Thrills & Spills: Hikes & Watersports in Sri Lanka

Duration: 9 days / 8 nights

Per Person Per Day: Enquire for price.

Interests: Sports

Destinations: Sri Lanka

From the highest peaks to the sandy white beaches, this action-packed adventure trail around beautiful Sri Lanka caters to intrepid explorers who are looking for the ultimate thrill-filled holiday. Starting with colonial coastal beauties in Negombo, you’ll later discover the historic and mystic magic of ancient capital Kandy. Next it’s up to the highlands to explore the country’s fabled tea plantations with verdant rainforest treks and mountain hikes, then rounding off the tour by returning to the ocean for two days of aquatic action.

Highlights

Visit the Temple of the Tooth relic in Kandy
Hike to Adam’s peak to take in a breathtaking sunrise view
Hit the ocean for some water-sporting fun
Snorkel the crystal waters of Sri Lanka’s seas

Day-to-Day

Day 1 Negombo

Arrive in Sri Lanka to be greeted and escorted by car to the pretty coastal town of Negombo. Check in to your hotel and explore the town at your leisure. Take in the colonial buildings, from the Dutch fort to the Catholic church, and enjoy the bustle of the fish market before a relaxing night’s sleep.

Day 2 Kandy

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before heading inland to the historic city of Kandy. Take the afternoon to explore the town’s many treasures: a World Heritage Site, Kandy is set around a picturesque lake and home to a sacred Buddhist temple housing a Siddhartha tooth relic. Browse the bazaar and gem market before taking in a cultural show and resting up at the elegant Earl’s Regency Hotel.

Day 3 Ella

Today, begin the leisurely and scenic journey up into the mountains to the picturesque town of Ella, located deep in the heart of tea country. Take a gentle trek around Adam’s Peak for views of the countryside and, after checking into the comfortable and cozy 98 Acres Hotel, explore the town at your leisure.

Day 4 Bogawantalawa Valley

After your day spent enjoying Ella, an early night is in order so you’re ready for the hike up Adam’s Peak. Beginning just after midnight, it’s a four-hour trek to the summit where you’ll catch the dawn break across the valleys below. Then, make your way down the path and check in to the Tea Trails Bungalow for a relaxing afternoon.

Day 5 Bogawantalawa Valley

The day is yours to leisurely explore the surrounding areas, hike the many routes across the hills, learn about the tea-making process, enjoy a game of croquet or tennis, and indulge in afternoon tea. Adventurous types can take on mountain biking, white-water rafting, and hiking.

Day 6 Passekudah

After enjoying breakfast at your hotel, you’ll say your goodbyes to the mountains and start on your journey to the coast. At Passikudah, check in to your comfortable beachside hotel and enjoy the ocean for the afternoon and evening.

Day 7 Passekudah

It’s time to gear up for an action-packed day of aquatic adventures. Enjoy the thrills and spills of a range of watersports and explore the submarine world with a spot of snorkeling. Then, relax back at your hotel after a busy day on the water.

Day 8 Passekudah

Make sure you’ve got your sea legs for today because you’re setting sail on a boat trip to explore the crystal waters surrounding Passikudah. Stop off and dive into the sea to explore life beneath the waves, armed with your snorkel equipment.

Day 9 Departure

After breakfast at your hotel, say goodbye to the beach as you’re transferred back to Colombo for your onward flight to your next exciting destination.

SUGGESTED HOTELS FOR DAY 1

Jetwing Beach Resort

In a haven of tranquility, hugging Sri Lanka’s immaculate western coast’s golden shoreline, lies Jetwing Beach, the winner of 2013 Certificate of Excellence and member to the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. This lavish beach resort is one of Negombo’s finest hotels, offering a relaxing holiday in sophisticated comfort. Designed by one of Sri Lanka’s top architects, Geoffrey Bawa, this exquisite resort enables you to wind in hours of recreational beach fun, revitalize in invigorating spa wellness treatments, indulge in mouthwatering Sri Lankan dishes and rich international cuisine in one of several dining venues, and take advantage of the gorgeous swimming pool. Your day will always end on a high note, as you watch the stunning sun drop off the edge of the horizon, illuminating the sky into warm shades of pink, yellow, orange and red.

