Trip Overview
Experience the cultural kaleidoscope of Sri Lanka with AdventureWomen on a journey that calls each of your senses. Visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, experience wildlife, and learn firsthand about tea, cinnamon, and the art of batik that make Sri Lanka so exotic. Bike, hike, train, and walk through this memorable adventure’s views, sounds, and tastes.
Meet your guide and the women who will be joining you for this unforgettable adventure, get to know one another and discuss the exciting days ahead. You are also accompanied by an AdventureWomen Ambassador, committed to helping make your experience a fun and personally rewarding adventure and cheering you on as you reach beyond your comfort zone to take on new challenges in your own unique way.
Habarana, Polonnaruwa, and Habarana
Start by hopping on bicycles to pedal through archaeological monuments in the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, the second kingdom of Sri Lanka and now a UNESCO World Heritage site. Balance this ride with a game drive by a local naturalist to one of the area’s national parks to view wildlife.
Take in an amazing 360-degree view after climbing 650 feet of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, an enormous boulder that towers over the surrounding jungle. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the rock fortress was built in the fifth century and served as a royal citadel for many years.
Kandy, Bandarawela, and Galle
On your way to the Last Kingdom of Sri Lanka, stop to visit Dambulla rock caves and explore its renowned wall art, which dates back to the first century BC. Then a local workshop will allow you to try your hand at the beautiful batik art. Continue your immersion into this colorful culture by learning about traditional Sri Lankan costumes and heirloom jewelry. Behold the intricately carved, precious stones that are embedded in the design, and see how the Sri Lankan saree is distinctively different from its Indian counterpart. Then meet an expert gemologist who will show you how to identify the different gemstones before you can try gem cutting.
Set out on an early morning hike to the Hanthana Mountain range today. Offering picturesque landscapes, this four-hour hike will immerse you in nature and the beautiful landscapes of Sri Lanka.
Drive to the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya where you will be met by an experienced botanist who has worked at the gardens for over 30 years. Listen as he shares stories of the garden’s history and the precious live collections that have been gathered over centuries.
Meet a Sri Lankan tea plucker at a working tea plantation, where you will spend a day getting up close and personal with this local woman. She will share her story of how she learned the practice of tea harvesting and give you behind-the-scenes access to life on the tea plantation. Later, put your skills to the test as you participate in an exciting tea-plucking competition! n addition to its famous tea plantations, Sri Lanka is also well known for its cinnamon. Ceylon cinnamon is grown from a plant that is indigenous to Sri Lanka and is often referred to as the “real cinnamon..”
At your special farewell dinner, toast to new friendships and to the sensory journey that brought you deep into the heart of this mesmerizing, extraordinary land of Sri Lanka.
Main Attractions
- Climb the rock walls of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Sigiriya rock fortress, and bike and hike through beautiful landscapes
- Meet and learn from powerful local women who have helped create the post-colonial Sri Lanka of today
- Try your hand at the art of batik, gem cutting, and mask painting
- Come up close, during exciting game drives, to the unique wildlife and diverse ecosystems of this island nation
- Indulge in local teas and cinnamon-infused delicacies, and learn to make Sri Lankan specialty dishes
What You'll See and Do
- Bicycling
- Cooking Class
- Cultural Exploration
- Hiking
- Historical Sites
- Local Delicacies
- Sightseeing
- Wildlife Viewing
Download Extended Itinerary
- May 6 > May 18, 2024
Download Itinerary PDF