Pamela W. Holloway Sri Lanka is a really perfect vicinity to travel with children. There’s a lot to peer and do for kids that one needs at least a month to experience. With 8 days in hand, we marked the Sri Lanka map locations that can be visited with a child in tow, and rancid we went.
Here’s our ultimate eight Days quality of Sri Lanka itinerary for you!
Colombo – Kandy/Sigiriya/Dambulla – Nuwara Eliya/Horton Plains/Udawalawe National Park – Galle (en route Mirissa) – Negombo (en path Bentota)
Day 1: Delhi to Colombo (Sri Lankan Airlines) / Colombo to Kandy (Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en direction) / Explore Kandy / Overnight at Kandy
We decided to bypass Colombo and head straight to the Sacred city of Kandy. Squeezing in Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on our manner to Kandy served as miles-wished damage from the journey. Mini-me couldn’t keep her excitement. It’s adorable how children do not become bored doing or seeing the equal aspect over and over as an alternative. They revel in it analogously whenever. Enjoying the predictability is particular to children, I bet.
Having seen elephants within the untamed and wild in National Parks in India, hubby and I had been not definitely interested in Pinnawala. However, we had been surely interested in cherishing our daughter’s happiness and excitement even as feeding a child elephant. Pinnawala is a lovable nature preserve in which kids can have amusing while spending time with one of the most giant and wise but humble creatures.
Kandy regarded stunning and serene, sopping wet in the rain. Our motive force stopped the automobile for us to recognize the bird’s eye view of Kandy from Arthur’s seat (Kandy perspective) before dropping us on the lodge. We spent some first-rate time respiratory within the enchanting views from our room balcony at the same time as sipping tea (One of my favorite a part of the tour) even as mini-me clicked masses of photographs airily (One of her favored part of the journey.)
Our evening became embellished with a lovely overall performance at Kandy Sri Lankan Cultural Show. It’s complete with life and color extravaganza. Performers with their energetic performances, brilliant apparels, compelling folklore tales, perpetual twirling, whirling, and open-air grand finale act make you bypass a blink. The kids and adults similarly revel in this graceful spectacle.
We ended our day with a visit to the Tooth Relic Temple. The evening ceremony on the temple is clearly really worth witnessing. Though we could not see the Buddha’s sacred enamel relic as it’s housed in a decorative gold structure, the all-embracing experience turned into lovely. Walking on the streets of Kandy was the highlight of our first day in Sri Lanka. Despite all the hustle and bustle, Kandy caught my interest because of its tasteful classical Kandyan and colonial-style buildings. Busy and shiny markets are worth a walk. Mini-me became in love with tuk-tuks that it has become our favored mode of transportation in Sri Lanka.
Day 2: Kandy to Sigiriya/Dambulla / Overnight at Kandy
If you need to do Dambulla and Sigiriya in the afternoon, you will wake up pretty early. We started for Dambulla at 5 in the morning. But you would not remorse getting up loopy early as soon as you have visited Dambulla cave temple and Sigiriya Lion Rock. The hike isn’t as tough as we idea it might be. A visual deal awaits as one reaches the summit. Eyes get stressed whether to respect the ruins or to take delight in the beautiful surrounding views.
Day 3: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya / Overnight at Nuwara Eliya
Enough has been written about the scenic teach adventure from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, and I’d love to journey via train; however, one way or the other, I choose avenue trips because they give freedom to pause wherever and on every occasion you want to; touch and relish the high-quality vistas; click pics as and when you desire and supply a risk to connect and recognize the nearby facet. It just depends on possibilities.
The street adventure from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya became one of the most dramatic avenue trips I’ve ever skilled. With every flip, magic unfolds. I inhaled the sparkling air and savored the bewitching vistas of the paranormal hill u. S. A. Winding alongside rolling hills included by way of vividly colored flowers mocking the assorted color pallet and plush tea plantations, several waterfalls, and streams. Drinking within the quiet geographical region makes you thirsty, longing for extra.