Horathapola Coconut Estate Hotel

A beautifully-preserved, colonial-style, boutique hotel offers a relaxing stay and an incredible on-site tour of the massive working coconut estate, on which it sits. Gorgeous antique furniture and polished wooden floors welcome you in, where you’ll be greeted by the charming group of staff that serve up delicious authentic food, whilst providing incredible service and an all around relaxing stay. Rooms are spotless and spacious, while other facilities, such as the pool, offer a refreshing way to end your day. Each room has its own balcony and ample space for bigger families. Bicycles, laundry service, outdoor pool and daily excursions are offered. Tours of the village and paddy fields have always been popular among guests, both day and night.

SUGGESTED HOTEL FOR DAY 2

Earl's Regency Hotel

Located in the centre of Kandy, just a short drive from the railway station and the famous Temple of the Tooth, Earl's Regency Hotel is a luxurious property with splendid views of the mountains around Kandy. All its rooms are air-conditioned and come with a minibar, tea- and coffee-making facilities and a TV with satellite channels. Free WiFi is available in the public areas. The hotel also has a 24-hour coffee shop, as well as the sumptuous Far Pavilions restaurant, which offers local and international cuisine. The spa has massage rooms, a sauna and steam room, and there are also tennis and badminton courts.

SUGGESTED HOTEL FOR DAY 3

98 Acres Hotel

Nestled among the beautiful hill country of Sri Lanka rests the 98 Acres Resort & Spa. Housed in a 98-acre tea estate, the resort's unique chalets have a rustic beauty mixed with such modern amenities as complimentary Wi-Fi, flat-screen televisions, and minibars. Rooms also have stone showers, balconies with scenic views, and some even have plunge pools. The on-site Spa 98 offers a variety of herbal treatments. Guests can enjoy Sri Lankan, Continental, and East Asian dishes from the resort's restaurant or enjoy one of the various drinks available from the bar. All facilities are eco-friendly and constructed with environmental considerations. There are two outdoor pools, a gym, and yoga classes offered.

SUGGESTED HOTEL FOR DAYS 4-5

PREFERRED HOTEL

Ceylon Tea Trails

Sri Lanka, once known as Ceylon, is one of the world's historic centers of tea production, replete with rolling green hills and genteel plantation homes. Ceylon Tea Trails, run by the Dilmah Tea Company, has restored four classic colonial bungalows built for British tea estate managers in the days of the Raj. These historic houses offer guests the unique experience of life on a working tea estate in the highlands (elevation here is over 4,000 feet). The bungalows range in size from four to six rooms and two have their own pools. Summerville and Castlereagh are situated opposite each other on the shores of the Castlereagh Lake, Norwood is at the other end of the valley about 15 minutes away by car and Tientsin is about 30 minutes away in the next valley. Maintained trails with beautiful views run between all the bungalows, and through the surrounding hillsides and plantations. Each house comes with its own manager, chef, butler and houseboys; in-house massage appointments can be arranged. Meals and afternoon tea are prepared by your private chef using gourmet ingredients and produce grown right on the property, and can be served indoors or on the lawn.

Maalu Maalu Resort and Spa

Category Romance, Amazing Landscapes
Country Sri Lanka

10 DAYS

FROM

$10,600

PER PERSON

Enquire

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With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.

With Remote Lands you'll travel with people who have made Asia the solitary focus of their own lifelong adventure. As our guest, in the continent that our north American founders Catherine and Jay have adored and explored for decades, you'll discover Asia on a journey that is completely, authentically your own, adapted from our own remarkable experiences and adventures over the years.

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