Less is More in Sri Lanka By World Journeys

Less is More in Sri Lanka By World Journeys

9 Days/ 8 Nights from $6,370 Price Per Person

Sales from 11 May 2023 to 30 April 2024

**Day 1: Colombo > Hatton**
On arrival transfer 4 ½ hours by road (or domestic air at additional cost) to Hatton and check in to your lovely boutique style hotel surrounded by tea estates and overlooking the Castlereagh Reservoir. Enjoy a nice dinner.

**Day 2: Hatton**
Morning at leisure by the pool. In the afternoon, head out for a boat trip on the lake.
The Castlereagh Reservoir stretches five kilometres between steep mountains cloaked in green tea. Getting out on the water is a really tranquil way to appreciate this stunning scenery and on this experience you’ll board a traditional dugout canoe, and gently explore the lake with a local fisherman. As you travel, almost silently, across the still water of the lake, you could enjoy a short circuit or a longer one taking in perhaps a visit to Warleigh Church at the reservoir’s northern end. You could also head south to explore the ruined spire of a Buddhist temple that pokes up from the water near the dam. Lunch and dinner are included today.

**Day 3: Hatton**
After breakfast, explore the local trails around your hotel. There are a variety of routes, whether you want a full day’s hike or just a gentle stroll.
You might see groups of women methodically plucking tea leaves, the trails also pass little Hindu shrines and tea weighing stations where the workers congregate to get their sacks of leaves weighed a few times a day. In the villages, you may suddenly find yourself surrounded by a gaggle of children, eager to practise their English skills and say hello. Many species of birds reside in the forests fringing the tea fields, as do wild cats and leopards.

**Day 4: Hatton**
Today, after breakfast, you will take in the glorious vistas of Hatton from a secret viewpoint whilst enjoying a delicious picnic lunch later on.
The story of tea in Sri Lanka starts with the Scottish planter James Taylor in 1866 in “Loolecondara” estate in Galaha the remnants of his cottage and tea bushes are still preserved as a permanent memento to the man credited for introducing tea to Sri Lanka.

**Day 5: Hatton > Galle**
Leave the dramatic, verdant scenery of the central hills behind and either drive (6.5 hours) or fly (additional cost) down to Koggala, a laidback beach town on the south coast which is just a stone’s throw from Galle. Spend the rest of the day at leisure.

**Day 6: Galle**
Join your guide exploring the rural waterways and back roads of Galle. Begin your journey on a small vessel past the soul-soothing scenery and daily life of rural Galle. Glide along river banks fringed by local villages, rubber and cinnamon plantations. Back on terra firma, your next leg is by bike. Take a stunning 9km ride through the region’s heart, picturesque paddy fields, hamlets and their markets. Your final stop is a traditional mud hut and the reward of a revitalising herbal tea, and fresh Sri Lankan hoppers straight from the fire.

Later this afternoon explore the Historic Galle Fort accompanied by a specialist guide. Begin your walk from the main entrance. Survey the inside of this remarkable fortification, the Indian Ocean beyond and iconic cricket ground as your host regales you with historic tales of its creation and threats. Meander your way past some of the fort’s best-known landmarks but look out also for some lesser-known gems. With 150 acres to explore, this tour will give comprehensive and captivating stories drawing from religion, history, architecture, daily life, and the devastation of the 2004 Tsunami.

**Day 7: Galle**
This morning, after breakfast, visit a cinnamon plantation to learn all about the spice that has lured traders from across the globe to Sri Lanka for hundreds of years. Explore the estate with your guide and see how cinnamon is grown, peeled, distilled and processed for its varied uses in cooking, aromatherapy and Ayurvedic medicine. Afterwards, head to a wattle-and-daub hut in a nearby rural area and learn how to cook traditional Sri Lankan dishes. Finish the experience with a hearty lunch of the fare you have made, eaten the authentic way – on a banana leaf with your hand!

**Day 8: Galle**
Enjoy your breakfast and take a day to completely relax on the beach.

**Day 9: Galle > Colombo**
After your breakfast, transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Inclusions

• • Tailor-made itinerary
  • 8 nights’ accommodation
  • 8 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 4 dinners
  • Meet & Greet at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport
  • English-speaking driver/guide
  • Private transportation by an air-conditioned vehicle
  • Sightseeing and entrance fees as per itinerary
  • Value Added Tax (VAT) & Tourism Tax