HIKING & TREKKING
For adventurers and thrill seekers, there are multiple opportunities for hiking in Sri Lanka. Most hikes commence from the Hill country region of Sri Lanka, which includes towns like Ella and Nuwara Eliya that serve as a base to set off on some breathtaking trails. Other interesting hikes are around the cultural triangle of the country. Whether you're looking for easy trails or adventurous hikes, or simply exploring the serene cascades across the region, you can never run out of exciting things to do in Sri Lanka.
You ought to take a 45 minute drive from Nuwara Eliya to the starting point of the trek. The scenic route along the narrow mountain paths eventually leads to the Horton Plains National Park - one of the few National Parks that can be explored on foot. The highlight of this hike is going up to the World's End point where the plateau takes a fall of 800m with a surreal view of the valley. A dreamy cascade along the horton plains, bound to take your breath away.
The quaint town of Ella, perched in the Sri Lankan hill country region has a lot more to offer than lush green tea plantations. For all those thrill seekers, Ella is the base for two of the most famous treks on the island. If you're looking to go hiking in Sri Lanka, these are two unmissable trails. An easy hike to the highest cliff in the village, both treks are the perfect points to experience a picturesque panoramic view of the entire region. We highly recommend that you commence the hike early morning to witness a splendid sunrise from the summit. According to "Tour Radar" hiking & trekking for about eight days would roughly cost $150-3199 per person.
Surfing
It's been not too many years since surfing has come into the frame of this fabulous island and gained blistering popularity, making Sri Lanka widely-known tropical surf paradise. And there's a good reason for that. Warm water, palm-fringed sandy beaches and all kind of surf spots for any taste and level: reef breaks, beach breaks, point breaks. Variety is the keyword. Perfect place to begin/advance in your surf journey. To give you a helping hand, we created this Sri Lanka surf guide with all the necessary info you need to know for perfect surf get away.
If you can't stay away from fizzy mojitos and fresh coconut juice while on your surf holiday, Mirissa has a few spots that might be worth of checking out. It's not considered a surf mecca like some of the other surf spots on our list, but it has a popular reef break, which is ideal for intermediate and advanced surfers. Mirissa coast is lined with lots of restaurants and caffes along the shore, as well as bustling nightlife scene, for those after a parties.
Relaxed surf village, located on the southwest coast, Midigama is famous for five consistent surf points within walking distance to each other, that are definitely worth of marking on your Sri Lanka surf travel map. Short 5-10 minutes ride from our surf camp and you're hitting few of the best surf spots in the area. Make sure to check out our guiding surf package for the best experience. You would definitely need an experienced surf guide to ride at Midigama surf breaks, as those are pretty tough to handle and require knowledge on specifics of each one.
Ahangama, a former fishing village that comes right after Midigama, boasts its long stretch of beautiful tropical shoreline, offering all sorts of surf breaks - from sandy-bottomed beach breaks for beginners to rocky points and reefs for intermediate and expert surfers. 15-20 minutes ride from The Surfer, our surf and yoga camp, and you're enjoying beautiful sunrise/sunset surf session with incredible views of Ahangama.
Widely renowned as one of the best surfing destinations not only in Sri Lanka, but in the whole Asia, Arugam Bay is rightfully believed to be a surfing mecca of the island. During high season (from May to October) the area is bustling with cheerful, eager surf crowd from advanced surfers to those just getting their feet in, as Arugam Bay has variety of the best surfing spots on the East catering to any level. From the gentle swells of Pottuvil Point to the rushing swells of Peanut Farm you are sure to catch your perfect wave here. Okanda, is one of the furthest surf spots from Arugam Bay, expect a 45-minute drive or more. The point break is good for intermediate and advanced surfers. According to "Lush Palm" surfing in Sri Lanka would roughly ranges from $42-200 per person per day.
Explore More Book TicketsWhite Water Rafting
After coming off the slopes of Adam's Peak, the clear waters of the Kelani Riverwind their way through the Hill Country of inland Sri Lanka before emptying into the Indian Ocean. The put in for rafting is just upstream from Kithulgala, a small town in the tea country. After a safety briefing and a few pointers on rafting technique, you can jump right into the action. Seven high quality, class II and III rapids and temperate waters make the Kelani a premier introduction to the sport of whitewater or an exciting choice for experienced rafters. The river hosts rapids between grades 2 and 3, with the rafting stretch approximately 6.5 kilometers in length, and taking between 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete, depending on water levels. With the Kelani's special “Killer Fall” and “Butter Crunch” rapids, rafters are guaranteed a challenge, but are also offered a chance to relax, with small calm stretches allowing a refreshing swim in the river to unwind. Ideal times are from May to December, although there are no “bad” times. The river is dam controlled. Therefore, water levels can be low in April, but can also be quite high during the monsoon season. Along the way, you'll have the option to hike down one of the river's side canyons where we'll jump into plunge pools, wade across “potholes,” and shoot down a few slides. The Lower Kelani is the second leg of combined rafting and canyoning trip and is suitable for children of all ages. We have strict minimum age limits, and we do not take children under eleven rafting on the upper section with its Class III rapids. According to "Tripadvisor" white water rafting in Sri Lanka would roughly ranges from $20-160 per adult per day.
