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Sri Lanka Food Adventure 12 Days From R34 625
Sri Lanka Real food adventure : 12 days from R24 980
Original : 25 ZAR deposit
There’s a new adventure on every plate with this food exploration of Sri Lanka
Leave moderation at home and indulge on this gourmet adventure in Sri Lanka. Lie back on the coast, cool down in the highlands and weave through the streets of the buzzing capital. Taste melt-in-the mouth desserts, cook seafood straight out of the hands of a fisherman, uncover fiery curries and spend time with welcoming locals keen to share the mysteries of Sri Lankan cuisine. There’s also time to explore the rich culture of Sri Lanka: elaborate temples, ancient fortresses and wildlife-filled countryside. This is truly an adventure for the senses.
Why you'll love this trip
Witness the amazing Sri Lankan seafood on offer at the Negombo seafood market
Spend time with welcoming locals keen to share the mysteries of Sri Lankan cuisine – learn Tamil, Sinhalese, and Burgher cooking in their homes
Soak up the scenery while sipping a glass of the local arak – Sri Lanka’s signature local liquor
Spoil your tastebuds with flavour-filled curries and sweet desserts, and treat your eyes to banquets of rainbow spices, vibrant vegetables and colourful sambol
Is this trip right for you?
Many of the cooking experiences on this trip are in local homes, as this is where some of the best food is to be found. While you'll have the chance to get involved in the preparations in the kitchen, learning will be in a more informal environment.
This trip aims to give you an exciting, diverse and well-rounded experience of Sri Lanka's cuisine. While we endeavour to cater for specific dietary requirements, some meals and food activities are set in advance and may be difficult to adjust. If you have dietary requirements, simply contact your agent at the time of booking for further information on how this may impact on your ability to take part in included activities and meals. Come with an open mind and open mouth, and you won’t be disappointed!
Sri Lanka is a great food destination for vegetarians, with a large amount of the nation’s favourite dishes meat free – vegetable curries, hoppers, string hoppers, vegetable roti and, of course, the incredible selection of fruit on offer.
At 6 hours, the train from Kandy to Bandarawela is the longest travel day. However, the scenery is so beautiful that you might not even want to get off!
The drive from Bandarawela to Yala goes down from the mountains to the coast on a very windy road, and while this means the going can be a little slow, it also means that you’ll be able to appreciate the scenery from every angle.
We visit a number of temples on this trip, which requires a certain level of modesty. Please bring clothes that cover the arms and pants/skirts that go past the knees. A light scarf is also a good idea for covering shoulders and arms when it’s hot.
Though its equatorial position means fairly constant year-round temperatures, the summer months in Sri Lanka are very hot with short, sharp monsoons in the south-west of the country. Be sure to use adequate sun protection and drink plenty of water.
If you have issues with heights, you may wish to sit out the climb of Lion Rock at Sigiriya. there are lots of rough, narrow steps and tight walkways.
Tourism in Sri Lanka is booming, and with it has come a huge increase in visitors to Yala National Park. Overtourism and lack of sustainable management practices have become a major concern for us in continuing to visit Yala. In order to reduce our impact on wildlife and the environment we are trialling visiting a less touristed section of Yala, known as Block 5. Should we determine that high tourist numbers at Block 5 also make it difficult to continue visiting responsibly we will change our itinerary to visit Udawalawe National Park, where wild elephants, wild buffalo, sambar deer and leopards also reside.
From September through October when Yala National Park is closed annually for infrastructure development and rejuvenation we follow the alternate itinerary of Udawalawe National Park.
