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Private Tour · 4★ hotels 11 Days Sri Lanka Tour: Dambulla, Kandy, Yala & Bentota Beach – 4-Star Hotels4-star hotel version: Eleven slower days with elephants, Sigiriya at your own pace, tea hills, a Yala safari and three beach nights at Bentota, planned with families in mind. Private Tour · 4★ hotelsModerate intensityEnglish-speaking guide Tour priceFromUSD 1,320per person This 11 day Sri Lanka tour from Dambulla to Yala is planned for travellers who would rather see fewer places properly than race through many. It works well for families with children, for couples who like a steady rhythm and for anyone travelling with older relatives, because nearly every day leaves a long pause at the hotel and the biggest climb on the route is entirely optional. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver-guide, and the last three nights are spent beside the sea. Stay in 4-star hotelsThis version of the tour is booked in 4-star hotels for all 10 nights: Amaya Lake in Dambulla, Mahaweli Reach Hotel in Kandy, Araliya Green Hills in Nuwara Eliya, Chaarya Resort & Spa in Tissamaharama and Temple Tree Resort & Spa in Bentota, or similar hotels of the same standard. Rooms are double or twin, or single if you travel alone, with breakfast included each morning. The route, the sightseeing and your private driver-guide are the same as on the 3-star and 2-star version of this tour, so the difference is a more comfortable room, a better restaurant and pool, and in most places a quieter setting. Lunch, dinner, entrance fees, activity fees and train tickets are not included in the price. Who the 11 day Sri Lanka tour from Dambulla to Yala suitsThe pace is the whole idea. Mornings go to the main sight, midday to lunch and a rest, and late afternoons to something gentle such as a lake paddle, a garden or a jeep ride. Nobody needs special fitness. The one demanding moment is the stairway up Sigiriya, and it can be swapped for the water gardens and lower terraces if the heat or small legs say no. Children usually remember the elephants and the ox-cart best, adults the temples and the train. The route and where you sleepYou land at the airport, meet your driver and head inland to Dambulla for two nights, stopping at the Pinnawala elephants on the way. Kandy follows for two nights, then a single cool night in Nuwara Eliya. A day of train and road carries you down to Tissamaharama for two nights beside Yala, and the tour ends on the west coast with three nights at Bentota. Because you unpack only five times, more of the trip goes on looking around and less on repacking bags. Moments worth the journeyAt Sigiriya you begin in the symmetrical water gardens below the fortress that King Kashyapa built in the fifth century, and you decide at the foot of the stairs how far to go. Those who continue climb roughly 1,200 steps past the Mirror Wall and the lion's paws to the palace ruins about 200 m above the forest. Later, a jeep ride at Minneriya takes you to an ancient reservoir where wild elephants often gather in the drier months, a very different scale of animal from the gentle ones at Pinnawala. A day later a village outside Sigiriya shows rural life at walking speed: an ox-cart ride past the paddy, a paddle in an outrigger canoe on the village lake and a lunch of rice and curry cooked over a wood fire. Kandy brings relics and drums, the hills bring a tea factory and a train that drifts above the valleys from Nanu Oya to Ella, and Yala brings a dawn drive in an open 4x4 with a tracker, where a leopard is the prize and everything else is a welcome extra. Beach days at BentotaAfter a walk around Galle Fort on the way, you reach Bentota, where the river meets the sea. One day goes to a boat trip through the Madu mangroves with a visit to a turtle hatchery, and one day is deliberately empty. Swim, read, book an Ayurveda massage, or try kayaking or a banana-boat ride on the calm river if you want some action. Having this much time at the end also protects the trip, because if anyone is tired the schedule simply absorbs it. Comfort and what is includedYour driver-guide stays with you throughout, explains what you see and knows when to leave a site before the busiest groups arrive. Hotels are booked on a bed-and-breakfast plan, so breakfast is included each morning and you choose your own lunches and dinners along the way, apart from the village lunch in the programme; your driver-guide is happy to suggest good local restaurants. Entrance fees and jeep fees are paid separately and your guide arranges them on the day. Dress modestly at temples and carry a light jumper for Nuwara Eliya, where evenings turn cold. Best time for this routeKandy, the hills and the south-west coast are driest roughly from December to March, which also suits the Bentota beaches and the views from the train. Yala is at its best in the drier months, and the Cultural Triangle is driest from about April to September, with the Minneriya elephants gathering most often between July and October. February and March sit comfortably between the two. In other months you trade some sunshine for greener scenery and quieter roads. Adjusting the planEvery stage can be changed before you book: an extra night in the hills, a whale-watching morning from Mirissa in the season, a longer stay by the sea or a gentler first week. Tell us who is travelling and how active you like to be, and we will shape the days around that. Tour highlights
