Sri Lanka Group Tour for Solo Travelers

Step off the plane in Colombo just to find your chauffeur already waiting for you. Welcome to Sri Lanka!

You receive a warm welcome at the Hotel Ayur Ayur Ayurveda - the triple name stands for triple satisfaction. If you arrive early, feel free to relax by the pool after your long journey, or optionally (opt.) treat yourself to a massage in the hotel's spa. Your holiday has begun!

Once everyone has arrived, we get to know each other over an Ayurveda dinner. Here's to your journey!

We spend our first day together in Sri Lanka getting to know the country on two wheels. We cycle along the coast, watching fishermen go about their daily business. We observe rural life in the crop fields and marvel at the many coconut plantations. Fresh fruit and drinks give us an energy boost before we continue our ride through the beautiful landscape full of lagoons and canals, learning a lot about life in the area.

On one of our stops, we'll learn how the famous local liquor called arrak is made. Being thirsty from the cycling, we all deserve a little shot! At the end of the tour we catch a ride to Kurunegala, where a delicious lunch menu is waiting for us. Afterwards, we'll head towards the so-called cultural triangle, to Dambulla. Here, we will spend the next three nights and discover the most impressive UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Can't wait!

Today we'll experience beautiful landscapes as well as cultural highlights. First, we explore the highest mountain in Northern Sri Lanka's Ritigala, which - thanks to its biodiversity - is a strictly protected nature reserve. Ritigala is also where Sri Lanka's largest Buddhist monastery can be found. The monks lead a particularly secluded and ascetic life. We marvel at buildings dating back to the eighth century that are thought to have been constructed by members of a unique Buddhist sect.

In the afternoon we hike up Pidurangala. Insiders know that this place provides the best views of the famous Sigiriya Rock. We enjoy the breathtaking view over the supposed royal palace as the sun sets. This is the kind of moment you travel for.

End the day with sparkling eyes and a shared dinner with your travel buddies.

Polonnaruwa has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982 - and today you'll understand why! 800 years ago, the city was the spiritual and commercial center of Sri Lanka which is why it is so rich in archaeological treasures. One can only marvel at the temples, 14m tall Buddha statues, and the remains of dagobas. We are in awe, as we cycle through the former royal city.

In the afternoon you have some free time to do whatever you feel like. Maybe you want to climb the 1200 steps of the Sigiriya rock fortress (opt. - approx. €30) and enjoy the view from a height of 200 meters.

Or maybe you'd rather chill out at the resort's pool, or treat yourself to a massage (opt.) at the hotel spa.

In the evening we all meet up again for a delicious dinner.

After a relaxing night in the beautiful nature resort, the journey continues: we drive up into the mountains near Kandy. Spirituality is very important in Sri Lanka. To gain a better understanding of the country's religious side we explore two very different temples.

First we stop at Nalanda Gedige. The stone temple dating back to the 10th century is special because of its decorations in the South Indian Pallava style. It's a bit naughty - if you look closely, you can make out tantric stone carvings. Afterwards we visit the lesser known Bambaragala-Teldiniya monastery nestled between the mountains. Stone steps lead us through the enchanted grounds, where we find an impressively painted cave and soak up the spiritual atmosphere of the devotional site.

In the evening, after dinner, we gather around the campfire and enjoy a beer while gazing at the flickering light.

Rise and shine: The mountains are calling! Today we go hiking in the Knuckles Mountain Range area. You make your way past scrubby hills, open woodland and rice paddies to the village of Heeloya. On the way we encounter beautiful waterfalls - who wants a quick refreshing shower?

In Heeloya we will get to know the traditional way of life in Sri Lanka. The village is very remote and therefore has to be self-sufficient. You will be welcomed by the village elder who will tell you more about traditional customs. You will also have the opportunity to accompany the local farmers to their rice paddies, learn more about their farming techniques and harvest fresh fruit and vegetables for your lunch. It will certainly spark the idea in some of you to start gardening yourself once you're back home!

We take a jeep back to our accommodation, where we will have enough time to freshen up before we meet again for dinner.

When you think of Sri Lanka, you probably also think of scenic train routes - and today we get to experience the most beautiful of all of them! We board the first train of the day and from then on it's all about relaxing as we chug through tea plantations and breathtaking landscapes for 7 hours. Locals mingle with tourists and there is always something to see on and off the train. Bring your camera, as we deliberately book seats in a compartment with windows that open so we can capture our impressions of this magnificent route.

We get off at the backpacker's paradise of Ella. Freshen up at the hotel and then explore the village, visit the bars or relax at the hotel enjoying the view of famous Ella Rock.

The early risers among you might want to watch a beautiful sunrise at the famous Nine Arches Bridge today. The view is truly spectacular and a dreamlike photo motif!