Itinerary
Day 1: Negombo
Welcome to Sri Lanka. Known as the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, the island offers travellers palm-studded beaches, rolling plantations, and sacred sites steeped in spirituality. With charming people, mysterious ruins and some of the best cuisine in the world, Sri Lanka’s hypnotic essence will remain with you long after you come home. You’ll begin your adventure by getting in the seaside spirit in Negombo, a historical commercial centre surrounded by a fascinating network of canals teeming with rural life. Pull up a deck chair on Negombo’s huge, sweeping beach and enjoy the Indian Ocean before meeting up with your group and leader at a welcome meeting tonight at 6 pm. Spend your first night enjoying the coastline, getting to know your fellow travellers and watching the fishing boats float by. Perhaps go out for a meal together for your first taste of Sri Lankan cuisine.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
Negombo - Spirit of Negombo Urban Adventure - USD60
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
Day 2: Dambulla
In the morning, wake early and catch the action at the Negombo fish market. The market is situated at the northern end of a lagoon renowned for lobsters, crabs and prawns. Weave through stalls piled with shark, squid, barracuda and unheard of sea creatures as the sellers call out their wares, and get a great insight into local commerce. Continue on to a coconut plantation (approximately 1 hour) to discover why this ‘super food’ is so central to life in Sri Lanka. Learn how all parts of the tree play an important part in daily life, sip the water of a king coconut, watch ‘toddy tappers’ extract the palm wine from the coconut sap and taste the results. Enjoy a Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch. Head inland to Dambulla (approximately 2 hours), home to vibrantly decorated cave temples and a great base to explore the wide array of natural wonders and historic sites in this fascinating area. Your evening is free to explore. Alternatively join your leader on an optional street food crawl for an introduction to some staple Sri Lankan 'short eats' including hoppers and the famous kotthu roti.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Negombo - Fish market
Madampe - Coconut plantation visit
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Day 3: Dambulla
After breakfast, drive to Sigiriya (approximately 30 minutes). Here you will have the opportunity to climb to the top of the rock and visit its elaborate ancient fortress complex (approximately 2.5 hours round-trip on foot, including stairs). The 200 metre high ancient remains of a defensive capital built by a fearful king, ‘Lion Rock’ houses dynamic fifth-century frescos, terraced gardens and splashing fountains. Next, observe age-old traditions at a nearby chena cultivation area, one of the oldest forms of agriculture known to humans. It’s particularly popular in the dry zone of the country where it rains for only a few months of the year. Principal crops are tropical vegetables, cereals, grains, yams and corn. Then feast on tropical vegetables, curry made with tapioca and fried fish caught in the nearby lake for lunch. In the late afternoon, return to Dambulla to explore the Wholesale Market and dodge the trucks and people piled high with every type of produce imaginable. Boasting an incredible array of fresh food, much of which is subsequently transported to Colombo for sale, this is the perfect place to get a sense of Sri Lanka's agricultural diversity. The rest of the evening is free for your own food adventures. Use the free evening to poke around the town or sit back with a drink. There are plenty of restaurants surrounding the markets. Your leader will also have some tips on where to find the best roti in town.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Dambulla - Wholesale Markets tour
Sigiriya - Lion Rock
Optional Activities
Minneriya - Jeep Safari - LKR6500
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Special Information
There is a steep staircase to ascend to Sigiriya. Good walking shoes are recommended for this experience.
Day 4: Kandy
Located high on a cliff face are the impressive Dambulla Cave temples. You will have time to explore these this morning and admire the many Buddha images, frescoes and paintings. On the way to the physical and spiritual heart of the country and the former home of the last Sri Lankan king, stop for lunch at a spice garden in the renowned spice-growing region of Matale. Sri Lankans are the masters of spice and here you can learn how spices aren’t just used in food, but also cosmetics and ayurvedic medicine. Smell the fragrant odours of cumin, cinnamon and curry leaves before tasting pumpkin curry flavoured with aromatic fenugreek, with a side of dry chilli sambol and the uniquely Sri Lankan coconut roti. As the spice gardens here are popular with tourists, you will find the prices to be higher than outside, but it is the ideal place to learn about the best Sri Lankan spices. Continue on to Kandy and arrive by late afternoon (approximately 2 hours). Kandy is a pleasant city surrounded by lush green countryside, and it’s home to a picturesque lake, old shops, a bustling market and some great restaurants. This evening observe locals worshipping in Kandy’s Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth), one of Sri Lanka’s most sacred shrines that houses a tooth relic of the Lord Buddha. With your free evening, perhaps follow the sound of rhythmic chopping to watch a chef transform a ball of dough into a huge sheet of wafer-thin roti, skilfully slice, griddle, mix with vegetables and spices and create kotthu roti.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Dambulla - Cave Temples
Matale - Spice Garden tour and lunch
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth entrance
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Special Information
Please note that there are many steps to the caves and a dress code which requires you to remove your shoes and cover up your shoulders and legs.
Day 5: Kandy
This morning you’ll enjoy a guided walk around Kandy's busy city centre, including a tour of the Central Market and samples of local fresh fruits, before visiting a nearby working tea factory. Learn about tea harvesting and production while enjoying some samples. The rest of the day is free for you to explore. Kandy is home to a National Museum, monasteries and there are many scenic walks around town. The botanical gardens here are among the best in Asia. In the early evening, join a Sinhalese family to spoil your sweet tooth with a Kandyan sweet-filled Sri Lankan dinner and cooking class. Try your hand at crafting string hoppers, pressing a smooth rice dough into noodle-thin strands to form perfect discs (this is an art that takes some practice to master!), try a chicken curry made with spice-infused coconut milk, closer to a Thai curry than a classic North Indian one. Then fill up on specialty sweets inspired by Dutch and Portuguese dessert traditions.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Kandy - Cooking Class in a Sinhalese Home
Kandy - Tea factory visit
Kandy - Market wander & tastings
Meals Included
Breakfast
Dinner
Day 6: Bandarawela
Take a scenic journey into the highlands to Bandarawela (approximately 7 hours). Journey past waterfalls, little villages and up through the mountains on the way to this town in the cool highlands, once popular with British plantation managers. Look down over a sweeping vista filled with bright green tea bushes and vegetable gardens. Tonight you are invited to a local home for a traditional meal.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Bandarawela - Cooking demonstration & local meal
Meals Included
Breakfast
Dinner
Special Information
Train tickets from Kandy to Bandarawela are in very high demand. We always try our best to secure tickets for the full journey or the part of the trip. Though on the rare occasion that we cannot you will be provided with a private bus to take you to your next destination.
