Escorted Tours 2023 - 2025

Passikudah Sigiriya Dambulla Waikkal Colombo Nuwara Eliya Sinharaja Galle Mount Lavinia < <  Udawalawe      Coach Air Nights 2 2 1 1 1 2 Traditional Stilt Fishermen Day 1: UK to Colombo Depart the UK on your scheduled, overnight flight. Day 2: Mount Lavinia, Colombo D On arrival, you will be transferred to the Mount Lavinia hotel and enjoy a welcome dinner. Day 3: Mount Lavinia to Sinharaja B/L/D Depart this morning for the colonial town of Galle. During a guided tour, explore Galle Fort, a walled town built by the Dutch in the 18th century. After lunch, travel to Sinharaja Forest Reserve, where you will spend the next two nights at the award-winning Rainforest Eco Lodge. Day 4: Sinharaja B/L/D Enjoy an early morning walk around the forest on a bird and butterfly trail, discovering many species of flora and fauna endemic to the forest. After breakfast, there will be further opportunity to explore this rainforest on a guided walk. Day 5: Sinharaja to Nuwara Eliya B/L/D Today your group will leave the tropical lowlands of Sinharaja and travel up into Sri Lanka’s mountainous interior to Nuwara Eliya, the ‘city of light’. En route visit the inspirational Elephant Transit Home in Udawalawe, which is a rehabilitation project for injured elephants nursed back to health so that they can be released back into their natural environment. On arrival in Nuwara Eliya, enjoy a visit to a tea estate and factory nestled up in the hills to see the entire manufacturing process. Day 6: Nuwara Eliya to Passikudah B/L/D This morning enjoy a tour of Nuwara Eliya passing British red post boxes, pretty Victoria Park, and the pink bricked Victorian post office. Later, travel to Passikudah via the small village of Mahiyangana. On arrival in Passikudah check into your hotel. The largely undiscovered east of the island boasts the best beaches in Sri Lanka, with pristine white sands and turquoise shallow waters. Day 7: Passikudah B/L/D Enjoy a full-day at leisure relaxing on the beautiful Passikudah beach. Explore the healthy coral gardens teeming with colourful fish or simply take this opportunity to recharge. Day 8: Passikudah to Waikkal via Sigiriya B/L/D Depart early this morning to visit the stunning Sigiriya Rock fortress, a world heritage site dating back to the 5th century. Climb up steps carved into the rock face to the summit or enjoy the spectacular views of ancient citadel and jungle from the lily-pad-covered moats that surround the rock. Journey to Innamaluwa where you will visit a spice garden and enjoy a relaxing foot massage. After, proceed to Waikkal for your overnight stay, stopping in Dambulla for lunch on the way. Day 9: Waikkal to the UK B After breakfast, transfer for your return flight to the UK or continue on to your chosen extension. Secrets of Sri Lanka What you’ll see ⚫ Stroll the nature trails of Sinharaja Rainforest ⚫ Visit Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home ⚫ Explore Nuwara Eliya’s tea plantations and tour the town ⚫ Marvel at the awe-inspiring Sigiriya Rock Fortress Delve into this country’s fascinating history with stays in ex-colonial residences and tours of World Heritage Sites Galle and Sigiriya Rock. Discover pristine beaches on Sri Lanka’s east coast. What’s included ✔ Return flights Heathrow to Sri Lanka with Sri Lankan Airlines. See page 136-37 for regional flights ✔ Where you’ll stay Colombo, 4 H Mount Lavinia Hotel Sinharaja, 4 H Rainforest Ecolodge Nuwara Eliya, 4 H Araliya Green Hills Passikudah, 4 H Amethyst Resort Waikkal, 4 H Suriya Resort ✔ 20 meals ✔ 7 excursions ✔ Expert local tour guide Tour pace: Challenging All departures guaranteed Small Group Tour - 25 or less P R I V A T E T O U R U P G R A D E S F R O M £199 Departures & from prices Oct 2023 £1,899 Nov 2024 £2,099 Nov 2023 £1,999 Jan 2025 £2,099 Jan 2024 £1,999 Feb 2025 £2,199 Feb 2024 £2,099 Mar 2025 £2,199 Mar 2024 £2,099 Apr 2025 £2,099 Apr 2024 £1,999 May 2025 £1,649 May 2024 £1,549 Jun 2025 £1,749 Jun 2024 £1,649 Aug 2025 £2,199 Aug 2024 £2,099 Sep 2025 £2,049 Sep 2024 £1,949 Oct 2025 £2,049 Oct 2024 £1,949 Nov 2025 £2,199 • Lead-in price based on 21 May 24 • A single supplement starts from just £329 • Tipping paid locally £56 pp per tour Extend your tour Sri Lanka beach stay, 4 nights, All-Inclusive, 4 H from £309 or 5 H from £359 Maldives beach stay, 4 nights, 4 H All-Inclusive from £879 Highlights of Kerala, 5 nights, B&B from £459 Colombo city stay, 2 nights, 4 H from £199 32 Southern Asia Hundreds of escorted tours are available on our website www.mercuryholidays.co.uk