Walking in Sri Lanka

The trip begins today in the coastal town of Negombo, famous for its fishing industry and golden sands. Our hotel is just a 15 minute drive north of the airport and a great place to relax after the journey to Sri Lanka. We may see fishing boats bring in the day's catch or a stunning sunset over the ocean.



Your trip Leader plans to meet everyone in the hotel reception at 6pm for the welcome meeting and for those that wish, there is the chance to go out for dinner as a group afterwards. There are no other activities planned for today. Should you miss the welcome meeting, your Leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up.



If you would like to receive a complimentary airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Colombo's Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), which is around 30 minutes' drive from our hotel.

We head inland today and stop to visit Dambulla, a complex of cave temples which date from the 1st century B.C. This atmospheric World Heritage Site still attracts scores of worshippers. We will visit five separate caves, which contain a large number of Buddha images and a few sculptures of Hindu Gods. In the early afternoon, we drive to either Minneriya or Kadaula National Park (depending on the season), where we enjoy a jeep safari to look for the herds of wild elephant that live here in large numbers. These parks are also home to an array of birdlife, including painted storks.

We make an early start this morning, heading off with a packed breakfast through the jungle and on village trails, to the ancient site of Sigiriya. On arrival we will climb the 200m high iconic Lion Rock ahead of the crowds and whilst it is still relatively cool. The ruins of this 5th century 'Sky Fortress' are one of Sri Lanka's major attractions, a stupendous sight to behold and a feat of consummate engineering skill. The fortress was built in just seven years to protect the palace of merciless King Kassapa, who had assassinated his father and deposed his brother. Unfortunately for the king, despite its impregnable reputation, he was defeated here by his brother after a reign of 18 years. A series of steps and steel stairways ascend to the top of the rock and halfway up, tucked beneath a sheltering overhang of rock, are the famous frescoes - the Sigiriya Damsels, their colours still glowing. Before the final ascent to the summit, we pass between a set of enormous lion paws carved out of the rock - all that remain of an ancient gateway that gave Sigiriya, the 'Lion Rock', its name. From the summit there are magnificent views of the surrounding jungle and countryside.



In the afternoon we will explore another ancient site on foot, the remains of the city of Polonnaruwa, which reached the height of its glory in the 12th century, when it was a thriving commercial and religious centre. The city still maintains many of its spectacular buildings and monuments, with arguably the most impressive being the Quadrangle which contains a superbly decorated circular shrine. Another famous feature of this deserted city is the group of carved images of the Buddha, known as Galvihara. These four colossal figures are all hewn out of solid granite and the Reclining Buddha alone is no less than 14 metres long.



We can expect this morning's six kilometre hike to take around three hours including the ascent/descent of 200m Lion Rock. The afternoon walk at Polonnaruwa is around four kilometres and will take approximately three-and-a-half hours including sightseeing. The terrain is flat.

This morning we head south to the Knuckles Mountain Range for a hike through the region's abundant forests and grasslands. Resembling a clenched fist, the mountains are a remarkable microcosm of the country, the isolated cloud forests providing a haven for a rich diversity of flora and fauna. To the south and east of the Knuckles lies the Mahaveli Valley, whilst the Matale Valley (also known as the spice valley of Sri Lanka) to the west encircles a collection of peaks unrivalled anywhere else in the country.



Our hike today takes us along the mainly earth and gravel paths of the Manigala Trail and we plan to enjoy our picnic lunch among these beautiful surroundings. We spend the night at the characterful Sir John's Bungalow. Built by the British during the colonial era as a residence for the Superintendent of the 1,300 acre Laggala tea estate, the Bungalow was once the holiday home of Sir John Kotalawala, the third Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. On a clear day, the gardens and terrace enjoy sweeping vistas of the north eastern Knuckles. Sir John's Bungalow retains its old-world charms and comforts, including roaring fireplaces in the living and dining rooms The bedrooms at the bungalow are simply furnished in a traditional style and have attached bathrooms with hot water showers. As there are just 5 rooms, you may, depending on the size of the group, need to share with three or four others (of the same sex).



