Spacious rooms offer sea views and the quiet fishing village is an easy walk for those wishing to explore the local community. We also offer the opportunity for a day trip to Weligama just down the coast, which is a great spot for snorkelling and well-known as a top surf spot for beginners. On the evening of Day 10, the hotel hosts a beach barbecue exclusively for our group, with sundowners and local cuisine cooked over the grill.



Worth knowing



Almost all the hotels have swimming pools except the one-night stay in Kitulgala and the last night in Colombo.

Triple rooms are available on request but may be limited in some locations.

While we do our best to ensure families are roomed close together (in some cases, we can arrange adjoining rooms), we can’t guarantee this. Most family trips occur during peak season and we sometimes have little control over where you are put.

You can add a beach extension to your trip by staying on at Insight Resort in Ahangama for your chosen number of nights departing from the main group on Day 11 of the itinerary.