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Sri Lanka, Colombo

Discovering the 5 senses in Sri Lanka 4*

TourPrivate

Deal negotiated for you

  • The 9-day, 8-night tour, with accommodation in the hotels as mentioned or similar
  • Half-board from dinner on the day of arrival to breakfast on the day of departure
  • Flights departing from the city of your choice
  • Round-trip airport/hotel transfer
  • Private transfers in air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver (except days 7 and 8)
  • A cooking experience with a local family
  • An Ayurvedic massage experience
  • A visit to the Spice Garden in Matale
  • A visit to the temples of Dambulla and Kandy
  • Stay in a working tea factory
  • One 500ml complimentary bottle of mineral water per person on arrival
Customise your trip on the Options page.

Your stay starts here

Discovering the 5 senses in Sri Lanka 4*

A visit to Sri Lanka is an experience which will stimulate all of the senses. This private programme has been devised to showcase the best of what this island nation has to offer. From discovering the temples of Dambulla and Kandy, to trekking to see a sunrise, to experiencing ayurveda and making your own curry and tea in a working tea factory, this itinerary will stimulate your senses.

Your itinerary day by day:

Day 1: Arrival in Sri Lanka - Transfer and rest at Sigiriya

Day 2: Discover Pidurangala, local cuisine and ayurveda

Day 3: Kandy. Dambulla caves, sacred Buddha's Tooth Relic temple and traditional dance performance

Day 4: Mandaramnuwara. Discovery of a tea plantations and stay in a working tea factory

Day 5: Mandaramnuwara. Leaf to cup" experience: create your own tea, from leaf to cup

Day 6: Beruwala. To the beautiful beach (Sight, touch)

Day 7 and 8: Beruwala. Relaxing on the beach

Day 9: Colombo, return flight to France

Your detailed itinerary

DAY 1: ARRIVAL IN COLOMBO AND TRANSFER TO SIGIRIYA

Arrival at Colombo airport.

Welcome and assistance at the airport by a representative.

Direct transfer to hotel in Sigiriya (approx. 3h 30min drive). Arrival and installation at the hotel. Free time at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Meals included: dinner

DAY 2: PIDURANGALA - LOCAL CUISINE AND AYURVEDA

In the morning, around 04:30, departure to visit Pidurangala (approx. 30 min drive).

Experience: The View

Visit Pidurangala at sunrise for a breathtaking view that will be a feast for your eyes.

Pidurangala is a mountain at the foot of which lies a monastery still in use. One of the rocky paths leads through caves used by monks as far back as the first century BC. Near the summit stands the colossal Buddha image, which has recently been restored. The views from the summit, including of Sigiriya and the famous Lion Rock, are breathtaking. Early in the morning, you can watch the sunrise. Duration: Approx. 1h30 to 2h00.

Return to the hotel for breakfast and free time.

Experience: Taste

Then challenge your culinary skills by preparing and tasting your own Sri Lankan curry with a local family.

Pottery Experience: The Touch

Join a local potter to discover the transformation of clay into pottery. Based at Ayurvie Sigiriya, a holistic wellness retreat, you can take part in creating your own sculpture with the help of the local potter. The potter will teach you the basics and techniques passed down to him from his ancestors. So join in the soothing experience and shape your own pottery. Please note that an interpreter will be present. Sri Lankan cooking demonstration and lunch to sample the country's typical cuisine.

In the afternoon, relax with an initiation to Ayurvedic massage at the Aliya Hotel (duration approx. 45min).

Thousands of years before modern medicine found a connection between mind and body, the Rishis of India developed the therapeutic system of Ayurveda. Ayurveda, meaning the science of life (Ayur = life, longevity - Veda = science or knowledge), was designed to help people stay vibrant and healthy, while realizing their full human potential.

Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

DAY 3: KANDY - DAMBULLA CAVES AND A TRADITIONAL DANCE SHOW

Morning: breakfast at the hotel and departure for Kandy

Visit to Dambulla temple (approx. 30 min drive from hotel).

