This is our itinerary for three weeks in Sri Lanka. We went to Sri Lanka over Christmas and New year 2016-2017. We hired a car with driver, and from Colombo we went to Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella, Yala National Park, Tangalle, Unawatuna and Galle. We visited Kaudulla and Hortons Plains National Parks.
Sri Lanka is small in area but incredibly varied in landscapes, climate, culture and wildlife. The cultural triangle around Sigiriya is rich in history and ruins of past kingdoms before the colonisation. The tea plantations around Kandy are in a landscape of green rolling hills and cooler temperatures than on the coast, and it was good to relax for some day at an ecological tea estate. In Kaudulla national park we saw large herds of elephants, and in Yala national park we were lucky enough to see a leopard. The cloud forest and Worlds end in Hortons plain national park was unlike everything else and very beautiful. The coast of Tangalle was a relaxed and family friendly way to experience the beautiful Indian Ocean.
Using the map: Use the mouse to zoom and pan. Click the button in the top-left corner to open a navigation menu. There you can select or de-select specific types of content we have added to the map.
Itinerary
Where we went and where we stayed. It is an itinerary for three weeks in Sri Lanka at a slow pace with children.
The coast at Negombo. Owners of catamarans offer an experience on the ocean.
Pollonnaruwa in the cultural triangle. The capital of an ancient kingdom. It covers a large area and there are many ruins to explore.
Pollonnaruwa
Sigiriya The Lion Rock is perhaps the best known of Sri Lanka’s iconic landmarks. Once the capital of a kingdom, the rock was both a fortress and a palace.
Sigiriya. Around the rock itself, there is ruins of the large complex that surrounded the rock.
Elephants in Kaudulla National park. The elephants on Sri Lanka are not fenced in and roam the island freely. When we visited, a large herd was in Kaudulla.
Elephants in Kaudulla National park
Safari in Kaudulla National park
Dance performed at Kandy cultural club
Tea highland. The green rolling hill and the pleasent climate makes the tea highland a very nice place to visit.
Waterfalls
Tea plantation. We visited the Lipton tea factory and learned the history of tea production in Sri Lanka. The tea pluckers of present-day Sri Lanka still live under very poor working and living conditions.
Train to Nuwara Eliya. The train ride is a classic Sri Lankan experience and passes beautiful scenery.
Tea highland
Tea tasting at AMBA estate. AMA estate produces organic and artesanal teas of high quality, and provide working and living conditions above the average.
Tea highland at AMBA estate. There are several possibilities for small hikes. The dog joined us on one of our walks and led us to this viewpoint.
At AMBA estate
Horton plains national park. The cloud forest in this national park is a thing of it’s own, and opens up yet another landscape of Sri Lanka.
Horton plains national park
Horton plains national park
Worlds end at Horton plains national park. The steep drop is what has earned the fame of Worlds End. And despite the crowds and hype, it really is very beautiful.
Tea plantation. The pluckers can live all their lives on the plantations, where there is also schools for children.
Tea plantation
Little Adams peak outside Ella is a nice, short hike
The iconic Nine arch bridge near Ella
Ready for safari in Yala national park
Safari in Yala national park
Safari in Yala national park
Look at those eyes! The leopard is the main attraction in the park, and we were lucky to see this one just a few metres from the vehicle. Safari in Yala national park.
Safari in Yala national park
Safari in Yala national park
Safari in Yala national park. A recent kill.
Safari in Yala national park
The beach in Yala national park. The safari includes a visit to the beach. You are not allowed to swim, but we only found out after the boys had taken a dip.
Fishermen return to Tangalle for the night.
Tangalle
We went on a tour in this small catamaran in the lagoon in Tangalle
The beach at Villa Tangalle Lagoon.
Galle
Tuk tuk’s in Galle
Unawatuna sunset
Curry. We loved the many varieties of curry’s in Sri Lanka, and even in the simplest restaurants the dining was great.