For those who'd rather sleep in, the day kicks off right after breakfast with a ride on the country's most popular mode of transport. What is that? That's right, the tuk-tuk!

Now let's taste another Sri Lankan staple: tea! We hop out of our tuk-tuks and enjoy Lipton Seat, one of the most magnificent viewpoints on the island and the favourite spot of Sir Thomas Lipton (right, namesake of the tea we all know).

Afterwards we continue through tea plantations to the Dambatenne tea factory, where you can learn more about tea cultivation and of course taste it too! Sri Lanka was called Ceylon in colonial times - this is where the famous Ceylon Tea comes from.

In the afternoon we have more free time in Ella. If you want, you can climb Little Adam's Peak. Alternatively, you can walk along a beautiful trail, past slopes full of tea plants and traditional villages, until you arrive at a magnificent viewpoint. From here you can see Ella Gorge, the pristine mountain landscape, and even the Indian Ocean.

In the evening, you can join the scene of international backpackers in the local bars.

Today you say goodbye to the backpackers of Ella and dive into the heart of Sri Lankan village life. We make our way to the remote village of Seelogama, where we will spend the night in a homestay: The best way to really experience the life of the locals up close! As is customary in Sri Lanka, we are welcomed by the village leader. The houses are located amidst rice paddies, by a beautiful river.

Look forward to meeting new people and seeing traditional dances. We have lunch and dinner together with the villagers, and we also stay the night with a local family. This gives you a unique insight into everyday life in the village.

Of course, a cooking class is a must on a trip to Sri Lanka! It tastes even better when you gather your ingredients yourself. Together with our hosts in Seelogama, we go into the garden to harvest vegetables. Afterwards, they show us how to cook a delicious, authentic curry. Definitely take notes so you can impress your friends back home!

In the late afternoon we head south to Udawalawe National Park, where tomorrow a real highlight is awaiting us. Before that, though, we'll catch our first glimpse of the national park. We take a boat trip on Lake Udawalawe, where we enjoy a sundowner and learn more about the local flora and fauna.

We spend the night in a real safari camp, the Banyan Camp, where we talk about our impressions of the national park over a delicious dinner. Can you hear the animals at night?!

Today is a very special day that will surely be a dream come true for many of you. We are lucky enough to observe elephants in their natural habitat! On our 3-hour safari tour we can also spot water buffalo and many different species of birds.

As these elephants fortunately are wild animals, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to see them, but we have chosen Udawalawe National Park specifically, because it is known for its large elephant population and offers good visibility through its open vegetation. So don't forget your camera!

Before venturing out into the wild, we can have a hearty breakfast at Banyan Camp. If you feel like it, you can hop into the river in the morning, or rent a bike from the camp (opt.).

In the evening we have dinner together.

Today is a day to unwind: Just relax and enjoy life.

After a 1.5 hour drive, we reach the beautiful 4-star hotel Turtle Bay Resort near Tangalle - from now it's all about relaxing. The hotel is located right on an untouched dream beach that stretches for kilometers. Enjoy the sound of the waves, lie by the pool and forget all worries. If you feel like doing something more active, you can join the hotel team to collect wood for our evening barbecue and campfire at the beach (A). You can also lend a hand at the grill. There will be delicious beer to cool down afterwards!

After dinner, from around 10pm, we quietly and carefully make our way to a nearby beach to look for turtles that lay their eggs in the sand at night. With a bit of luck, we might see baby turtles hatching from their eggs and making their way across the beach into the sea!

To round off the trip, we reserve the whole afternoon and evening to chill out at the beach! Before that, we meet local kids and spend time with them playing sports and games.

After breakfast, we drive to a school that is financed by the NGO Foundation of Goodness. We support the project through our visit. The Foundation of Goodness was founded after the devastating tsunami of 2004 and leads a variety of initiatives to help people in rural areas. The students challenge us to a round of cricket, who is in?

By having exhausted ourselves at Cricket we have definitely earned some time off. Our accommodation, the fantastic Jungle Beach Camp, is the perfect place for this. We arrive there around noon: now it's time to read, go for a swim in the ocean, unwind and fill up on vitamin D before your journey home.

Together we reminisce about the trip over our last dinner - and perhaps already make plans for the next one?

Have you ever seen the beautiful picnic scenes from "The Bachelor", "Bachelor in Paradise" etc.? Today you will get to enjoy a breakfast like this - all without having to marry someone you don't really know!

Our journey ends with a glamorous breakfast on the beach - the envy of anyone who passes by - if anyone even happens to stumble across our secluded beach at all.

After our last precious hours together, we start our journey towards the airport. As we take a shared shuttle, you should book your flight for after 3pm. Those who can't get enough say their goodbyes now and spend a few more days at the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka.

We say "goodbye" and travel back to Europe with many new beautiful memories.