Dambulla Temple, also known as the "Golden Temple" of Dambulla, was founded in the 1st century by King Valagamba. Ancient sculptures and paintings of Buddha and various Hindu deities are located in five central caves. Duration: approx. 01h30.

**Please note: Bring clothing that covers shoulders and knees. Tours are barefoot, so please bring socks

Experience: The sense of smell

Explore the smell, uses and history of Sri Lanka's various spices. Visit the spice garden in Matale. For centuries, spices have been one of Sri Lanka's most famous exports. Spices are mainly grown in home gardens (as a cottage industry) and used not only to flavor food but also in medicine and cosmetics. Visit a spice garden and sample aromas and flavors such as cinnamon, ginger, pepper, vanilla, cardamom and more. A Blind Test with spice tea tasting will be organized especially for customers. A gift will be given to the best tester!

Continuation to Kandy (approx. 1h25min drive)

In the afternoon, visit the Tooth Temple in Kandy, home to the famous relic of the Buddha's tooth, the city's star attraction. Puja** (Thevava) ceremonies take place every morning and evening to honor the relic, and visitors can see the casket where the sacred tooth relic has been preserved. Watching these rituals accompanied by traditional drumming is a must for any traveler to the sacred city of Kandy. Duration: 2 hours.

Please note: Please bring clothing that covers shoulders and knees. Tours are barefoot, so please bring socks.

Experience: L'Ouïe

In the evening, we invite you to attend a performance of classical Kandyan dances "Ves", typical of this region (Sri Lanka is famous for its traditional and folk dances). A show featuring more than a dozen different dances, with 5 to 6 drums.

Arrival at your hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

DAY 4: MANDARAMNUWARA - STAY IN A TEA FACTORY

Experience: La Vue

Morning breakfast at the hotel.

Depart for the village of Mandaramnuwara, located at the foot of Mount Pidurutalagala, surrounded by tea plantations (drive: approx. 1h50 min). New experience: visit and stay in a tea factory surrounded by plantations.

In the afternoon, arrive and settle into the factory. Explore the nature and ornithological trails and walk with the naturalist.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

DAY 5: MANDARAMNUWARA - DISCOVERING GREEN GOLD

Morning: after breakfast, a unique "Green Gold" experience.

Spend around two hours learning everything you need to know about tea from a resident tea planter. Engage in a tea picking session with locals and then visit the factory to prepare your own tea, which you can take home with you. You'll leave having picked, produced and packed your own tea.

In the afternoon, experience Leaf To Cup.

Learn about the various stages of tea making: weighing, wilting, fermenting, dehumidifying, sorting and preparing your own box of tea to take home, as well as enjoying a cup of tea.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

DAY 6: BERUWALA - HEADING TO THE BEACH

In the morning, after breakfast, leave for Beruwala (approx. a 5.5 hr drive).
In the afternoon, arrival and installation at the hotel by the sea.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner.

DAY 7: BERUWALA - FREE DAY

Free day to enjoy the beach.
Please note: driver and vehicle not available.
Meals included: breakfast and dinner at the hotel.

DAY 8: BERUWALA - FREE DAY

Free day.

Please note: driver and vehicle not available.

Meals included: Breakfast and dinner at the hotel.

DAY 9: COLOMBO - RETURN FLIGHT

Breakfast.

Transfer to Colombo airport for flight (approx. 2h 45min drive).

Please note: You must be at the airport 3 hours before your departure flight.

Meals included: breakfast at the hotel.

Your accommodation

During your tour, you'll stay for 8 nights in the hotels listed below (or similar):

  • Nights 1 and 2: Sigiriya - Aliya Resort & Spa 4* Hotel
  • Night 3: Kandy - Mountbatten Bungalow 5* Hotel
  • Nights 4 and 5: Mandaramnuwara - Tea & Experience Factory 4*
  • Nights 6, 7 and 8: Beruwala - Earl's Reef 4* Hotel

Your board

During your tour, you will stay on a half-board basis (breakfast and dinner, excluding drinks) from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 9.