Day-by-day itinerary Your driver-guide meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board and takes care of the luggage. The road inland to Dambulla takes roughly three and a half to four hours, so the day is split in the middle by a visit to the elephants. Keep water in the car, and say so if anyone wants a stop sooner. Nothing here is timed to the minute. Pinnawala lies beside the Maha Oya river, about an hour and a half from Colombo on the way towards Kandy. The orphanage began in 1975 on a coconut estate of around 25 acres, caring for orphaned and injured elephants found in the forests. Calves under three are still fed from bottles by their keepers, which small children tend to watch with total attention. Twice a day the whole herd is led down to the river to bathe, and that walk is the best moment of the visit: a line of elephants crossing the road, then a long wallow in the shallows. Your guide can tell you which bathing time suits your arrival and can explain that this is a managed herd rather than wild animals. The Dambulla cave temple is optional today. Many families keep it for a cooler morning later, and tired travellers sometimes skip it altogether. If you do go, a stone stairway leads up to five caves under one great overhanging rock. Inside stand 153 Buddha statues, three royal figures and four gods, and painted scenes cover the ceilings. Worshippers have used the place for over two thousand years, and UNESCO listed it in 1991. Take off your shoes at the entrance and cover shoulders and knees. Your hotel stands beside a lake. Dinner is your choice, with the hotel restaurant the simplest option, and an early night is the sensible ending after a long journey. Accommodation Amaya Lake or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 After breakfast you drive about 30 to 40 minutes to Sigiriya. Arriving early matters, because the stone steps are in shade for a while and the heat has not yet built up. Bring a hat, a bottle of water and shoes with a good grip. The visit starts in the water gardens at the base, a tidy layout of pools, channels and terraces that show how carefully the royal builders planned the place. This stretch is flat and easy, so everyone in the family can enjoy it whatever they decide about the rock itself. King Kashyapa made his fortress here in the fifth century, and locals often call it the Eighth Wonder of the World. The climb is up to you. The route passes the polished Mirror Wall, the pair of giant lion's paws that once framed the entrance and the painted maidens in a sheltered pocket of the cliff. From there, roughly 1,200 steps lead to the ruins of the palace about 200 m above the forest, with views across the plain in every direction. Steps are steep in places, so stop on the platforms and let your guide set the speed. If someone prefers to wait, the gardens and lower terraces make a satisfying morning on their own. Back at the hotel, lunch and a long rest are part of the plan. Anyone who skipped the Dambulla caves yesterday can add them now as an option. In the late afternoon a jeep takes you to Minneriya, where an ancient reservoir dating from the third century draws wild elephants down to the water. In the drier months herds can number in the hundreds, and mothers with calves are a common sight. You return at dusk, when the hotel restaurant or a place nearby makes an easy dinner. Jeep fees are paid separately. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Amaya Lake or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today you leave the Dambulla area and travel on to Kandy, with two stops that suit curious children and adults alike. The first is a village near Sigiriya, where the morning is spent doing rather than watching. You begin among the paddy fields, then climb into a bullock cart for a slow ride along the village tracks. Next comes a paddle across the village lake in a narrow outrigger canoe, a wobbly and cheerful experience with a local boatman steering. A farmer shows you a chena plot, the small seasonal field cut at the edge of the forest, and explains what grows there. In a family house you watch the cooking demonstration, grinding and stirring included, and then sit down to the lunch that was made: rice with a spread of vegetable curries, cooked over a wood fire. Ask for the chilli level to be softened if children are eating. In the afternoon you drive on towards Kandy, a trip of roughly two and a half to three hours from Dambulla, pausing at a spice garden in Matale, around 25 km from the hill capital. Guides walk you past cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves, show how each plant grows and is prepared, and explain the herbal remedies used in Ayurveda. The gardens work with a group of local farmers, and you can buy spices if you wish, though there is no pressure. You reach Kandy by early evening. Your hotel stands up in the hills above the town, so the rest of the day is for unpacking, a swim if the weather allows and dinner. