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- 7 Nights Culture & Whales
Sri Lanka Culture, Hills & Whales — Sigiriya, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Mirissa & Colombo
Two nights in the Cultural Triangle with a Minneriya jeep safari, a hill-country tea experience, then down to Mirissa for a dawn boat out to blue and sperm whale grounds.
Highlights of Sri Lanka, day by day
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Airport pickup, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, transfer to Sigiriya | Sigiriya |
| 2 | Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock, afternoon Minneriya jeep safari | Sigiriya |
| 3 | Dambulla Cave Temple, Temple of the Tooth Relic, Kandy cultural show | Kandy |
| 4 | Ramboda Falls, tea plantation and factory, Nuwara Eliya city tour | Nuwara Eliya |
| 5 | Nine Arch Bridge, Ravana Falls and Caves, transfer to the south coast | Mirissa / Weligama area |
| 6 | Early-morning whale watching, leisure at the hotel | Mirissa / Weligama area |
| 7 | Galle Fort tour, Colombo city tour, transfer to hotel | Colombo |
| 8 | Transfer to the airport for departure | — |
Overnight on Days 5–6 is on the south coast around Mirissa and neighbouring Weligama, depending on hotel availability for your dates.
What each day actually looks like
-
Airport – Pinnawala – Sigiriya
Your V Go Ceylon representative meets you on arrival and introduces you to your chauffeur-guide. Depending on your flight time, you'll visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en route to Sigiriya — a rescue and care centre for orphaned wild elephants, with bathing times at 10:00–12:00 and 14:00–16:00. Check in and overnight in Sigiriya.
Dinner included -
Sigiriya
An early climb of Sigiriya Lion Rock — an 8th wonder of the world, famous for its frescoes — followed by breakfast back at the hotel. In the afternoon, a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park, home to the "Sixth Greatest Wildlife Spectacle" elephant gathering each August–September.
Breakfast & dinner included -
Sigiriya – Dambulla – Kandy
Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple, one of Sri Lanka's eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, then continue to Kandy for the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, part of the UNESCO-listed Sacred City of Kandy since 1988. The evening includes a Kandy city tour, a gem shop visit and a Kandyan cultural show.
Breakfast & dinner included -
Kandy – Ramboda – Nuwara Eliya
Depart for Nuwara Eliya via Ramboda Falls, a twin-cascade waterfall roughly three hours from Kandy. In "Little England," visit a working tea estate for a guided tour, hands-on plucking, a factory walkthrough and a tasting, then a Nuwara Eliya city tour.
Breakfast & dinner included -
Nuwara Eliya – Ella – Mirissa
Transfer to Ella (around two hours) to see the Nine Arch Bridge, Ravana Caves and Ravana Falls, then continue to the south coast around Mirissa for two nights at the beach.
Breakfast & dinner included -
Mirissa
An early-morning whale watching trip — sperm, fin and blue whales are regularly sighted in the waters off Mirissa — followed by a free afternoon at the hotel.
Breakfast & dinner included -
Mirissa – Galle – Colombo
Explore the Galle Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with its lighthouse, Dutch Reformed Church and ramparts, then transfer to Colombo for a city tour taking in the Gangaramaya Temple, Seema Malaka, the Nelum Pokuna Theatre, BMICH and Galle Face Green.
Breakfast & dinner included -
Colombo – Airport
Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport for your onward flight. We wish you an enjoyable journey.
Breakfast included
Hotels and room category by stop
Rates are quoted in US Dollars, per person sharing a room. Send your dates for a costed quote — see the Tariff & Booking Policy page for the full pricing basis.
| City | Nights | Hotel | Room category |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sigiriya | 2 | Cinnamon Lodge | Superior Room |
| Kandy | 1 | Kandy Myst | Superior Room |
| Nuwara Eliya | 1 | Araliya Green City | Deluxe Room |
| Mirissa | 2 | Mandara Mirissa | Superior Ocean |
| Colombo | 1 | Amari Colombo | Superior Sea View Room |
Hotels shown or a similar property in the same category, confirmed at the time of booking.
A Private, Air-Conditioned Vehicle Throughout
Every day on this itinerary runs in a private air-conditioned vehicle with your own English-speaking chauffeur-guide — no shared transfers, no fixed departure times, no waiting on other travellers. Comfortable seating and luggage space for the full group, with a driver who knows the roads and the timing.
Covered in the tariff
- Accommodation at the hotels listed, or similar, on a half-board (breakfast & dinner) basis
- Airport meet & assist, plus pickup and drop-off
- Air-conditioned private vehicle and English-speaking chauffeur-guide throughout
- Entrance fees: Gangaramaya Temple, Sigiriya Lion Rock, Minneriya National Park safari, Dambulla Cave Temple, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Temple of the Tooth Relic, Kandy Cultural Show, Mirissa whale-watching boat trip
- City tours as shown in the day-by-day itinerary
- All applicable government taxes
Arranged or paid separately
- International airfare and visa charges
- Tips and portage
- Kitchen facilities at restaurants outside the hotel
- Early check-in or late check-out
- Any entrance fee not listed under What's Included
Three tiers, depending on how you booked
Refunds are not given for unused or cancelled services once the tour has commenced. Charges are calculated from the day written notice is received, as a percentage of the net tour price.
FIT — individual travellers
- 29–21 days before departure: costs incurred
- 20–15 days before departure: 25% of package price
- 14–8 days before departure: 50% of package price
- 7–5 days before departure: 75% of package price
- 4–1 day before, or no-show: 100% of package price
GIT — groups
- Cancellations due to minimum group size are advised 6 weeks before departure
- We offer an alternative tour of similar standard, or a full refund
- Cancellation terms for group bookings are confirmed case by case
Hotel reservation only
- 29–21 days before: 30% of accommodation price
- 20–15 days before: 60% of accommodation price
- 14–0 days before: 100% of accommodation price
- Some hotels apply stricter terms, advised separately
Questions about the 7-night Culture & Whales tour
Whale watching off Mirissa runs best from November to April, which also happens to be dry season on the south and west coasts this route covers — the two line up well.
No wildlife sighting can be guaranteed, but Mirissa is one of the world's most reliable spots for sperm, fin and blue whales in season, and the morning boat trip is timed for the best viewing window.
Cinnamon Lodge in Sigiriya, Kandy Myst, Araliya Green City in Nuwara Eliya, Mandara Mirissa on the south coast, and Amari Colombo, or a similar property in the same category if a hotel is full for your dates.
Yes, the Nine Arch Bridge, Ravana Caves and Ravana Falls are all visited on Day 5, on the transfer from Nuwara Eliya down to the south coast via Ella.
Airfare and visa charges, tips and portage, early check-in or late check-out, and any entrance fee not listed under What's Included. Full detail is on the Tariff & Booking Policy page.
Enquire about Culture, Hills & Whales
Send your dates and party size — we reply with a costed itinerary, usually within one working day.