Sri Lanka & The Maldives, From Colombo to North Male Atoll

Sri Lankan Culture + Maldives Dream Extension 4^*

On arrival, you'll be greeted by our representative. En route, you can visit the fishing village of Negombo

Transfer to your hotel. In the evening, enjoy a guided tour of Colombo.

City tour of Colombo :

This Colombo city tour focuses on exploring Sri Lanka's commercial capital, Colombo. Brimming with energy throughout the day, it's a colorful and culturally rich city, offering a fascinating insight into Sri Lanka's national psyche. During your short stay, you can visit the former Dutch Wolfendhal Church (built in 1749), a Hindu temple and the famous Gangarama Temple facing Lake Beira. As you stroll through the city, you'll also see a plethora of shopping malls housing designer brands, beautifully landscaped gardens and colonial quarters such as the Dutch Hospital, etc.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Colombo.

Then on to Dambulla, visiting the Millennium elephant orphanage en route.

Elephant orphanage - Optional:

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is an orphanage, nursery and captive breeding facility for wild Asian elephants, located in the village of Pinnawala, 13 km northeast of the town of Kegalle, in the province of Sabaragamuwa, Sri Lanka. Pinnawala is home to the world's largest herd of captive elephants. Transfer to hotel and check-in.

In the evening, visit to the Mineriya National Park:

Minneriya National Park lies between Habarana and Polonnaruwa. Covering an area of 8890 hectares, the park is an ideal place to observe elephants and leopards. The park's vegetation consists of mixed evergreen and scrubland. An important feature of the park is the Minneriya reservoir, built in the 3rd century. During the dry season, the Minneriya reservoir becomes the ideal place to observe natural wildlife. Minneriya National Park is home to 24 mammal species, 160 bird species, 75 butterfly species, 9 amphibian species, 26 fish species and 25 reptile species.

Transfer to hotel.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Dambulla.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, visit Sigiriya.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site, a spectacular rock fortress, is one of Sri Lanka's main attractions. The most impressive facets of this unique complex are the water gardens, the frescoes of beautiful maidens, the wall of mirrors with ancient graffiti, the lion platform and the 1.6-hectare summit, which was entirely covered with buildings during Sigiriya's heyday. Built by King Kashyapa (477-495 A.D.), the Lion Rock is an unusually beautiful citadel rising 200 m from the scrubby jungle.

Hike in a village:

Trek through this archetypal Sri Lankan village. The trek begins with a picturesque walk along the bund of a Wewa (man-made reservoir). Amazing birdlife, butterflies and the possibility of spotting a crocodile only add to the charm of this trek. Watch as villagers go about their morning chores of fishing or washing clothes on the lake's outskirts. We start by fording a shallow stream, then cross a wider tributary in an obliging farmer's catamaran to inspect Chena crops (slash-and-burn agriculture). With the farmer's help, pick some fresh vegetables from the field.

Transfer to hotel.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Dambulla.

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you'll head for Kandy. En route, you can visit the Dambulla Caves temple and the Spice Garden.

Dambulla troglodyte temple :

Located in the north-central province, this UNESCO World Heritage Site, which dates back to the 1st century BC, is an astonishing complex of 5 caves, first used as a refuge by an ancient king who, when he regained his throne, commissioned magnificent images carved in the living rock. Subsequent kings made further improvements, and the caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha, the largest of which is a colossal 15-metre figure. Inscriptions in the caves date back to the 2nd century B.C., and there are numerous paintings on the walls, most of which belong to the Kandy period (early 19th century).

After the tour, return to Kandy and visit the Matale spice garden en route.

The island has been famous for its spices since medieval times and is considered one of the main reasons why Europeans conquered the island and Arabs traded here from the 14th century onwards. The most interesting aspect is the opportunity you will have to identify the real spice plants that you know so well from your everyday life. A qualified guide will give you a guided tour of the garden and a presentation of its products. Enjoy a special head and shoulder massage in the spice garden.

Return to your hotel.

In the evening, enjoy a tuk tuk ride around the city of Kandy. Visit a batik factory, a gem museum and the "Tooth Relic Temple " in Kandy.

