Grand Tour of Sri Lanka 2026-27

Departure on scheduled Emirates flights to Colombo - meals on board – overnight flight.

Arrival in Colombo – transfer to the hotel in Negombo – free time to rest and relax - lunch at leisure – afternoon at leisure - dinner at the hotel - evening at leisure – tour leader available - overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Hiriwadunna, visit of the village, where we learn about rural Sinhalese life through the stories of fishermen and farmers and see the native wildlife - transfer to Minneriya National Park, where we may encounter wild elephants, buffalo, wild boar, spotted deer, sloth bears, sambar, leopards, crocodiles, jackals, 9 types of amphibian, 25 types of reptile, 160 species of bird, 26 varieties of fish and 78 varieties of butterfly – lunch in a restaurant - evening transfer to Sigiriya - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning visit of Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the marvellous rock fortress with its frescoed walls, a rare jewel among Sri Lanka's many treasures (built, according to legend, by King Kashyapa, whose aim was to create an impregnable fortress with a heavenly abode inside it) - lunch in a restaurant – in the afternoon excursion to Polonnaruwa and visit of what was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to the 13th century, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site (splendid, spectacular statues, large well-preserved stupas, the Gal Vihara rock shrine with its four statues of the Buddha)– evening return to the hotel in Sigiriya - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – full-day excursion to Anuradhapura, the first capital of Sri Lanka, which it remained for 600 years, one of the most fascinating cities in South-East Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site (visit of the superbly preserved ruins), and to nearby Mihintale – lunch in a restaurant - evening return to the hotel in Sigiriya - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – visit of the Dambulla Caves (the famous Golden Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site dating from the 1st century BC, carved into the rock, with life-size statues of the Buddha in various postures and frescoes depicting his life) – visit of the Matale spice garden – lunch in a restaurant - continuation to Kandy with the Temple of the Tooth of the Buddha, regarded as the most precious Buddhist relic in the whole country – in the late afternoon, show of traditional dances - dinner at the hotel in Kandy – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – in the morning visit of the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the largest elephant orphanage in the world and one of Sri Lanka's most popular tourist attractions – lunch in a restaurant – return to Kandy – visit of this UNESCO World Heritage city and of the Peradeniya Botanical Garden (covering 60 hectares, created in 1374 as a pleasure garden for the kings, it today contains more than 5,000 species of tree, including royal palms and rarities such as the Giant Java Fig) – evening return to the hotel in Kandy - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - departure through the scenic landscapes of the Hill Country for Nuwara Eliya - a hill station at 1,868 m above sea level (its architecture imitates that of an English country town, with red-brick walls, period houses and breathtaking viewpoints over valleys, meadows, mountains and forests) - visit of a tea factory to learn about the processing of Sri Lanka's true gold; the country is the world's second largest producer, with very high quality - lunch in a restaurant - dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel - departure for Udawalawe (about 4 hours) – lunch in a restaurant – safari in the National Park, home to around 500 elephants, buffalo, spotted deer, sambar, hares, mongooses, crocodiles and 30 species of snake, 50 of butterfly and many species of bird – continuation to Dickwella, a beautiful seaside resort on the Indian Ocean - dinner at the hotel - evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – departure for Galle, the main city of the south coast, with its ancient Portuguese and Dutch fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site– lunch in a restaurant – departure for Colombo, the country's most important city in terms of population and commerce, already known to Roman, Chinese and Arab merchants more than 2,000 years ago (Fort and Pettah, the residential Cinnamon Gardens, Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, panoramic tour) – transfer to the hotel – dinner at the hotel – evening at leisure – tour leader available – overnight stay.

Breakfast at the hotel – day at leisure - tour leader available - lunch at leisure – dinner at leisure - transfer to the airport – departure on scheduled Emirates flights back to your home city – meals on board – overnight flight.

Arrival in Italy.