GOOD TO KNOW

On arrival, collect your luggage and proceed to the arrivals hall where a representative will be waiting with a sign with your name on it.

ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE FOR AN EXTRA CHARGE

Visiting Lion Rock: this fortress in Sigiriya is a remarkable feat of engineering and a fascinating example of Sinhalese art. Carved out of a living rock, the Sigiriya fortress was the stronghold of King Kashyapa. Sigiriya, or the 'Lion Rock', is most famous for its frescoes. The visit is in three stages: the cave paintings, the terrace and the top of the rock, where the ruins of the royal castle are. Please note: there are about 1000 steps to climb.

Duration: approx. 2 hours.

Value: approx. 30 USD/person

Transport included
This price includes :
  • The 9-day, 8-night tour, with accommodation in the hotels as mentioned or similar
  • Half-board from dinner on the day of arrival to breakfast on the day of departure
  • Visits and activities as mentioned
  • A cooking experience with a local family
  • An Ayurvedic massage experience
  • A visit to a Spice Garden in Matale
  • Stay in a working tea factory
  • Admission fees for the specified experiences and visits
  • One 500ml complementary bottle of mineral water per person on arrival
  • Government taxes included
  • Return airport/hotel transfer
  • Private transfers in air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver (except days 7 and 8)
  • Flights departing from the city of your choice
  • Mandatory airport taxes
This price does not include :
  • Local taxes
  • Meals and drinks not mentioned in the description
  • Personal expenses and gratuities
  • Personal insurance (unless taken out at time of booking)
  • Obtaining and paying for an entry visa (ETA) for Sri Lanka
  • Excursions not included in the booking or purchased separately
  • Visits and excursions listed as optional
  • And, more generally, everything not mentioned in the "This price includes" section above

Useful information

Useful information

Practical details

If you are travelling alone, you will be asked to pay a surcharge for a single room. This additional charge will be automatically included in your quote.
Child rates will be applied for children from 2 to 12 years old in the case where the child shares the room with two adults. If the child is travelling with just one adult, the surcharge may be applied on an adult basis. If your child or children do not fit into the age group mentioned above, the rate will be communicated to you at the time of processing your order. If the room is equipped with a bunk bed, the bed height is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.
For safety reasons, the wellbeing facilities of most establishments are not accessible to children under 16 years old. Similarly, it is possible that some amenities or services require an additional charge or are unavailable for exceptional reasons.
Unless otherwise stated in the service description, activities and any additional services available at destination are provided in the language of the destination country and in English.
The opening times and hours of the activities, restaurants and bars are provided as an indication only and may be subject to change. Contact the reception desk in order to be informed of any changes.
Appropriate dress is required. We remind you that gambling may involve risks of isolation, indebtedness, and dependency...
Any additional special requirements the traveller may request which are not included in the travel service description will be communicated to our service provider. Sending this information does not imply acceptance and PerfectStay.com cannot be held responsible for the fulfilment of these special requests. Only the service provider of PerfectStay.com can access this request on location and any additional costs may be paid locally by the traveller.
Unless expressly stated in the description of the services and accommodation, the hotel is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Travel documents

Once your reservation has been made, you will receive a confirmation e-mail before your travel documents are sent.
Regarding the transport documents (in the case of a reservation with transport included), we will provide you with all the information relating to check-in and luggage in the "Your travel documents" email, allowing you to leave with peace of mind.
To take advantage of all your reserved services (hotels, transfers, activities, etc.), you will receive one or more exchange vouchers to be presented to each supplier.
The contact details of the establishment will be specified in these documents, to help make your arrival at your destination as straight-forward as possible.

