Example Itinerary

Trekking Exotic Sri Lanka

Duration
10 days / 9 nights
Price Per Person
Interests
Trekking
Destinations
Sri Lanka

This 10-day itinerary showcases the best of Sri Lanka's mountain treks, including hikes through tea plantations, lush rainforest and protected parkland. On this journey, you can expect superlative views of the Southern and Central Highlands while encountering local pilgrims, native birds and wildlife, and millennia-old ruins. At the end of your journey, enjoy a recuperative night at a beach resort in Negombo before heading back to Colombo.

This itinerary is an example. It’s designed to inspire you and provide you with thoughtfully curated ideas. You can choose to do this exact itinerary or completely personalize it. All trips are 100% bespoke.

Highlights

  • Dawn at Adam's Peak: The hike up Sri Lanka's sacred mountain takes around four hours to complete. The climb is tough, but watching a new day break from the 7,359-foot summit is unbeatable.
  • Trekking: Sri Lanka's diverse terrain ranges from lush tea plantations in the Highlands to dense jungle in protected national parks, to pilgrimage routes leading to the country's most famous landmarks.
  • Wildlife Encounters: By plunging deep into Sri Lanka's wild, travelers will be treated to sightings of exotic bird species, Sambar deer, bears, monkeys, water monitors, pythons, and lurking crocodiles.

Day-by-Day

Day 1

Map

Colombo

Begin your 10-day Sri Lanka trekking adventure in Colombo, where you'll be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. You'll have the chance to freshen up before heading out on a sightseeing tour of the Sri Lankan capital, visiting must-see sights such as Gangarama Temple, the National Museum and the sleek Seema Malaka Temple. 

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: The Tintagel is located in the middle of the city, surrounded by upmarket residences and shops. It’s approximately a 45-minute drive away from the airport and five minutes’ walk from Odel Shopping Mall, the most desirable shopping location in the area.

History: Colombo was one of the most popular East-West trade routes in centuries past. The Tintagel, a colonial mansion that takes one back in time, echoes such history.

Service: The Tintagel is widely-known for its unbeatable, bespoke service, and its friendly, warm staff.

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Tintagel Preferred Hotel
Why We Love This Hotel

History: Since the late 19th century, this elegant townhouse has welcomed dignitaries, governors and nobility from all over the world.

Location: Set on leafy Park Street in central Colombo, Uga Residence is an urban oasis.

Service: With years of experience, the hotel’s team is on hand to advise on city excursions, onward travel and anything else that’s required.

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Uga Residence Preferred Hotel

Day 2

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Bogawantalawa Valley

Today, drive three hours to Kitulgala, a small scenic town located in lush rainforest on the bank of the Kelani River. From here, you'll embark upon a forest trek of around 10 miles, crossing the Kelani River and ascending the Seven Maidens Mountains. Along the way, you'll pass through small villages and tea plantations. Alternatively, you can walk the nature trail through Makandawa rainforest, where you can spot endemic Sri Lankan wildlife and a wide array of colorful birds. In the evening, check into your colonial bungalow at the luxurious Ceylon Tea Trails property, set in the fertile landscape of Sri Lankan tea country.

Hotel Options
Why We Love This Hotel

Location: This hotel enjoys a stunning and unique location, nestled high in the hills of Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Tea region, bordering the World Heritage Central Highlands.

Service: Each room and suite comes with a personal butler, who serves guests Bed Tea in the morning and draws them a bath.

History: The world’s first-ever tea bungalow resort, this hotel celebrates the historic tea plants of Ceylon, first discovered over a century ago.

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Ceylon Tea Trails Preferred Hotel
Bogawantalawa Valley
Bogawantalawa Valley

Day 3

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Bogawantalawa Valley

Today you'll set out on a trek of Sri Pada, Adam's Peak. It's a distance of 7.5 miles to get to the top of the mountain, at 7,400 feet above sea level – a trip of roughly four hours. The trip is usually done at night – starting just after midnight – so you reach the peak in time for daybreak. As a popular pilgrimage route, you will most likely meet others on their way to the temple at the top. Return to Ceylon Tea Trails in the afternoon and relax in your spacious bungalow.

Day 4

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Nuwara Eliya

After enjoying a hearty butler-served breakfast in your room, you'll travel to Haputale in the southern highlands. Haputale is a quiet town of mist-covered mountain peaks and tea plantations. Today, you'll walk up to Lipton Seat in the Dambetenna Estate, named after tea pioneer Sir Thomas Lipton. His favorite vantage point, Lipton Seat, is at around 6,200 feet elevation, and the view extends for miles over verdant valleys and tea-covered hills. Walk down through Naya Bedde Estate, then drive to Nuwara Eliya. Here, you'll check into the Tudor-style Grand Hotel.

