Summary
During this impressive Sri Lanka Family Tour Package (12 days) you will discover the culture, history, wildlife, ancient forts, and breathtaking beaches of the country as a family. Sri Lanka is the ideal holiday destination for families, as it offers a wide range of experiences that can be enjoyed by both adults and children. You will visit temples, fortresses, wildlife-rich parks, and have 2 free days to spend at the beach in Weligama. You will also enjoy a cooking lesson, a pottery class and a mask painting activity. A visit to the Monkey Kingdom of Polonnaruwa will allow you to see three diurnal primates of Sri Lanka: the purple faced leaf monkey, the toque macaque, and the grey langur, while the afternoon jeep safari at Minneriya National Park will offer you the possibility to see elephants and sambar deer roam free in the park. Educational, active and leisurely paced, this tour is everything you could want in a family getaway. This will be a lifetime experience including the unending plains with rich bio-diversity, beautiful hilltops spreading across blankets of tea estates, crystal-clear Indian Ocean dotted with clean sandy beaches, and most of all, a heritage garnished with the smiles of islanders.
Individual travel request form Enjoy a private tour
Rozanne
Local travel expert in Sri Lanka
My passion for travel has taken me to many parts of Sri Lanka and I’m eager to offer you the opportunity to explore and experience the endless beaches, timeless temples, impressive wildlife, scenic trains, famous tea, and flavorful food.
Itinerary
Welcome to Sri Lanka - an island like no other with a splendid mix of everything - sun, fun, culture and wilderness.
Upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport of Colombo, you will meet your guide at the arrival lobby and proceed to the city. You will receive a special welcome gift including a bottle of wine (for the parents), a gift for the kid(s), a fruit basket and a personalized card.
You will be transferred to Colombo, Sri Lanka’s bustling capital city, which faces the Indian Ocean and stretches along more than 14 kilometers of the island’s western shores. The city is home to tree-lined boulevards, colonial buildings, open air markets, temples, lakes, and churches which add great character to this city.
Upon arrival, you will check in to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day on your own.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or more luxury) in Colombo.
After breakfast, you will meet your tour guide at the hotel lobby to take part in a culinary experience like no other. The entire family will be driven to a local market where fresh produce will be purchased. You will then be taken to the house of our lovely chef who will teach you all about famous Sri Lankan cuisine and how to prepare specific dishes. The kids will also have the opportunity to try their hand at making one of two dishes. (Kid friendly kitchen appliances will be provided)
Once the meal has been prepared, you will sit at the table with your chef and enjoy the delicious lunch prepared by you all.
Next, you will take part in a short pottery class, where you will decorate pots that you can take back home.
After this activity, you will return to your hotel to freshen up.
In the late afternoon, you will enjoy a city tour of Colombo on a Landy. This is a very more unique experience where you have the opportunity to explore the hidden areas of Colombo on board an open-top vehicle.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Colombo.
In the morning, you will proceed to the cultural triangle, a region where the country’s kings gave rise to a great civilization based on agriculture and Buddhism.
En route, you will visit the Dambulla Cave Temple located north of Kandy and considered by most to be the centre point of Sri Lanka. Dambulla is famous for the five cave sanctuaries of varying sizes and magnificence built at the base of a 150 m high rock. The caves date back to the Anuradhapura (1st century BC to 993 AD) and Polonnaruwa times (1073 to 1250) and are by far the most impressive of the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka. Important attractions are spread over the five caves, containing statues and paintings, but the first 3 caves are older and larger than the other two. These beautiful statues and paintings are related to Gautama Buddha and his life. The caves host 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings more and four statues of gods and goddesses, which are unique in scale and degree of preservation. The depictions include magnificent Buddha images and rock paintings of vivid colours and shapes. Dambulla Cave Temple was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991.
You will then visit a coconut house where you will learn about the many uses of the coconut tree. You will also have the opportunity to experience how locals scrape coconut, make coconut milk, coconut oil and many more.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Dambulla.
You will have an early start of the day as you will take part in a very special experience. You will leave your hotel with a packed breakfast and make your way to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa for a Monkey Kingdom Expedition. Eulogized by Disney’s Monkey Kingdom movie, the lost kingdom of Polonnaruwa is home to a vast monkey population living among the impressively preserved ruins. Described by the film as “a secret land of magic few humans have ever seen”, this ancient archeological site is the best place in the country to get up close and personal with three diurnal primates of Sri Lanka: the purple faced leaf monkey, the toque macaque, and the grey langur.
Optional: Exploration of Polonnaruwa declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Later, you will return to your hotel and freshen up before heading back out for an afternoon jeep safari at Minneriya National Park. During more your safari you will see elephants and sambar deer roam free in the park and will have the opportunity to get up close with some of the wildlife of Sri Lanka. The echoes of trumpets will reach you before you see a herd of elephants crossing the dusty road, while carefully sheltering the calf of the family. The main feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank that was built in the 3rd century by King Mahasen. During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an amazing place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze, as well as the huge flocks of birds such as cormorants and painted storks that come to fish in the shallow waters.
