What Makes it Special?
- Go white-water rafting, canyoning and kayaking from your eco lodge on the Kelani River.
- Hike forested trails in the Knuckles Mountain Range’s remote wilderness.
- Beat the crowds with a sunrise hike up Pidurangala Rock overlooking Sigiriya.
- Cycle through Polonnaruwa’s ancient ruins.
- Safari through Wilpattu National Park, tracking elephants, sloth bears and leopards with expert guides.
- Kitesurf, snorkel and dolphin-watch in Kalpitiya.
Your tailor-made holiday will be as unique as you are. These itineraries are just a starting point, a bit of inspiration to show what’s possible. Your own trip all starts with a conversation with one of our Sri Lanka experts, who’ll take the time to understand what matters most to you and design the perfect holiday to match.
Sri Lanka’s towering peaks and mountains, rough terrain, trekking trails, wild rivers, high waterfalls and sweeping, golden beaches make for a thrilling and active holiday for any adventure enthusiast. This Sri Lanka holiday begins with a stay at a riverside camp near Kitulgala, the go-to destination for white-water rafting, as well as other high-adrenaline activities such as canyoning, rock sliding, kayaking, and abseiling. Onward to the Knuckles Mountain Range, where you'll be jungle trekking and hill walking to take in the magnificent views and birdlife that surrounds you.
Next, it's on to Sigiriya in the famous Cultural Triangle, which has plenty of activities on offer, including climbing Pidurangala Rock at sunrise and cycling around the ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa. You then travel north west to Wilpattu National Park for a real safari experience, staying in tented accommodation with the chance to spot the elusive leopard. The last destination of the trip is Kalpitiya, where, depending on the time of year, there are opportunities for whale and dolphin watching (December to April), kite-surfing (May to October), windsurfing, water skiing, yoga or snorkelling.
This is a Sri Lanka holiday itinerary that can be enjoyed all year round, giving you great flexibility with your travel dates and adventure plans.
11 hours from London
When to go
- All year round
Average temperature
- 30°C
Itinerary at a Glance
Day by Day
Here's a summary of what you might get up to day-to-day on this Sri Lanka holiday. As always, this is just an idea. Every single day of your trip will be tailored to suit you.
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Pack your hiking boots, a healthy dose of adrenaline and board your overnight flight to Sri Lanka.
If the idea of whiling away the days white-water rafting, abseiling down waterfalls, canyoning and kayaking appeals, you’re going to love Kitulgala. There's an almost never-ending list of adventures you could head off on, and the team at your lodge will be able to arrange these locally for you.
Staying in one of the wildest and least spoilt areas of Sri Lanka, with incredible biodiversity to match, this is an ideal spot for anyone who loves to explore the great outdoors. This morning, lace up your hiking boots and head straight out on a trek to explore its crystal clear waterfalls and endemic flora and fauna. This 7.5km hike will take you 1,864m above sea level, taking around 4-6 hours. You'll follow largely unexplored trails, spot wildlife and explore the forests, savannah grasslands, diamond clear waterfalls and evergreen woodlands. Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at your hotel.
This morning, you'll head three hours north to the historic heart of Sri Lanka, the Cultural Triangle. Your first adventure is a sunset climb to the top of Sigiriya Rock Fortress, one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic spots. With panoramic views over the surrounding jungle, illuminated as the sun sinks lower in the sky, this’ll be a special moment on your Sri Lanka holiday. We work with so many gorgeous hotels in the Cultural Triangle. From eco lodges to opulent boutique hotels complete with staggering views, we'll be sure you’re staying in a spot that’s perfect for you.
Don’t put those hiking boots away just yet, as this morning you’re off on another unforgettable hike. It’ll be an early start, but the alarm will mean you’ll miss the crowds, and beat the heat. You’ll climb up Pidurangala Rock, not too far from Sigiriya, but with far fewer visitors. Not only do you get the incredible views over the jungle as the sun rises, but you get to take it all in with the iconic Sigiriya Rock Fortress punctuating the landscape. We think this hike might just be better than Sigiriya itself!
This afternoon, you’ll head off on two wheels to explore the ancient city ruins of Polonnaruwa. This is the second-oldest city in Sri Lanka, established in 993 CE/AD following the fall of Anuradhapura. As you might expect, it’s packed with temples, stupas and palaces, this might just be the most historical bike ride you’ll ever take.
Today, you’ll head to Kalpitiya for a three-night beach stay. The drive is only around 1.5 hours, and at the other end, you’ll have your pick of watery adventures to fill the next few days. Adrenaline junkies can opt for activities such a water skiing, wind surfing and kite surfing - the activity that Kalpitiya has become famous for!