Hotel Options
About

The former residence of Sir Edward Barnes, Governor of Sri Lanka from 1830 to 1850, the Grand Hotel is a Tudor-style mansion set amidst boxwood and fir trees overlooking the calm waters of Lake Gregory. Hunting and fishing trophies decorate the walls, infusing the property with the tranquility of times past.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Nuwara Eliya
Nuwara Eliya

Day 5

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Nuwara Eliya

Today you'll leave the hotel early for a picnic breakfast in Horton Plains, around 20 miles from Nuwara Eliya. This national parkland is located on a plateau at an elevation of around 7,000 feet. One of its main attractions is World's End, a sheer drop of around 2,800 feet. You have time to explore Horton Plains today, keeping an eye out for native birdlife, unique flora and resident animals such as bear monkeys and Sambar deer. Once back in Nuwara Eliya, you'll embark upon a trek to Single Tree Hill and the high-altitude village of Shantipura. You'll enjoy the vistas from Uda Radella viewpoint before returning to your hotel.

Day 6

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Kandy

Enjoy a scenic train ride from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy, where you will begin with an expedition to Udawatta Kele Sanctuary. This expansive reserve once served as a pleasure forest for Kandy royalty and is now home to a rich array of bird species, tropical plants and mammals. It also houses Buddhist dwellings and rock shelters for hermit monks. After exploring Udawatta, visit the nearby Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of Kandy's most important and popular sites, said to possess a tooth of Siddhartha Buddha.

Hotel Options
About

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.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

About

This historic dwelling was once the ancestral home of a Kandyan family and was restored to its former splendor in 2005 by Channa Daswatte, Geoffrey Bawa’s protege. The two-story main house is surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens, which have avocado, jackwood, papaya, Sri Lankan orange and Kithul trees - the perfect setting for afternoon tea complete with Kandy House’s desserts made with treacle from Kithul blossoms.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

About

Tucked away in green in the heart of the city, Kings Pavilion offers an urban retreat in a prime Kandy location. Guest rooms are decorated in a cozy and modern style, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows flooding the space with natural light and balconies with mountain views.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Kandy
Kandy

Day 7

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Sigiriya

Drive to Central Sri Lanka today for a trek from Knuckles Range to Deanston Park. This trip will take you via Corbet's Gap, showcasing the distinct eco-systems of the country in a single location, with endemic species of birds and animals across several strata. The five peaks here resemble a closed fist, hence the name Knuckles Range. After today's trek, you'll be driven to Sigiriya for the evening. 

Hotel Options
About

Nestled amongst reed beds and paddy fields on top of a man-made lake lies Jetwing Vil Uyana, a premier luxury eco resort in Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. Hailed by Harper's Bazaar as the "best eco luxury hotel in Sri Lanka," this one-of-a-kind resort comprises 36 dwellings that merge sophisticated modern comforts with ecological rural simplicity.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

About

Located just six kilometers away from the historic Sigiriya Rock, Water Garden Sigiriya resort provides visitors to Sri Lanka with world-class comfort and second to none service. With one and two bedroom options, the resort's 30 villas are chicly designed, spacious, and imbued with an air of mystique thanks to their secret gardens and private plunge pools.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Day 8

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Sigiriya

In the morning, you'll drive to the nearby Lion Rock, Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This historic site once housed a palace on its peak and still retains ancient frescoes and water gardens. A staircase guarded by the Lion Gate climbs the 650-foot rise to the top, where you can explore its 5th-century ruins and enjoy 360-degree views of the surrounding wilderness. In the afternoon, you'll trek for a few hours through the forests before heading back to the hotel for the night.

Sigiriya
Sigiriya

Day 9

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Negombo

Drive to the coastal town of Negombo today and enjoy a boat trip into the wetlands of Muthurajawela. This area is rich with wildlife, including a wide range of water bird species, water monitors, crocodiles and pythons. In Negombo, you can spend the evening trying out restaurants and bars or just relax at your beachside resort.

Hotel Options
About

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.

This accommodation has been personally vetted by the Remote Lands team and is the best available in the area. More information on this property is available on the “Hotels” tab at the top of the page.

Day 10

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Departure

Say goodbye to Sri Lanka today as you check out of your hotel and are transferred to Colombo, where you will check in for your departing flight to your next destination.

Why Remote Lands?

Exclusively Asia

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.

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