Today's 16 kilometre hike is expected to take around five to six hours.

There's an option this morning to make an early start before breakfast and set off on a short trek to a spectacular viewpoint known locally as Mini World's End (after the more famous World's End sheer precipice in Sri Lanka's Horton Plains National Park), where the scarp slope drops almost vertically for 1192 metres affording magnificent panoramic views over the often mist shrouded landscapes. We return to the bunglow for breakfast and a chance to freshen up before driving to Kandy.



Sitting on a plateau some 500 metres above sea level, Kandy served as the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom until falling to the British in 1815. It is a place of cultural and spiritual importance with Buddhists from all over the world coming here to visit its famous Temple of the Tooth, the Dalada Maligawa. The jewelled shrine of the Holy Tooth, said to be Buddha's left canine, is kept in the upper floor of the original building. The relic was brought from India 1,500 years ago and every year, at the time of the August full moon, it is paraded round the town with great pomp and circumstance during the festival of Perehera. We plan to go on an orientation walk in the city on arrival.



This morning's optional six kilometre hike is expected to take around two hours.

This morning we head out by bus into the hills surrounding Kandy to the Ceylon Tea Museum which we'll visit before setting out on our walk on the Hantane Trail. The museum occupies the refurbished 1925-vintage Hantane Tea Factory and is supported by the Sri Lanka Tea Board and Planters' Association. There are exhibits on tea pioneers such as James Taylor and Thomas Lipton and after visiting you can enjoy a cuppa in the top-floor tearoom. The trek today is mostly down hill and takes us through beautiful tropical forest frequented by monkeys and a variety of birds to end at the Nllambe Meditation Centre in Galaha.



Returning to Kandy in the afternoon, the remainder of our time here is left free to explore more of the city. You can visit the Temple of the Tooth or wander around the lake. Kandy has many handicraft workshops, which have plenty of brassware, batik, lacquer work and other craft items to choose from. Kandyan dancers can also be seen performing every night at one or two venues around town.



Today's 18 kilometre hike is expected to take around five to six hours.

Departing Kandy this morning by train we will enjoy a scenic journey through Sri Lanka's Highlands to Hatton. As the train passes round hills and through valleys, strands of forest give way to the bright green tea bushes that cloak the landscape. Clusters of pickers, usually Tamil women, add splashes of colour in their colourful sarees. In an area known as 'Little England', where we will find red telephone boxes, Victorian colonial architecture and pretty rose gardens - Hatton served the coffee and tea estates of the colonial era. From Hatton its a short drive to Norwood from where we'll trek through the tea plantations and along the banks of the Castelreigh Reservoir. At the end of our walk, it's a short journey by bus to our guesthouse in Dalhousie, the town that is the base for anyone wanting to climb sacred Adam's Peak (2243m), known locally as Sri Pada. A depression at the top of the peak is said to be Buddha's footprint (or that of Shiva to Hindus and Adam to Christians and Muslims) and, each year during the period between the December and May full moon, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims climb to the top for sunrise.



A basic property, our accommodation in Dalhousie, the Punsisi Resthouse has clean and spacious rooms with en-suite bathrooms.



Today's 10 kilometre hike is expected to take around four hours.

During the pilgrimage season, the stone staircase to the top of the peak is floodlit and we will set out around midnight joining throngs of pilgrims on the 1000m ascent to the summit, in time for sunrise and amazing views. It can get very busy at times but our guides know some of the shorts cuts on the mountain to help us avoid any bottlenecks. Outside of the season, the path is not lit and we will depart later in the pre-dawn light to reach the summit later but still whilst the air is cool and to be back down at our guesthouse by early afternoon at the latest.



The Adam's Peak ascent is approximately 1000m the eight kilometre hike is expected to take around eight hours in total.

