10 Days Touring Sri Lanka
It’s been a little while since my trip to Sri Lanka, but this part of the world remains the most special place I’ve visited.
Juggling annual leave limitations meant we could travel for two weeks at most, so to see as much of this beautiful country as possible we decided to book a group tour with TruTravels.
This was our first tour experience so we were both excited and nervous at the prospect of spending so long with a bunch of strangers, but what an experience it turned out to be.
Day One
We set off from Birmingham Airport and eventually landed in Colombo, with a short layover in the UAE on the way. Walking out of the airport, I still remember feeling this wave of humid air wash over me. I’d visited hot countries before but nothing compared to this.
We hopped in our car transfer and made our way to our first hotel of the trip, located in Negombo. To re-energise after the two long flights, our first day was spent exploring the beach, hopping into little shops and cafes along the main street, and getting to know the others on the tour at the welcome dinner.
Day Two
Leaving Negombo behind, we set off early to travel to Sigiriya.
Here we were staying in a large three-story house. Our room was on the second floor, and there was an enormous communal area on the ground floor where we dined on a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast in the mornings and had a few too many shots at night.
Once we’d settled in, we headed to Dambulla Cave Temple to see the Golden Buddha. This was an amazing way to dive straight into the country’s culture, just watch out for those thieving monkeys if you visit.
Day Three
Our third day began insanely early, because today we were climbing Sigiriya Rock (aka Lion Rock) at sunrise. This was challenging in the heat, but the views from the top were out of this world and absolutely worth the struggle.
Later that day we visited a village for a fireside cooking experience. On the journey there we experienced a huge thunderstorm, and when it rains it absolutely pours, which made for an interesting open boat ride down the river to our dinner spot.
Once we’d dried off we made a delicious dhal from scratch, feasted on a huge plate of food, and enjoyed a few local drinks with the family who hosted us.
Things got a bit wild after a few too many drinks were consumed by some of the group, so it became an eventful night back at the house. This definitely wasn’t a tour highlight, but that’s the risk you take when travelling with a group.
Day Four
Leaving Sigiriya behind, we set off for Kandy and stopped at a spice garden on the way. Arriving to our new hillside hotel, we quickly learned that we had to keep the doors shut to avoid a monkey invasion.
Whilst in Kandy we visited Temple of the Tooth, set next to the stunning Kandy Lake. Listening to the beat of the drums, lighting candles, inhaling the wafts of incense, and watching the sun sink behind the temple as the skies turned shades of pink and purple was a magical experience.
Day Five
Without a doubt, day five was one of the best.
We first arrived at a tea plantation to pick tea leaves and collect them in baskets that hung from our heads, before taking tuk-tuks to a cooking class where we made some incredible dishes in the heart of the tropical rainforest.
Finally, we took the famous blue train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella. This was an epic journey with mountain views as far as you could see, palm fronds brushing the exterior of the carriages, and a gentle breeze coming through the open doors.
You’ve no doubt seen the Instagram shots where people hang out of the doors, by all means have a peek out but do it with caution as it can be dangerous.
Our new hotel in Ella was by far the best of the trip. The room was huge and the balcony looked out to a panoramic view that can only be compared to a scene from Jurassic Park (except instead of dinosaurs we had all kinds of spiders and insects).
Day Six
To start our full day in Ella, we hiked Little Adams Peak where once again the scenery was breathtaking from every angle. We spent some time sat on top of the mountain above the clouds, before travelling back into town for lunch.
Later we walked down to Nine Arch Bridge to watch the blue train pass through from a different perspective. I still can’t believe how close some people got to the edge of that bridge without fear of the huge drop below!
Day Seven
After a pancake breakfast on the terrace, we left Ella and stopped off at a nearby waterfall, before activating safari mode in Udawalawe National Park.
We checked into our glamping tents, went for a dip in the pool, and enjoyed a chilled night of drinks and games with the group before setting our alarms for an early start the next morning.
Day Eight
It was time to embark on our sunrise safari, which happened to be the first safari experience I’d ever been on. Needless to say it was unbelievable, and it didn’t take long to spot some wild animals, including herds of elephants.
Afterwards we made our way south to Galle for lunch, a historic beachside town home to the Dutch Fort, before travelling on to our final stop of the tour in Unawatuna.
Day Nine
Today was all about relaxation. We ventured down to Jungle Beach to relax, play games, and swim in the ocean. It really was the perfect place to wind down after an incredible whirlwind of an adventure.
The day ended in a beachfront restaurant and bar, where we all drank far too many cocktails, sang and danced in the rain, and said an emotional farewell to our amazing tour guide and the group we’d grown so close to over the past 10 days.
Day Ten
We hadn’t had more than about two hours of sleep, but we were back up at a silly hour to begin the three-hour journey back to the airport ready for two flights back to the UK.
Everyone but us stayed a day or two longer, and I still regret that we didn’t do the same! This for sure was a trip of a lifetime that I’ll never forget.
Would I do a group tour again? Definitely, but how I like to travel has changed a bit since this tour, so next time I’d go for one with nicer hotels and a little less partying.
Tips for travelling in Sri Lanka
- Apply for a visa before you fly
- Take some Sri Lankan Rupees and use a travel money card (such as Monzo)
- Pack a mix of clothes as the weather changes quickly and you’ll need to cover up for temples
- Try all the local food, I loved the Kottu
- You’ll be fine with either a suitcase or a backpack, but packing pods are essential
- Experience a tuk-tuk ride if you can
- Pack a lot of mosquito repellent and bite cream