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Kandy asks for a full day, and you have one. The old royal capital sits around a small lake in the hills, and the morning begins with a gem workshop, a short and easy visit. A reconstructed mine shows how sapphires and other stones are dug out, and a film follows each one through cutting and setting. You are free to browse the showroom, and equally free to walk out without buying. Lunch is followed by Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens, about 5 km west of the city and roughly 460 m above sea level. The gardens occupy a bend of the Mahaweli river, and they hold more than four thousand plant species across 147 acres. The roots of the place go back to 1371, when King Wickramabahu III held court near here, while the formal garden took shape in the early nineteenth century. Walk the palm-lined avenues, peer into the orchid house and let children run on the wide lawns. It is also where the first tea plant brought from China was planted. Allow a relaxed couple of hours and carry an umbrella, as showers arrive quickly. Late in the afternoon you reach the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Tradition says the Buddha's tooth reached the island in the fourth century, smuggled in the hair of a princess from Orissa, and it has been the most revered treasure of the Buddhist world here ever since. Drummers and worshippers with flowers fill the inner halls at ritual times. Please wear long trousers or a long skirt, and leave your shoes at the gate. The day closes with a Kandyan dance show, where drums, acrobatics and brightly costumed performers fill a short and lively hour. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today the road climbs from Kandy into the tea country. The drive to Nuwara Eliya takes about three to four hours, but with stops it fills the day comfortably, and the scenery changes from green valleys to terraces of clipped tea bushes. The first stop is a working tea estate and factory. Tea is a British-era story here: planters saw that the central hills suited the crop, and the very first plant was brought from China and put into the Peradeniya gardens you saw yesterday. Inside the factory you follow the leaf from plucking through withering, rolling, fermenting and drying to grading, and the smell alone is worth the stop. The visit finishes with a cup of freshly made Ceylon tea and a view over the slopes. Anyone who does not drink tea will usually find the machinery fascinating. Further up the road you pause at Ramboda Falls, a tall, multi-tiered cascade beside the highway. A little further on stands a brightly painted Hindu temple dedicated to Hanuman, with an 18-foot statue of the monkey god that children tend to love. These are short stops, ideal for photographs and a stretch. Nuwara Eliya sits at about 1,900 m, and its colonial bungalows, lawns and flower beds have earned it the nickname Little England. Your guide can show you the market, Gregory Lake and Victoria Park, and if energy remains the Hakgala Botanical Gardens or the Seetha Amman Temple, both optional. Evenings are cold, so keep a warm layer to hand. For dinner, the hotel restaurant is an easy choice, and your driver can suggest somewhere nearby. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Araliya Green Hills or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 This is the day the tour changes from hills to plains, and the best part is done on rails. After breakfast your driver takes you the short distance to Nanu Oya station, where you board the scenic train towards Ella while the vehicle goes ahead to meet you there. Your guide handles the tickets and tells you where to sit. The journey takes about three to four hours. The line follows tracks laid by the British in 1864, originally to carry tea and coffee from the estates, and it threads through tea terraces, tunnels, forest and a string of waterfalls. Travellers lean from open doorways and windows, so keep cameras strapped and hold children firmly. Carriages can be crowded, and a calm approach helps; delays of a few minutes are normal. In Ella your driver is waiting. The first visit is the Nine Arch Bridge near Demodara, a curved viaduct of stone and cement that went up in 1921 with no iron reinforcement at all, and still carries trains over the jungle. Arrive in time for a train to cross, and the blue carriages against the green arches make a picture that is hard to forget. A short walk through the trees leads to the viewpoint. Next is Ravana Falls beside the main road, about 82 feet high and shaped like a drooping areca flower when the water runs full. It shrinks in the dry months, but it is easy to reach. Then the road descends for about two hours to Tissamaharama. Check in, take a swim and go to bed early, because tomorrow's safari starts before dawn. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Chaarya Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Your alarm rings very early. You leave around five in the morning with a breakfast pack, because the best hours in Yala are the first ones, when the air is cool and the animals are on the move. The drive to the park gate is short from Tissamaharama. Yala is the most visited wildlife park in Sri Lanka and holds one of the highest known densities of leopards. You ride in an open 4x4 with a tracker who knows the tanks, rocks and tracks, and the safari lasts around three hours. Leopards are the prize, but they are shy and never a certainty. Elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, peacocks, buffalo and a long list of birds make up a good morning even without a cat. Keep voices low, wear neutral colours and bring a hat, sunscreen and binoculars if you own a pair. Children are welcome, though the bumpy ride and the early start suit older ones best. By late morning you are back at the hotel for a proper breakfast or brunch and a long rest. The afternoon has no plan on purpose. Swim, nap, read, or stroll to the Tissa Wewa reservoir and the white stupa at the centre of town. If anyone prefers a second drive, an afternoon safari can replace the morning one instead, which suits families who dislike early alarms. Park fees and the jeep are paid separately, and your guide arranges them. Choose between the hotel restaurant and a place nearby for dinner, then enjoy an early night once more. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Chaarya Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today you leave the safari country and head for the sea. The drive from Tissamaharama to Galle takes roughly three hours, and you stop in the old walled town for lunch and a walk before continuing to the beach. Galle Fort began as a Portuguese stronghold in 1588 and was greatly extended by the Dutch from 1649 onwards. For about two centuries it served as a trading port for spices and other goods, and the thick stone walls still enclose a grid of narrow lanes with whitewashed houses, small galleries, boutiques and cafes. UNESCO lists the whole place. It is easy to explore on foot and flat enough for children and grandparents. The best way to see it is along the ramparts. Climb up beside the lighthouse and follow the wall around the headland, with the sea on one side and tiled roofs on the other. Pass the clock tower and the old Dutch Reformed Church, called the Groote Kerk, and then dip back into the lanes for a cold drink. Your guide can add stories about the families who lived here, and you are free to browse the shops at your own speed. Wear a hat and light clothes; there is little shade on the walls at midday. From Galle the drive to Bentota is only about an hour along the coast. Your beach hotel is ready for you, and the three nights here are the slow end of the trip. Take a swim before dinner if the sea is calm. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 After a relaxed breakfast you set off for the Madu River, a short drive from Bentota. The river opens into a maze of mangrove channels and small islands, and a boat ride here is easy, shaded in places and suitable for children who can sit still for an hour. The boatman steers between walls of roots, pointing out birds, monitor lizards and fishing nets, while your guide explains how the wetland works. One stop is a small cinnamon-peeling demonstration, where bark is stripped, rolled and left to dry into the quills you see in shops. Another is a temple on its own island, reached by a short walk. A third is a fish spa platform, where tiny fish nibble gently at your feet. It tickles more than it hurts, and children usually shriek with laughter, though anyone with cuts should skip it. After lunch you travel to the Kosgoda turtle hatchery. Five species of sea turtle come ashore on this stretch of coast, and the hatchery protects the eggs, cares for injured animals and releases hatchlings into the sea at dusk. You can look into the tanks and ask questions. Visitors often wonder whether such places are good for the animals, and your guide can explain what the hatchery does and what it does not. The afternoon is yours again. Return to the hotel for a swim, or stroll along the sand. Dinner is your own choice this evening, and the hotel restaurant makes it simple. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 Today has no timetable. After eleven days of road, temples and early alarms, the point is to do very little, and the schedule leaves your driver free to take you anywhere you fancy. Bentota has a wide, sandy beach, and the sea is best for swimming when it is calm; watch the flags and ask the hotel staff about currents. Behind the beach the Bentota river runs gently towards the sea, and calm water makes it a good place to try kayaking, a banana-boat ride or a jet-ski. These water sports are optional and paid for on the spot. Bentota is also known for Ayurveda, the traditional system of herbal medicine and massage. Many hotels and clinics offer treatments from a single massage to a longer course, and an hour of oil massage is a good way to relax tired legs after the Sigiriya steps. If you want something quiet and green, ask your driver to take you to the gardens created by the Bawa brothers nearby, a pleasant walk among trimmed lawns and tall trees. Or stay put. Lie by the pool, read, watch the waves, eat a long lunch of grilled fish and fresh fruit, and wander the beach at sunset when the fishermen pull in their boats and the light turns gold. A slow day like this often turns out to be the one families remember. Pack your bag this evening, because the airport transfer takes roughly two hours tomorrow. Meals Breakfast Accommodation Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similar Included Activities
Landmarks
 After breakfast you check out and your driver-guide takes you to the airport, a drive of roughly two hours along the west coast. Your departure time decides when you leave, and we plan the morning around your flight, leaving a comfortable margin. If there is time before you go, enjoy a last walk on the sand or a final swim. Your driver can also stop on the way for a coffee or to pick up gifts. At the airport he helps with luggage and says goodbye. Thank you for travelling with Volata Travels. Meals Breakfast Included Activities
Landmarks