This morning we take the train again, alighting at Ohiya station from where we'll hike to our accommodation for the night, the appropriately named Misty Mountain Lodge in the hills of the Peak Wilderness Range within the Horton Plains National Park. The Park is located on a plateau at an altitude of 2,100-2,300 metres, it is covered by montane grassland and cloud forest and is rich in biodiversity; many species found here are endemic to the region. Misty Mountain Lodge is a simple trekkers lodge with just 8 rooms where we're accommodated in a variety of rooms from singles to dormitory style with up to 4 people in a room. Each room has an attached bathroom with hot water shower. sharing attached bathrooms.



Today's six kilometre hike is expected to take around two hours with a total ascent of 200 metres and descent of 300 metres.

We depart the lodge after breakfast on a trek through a mixture of tea plantations and jungle and villages to Kalupahana from where its a short drive to our tented camp near to the river at Belihuloya. The area experiences a specific climate linking the wet and dry zones with the hill country and the low country, all combining to make this an area of the country with a wide range of bio-diversity.



The tents we use at the Belihuloya camp are large walk-in pre-erected tents with camp beds and all bedding provided. A mess tent, table, chairs and all cutlery and utensils are also provided. A field toilet tent serves the camp and there are cold water camp showers.



Today's 14 kilometre trek is expected to take around four to five hours with a total ascent of 200 metres and descent of 800 metres.

After breakfast we take a walk through the rice paddies and villages in the Belihuloya area, eventually meeting up with our bus near Puwakgahawela. We then head for the Sinharaja Rainforest Reserve, a World Heritage Site of lowland evergreen virgin rainforest that is a bird watchers' paradise - 282 species have been sighted here. Other fauna include a large variety of insects, reptiles and amphibians. Although there are a small number of leopards, these are very rarely seen due to the dense foliage. The word 'Sinharaja' means lion king and legend has it that the Sinhala people of Sri Lanka originated from the union between a princess and the lion king who once lived in the forest!



Blue Magpie Lodge is a family run lodge set in peaceful jungle surroundings just five minutes from Sinharaja Forest Reserve. The simply furnished rooms all have attached bathrooms, hot running water, mosquito nets and fans. The lodge restaurant serves typical Sri Lankan country style food and fresh fruits in season.



Today's 10 kilometre walk is expected to take around three hours.

This morning we will enjoy a hike on some of the trails through the rainforest in the company of a specialist park guide who will point out some of the stunning plant, bird and animal-life of the reserve. Sinharaja is one of Sri Lanka's last areas of primary tropical rainforest. More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. The forest is often shrouded by rainclouds and the trail may be slippery underfoot.



In the afternoon we head for the seaside village of Unawatuna on the south coast, close to the historic port of Galle.



Today's eight kilometre rainforest hike is expected to take around three hours.

Today is left free to enjoy Unawatuna and the surrounding area. You can choose to relax on the beach or hire snorkelling equipment, or take a boat trip around the coast or upriver, past small largely uninhabited islands. The pretty coastal town of Galle is just a few kilometres away and easily reached by local bus or taxi. An important trading centre since ancient times, the fortifications that can be seen today were built by the Portuguese and then the Dutch from the 16th to the 17th centuries. The fort ramparts of this World Heritage Site protect the harbour and a myriad of fascinating old houses, churches and warehouses. Today, the town has a strong arts vibe, with foreign and local artists, writers, photographers, designers and poets drawing inspiration from their surrounds. Boutique shops and cafes around the town showcase their work.

We catch an early morning train from Galle to the lively capital Colombo, and have a picnic breakfast on the train. On arrival at the station we will head straight out a walking tour of Colombo (our bags are taken to the hotel) which will take you through the city's commercial heritage in terms of Portuguese, Dutch, and English influences, dating back from 17th century to the 1990s. The afternoon is left free to explore the city further or perhaps do some shopping. In the evening there's the option to join a unique guided walk around some of Colombo's old drinking spots, not the trendy new ones but the old taverns and pubs.