We had lunch at an eating place in Ramboda Falls Hotel. It turned into clearly a lunch with a view. Eating genuine Sri Lankan delicacies while chugging inside the stunning views of Ramboda falls which have shadowy mountains inside the history enveloped using steeply-priced tea gardens. Isn’t it inviting? Absolute soulful and tummy revel in.
There are many tea factories in the manner of Nuwara Eliya and Nuwara Eliya. You can go to anybody of them to look at the whole tea manufacturing method, from plucking to withering to drying. The tea factory’s excursion lead through a sleek woman body of workers is a studying enjoy for youngsters. Mini-me became surprised to know that six to seven forms of tea like green tea, black tea, white tea, and plenty of greater can be received from the equal tea plant just by converting the mixture of various leaves of the equal plant. At the end of the excursion, they make you taste all the tea varieties so that you should buy the one you preferred the maximum. My experience says that the charge of tea in the factory is fairly higher than at door shops. So, experience the tea-making process and buy it from out of doors.
It became excellent to take a night stroll on the streets of Nuwara Eliya. Meandering via Victoria Park, Golf membership, and walk away surrounding Gregory lake, it changed into dinner time. Araliya Green City meals court docket changed into a super choice to dine while taking note of the live band.
Day 4: Nuwara Eliya to Horton Plains / Overnight at Nuwara Eliya
Exactly at 5 a.M., we began 1-hour adventure to Horton Plains. It’s better to attain before 6 in the morning and begin the hike as soon. It opens because it gets pretty crowded, especially on weekends, and receives misty and hazy mostly after 10. It takes around 3-4 hours to World’s End and returned and is quite a clean hike. We stood at the cliff staring down the valley in sheer amazement upon attaining the World’s End. Deep ravine showcases little villages with beautiful tea plantation gardens and that they say you could see the south coast on a clear day. That’s uncommon, though. It turned into an awesome revel in. If time allows, you could enjoy the longer hikes to Mt Kirigalpoththa and Mt Thotupola.
On our manner returned to Nuwara Eliya, our driver advised visiting Moon Plains that are a few km from Nuwara Eliya because we nonetheless had a 1/2 day to go. Though apprehensive, we requested him to take us to the Moon Plains. As quickly as we reached the Potato seed farm that is the Moon Plains’ start, our apprehensions melted away in the mist. The trip alongside the bending and turning paths became enthralling as the breathtaking terrains unfolded earlier than us. View from the Second World’s End became seductive.
Yes! Mountains fading into the gap, forests blanketed within the dancing mist, absolute quietness vanquished by using birds’ sound once in a while, and the views that provide a new definition to the splendor sum up Moon Plains. One can see the significant mountains of Sri Lanka viz. Pidurutalaga (tallest), Single Tree Mountain, Kikiliyamana Mountain, Great Western Mountain, Conical Hill Mountain, Kirigalpoththa Mountain, Thotupola Mountain, Hakgala Mountain, and Namunukula Mountain from the Borella Plains. One word. Spellbinding.
Day 5: Nuwara Eliya to Udawalawe National Park / Overnight at Udawalwe Resort
We prefer getting up as early as viable whilst we journey. It’s always smooth and trouble-loose to reach and get entry at foremost sights which can be otherwise crowded at top hours. Following our method, we started for Udawalwe National Park at 4 in the morning and reached 8 a.M. The fine time to go to Udawalwe for safari is at dawn (gate opens at 6 a.M.) while you may witness the enthralling sunrise too.
We overlooked that, but the park became surprisingly much less crowded, and mini-me was revealed inside the 4-hour safari with an experienced manual arranged through our motel at Udawalwe. We saw a herd of elephants with a lovable months-old infant elephant, crocodiles, water buffalos, reveal lizards, noticed deer, monkeys, and specific species of birds. Spotting the lovely colorful toucan changed into the highlight of the safari. We ended our day with stunning sundown at Udawalwe, which washed away my remorse for missing the dawn.