Transportation

Choose an offer and, according to your preferences, opt for a seat in economy, business or first class.
See the 'View flight info' section for details on each trip.
In order to best organise your time in the airport, we advise that you arrive 2 hours before boarding for a medium-haul flight, or 3 hours before boarding for a long-haul flight (more than 5 hours). Take advantage of your early arrival to pass through security and check your luggage.
You will be informed whether or not luggage is included at the time of your booking.
You will have the opportunity to add additional luggage for a fee.
There are several different cities that are typically offered as departure points. Your arrival destination will show in your travel documents.
Depending on the flight schedule, some arrivals or returns may be made at night with early arrival or late departure. You will not always be able to have your room available immediately and will need to refer to the check-in and check-out conditions of the hotel.
In the event that your transfer is not included in your hotel reservation, it may be offered at the time of your reservation as an additional option. Unless specifically mentioned, transfers may be made in groups of 15 to 55 people.
Important: the modification or the cancellation of a booking is only possible within the limits and including the fees outlined in our general conditions of sale.
Thank you for kindly taking note of the CO2 emissions produced by your means of transport: https://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx

Formalities

The following details apply to any British citizen who, during a trip sold by PerfectStay goes to a foreign country. The following is a resource directing you to information related to your travel formalities (identification documents, vaccines, VISA, safety, travel advice, etc.), and may be subject to change. Please note that Brexit negotiations are likely to include travel document modifications, therefore please regularly check most updated information. Please see official resource for British citizens wishing to travel:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The official UK Foreign Travel site has updates on safety and security, including incidents such as pickpocketing and robbery, along with larger incidents such as measuring the risk of terrorism.
Detailed country by country here:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

If you are travelling with minors, please be sure to verify whether or not you will require a consent: https://www.gov.uk/permission-take-child-abroad

Please note that these details serve as a guiding resource in order to ensure that you have access to important information in order to pursue the necessary travel formalities required before travelling abroad with PerfectStay. Please note that PerfectStay will not engage in obtaining travel documents for you, such as visas, and you are solely responsible for knowing the potential health risks you may face in the course of your travels for which you may require vaccinations or medications. PerfectStay is not responsible for ensuring your travel formalities are properly undertaken and will only act as an intermediary directing you to resources which have been known to provide reliable information concerning travel formalities specific to British citizens.

Vaccination

For information concerning travel health requirements (vaccinations, health risks, etc.) please see the following resources:
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries
https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations/

Visa

As of August 1, 2019, nationals of 46 countries are exempt from visa fees for stays of less than 30 days. However, a free ETA (Electronic Travel Authorisation) must be requested on the Internet at http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ (this is an official site which should be used to the exclusion of all others). It is possible to submit your ETA request upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport (http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/visainfo/apply.jsp?locale=fr_FR#byapp ; https://www.airport.lk/passenger_guide/arrival_info/immigration.php).

Travellers wishing to stay for 30 to 90 days as tourists are only allowed to enter the country upon presentation of a paid ETA. This authorisation may only be requested from the Sri Lankan embassy or consulate in the country of residence before departure.

For the latest information on which travel documents (visas, passports, etc.) British citizens will require by destination, please see the following resources:
https://visacentral.co.uk/visa-quick-check
https://www.passportindex.org/comparebyPassport.php?p1=uk&fl=&s=yes
https://www.travisa.com/Visa_Search

Identity

Please be sure to verify that your necessary Identification documents (passport and/or ID card dependent upon the country to which you will be travelling) have valid expiration dates, i.e. verify your ID documents have not yet expired. Also, be sure to remember to bring these necessary documents with you. It is also recommended to make copies of all travel documents in the event of an emergency.

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They are sold by ATOL (#11475) and ABTA (#Y6608) holder Perfectstay Travel Ltd.

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All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you pay you will be supplied with an ATOL Certificate. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. The flight-inclusive holidays displayed on this website are sold by ATOL (#11475) holder Perfectstay Travel Ltd. Please see our booking conditions for further information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: https://www.caa.co.uk

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As a member of ABTA (#Y6608), you can be assured that you are receiving the highest level of service and are offered excellent choice and value. If your holiday is not inclusive of flights then ABTA will financially protect your holiday similar to ATOL, unless you are already abroad in which case you be returned to the point where your contracted arrangements with us commenced. Find out more: http://www.abta.com