Bikes, Buddha and Boats

1. 1–2

   Days 1–2

   Depart UK, arrive Sri Lanka & transfer to Negombo

   Meals included: lunch and dinner

   Overnight flight to Sri Lanka. We arrive at Bandaranayake International Airport and are met before being transferred to Negombo. NEGOMBO town is a historically interesting place strongly influenced by the Catholic Church. The narrow strip of land between the lagoon & the sea and the many canals makes for good exploring. The Dutch captured the town from the Portuguese in 1640, lost it again in the same year, and then captured it again in 1644. The British then took it from them in 1796 without a struggle. Negombo was one of the most important sources of cinnamon during the Dutch era, and there are still reminders of the European days.

2. 3–4

   Days 3–4

   The Mud House

   All meals included

   As we start to acclimatise, a couple of days at The Mud House is ideal! Far from the beaten track and largely untouched by tourists, there are plenty of opportunities to meet the locals and work on the site’s organic farm. We can explore the local area by bike, kayak or simply walk between the lakes and paddies or clamber on the unusual rock formations. You won’t want to drag yourself away.

3. 5–6

   Days 5–6

   Anuradhapura. Wilpattu Mannar Island

   All meals included

   After a transfer to and tour of in Anuradhapura. We will get the opportunity to visit one of Sri Lanka’s oldest wildlife reserves and enjoy an afternoon safari. We then drive to Mannar Island visiting the Thantirimale Temple and the catholic shrine of Our Lady of Madhu. After a night on the island, we get to do some sightseeing around Mannar Island.

4. 7–14

   Days 7–14

   Homestay in Poonakaray - Appe Lanka

   All meals included

   This morning we will enjoy a drive further North to the village of Poonakaray where we will stay with local families. The next few days will be spent working on a variety of projects aimed at providing basic social and infrastructure services to communities, mainly Tamil, ravaged by decades of civil war. This will be an eye opening and highly rewarding project for both the local community and for the students too.

5. 15–16

   Days 15–16

   Jaffna and Delft Islands

   All meals included

   Early this morning we’ll drive to Jaffna, Sri Lanka’s northern most city and spend a day visiting a huge Hindu Temple, the colourful gopuram tower as well as the colonial star shaped fort. These two days are a great opportunity to relax after the hard work on the previous week.

6. 17–18

   Days 17–18

   Anuradhapura Dambulla Sigiriya. Polonnaruwa

   All meals included

   Today we head south with an early morning train ride back to Anuradhapura and then a two hour drive to the famous Dambulla Caves. In the late afternoon, we’ll enjoy a tour of the amazing Cave Temple. During the temple tour, we make our way through five caves, containing over 150 images of Buddha going back to 1st century BC when King Valagambahu took refuge here. The second cave, the most elaborate and most spectacular of the five, is the largest - 170ft long, 75ft broad and 21ft high. There is a large reclining Buddha statue and statues of two kings.

   On the following day we visit Sigiriya. Rising nearly 700 feet above one of Asia’s most well-preserved ancient, landscaped gardens, the rock fortress of Sigiriya, a giant granite monolith, is an unforgettable site. First thing this morning we take the dramatic footpath which zigzags its way up, past the famous Mirror Wall and to the top of the rock fortress. At the top, we spend time with the local monkeys enjoying the vast panoramic views and exploring the fortress, including the swimming pool that the King would relax by with his concubines. Even after all this there is still time to explore the stunning Polonnaruwa by bike!

7. 19–22

   Days 19–22

   Trekking Adams Peak and the Knuckles Range

   All meals included

   We have a number of options for trekking in the stunning central Highlands. We can take in the sacred Adams Peak, trek in the Knuckles Range or visit Nuwara Eliya and Horton National Park. Adam's Peak (2243m), known locally as ‘Sri Pada’, is a pilgrimage site and at peak season can be very busy with throngs of pilgrim ascending the lit staircase. 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. The trekking is simply stunning through the Tea plantations. Tea production is one Sri Lanka's main sources of foreign exchange, and the country is the world's fourth largest producer of tea. The humidity, cool temperatures and rainfall of the Central Highlands all combine to produce a very high-quality tea. We trek through the wet and dry zones, in the hill country and the low country, semi-evergreen forest and grasslands and lowland evergreen virgin rainforest. The flora and fauna is simply breathtaking with a wide variety of insects, reptiles and amphibians. There are also a small number of leopards, although these are very rarely seen due to the dense foliage.

8. 23–24

   Days 23–24

   Galle / city tour / free evening

   All meals included

   After long 3 weeks trekking, traveling and working with the villagers in the North we will finally have time to relax and enjoy the south coast. We will have time to chill out on the beach as well as visit the Turtle Hatchery at Habaraduwa. Our night stop will be in the ancient port of Galle, also known as being Sri Lanka’s first international commerce and trade centre. Today Galle is the bustling provincial capital and administrative centre of the south. It is famous for its beautiful Unawatuna Bay, where the sea is protected by the reef, making swimming safe. After a city tour, we have a free afternoon and evening to explore and perhaps pick up some gifts for our family at home.

9. 25–26

   Days 25–26

   Transfer to airport for flight home

   Meal included: breakfast

   After breakfast, we’ll be transferred to the airport for our flight back to London. This is normally an overnight arriving back the following day.

Itineraries can change with the seasons, local conditions and your group's needs. Ask us and we'll tailor it.