Sri Lanka Family Holiday

12 days
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Small Group Tour
Naturally gorgeous, culturally captivating and steeped in mysticism, Sri Lanka makes for a wonderful introduction to both travel and the Indian subcontinent for children and adults alike. Embark on a 12-day family tour and discover temples carved from cliffs, fortresses built on boulders and wildlife-rich parks. Expose your family to different ways of life wh...
26%
$2,822
From$2,090
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • The whole family will be impressed by the ancient rock fortress Sigiriya, from the massive stone lion paws at the entrance to the 200-metre climb to the top.
    • Spotting elephants in their natural habitat during a jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park is something your kids – and you – will never forget.
    • Share dinner with a Sri Lankan family before sealing the friendship with an informal lesson in a traditional Kandyan dance.
    • Explore the Dambulla cave temples, where prehistoric Sri Lankans lived thousands of years ago and ancient murals and statues depicting the Buddha are on display.
    • Soak up some sun during a strategically scheduled beach break along the palm-fringed sands of Mirissa, where the kids can splash, and you can relax.

What's this trip about?

    Naturally gorgeous, culturally captivating and steeped in mysticism, Sri Lanka makes for a wonderful introduction to both travel and the Indian subcontinent for children and adults alike. Embark on a 12-day family tour and discover temples carved from cliffs, fortresses built on boulders and wildlife-rich parks. Expose your family to different ways of life while cycling through peaceful villages and touring working tea plantations. Wonder at wildlife when you go safari in search of wild elephants, deer and crocodiles. Chill out by the beach in Mirissa while the kids are playing with other young travellers on the tour. Educational, active and leisurely paced, this trip is everything you could want in a family getaway.

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range5 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityNegombo
End CityColombo

Travel Themes

  • Family Friendly
  • National Parks
  • Nature & Wildlife

Destinations

Attractions

  • Dambulla
  • Mirissa
  • Negombo

Activities

  • Wildlife viewing

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • Dambulla - Cave Temples
    • Sigiriya - Bike ride
    • Sigiriya - Lion Rock Fortress Visit
    • Kandy - Botanical Gardens
    • Matale - Spice Garden
    • Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
    • Train ride from Nanu Oya to Bandarawela
    • Bandarawela - Country side trek
    • Bandarawela - Tea Plucking Experience
    • Udewalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
    • Mirissa - Kite Flying

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Negombo

Welcome to Sri Lanka! Known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, the island offers travellers palm-studded beaches, rolling plantations, and sacred sights steeped in spirituality. There are no activities planned today until your group welcome meeting at 5 pm.

Day 2 Dambulla

Begin the adventure by heading to Dambulla by private vehicle, located at the end of a moderate 4-hour drive from Negombo. This town plays home to some of the world’s most spectacularly decorated cave temples. Upon arrival, choose whether to join an optional excursion...

Day 3 Dambulla

Today’s adventure takes you from Dambulla to Sigiriya, a colossal stone monument hosting a ruined fortress. Let the kids burn off some energy with a climb to the top of enormous rock, checking out the murals and caves along the way. If the weather is playing nicely, y...

Day 4 Kandy

Say farewell to Dambulla in the morning and make a 3-hour drive to beautiful Kandy, often called the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. The verdant hills surrounding the city, along with the tranquil lake in the centre, creates the perfect scenery for family photo opportu...

Day 5 Kandy

This morning, visit Dalada Maligawa (the Temple of the Tooth), which houses the country's most sacred relic: a tooth said to belong to the Gautama Buddha. Pilgrims have been coming to pay homage at this site since the 16th century and they still come in droves today,...

Day 6 Bandarawela

After breakfast hit the road by private bus past lush green hills to Nuwara Eliya (3 hours), a former colonial hill station built entirely during the 19th century. The old world architecture reflects what you might expect to find in an English village and the town is ...

Day 7 Bandarawela

After a few busy days on the road, today unfolds at a slower pace. Bandarawela is an unhurried, unpretentious hill town that exists to supply the needs of the tea plantation workers and their families. Another distinctive feature of Bandarawela is the colonial flavour...

Day 8 Udawalawe

After a hearty breakfast and 8.30 am checkout, drive to Udawalawe National Park (approximately 3 hours). This park has an amazing array of animal and birdlife, with more herds of wild elephants than anywhere else in Sri Lanka. Following lunch, hop in a jeep for a safa...

Day 9 Mirissa

Join your leader for an early morning, four-kilometre walk to a nearby lake which is home to lots of local birds. Head back to camp and fill up on a hearty meal before travelling to the chilled-out beach town of Mirissa. This is one of the best spots in Sri Lanka and ...

Day 10 Mirissa

Take free time today to relax around Mirissa’s lovely waterfront or take in some of the local sights. The waters are clear and inviting if you’d like to go for a splash in the Laccadive Sea, or you could grab a bite of fresh fish to share with the family. If you’re in...

Day 11 Colombo

Check out of the hotel and head towards Colombo. Once you arrive, take a bit of time to wander through the bazaar and take in the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling market. Afterwards, enjoy a bit of free time. You’re in the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, so ...

Day 12 Colombo

Your Sri Lankan family holiday concludes this morning after breakfast. There are no activities planned for today and you are able to depart the hotel at any time after check out at 12 pm. If you are departing later in the day, you can arrange luggage storage at the hotel. Additional accommodation is available through your agent at the time of booking, subject to availability.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,090
Price per day$174
Last Updated: 6/4/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
20 Dec 2024
31 Dec 2024
$2,530
22 Dec 2024
02 Jan 2025
$2,590
28 Dec 2024
08 Jan 2025
$2,445
03 Jan 2025
14 Jan 2025
$2,235
10 Jan 2025
21 Jan 2025
$2,175
29 Mar 2025
09 Apr 2025
$2,090
03 Apr 2025
14 Apr 2025
$2,090
05 Apr 2025
16 Apr 2025
$2,130
06 Apr 2025
17 Apr 2025
$2,150
08 Apr 2025
19 Apr 2025
$2,090

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for all types of travelers at a range of different price points and trips to off-the-beaten-path destinations.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Hotel (10 nights),Camping (1 night)

Transportation & Flights

Private bus,train,bicycle,

Transportation & flights

Private bus,train,bicycle
Guides
All Intrepid Family trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to assist your family to take the hassle out of your travels and help you have the best trip possible. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for fun things to do and see - for both kids and parents, recommend great local eating venues that will even get the kids trying new things, and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. Our leaders are not babysitters on this trip - we leave that to you (the experts), but they will make sure that group members of all ages are able to explore their destination safely and with as much fun as possible. Our group leaders are not responsible for looking after children at any time and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times throughout this itinerary.
Travel Insurance
https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below:
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR SRI LANKA TRAIN TICKET BOOKINGS Train tickets in Sri Lanka must be booked with passport numbers. Please make sure you provide us with your correct passport number no later than 60 days prior to departure. If you have to renew your passport after booking please notify us as soon as you have a new passport number.
Age Requirements
5 years and up
Additional Information

Finish point

  • Fairway Colombo
  • No. 7, Hospital Street,
  • Colombo 01
  • Colombo
  • SRI LANKA
  • Phone: +94 (0)112153153
Trip ID
intrepid-HHFL

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