Today, your adventure-filled Sri Lanka holiday comes to an end. Your guide will pick you up one final time and drive you the three or so hours back to Colombo airport in time for your flight home. If you fall in love with the country anywhere near as much as we have, it’ll be ‘so long for now’, and you’ll be thinking about your next trip before you even land.
Places you'll visit
We have hundreds of partner hotels across the world, with our tailor made trips you can pick from our range of beautiful hotels
What You're Saying
“
Lisa Jankus-Scott organised a very diverse itinerary for our visit to Sri Lanka. We visited temples, tea plantations, a couple of safaris, a street food experience, Sri Lanka food cookery class and many beautiful rural boutique hotels. Our driver guide Alaine looked after us so well and was very informative, he loved the fact that my husband shared his interest in birds. Will definitely use Holiday Architects again.
Valerie Mortiboys
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“
Rebecca at Holiday Architects put together a wonderful trip to Sri Lanka for us. She listened carefully to everything we did and didn’t want and asked all the right questions. This resulted in a perfect itinerary right from the beginning. The holiday itself was as good as promised; an excellent driver-guide, wonderful hotels and an itinerary that delivered everything we wanted.
Patricia Smith
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This was our second winter sojourn organised by Holiday Architects. Last year Malaysia, this year Sri Lanka, with the patient and knowledgeable Rebecca. I seriously doubt whether holidays could be better organised than these two trips. Everything worked like clockwork with diverse boutique accommodation and amazing tours of Sri Lanka’s highlights.
Courtney Guest
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“
We have just returned from a wonderful holiday in Sri Lanka. I initially reached out to several companies for support with planning our trip and was immediately impressed by the quick and friendly response from Lisa Jankus-Scott. In the 10 days we were there, Lisa managed to provide a very exciting itinerary that met all our interests and allowed for some relaxation at the end. Good communication from Lisa from start to finish was very reassuring. This experience has given us confidence to explore further and I would not hesitate to return to Holiday Architects in the future and I will certainly be recommending them to family and friends. Thank you for our wonderful holiday experience in Sri Lanka.
Heather Turton
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“
Just back from an amazing holiday in Sri Lanka. Rebecca sorted out a fantastic itinerary. Lovely boutique hotels, largely in rural settings, made for a beautiful, peaceful stay. Overall, I don't think the holiday could have been better. This was our third holiday booked through Holiday Architects and we won't hesitate to use them again.
Lynn
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It was our first visit to Sri Lanka. For us it was a case of venturing into the 'unknown', so we were grateful to have the wonderful support of Rebecca who advised and organised such an incredible trip. Her knowledge of the country is 'second to none', and it is obviously a country she knows and loves so well, so we were fortunate to be able to share some of her experiences. Sri Lanka is such a beautiful and diverse country, with extremely warm and friendly people. The small boutique hotels, the beach resorts, the train trip through the tea plantations , the historic visit to Galle, the street food tour of Kandy and the choice of restaurants were all exceptional. Such a memorable trip and we would certainly recommend Holiday Architects.
David Batie
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“
Wow! What an amazing holiday in Sri Lanka! Thank you to Rebecca for organising for us! Rebecca’s knowledge of the country was incredible and she listened carefully to our requirements putting together a wonderful itinerary. We couldn’t find fault with anything! Our guide (Anuruddha), the accommodation, travel, sightseeing and food were all awesome! Thank you for the best holiday!
Kate Richardson
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A trip to treasure. This is the second time we have used Holiday Architects and we were certainly not disappointed. Our last trip was to Costa Rica and this holiday, Sri Lanka. Rebecca Dodds was so informative about the country and took into account our family preferences. The accommodation was truly amazing, and the itinerary was action-packed as we requested. We had the most wonderful time and have recommended to all our friends.
Lisa Wells
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Holiday Gallery
Meet our Sri Lanka experts
We offer tailor-made holidays to suit a wide range of tastes. Our experts Dawn, Lisa and Rebecca are dedicated to all things Sri Lanka and are here to help you plan your perfect trip.
Dawn Smith
Destination Manager
From its tea-covered hills to its colourful towns, endless beaches and magic people, our Dawn’s head over heels with Sri Lanka and she knows exactly how to help you fall in love with it, too.
Lisa Jankus-Scott
Destination Manager
Sri Lanka sparked Lisa’s lifelong love for Asia, and it remains one of her favourite places to visit. She’s all about combining cultural highlights, beautiful landscapes and proper local flavour into every itinerary, and Sri Lanka is the place to do just that.
Rebecca Dodds
Destination Manager
Few places have a hold on Rebecca’s heart like Sri Lanka. It’s the mix of culture, landscapes, unmatched food and magic people that gets her, alongside the closeness of the Maldives! And she’d love nothing more than helping you experience it all.
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