Day 6: Udawalawe to Galle (en route Mirrisa) / Overnight at Galle
Finally, it turned into a seaside time; the main cause humans go to Sri Lanka for. We were off to Galle with a miles-endorsed halt at the seashore metropolis, Mirissa. It took us a touch greater than 3 hours to reach Mirissa. Mirissa seashore lived as much as our expectancies. A quiet and quiet seashore with a laid-returned aura. My little girl became a bit disenchanted as we could not do whale watching tours due to the horrific weather. I become unhappy too because she becomes wholly excited just thinking about getting a glimpse of pleasant dolphins in the ocean, and I guess it’s the great component youngsters can enjoy in Sri Lanka. We promised to deliver her again to Sri Lanka at some stage in the whale-looking season.
Day 7: Explore Galle / Overnight at Galle
Galle is a dreamy little Dutch colonial city. The stunning mix of colors and architecture bedazzled us. We explored the beautiful city taking walks; however, our eyes and ft by no means felt worn-out. The cute white lighthouse, active streets with brilliant shades of flora, bizarre shapes of home windows and doorways, and vintage Dutch Galle Fort that’s the predominant enchantment in Galle make it an ideal location to be. I’d advise preserving Galle as a base for most of the Sri Lanka trip. We spent our night at Unawatuna seaside, looking at the sunset inside the ocean leaving behind the correct shades to color our moments at Galle.
Day 8: Galle to Bandaranaike Airport (en route Bentota/ Negambo) / Midnight flight to Delhi
It turned into our last day, and we desired to make the most of it. Our flight turned at midnight, so we had enough time in hand. The sole reason to indulge in the Madu Ganga River Safari in Balapitiya is to see the point in which the river meets the ocean; however, the cruise came as a wonder with its multitude of studies. Stopping by using at the vintage Kothduwa temple inside the river, making way via first-rate Mangroves, tasting the real cinnamon tea at Cinnamon Island, enjoying fish therapy, and witnessing the river finishing into the sea; Madu River has plenty to provide.
We visited Turtle Hatchery with sheer pleasure but left early dejected. I had imagined turtles toddling off down the beach, and It regarded like an actual visual deal to witness those adorable creatures of their herbal habitat. But as we walked into the hatchery, I sensed that it’s now not what we imagined. It turned into shuddering and dreadful to peer dozens of turtles of various sizes and a long time squashed into the little ponds with grimy, smelly water. “When might you launch those turtles into the sea?” I requested.
” Some after few days and a few after few months, it relies upon.” the manual responded. Mini-me denied keeping the infant turtle in her hands. Harassing them only for the sake of an image isn’t a proper element to do; a lady of her age may also understand. What’s incorrect with us then? The entire thing appeared like a money-making assignment in preference to the conservation assignment. They literally torture tiny animals for his or her personal interest. I would in no way ever recommend anybody to go to Turtle Hatcheries in Sri Lanka. Animals are higher off in the wild like we’re continually glad in our homes. Let them be. Please.
We stopped using at one-of-a-kind beaches (Hikkaduwa, Bentota, Mount Lavinia, and Negombo) during our adventure from Galle to Bandaranaike International airport. There’s not anything like an excessive amount of seashore, right! Negombo is a fantastically perfect place while you watch for your flight again domestic because of its proximity to the international airport (20 mins adventure)
Before you leave, take into account to indulge yourself in buying delight because Sri Lanka has loads to offer in phrases of nearby and conventional handicrafts. I, too, introduced returned a bit of Sri Lanka in the shape of top-notch keepsakes.
Sri Lanka, we’ll be back soon to experience the locations we ignored!
Sri Lanka has all of the elements that make it an A-okay destination for youngsters. I hope our 8 days itinerary facilitates you to enjoy and discover Sri Lanka better with children.
Are you tempted enough to feature Sri Lanka on your bucket list? What would you exchange in our itinerary in case you’ve already been to Sri Lanka?