A charming, exotic city, the capital of the hills and last stronghold of the Sinhalese kings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that retains an aura of grandeur unaltered by time. Surrounded by hills, with a tranquil lake at its center, it is the site of the famous temple housing the relic of Buddha's tooth and the Royal Botanical Gardens, home to one of the world's finest collections of orchids.

Enjoy a cultural dance in Kandy.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Kandy.

After a fresh breakfast, you'll drive to Nuwara Eliya where you can see the tea pickers at work in the tea plantations. You can visit the tea plantation and experience walking among the soft tea plants and talking to the tea pickers.

Tea factory:

Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest tea exporters, with a thriving tea industry dominating the island's central highlands. Introduced to the country by British tea planter James Taylor in 1867, tea has irreversibly changed the topography, and even the demography, of the country.

Check-in at hotel.

In the evening, enjoy a guided tour of Nuwara Eliya, including Victoria Park, the Pink Post Office and St. Clare's Waterfall.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast at the hotel, you head for Yala and visit the Ravana waterfall and Ravana cave en route.

Check-in at hotel in Yala.

In the evening, experience the wilderness of Yala National Park by 4x4 Jeep**.

Yala National Park is a vast area of forests, grasslands and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean in southeastern Sri Lanka. It is home to wild animals such as leopards, elephants and crocodiles, as well as hundreds of species of birds. Inland, Sithulpawwa is an ancient Buddhist monastery. Nearby caves contain centuries-old cave paintings. To the south-west, Magul Maha Viharaya also boasts ancient Buddhist ruins. Both are places of pilgrimage.

Transfer to hotel.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Yala.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for Galle and visit of the temple of Kataragama.

Continue to Galle and visit the turtle hatchery.

Arrive at your hotel.

In the evening, enjoy a stroll through the Fort of Galle.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast, departure for Bandaranaike** international airport (approx. 155 km from Galle) for your extension to the Maldives (Travel time: approx. 2h20).

The flight to Velana airport** (Maldives) takes approx. 1h10.

On arrival, our representatives will be waiting for you at the airport with a sign and will assist you with the transfer to the resort at the airport by domestic flight and then by speedboat.

After reaching the resort, you can check in to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day on an all-inclusive meal plan.

Please note: You need to be at the airport approximately 3 hours before departure.

After breakfast, you can enjoy the resort's facilities and activities on your own.

Explore the white sandy beach on an all-inclusive package.

After breakfast, you can enjoy the resort's facilities and activities on your own.

Explore the white sandy beach on an all-inclusive package.

After breakfast, you can enjoy the resort's facilities and activities on your own.

Explore the white sandy beach on an all-inclusive package.

After breakfast, departure for Male airport** (MLE). Transfer from the resort by seaplane.

Please note that you must be at the airport 3 hours before departure.

Since August 15, 2023, French nationals are ** visa-free for stays of up to 45 days** (including days of entry and exit), regardless of passport type and purpose of stay.

To benefit from this visa exemption, the expiry date of the French passport must not be less than six months before the end of the stay in Vietnam.

Tourist visa exemption (maximum 45 days, including entry and exit days), e-visa (maximum 90 days, including multiple entry and exit days), and tourist visas in general are not extendable or renewable on the spot. Neither the French Embassy in Hanoi nor the Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City can intervene in these matters, which are the responsibility of the Vietnamese authorities.

Flight times and hotel names will be given when we send you your voucher, i.e. a maximum of 48 hours before departure.

**For people booking the "hotel only" package (without international flight), please let us know your flight details as soon as possible via the contact form in "Help and contact" at the bottom of the page, so that we can organize your transfers **

In accordance with the amendments to the Tourism Law issued by the Maldivian government, applicable to all travelers arriving in the Maldives, the ecological tax payable by travelers upon arrival at hotels (including resorts, tourist hotels, hotels, tourist guest houses, tourist ships) is 12.00 USD per person per day.

Return airport/hotel transfers are provided.

Domestic flights between Colombo and Malé are included.

Tips for drivers and guides.

Driver-guides speak English.