This 14-day combo trip brings together the best of Sri Lanka's cultural highlights and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sail the islands of the Maldives aboard a dhoni boat. Experience a safari in Udawalawe National Park, discover cultural treasures of Negombo and Kandy, and then spend an entire week cruising from one tiny and perfect atoll island to another, snorkelling in crystal-clear waters and stretching out on blazing white-sand beaches. From culture to paradise, this tour's got it all.
Travel Style
Classic
Service Level
Standard
Physical Grading
3 - Average
What's Included
Your G for Good Moment: Lunch at Sthree Craft Shop and Café, Kandy
Your G for Good Moment: AMBA Estate, Ella
Your G for Good Moment: Maldives Plastic Clean Up
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group. Spice plantation visit. Temple of the Tooth visit. Tea plantation visit. Cooking demonstration. Safari in Udawalawe National Park. Galle City and Fort tour. Seven days aboard a dhoni boat (Maldives). Fulidhoo Island visit and Bodu Beru performance. Felidhu Island visit. Bodu Mora Island visit. Snorkelling equipment. Beach time in the Maldives. Internal flight. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.
What are the main highlights of this trip?
Search for wildlife on a safari, spend the night at a local tea plantation and estate, cruise through some of the world's most beautiful islands, uncover isolated beaches, swim and snorkel the vibrant coral reefs of the Indian Ocean, savour local cuisine
How large will the group be?
Max 14 (land), 14 (boat).
What meals are included in this trip?
12 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 9 dinners
What are the modes of transportation on my trip?
Private vehicle, 4x4, local bus, walking, plane, dhoni boat.
Is there an extra cost for travelling solo?
We believe solo travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and solo travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.
Where will we stay during the trip?
Standard hotels/guest houses (7 nts), dhoni boat (6 nts).
Itinerary
Negombo
Arrive at any time. There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.
Negombo/Kandy
Drive to Kandy, visiting a spice plantation en route. Enjoy lunch at G Adventures-supported Sthree Craft Shop and Café. Later, explore Temple of the Tooth.
Kandy
Explore Kandy with a free day.
Kandy to Ella area
Travel by private vehicle to the historic town of Nuwara Eliya and enjoy some free time. Continue the journey to the rolling green valleys of the Ella area and spend 2 nights at the G Adventures-supported AMBA estate, an organic farm and guest house. Livelihood opportunities in the valley of Bandarawela, Sri Lanka are limited for low income community members. Many rely on agricultural work, especially in the tea plantations, which can be arduous with little financial gain. Amba Estate came to the area with the purpose of promoting economic growth through their organic tea plantation, paying fair wages, sharing their profits with their workers, and creating opportunities for growth. Having established its place in the travel market, Amba is now ready to support community cooperatives as a means of better spreading the income of tourism throughout the valley.
Planeterra is working alongside Amba Estate by supporting the initial investment for the first community-led microenterprise that will work in partnership with Amba. Planeterra’s catalyst grant covers the equipment, training and setup costs for a group of six women to formally become a chutney co-operative. The chutney will be sold back to Amba Estate for travellers to consume, as well as sold to guests and in markets throughout Sri Lanka. G Adventures travellers began visiting Amba in July 2018. They now have the opportunity to eat the delicious chutneys, meet the women and see how it’s made!
Ella area
In the morning, enjoy a tour through the tea plantation and learn about one of the nation's most popular exports followed by a tea tasting. After enjoy free time to soak in the stunning scenery, opt to hike to Ella Rock, or visit Ella town by tuk tuk. This evening, enjoy a cooking demonstration of classic homestyle Sri Lankan dishes, a delicious mixture of savoury and sweet.
Ella/Udawalawe National Park
Depart Amba Estate in the morning after enjoying a delicious home cooked breakfast. Begin the journey to Udawalawe National Park for an afternoon wildlife safari through Udawalawe National Park.
Udawalawe National Park/Unawatuna
After breakfast transfer from Udawalawe to Galle for a tour of the fort and city. Later, head to Unawatuna, on the south coast.
Unawatuna/South Malé Atoll
Hop on a flight to Malé for the Maldives portion of your trip. Transfer to South Malé Atoll. Settle in, and set sail on a voyage of discovery. You will be met by airport representatives who will transfer you to the Malé town waterfront to meet our boat captain and crew. Once settled into our cabins, we will depart.
Cruise south for 2-3 hours through the Vaadhoo Canal to a nearby island in South Malé Atoll; probably Guraidhoo, a small inhabited island where the plan is to moor in (or just outside) the small harbour for the first night on board.