You will return to your hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Dambulla.
In the morning, you will travel to Kandy, the last kingdom of Sri Lanka.
Upon arrival in Kandy, you will get off the more trodden botanical paths and enjoy a guided walk through a tropical estate situated atop a quiet hill affording striking foothill views. You will be greeted by your host at the hilltop retreat and guided by him on a walk through the 45-acre property’s most interesting spots. During this Sri Lankan Garden tour, you will hear stories of the property’s past and present, as you pass through vanilla, pepper, rubber and spice plots. The lush vegetation and mild climate provide ideal conditions for many forest animals and there is a chance to see wild boars, macaque monkeys, deer and porcupines. This is also a great experience for children who love interacting with nature.
The walk will end with a Planter’s lunch at the host’s tropical ancestral home that was built more by his grandfather in the mid-19th century. You will enjoy a Sri Lankan lunch of exceptional quality, prepared on an open (wood-fired) hearth with your host and will also be served a Gin and Tonic.
After lunch, you will be transferred to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
After relaxing and enjoying the beautiful property for a while, you can spend some time in the garden roasting marshmallows on the bonfire the hotel has so generously prepared for you.
Optional: Cinema Under the Stars (subject to availability).
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Kandy.
After breakfast, you will take part in a tree planting experience. The trees can be named under the kid’s names and the hotel will share the progress of each tree yearly with you.
Next, you will be transferred to the city for a guided tour of Kandy followed by a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens.
The famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha is an important pilgrimage site not just for the Buddhists in Sri Lanka, but is a world-renowned place of worship. The temple is known as “Sri Dalada Maligawa” in Sinhalese, which implies the English meaning of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The palace temple with its beautiful golden roof is located on Victoria Lake and is said to house the tooth of Lord Buddha.
The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens are the oldest formal gardens in Sri Lanka and were more established in 1821 after the occupation of the Kandyan Kingdom by the English. The gardens are renowned for the collection of orchids and the long, palm framed pathways allowing an amazing walk to both local and tourists. On an area which is 61.25 ha in extent grow more than 4,000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants, shrubs, woody trees and palms.
After visiting the gardens, you will return to your hotel and spend the rest of the evening on your own.
Optional: A soft toy treasure hunt for the kids and spa time for the parents – while the children take part in a treasure hunt looking for hidden soft toys around the property, the parents are welcome to relax at the hotel’s spa.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Kandy.
In the morning, you will be transferred to Kandy railway station and enjoy a scenic train journey from Kandy to Nanu Oya (Nuwara Eliya) which takes about 4 hours. You will travel through lush green mountains and narrow tunnels enjoying amazing views of beautiful tea plantations, dense vegetation, and steep-sided valleys. Upon arrival at Nanu Oya railway station, you will meet your tour guide and you will be transfered by road to Nuwara Eliya.
Next, you will enjoy a city tour of Nuwara Eliya. The main hill resort of Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya is the heart of Sri Lanka’s lush tea-growing region and is considered to be one of the most important locations for tea cultivation. Also known as the “Little England of Sri Lanka”, Nuwara Eliya was founded by the British explorer Samuel Baker in 1846 and was a sanctuary to the colonialists in order to escape the humidity and heat of Sri Lanka. The city more and is well known for its cool climate being the coolest area in Sri Lanka. It was originally built with mock-Tudor houses that feature inglenook fireplaces and billiard tables, a golf course, racetrack, gentlemen’s clubs, and botanical gardens and many of the buildings still have preserved features from the colonial period.
During the tour you will also visit a Tea factory and tea plantation.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Nuwara Eliya.
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Galle.
En route, you will visit the Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe. Established in 1995, the Elephant Transit Home rehabilitates isolated baby elephants for releasing them back into the wild. Since its foundation, more than 200 elephants have been cared for at the Elephant Transit Home. These isolated wild elephants are reintroduced back into the wild in their natural habitats at the age of five when they can take care of themselves.
On arrival in Galle, you will check in to your hotel and have some free time.
In the evening, you will enjoy a guided walking tour of Galle with Shanjei, learning about the town’s history. This beautiful colonial town in the Bay of Galle along the southern coast, which was once the chief port of Sri Lanka, houses the largest occupied fort in Asia. The town is still well known for the hand-made more lace, which was introduced by the Dutch, and Galle Fort, designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. Galle Fort was originally built by the Portuguese in 1588 to defend the town and was later fortified by the Dutch from 1649 onwards. It spans over 90 acres and is the largest colonial-built fort of Asia protecting a wealth of interesting architecture and now housing galleries, cafes, and shops. The 300-year-old Dutch atmosphere is still very much alive around the fort and amidst its many historical buildings not invaded by the skyscrapers. The nearby beaches with shimmering blue waters and alluring waves provide a beautiful scenery and an intriguing taste of life in the south of the country. The tour will end with a perfect iced tea / ice cream or a sundowner inside the fort.