Explore More Book TicketsSafaris
When visiting the wonder of Asia that is Sri Lanka, your itinerary wouldn't be complete without a trip to one of the amazing Safaris on offer in the country. When you think of a safari, we typically think of Africa, but don't underestimate the greatness of a Sri Lanka Safari. There are 22 Sri Lanka national parks. But with so much choice, it's hard to know where to start searching for the perfect Sri lanka safari tours. Sri Lanka wildlife consists of amazing elephants, bears, leopards and so much more. Yala national park is probably the most popular and well known safari in all of Sri Lanka. It's the second largest national park in Sri Lanka and it's a wonderful safari experience for all, especially families. The only problem with Yala is that because it is so popular, you're going to be in a park that is filled with jeeps. You may even see more jeeps than animals, and because of the high number of visitors, the chances of seeing leopards is slim due to the noise etc. But, you have a very high chance of seeing lots of elephants, so if you love elephants and don't mind the crowds, then it's a great choice!
Udawalawe National Park is smaller, a third of the size of Yala, covering 308 square km (119 square miles). Nonetheless, given its smaller size, Udawalawe has a greater density of animal to size ratio, particularly with Sri Lankan elephants. Being a less popular safari destination than Udawalawe, it is also quieter, which makes it a more enjoyable safari experience. According to "Dream Big Travel Far" blog, depending on the duration of the safari the prices could range from $33-725 applied from 4 hours to 2 days.
Explore More Book TicketsSightseeing
The South Asian island nation of Sri Lanka offers visitors a dizzying array of things to see and do. You can experience tourist attractions like the towering new Lotus Tower in the capital city of Colombo, or see elephants living their best life in the forest at Minneriya National Park. There are also outdoor attractions like doing a leopard-watching safari at Yala National Park or hiking a pilgrimage trail at night to see the sunrise on the summit of Adam's Peak.
Throughout Sri Lanka there are natural caves that have been enlarged and excavated to be turned into cave temples. Like other temples, they honor Buddha and other deities (and a few kings) with large statues and relics. The Dambulla cave temple is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It's the largest cave temple complex in the country and the best preserved. Of particular interest are the beautiful, now-preserved and conserved colorful wall murals that decorate the cave walls. Aside from the cave temples, there is a large, golden Buddha statue at the base of the mountain, giving the site its other name, the Golden Temple of Dambulla. Dambulla is about two hours outside Colombo. Find more about "Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple" by clicking on this dedicated heritage page.
This ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya was once the mountaintop palace of the island's king. Believed to have been constructed during the 4th and 5th centuries CE, the palace ruins are at the top of a 660-foot (220-meter) rock formation. The sides of the mountain had giant frescoes painted on them, and halfway up the mountain there's a giant gateway carved in the shape of a lion. The structure's name means lion rock in ancient Sanskrit. The palace above and the city complex below are one of the world's most important examples of urban planning in the first millennium. The ruins are near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province of the country. Find more about "Sigiriya" by clicking on this dedicated heritage page. According to "Circle Ceylon" prices could go from free to $500 per day, per adult.
Explore More Book TicketsWhale Watching
Sri Lanka is becoming one of the most successful places to see both blue and sperm whales, which can be found off the island's southern coast. The best time to go is between December and April when the sea is calm and these spectacular mammals traverse the Sri Lankan waters. During this period the chance of spotting whales and large pods of dolphins is very likely, often only a few miles off the coast. Group departures generally leave Mirissa Harbour, near Dondra Point at around 7 am returning later in the morning or early afternoon depending on the sightings. Life jackets are provided on board the boat. Mirissa Harbour is only about 40 minutes from the city of Galle depending on traffic. According to "Viator" prices for a cruise could go from $30-670 per day trip.
Explore More Book TicketsDiving
Bathed in warm Indian Ocean currents, and with 1600 km of palm-fringed coastline, Sri Lanka is an amazing dive destination. The waters of Sri Lanka are home to an incredible range of marine creatures from massive blue whales all the way through to tiny nudibranch. Sri Lanka has an abundance of great sites to discover including wrecks scattered off the coast - local divers are still discovering new ones. Many of the wrecks are covered in marine life, soft corals, macro critters and large aggregations of schooling fish. Above the surface, Sri Lanka also boasts wildlife reserves, which protect native species such as leopards, porcupines and anteaters. It is also famous for unique foods and teas, which should be sampled as part of any dive trip.
October-May is high season for diving the west and south-west coast, and May-October is the best time to dive the north-east coast. With incredible diving, friendly locals, amazing food and top side treasures, Sri Lanka truly offers it all. Prices differ from whether there's equipments or not and the number of days. According to "island scuba" prices for a diving could go from $80-975.
Explore More Book TicketsCamping
Sri Lanka is home to many national parks where travelers can go camping. Camping in Sri Lanka will give you firsthand views of wild elephants, leopards, and many species of birds. There are plenty of spots around the island suitable for camping, but the most scenic areas Yala, Wilpattu, Gal Oya, and the Knuckles Mountain Range. With choices ranging from classic camping sites to more comfortable glamping setups, camping in Sri Lanka can be an unforgettable experience. According to "Tripadvisor" camping in Sri Lanka would roughly ranges from $36-800 per day.
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