Route mapWhere you'll stayThese are the hotels we plan to use. If one of them is full on your dates, we book another hotel of the same standard (“or similar”) and tell you its name before you travel. Amaya Lake or similarDambulla 2 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similarKandy 2 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Araliya Green Hills or similarNuwara Eliya 1 night · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Chaarya Resort & Spa or similarTissamaharama 2 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel Temple Tree Resort & Spa or similarBentota 3 nights · Bed and breakfast · or a similar 4-star hotel What's included
What's not included
Pickup & drop-offPickup: Your Volata Travels driver-guide meets you in the arrivals hall at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), Katunayake, with a name board. Pick-up from a hotel in Colombo or Negombo can also be arranged. Drop-off: Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) for your departure flight, with the timing planned around your flight. Important informationItinerary order and overnight stops can be adjusted to fit your dates and pace — this is a private tour built around you, not a fixed departure. Cancellation policyAll cancellations must be received in writing by your Volata Tour Consultant. 19.1 Unless otherwise specified in your quotation, the following cancellation terms will apply to your booking: 19.1.1 Cancellations received between the date of booking and 61 days prior to departure will result in the loss of the deposit. 19.1.2 Cancellations received 60 – 46 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 25% of the tour price. 19.1.3 Cancellations received 45 – 29 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 50% of the tour price. 19.1.4 Cancellations received 28 – 15 days prior to departure will be subject to a cancellation charge of 75% of the tour price. 19.1.5 Cancellations received 14 days or less prior to departure will be subject to a forfeiture of the entire tour price. 19.2 Cancellation of airline tickets will be subject to the refund policy of each individual airline and may be greater than the percentages above particularly when low cost/net-based fares are used. 19.3 The purchase of special event tickets is subject to the refund policy of each individual event. Please refer to the specific event policy for details. 19.4 Volata reserve the right to charge for financial penalties, fees and losses incurred in excess of your cancellation fee as a result of cancellation.... What travellers say4.8 average from 11 customer reviews GB Giulia Bianchi, Italy Great Sri Lanka HolidayOur experience with Volata Travels was very positive. We wanted a private tour rather than a large group, and the program allowed us to travel at our own pace. The vehicle was clean and comfortable and the driver was always ready before the scheduled departure time. We stayed in several different types of hotels during the journey, from a city hotel in Colombo to mountain accommodation in Nuwara Eliya and a beach property on the southern coast. The hotel arrangements matched the itinerary well. We particularly appreciated having breakfast included because it made the mornings easier. The sightseeing program covered Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Ella, Yala and Galle, giving us a good combination of culture, nature and beaches. Whenever we wanted to spend a little longer at a location, the driver helped us adjust the timing where possible. The airport transfer at the end was also handled smoothly. Overall, it was a comfortable and memorable Sri Lanka holiday. Our selected hotel arrangements were comfortable, including Selected 4-star hotels with breakfast and dinner. The accommodation worked well with the daily sightseeing schedule and gave us a good place to relax after travelling. VR Valeria Rossi, Italy A beautiful and memorable journey. The cultural experiences were fascinating, and the service was warm. IT Isla Thompson, New Zealand We loved the mountain views and the relaxed feel of Ella. The trip was thoughtfully planned and full of interesting experiences. MN Marta Nowak, Poland We had a wonderful trip. The scenery was beautiful, and the cultural stops added a lot to the experience. NA Nikesh Anmol, Australia A fantastic way to experience Sri Lanka’s southern coast. Comfortable, scenic, and full of character. OK Omar Khalil, Jordan A wonderful experience with a knowledgeable guide and gorgeous coastal scenery. DI Daria Ionescu, Romania Comfortable, informative, and enjoyable. Galle Fort was the highlight for us. LP Logan Price, United States An easy, enjoyable trip with excellent organization. Galle Fort was unforgettable. You might also like      Ready to plan your Sri Lanka trip?Tell us your dates and interests — we'll put together a private itinerary within a day. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this 11 day tour suitable for children?
Yes, it was designed with families in mind. Drives are broken up by short stops, most afternoons are free for rest, and children usually enjoy the elephants, the ox-cart, the canoe, the train and the beach. The Yala safari starts before dawn, so an afternoon drive can replace it for younger ones. Tell us the children's ages when you enquire and we will check seat belts, child seats and the pace of each day.
How hard is the Sigiriya climb, and can we skip it?