South Malé Atoll/Felidhu Atholhu
Spend the next five days cruising around the South Malé and Felidhu atolls, disembarking to visit islands and sandbars along the way. Snorkel ship wrecks and reefs and Bodu Moro Island is home to idyllic uninhabited beaches – the perfect photo opt.
Aboard the dhoni, spend free time as you please – lounge on the sundecks and take in the views, relax with a good book, or socialize with fellow travellers as you enjoy delicious local seafood.
Off the boat, opt to swim and enjoy snorkelling about twice a day amongst the spectacular marine life of the Maldives. The shallow islands and amazing coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and octopuses. Cruise to the southernmost point of South Malé Atoll before crossing the channel into Felidhu Atoll. The main industry here is fishing and there is typically an opportunity to see traditional boat-building on at least one of the islands.
South Malé Atoll/Felidhu Atholhu
Spend the next five days cruising around the South Malé and Felidhu atolls, disembarking to visit islands and sandbars along the way. Snorkel ship wrecks and reefs and Bodu Moro Island is home to idyllic uninhabited beaches – the perfect photo opt.
Aboard the dhoni, spend free time as you please – lounge on the sundecks and take in the views, relax with a good book, or socialize with fellow travellers as you enjoy delicious local seafood.
Off the boat, opt to swim and enjoy snorkelling about twice a day amongst the spectacular marine life of the Maldives. The shallow islands and amazing coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and octopuses. Cruise to the southernmost point of South Malé Atoll before crossing the channel into Felidhu Atoll. The main industry here is fishing and there is typically an opportunity to see traditional boat-building on at least one of the islands.
South Malé Atoll/Felidhu Atholhu
Spend the next five days cruising around the South Malé and Felidhu atolls, disembarking to visit islands and sandbars along the way. Snorkel ship wrecks and reefs and Bodu Moro Island is home to idyllic uninhabited beaches – the perfect photo opt.
Aboard the dhoni, spend free time as you please – lounge on the sundecks and take in the views, relax with a good book, or socialize with fellow travellers as you enjoy delicious local seafood.
Off the boat, opt to swim and enjoy snorkelling about twice a day amongst the spectacular marine life of the Maldives. The shallow islands and amazing coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and octopuses. Cruise to the southernmost point of South Malé Atoll before crossing the channel into Felidhu Atoll. The main industry here is fishing and there is typically an opportunity to see traditional boat-building on at least one of the islands.
South Malé Atoll/Felidhu Atholhu
Spend the next five days cruising around the South Malé and Felidhu atolls, disembarking to visit islands and sandbars along the way. Snorkel ship wrecks and reefs and Bodu Moro Island is home to idyllic uninhabited beaches – the perfect photo opt.
Aboard the dhoni, spend free time as you please – lounge on the sundecks and take in the views, relax with a good book, or socialize with fellow travellers as you enjoy delicious local seafood.
Off the boat, opt to swim and enjoy snorkelling about twice a day amongst the spectacular marine life of the Maldives. The shallow islands and amazing coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and octopuses. Cruise to the southernmost point of South Malé Atoll before crossing the channel into Felidhu Atoll. The main industry here is fishing and there is typically an opportunity to see traditional boat-building on at least one of the islands.
South Malé Atoll/Felidhu Atholhu
Spend the next five days cruising around the South Malé and Felidhu atolls, disembarking to visit islands and sandbars along the way. Snorkel ship wrecks and reefs and Bodu Moro Island is home to idyllic uninhabited beaches – the perfect photo opt.
Aboard the dhoni, spend free time as you please – lounge on the sundecks and take in the views, relax with a good book, or socialize with fellow travellers as you enjoy delicious local seafood.
Off the boat, opt to swim and enjoy snorkelling about twice a day amongst the spectacular marine life of the Maldives. The shallow islands and amazing coral reefs make it a key feeding ground for many species of tropical fish. Keep an eye out for turtles, reef sharks, stingrays, and octopuses. Cruise to the southernmost point of South Malé Atoll before crossing the channel into Felidhu Atoll. The main industry here is fishing and there is typically an opportunity to see traditional boat-building on at least one of the islands.
South Malé Atoll/Male
In the morning, make the short crossing to Malé. The tour ends on arrival at Malé International Airport.
Is travel insurance required for my trip?
Travel Insurance: Travel insurance is compulsory in order to participate on any of our trips. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance has been sighted by your CEO, who will take note of your insurance details. When selecting a travel insurance policy please bear in mind that all clients must have medical coverage and that we require a minimum coverage of USD 200,000 for repatriation and emergency rescue. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. If you have credit card insurance we require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt of credit card statement) with a credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.
Terms, conditions and restrictions apply; pricing, availability, and other details subject to change and/ or apply to US or Canadian residents. Please confirm details and booking information with your travel advisor.