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Galle.
On this day, you will visit an amazing arts and crafts shop hidden in Galle Fort where you will learn of the history of mask making in Sri Lanka and create your own guided by your host. Even if masks are used more for performance and ritual in modern day Sri Lanka, in the past, it was believed that they have healing and protective powers. You will learn of the age-old techniques from your host in Kolam where masks are usually made from a light wood called “Kaduru”. Following your host’s guidance and his techniques you will mould together your mask using traditional and sustainable resources such as recycled paper, kithul (treacle), bees wax, clay, broken tiles, and even cow dung!
Optional: Kids’ Treasure Hunt in Galle (this activity is for kids under the age of 10)
Later, you will return to your hotel to freshen up, before being transferred to your beach hotel in Weligama.
more
Overnight stay at the hotel of your choice (mid-range or luxury) in Weligama.
You will have the day at leisure.
Optional: Visit to a local turtle hatchery.
You will have the day at leisure.
Optional: Morning whale and dolphin watching experience in Mirissa.
Breakfast at the hotel in the morning.
It’s time to bid farewell to the charms of this amazing tropical island. You will be transferred to the Airport for your return flight home.
Please confirm the pick-up time for your transfer locally with your tour guide.
We hope you leave with memories for a lifetime!
Prices
Travel dates
Upon request for individual travellers
Price per person in €
2 Pers.
4 Pers.
6 Pers.
Mid-range hotels (3*): Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, 2023
2094€
1878€
1818€
Mid-range hotels (3*): July 1 - Aug. 31, 2023
2112€
1896€
1836€
Mid-range hotels (3*): Nov. 1 - Dec. 20, 2023
2163€
1947€
1887€
Mid-range hotels (3*): Dec. 21, 2023 - Jan. 20, 2024
2191€
1974€
1915€
Mid-range hotels (3*): Jan. 21 - Feb. 28, 2024
2209€
1993€
1933€
Mid-range hotels (3*): Mar. 1 - Apr. 30, 2024
2195€
1979€
1919€
Luxury hotels (4*/5*): July 1 - Aug. 31, 2023
2549€
2329€
2264€
Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, 2023
2480€
2260€
2195€
Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Nov. 1 - Dec. 20, 2023
2692€
2462€
2402€
Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Nov. 1 - Dec. 20, 2023
3428€
3207€
3142€
Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Jan. 21 - Feb. 28, 2024
2908€
2687€
2623€
Luxury hotels (4*/5* hotels): Mar. 1 - Apr. 30, 2024
2849€
2628€
2563€
| Travel dates | Accommodation | Price per person in € | ||
| 2 Pers. | 4 Pers. | 6 Pers. | ||
|
Upon request for individual travellers |
Mid-range hotels (3*): Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, 2023 | 2094€ | 1878€ | 1818€ |
| Mid-range hotels (3*): July 1 - Aug. 31, 2023 | 2112€ | 1896€ | 1836€ | |
| Mid-range hotels (3*): Nov. 1 - Dec. 20, 2023 | 2163€ | 1947€ | 1887€ | |
| Mid-range hotels (3*): Dec. 21, 2023 - Jan. 20, 2024 | 2191€ | 1974€ | 1915€ | |
| Mid-range hotels (3*): Jan. 21 - Feb. 28, 2024 | 2209€ | 1993€ | 1933€ | |
| Mid-range hotels (3*): Mar. 1 - Apr. 30, 2024 | 2195€ | 1979€ | 1919€ | |
| Luxury hotels (4*/5*): July 1 - Aug. 31, 2023 | 2549€ | 2329€ | 2264€ | |
| Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Sept. 1 - Oct. 31, 2023 | 2480€ | 2260€ | 2195€ | |
| Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Nov. 1 - Dec. 20, 2023 | 2692€ | 2462€ | 2402€ | |
| Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Nov. 1 - Dec. 20, 2023 | 3428€ | 3207€ | 3142€ | |
| Luxury hotels (4*/5*): Jan. 21 - Feb. 28, 2024 | 2908€ | 2687€ | 2623€ | |
| Luxury hotels (4*/5* hotels): Mar. 1 - Apr. 30, 2024 | 2849€ | 2628€ | 2563€ | |
What's Included
- 11 nights accommodation in a double (DBL) or twin (TWN) room at the hotels of your choice (mid-range or luxury);
- Breakfast at the hotels;
- Lunch on day 2, 5 of the itinerary;
- Excursions on the entire itinerary;
- Entrance fees according to the itinerary;
- Cooking lesson and market visit;
- Pottery class;
- Mask painting experience;
- Welcome and assistance on arrival at the airport;
- Fruit basket and a bottle of wine per couple on arrival;
- Transportation in an air-conditioned car / minibus during the entire itinerary;
- Vehicle amenities: Wi-Fi, cushions and light snacks;
- Personalized card and gift bag;
- 2 x 500 ml bottles of water per day per person throughout the tour;
- English speaking chauffeur guide during the itinerary.