The climb is about 1,200 steps, some steep and open to the sun, so it suits steady walkers rather than anyone with knee or heart problems. You can stop on the platforms, turn back at any point or skip it. The water gardens and lower terraces are flat and still give a clear idea of the site, and the day has a long afternoon break either way.
How long is the scenic train ride, and is it comfortable?
The ride from Nanu Oya to Ella takes roughly three to four hours. Seats are simple rather than luxurious, carriages can be busy, and delays of a few minutes are normal. Most guests find the views of tea slopes, tunnels and waterfalls worth it. Your driver meets you in Ella, so there is no luggage to carry on the train, and the road alternative remains available if anyone prefers it.
What is the best time for this route?
No month suits every stop. Kandy, the hills and the Bentota coast are driest roughly from December to March, while the Cultural Triangle is drier from about April to September. Yala is best in the drier months. February and March are a good compromise. In the wetter months you will see greener scenery and fewer visitors, though showers can interrupt outdoor plans.
How much driving is there each day?
Most days include between one and four hours on the road, broken by sights. The longest stretches are the first day from the airport to Dambulla, roughly three and a half to four hours, the hills day to Nuwara Eliya, three to four hours, and the day from Tissamaharama to Galle, about three hours. Your driver-guide plans comfort stops, and children can nap in the air-conditioned vehicle.
Can we add whale watching or more beach nights?
Yes. Mirissa is about 45 minutes beyond Galle, and about two hours from Bentota, and whale-watching boats there usually run from around November to April, leaving early in the morning. We can move the free day or add a night on the south coast. Sightings are never certain, so we describe it as an option rather than part of the programme.
What should we pack for hills and beach?
Bring light cotton clothes for most days, a warm jumper or fleece for Nuwara Eliya, a rain jacket, walking shoes with grip for Sigiriya, a hat, sunscreen and swimwear. Cover shoulders and knees at temples, and carry a scarf if you like. Neutral colours help on safari, and a small day bag keeps water, tissues and insect repellent at hand.
Is the Yala jeep safari included, and will we see a leopard?
A Yala jeep safari with a tracker is part of the programme, and park and jeep fees are paid separately on the day. Yala has one of the highest leopard densities known, so there is a good chance of seeing one, but wild animals do not keep appointments. Elephants, crocodiles, peacocks and many birds are likely even if the cat stays hidden.
What's included in the 11-day tour price?
Meet and greet at Bandaranaike International Airport; 10 nights in 4-star hotels (or similar), double or twin room sharing; a single room if you travel alone; Daily breakfast at your hotels (bed and breakfast); All transfers and sightseeing in a private air-conditioned vehicle; English-speaking driver-guide throughout the tour; Fuel, parking, driver accommodation and highway fees. The tour costs USD 1320 per person when two adults share a room, or USD 2527 for one traveller in a single room, for 10 nights / 11 days. These prices are valid for travel from 8 October 2026 to 30 November 2027.
What's not included?
International flights and the Sri Lanka ETA visa fee; Lunches, dinners and drinks (breakfast is included); Entrance fees and activity fees (Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya Rock, Minneriya jeep safari, village experience, Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and cultural show, Peradeniya Royal Botanic Gardens, Yala jeep safari and more); Optional tours and optional activities; Train tickets (if you choose the scenic train); Hotel supplements when you travel on 24 December and 31 December (New Year), and the Christmas supplement on 24 December; Tips, porterage and personal expenses; Early check-in and late check-out at hotels; Travel insurance and bank charges.
Is the price the same on 24 and 31 December?
Not quite. Hotels charge a compulsory supplement for the nights of 24 December (Christmas Eve) and 31 December (New Year's Eve), and these supplements are not included in the tour price. If your dates include either night, tell us when you enquire and we will confirm the supplement for the hotels on your route before you book.
Can I customize this tour?
Yes. The order of stops, the number of nights in each place, the hotels and the activities can all be adjusted to your dates, pace and budget — this is a private tour built around you, not a fixed group departure. Tell us what you would like to change and we will send a revised quote.
What is the cancellation policy?
All cancellations must be received in writing by your Volata Tour Consultant. Cancellations received up to 61 days before departure result in the loss of the deposit. Between 60 and 46 days before departure a charge of 25% of the tour price applies; between 45 and 29 days, 50%; between 28 and 15 days, 75%; and 14 days or less before departure the entire tour price is forfeited. Airline tickets follow the refund policy of each airline, and special event tickets follow the policy of each event. The full Terms & Conditions are at www.volatatravels.com/terms-and-conditions.