Sri Lanka 3-Weeks Itinerary

On Day Three we will be exploring two cities on the way to our main destination–Anuradhapura. The cities will be Negombo and Chilaw. Once you have your breakfast we will start journeying towards Negombo.

Negombo Exploration

Negombo, charming beach city, located a few kilometres from Colombo. This city is known for its picturesque coastline and the rich fishing culture. We will be making several stops at some of the popular tourist hotspots in Negombo.

Here is what we will explore at Negombo:

• Negombo beach
• Dutch Fort
• Local markets

Chilaw Exploration

Post exploring Negombo city we will start heading towards Chilaw–another coastal city located in the North western part of Sri Lanka. Similar to Negombo, Chilaw is well known for its beautiful beaches and the vibrant fishing industry. We will be making a single stop in Chilaw to explore a Hindu temple ( Munneswaram Temple ) and then we will continue traveling towards Anuradhapura.

Since we made a few good stops on the way, we will end Day Three, leaving the Anuradhapura Tour for Day Four.

Anuradhapura City Tour

Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historical and religious significance. Ruins, religious sites, majestic pagodas and beautiful landscapes give this city its splendour, thus making it a must visit city in Sri Lanka.

We will visit the following sacred locations in Anuradhapura:

• Sri Maha Bodhi
• Ruwanweliseya
• Thuparamaya
• Jetavanaramaya
• Mihinthale

After exploring the most visited sacred landmarks in Anuradhapura, on Day Five we will take our leave from this historic city and head towards another must visit destination city in Sri Lanka–Jaffna.

Jaffna Exploration

Located in the Northern part of Sri Lanka, Jaffna, is a city showcasing a rich history, vibrant culture and breathtaking landscapes. Famously known for its Hindu heritage, Jaffna serves some of the best cuisines in Sri Lanka. Not only that, the city is scattered with numerous tourist hotspots, including one of the largest libraries in Asia, pristine beaches, colonial ruins and some tiny islands close to the Jaffna peninsula.

Here is what you can expect to witness during our Jaffna exploration tour:

• Jaffna Fort
• Nallur Kovil
• Nagadeepa Purana Vihara
• Casuarina Beach

Starting from Day Six we will be journeying to some destination cities on the island's eastern side, including Trincomalee and Passikuda. Both these cities are popular for their long stretches of sandy beaches and especially the Passikuda beach is popular for the number of activities available at the beach.

Trincomalee City Tour

Day Six will be dedicated to explore Trincomalee’s best hotspots and finally end the day relaxing at Nilaveli Beach. Trincomalee is well known, of course, for its beautiful coast line and the other historical landmarks such as Fort Fedrick ( fort built by the Portuguese ) and the Koneswaram Temple ( ancient Hindi temple with a spectacular view of the ocean ).

Passikuda Exploration

We will spend Day Seven and Day Eight in Passikuda. Since this will be a long tour around the island we have left out Day Seven for you to relax at Passikuda, while enjoying the lovely beaches there. Also you may have the chance of engaging in some water sports such as jet skiing, banana boat rides and wind surfing.

Starting from Day Nine to Day Eleven we will take you on a journey across three of the most important cities with historical and religious significance. That is Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya and Dambulla.

Polonnaruwa City Tour

Polonnaruwa–another ancient capital in Sri Lanka recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site –is the destination city we will visit on Day Nine. Perfect city to explore the ancient Sinhala civilization. Ruins of palaces and Buddha statues carefully carved into granite portray the mind - blowing craftsmanship during those days. Also the majestic lakes built by the kings still showcase the clever engineering capabilities that prevailed those days.

Sigiriya Exploration

Sigiriya is a city that is solely popular for the magnificent Lion Rock Fortress ( also known as Sigiriya Rock Fortress ) built by King Kashyapa during the 5th century. Visit to this magnificent Rock will indeed be an adventure coupled with spectacular scenery, interesting historical stories and cultural significance. Ruins of the Royal Palace, Lion Gate, Cobra Hood Cave, water gardens and terraced gardens are some of the features that will make you wonder about the intelligent engineering capabilities of ancient kings.

Dambulla Visit

Another sacred landmark, popular for its religious and historical significance, is located a few kilometres away from the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. That is the Dambulla Cave Temple. As the name suggests the temple is indeed built inside a cave, thus portraying the creativity, intelligence and excellent craftmanship of ancient Sri Lankans.

Day Twelve to Day Sixteen we will be journeying across the cities nestled in the central province of Sri Lanka–Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Ella. As you spend these days you will notice how the hot and sunny climate changes to a cool and misty climate as you travel towards Nuwara Eliya and Ella.

Kandy City Tour

Kandy –another city that has religious, cultural and historical significance is a must visit destination city as the city houses some of the most visited tourist attractions of the island. The infamous Temple of the Tooth Relic, for instance, is one iconic landmark visited by millions of tourists, every year. In addition to the religious places we will also take you to some beautiful Botanical Gardens to relax, roam around freely and capture some picture perfect photos with nature as a backdrop.

Nuwara Eliya Visit

Next we will experience the cool climatic destinations in Sri Lanka. One thing you will notice in Nuwara Eliya is the long stretches of green tea plantations visible on all mountain ranges. Not only that, you will not be able to ignore the calm and soothing atmosphere as soon as you are nearing this city. Be ready to enjoy a hiking and trekking journey in Nuwara Eliya and many other relaxing. Also we will take you to witness one of the best panoramic views from the top of a tower located on the way to Nuwara Eliya.

 Ella Exploration

After spending two cosy nights in Nuwara Eliya we will travel to Ella –another destination city popular among tourists especially for its comfortable climate and energetic night life. We make sure to escort you to some of the favourite hotspots during the day time so that you have plenty of time to experience the night life in Ella. You have two fun and exciting nights in Ella to keep yourself pumped up for the rest of the tour.

If you are a nature lover or a wildlife enthusiast, these two days will be the ideal days for you. After bidding farewell to the cool climatic cities we will start heading towards a sunny region of Sri Lanka.

Yala, small town located in the south eastern part of the island, is popular as it houses the infamous Yala National Park. Day Seventeen will be occupied for the long drive to Yala and the next day we will start early to ride into the Yala National Park.

Yala National Park

Identified as one of the island’s well known wildlife reserves for its rich biodiversity and diverse ecosystems, including a wide variety of wild animals such as majestic elephants, water buffalos, wild boars, deer, leopards and various bird species. Ideal location for wildlife photographers to spot and capture some unique photos of wild animals in their natural habitat.

Last three days will be for you to experience the coastal delights in Sri Lanka. At Mirissa, we start Day Nineteen early to sail on the sea to explore something interesting and on Day Twenty we will head towards Bentota to collect more interesting experiences.

Although you will be traveling to places during the day time you can have the evening hours to yourself to relax on the beaches. Finally on Day Twenty One, we will end our 3-weeks tour with some last minute shopping at Colombo.

Whale Watching at Mirissa

Day Twenty will be an interesting day as we will sail a few kilometres towards the deep blue ocean for a whale watching experience. You will get to spot majestic blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins. Not only that, the breathtaking scenic ocean views will be another exciting experience for you.

Bentota Exploration

Post experiencing a good sail we will travel to Bentota–the final destination city to have more fun. The fun continues as you get the chance to opt for some water sports at the Bentota River such as jet skiing, banana boat rides, canoeing and kayaking. Also we will be visiting a facility dedicated for the conservation and care of adult and baby turtles. This will, undoubtedly, be another interesting experience in Sri Lanka. At this premises you can volunteer to release grown up baby turtles to the sea and enjoy the view of how they swiftly move with the sea waves.