Day 7: Bandarawela
Rise early and head to the verdant surrounds of the region's tea plantations. Learn about the country’s most important export, meet local tea pickers who will show you their craft and let you have a hands-on go at picking and then weighing tea before it heads off to the factory. Enjoy a cup (or two) at the source! Then travel out to the town of Haputale (approximately 1 hour) for a home-cooked lunch with a Tamil family. Tear into traditional Tamil cuisine with dosa – a crispy rice pancake – and idli, a savoury steamed rice cake served with curry sauces or chutneys. Return to Bandarawela in the late afternoon and soak up the rural charm of the town and the beautiful surrounding landscapes.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Nuwara Eliya - Pedro Tea Estate visit
Haputale - Tamil family lunch
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Day 8: Yala/Udawalawe National Park
Drive approximately 2 hours to the wilderness of Yala National Park (or Udawalawe National Park in the off season). Encompassing a variety of diverse ecosystems, the park has an impressive array of wildlife, including sloth bears and lots of birds. In the evening take a safari tour and get the binoculars out to search for the leopards that lounge in trees or stalk through the brush, crocodiles that patrol the river or wild elephants that graze across the savanna. Please note that during times of inclement weather, such as heavy rainfall, we may not be able to visit the national parks and will arrange an alternate activity in these cases.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Wildlife safari
Meals Included
Breakfast
Dinner
Special Information
Tourism in Sri Lanka is booming, and with it has come a huge increase in visitors to Yala National Park. Overtourism and lack of sustainable management practices have become a major concern for us in continuing to visit Yala. In order to reduce our impact on wildlife and the environment we are trialling visiting a less touristed section of Yala, known as Block 5. Should we determine that high tourist numbers at Block 5 also make it difficult to continue visiting responsibly we will change our itinerary to visit Udawalawe National Park, where wild elephants, wild buffalo, sambar deer and leopards also reside.
From September through October when Yala National Park is closed annually for infrastructure development and rejuvenation we follow the alternate itinerary of Udawalawe National Park.
Day 9: Mirissa
Start the day sweetly discovering one of Sri Lanka's favourite ingredients. Try buffalo curd, served in bright terracotta pots with thick, golden treacle, often eaten as a snack, as an accompaniment to meals or as a dessert. Sri Lankans are famed for their sweet tooth and this is just about as sweet as it gets. En route to the beautiful beach village of Mirissa (approximately 3 hours), discover the Muslim influence on Sri Lankan food with dishes like biryani and watalappam at lunch. Spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring the golden sands of Sri Lanka’s southern coastline. The beach is a long curve of sand and has lovely calm clear waters for swimming, and the sunsets are great too. This is a paradise that you won't want to leave. Perhaps consider taking a bicycle ride or tuk-tuk to watch colourful fishing boats bring back their loads of fresh fish to sell along the shore. Maybe take a boat to spot whales and dolphins, or wash down all that chilli with a beer, while watching surfers take on the waves.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Yala/Udawalawe National Park - Curd and treacle tasting
Optional Activities
Mirissa - Whale Watching (Nov to Mar) - USD55
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Special Information
Whale watching season is from November to April. Your tour leader will be able to help you book this optional activity.
Day 10: Mirissa
Meet with a local fisherman and learn about their craft, and how their lives have changed after the tsunami. Enjoy the freshest seafood lunch possible with a fisherman's family – a wonderful crab curry is likely to be on the menu. Continue on to the perfectly preserved colonial township of Galle (approximately 1 hour) and its blend of European architecture and South Asian traditions. In the evening take a tour of the Royal Dutch Fort, exploring the winding passageways, maze of gallery-filled narrow streets and 400 years of rich history. Return to Mirissa for the night.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Mirissa - Fisherman's Cooking Demonstration and Lunch
Galle - Dutch Fort
Galle - Walking tour
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Day 11: Colombo
Head north for the final stop on this gastronomic adventure and Sri Lanka’s commercial heart, Colombo (approximately 2.5 hours). The city is a cosmopolitan mix of vibrant street markets, colonial buildings, interesting museums, fine restaurants and great shopping opportunities. Snack your way around lanes filled with ‘short eats’, street-food possibilities and bustling local eateries. Enjoy a final Dutch Burgher-influenced meal, and celebrate the end of your food adventure with new friends.
Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)
Included Activities
Colombo - City tour by bus
Colombo - Dutch Burgher Lunch
Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Day 12: Colombo
This trip concludes this morning. There are no activities planned for this final day and you are free to leave at any time.
Optional Activities
Colombo - Colombo by Tuk Tuk Urban Adventure - USD55
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Inclusions
Meals: 10 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 3 dinners
Transport: Private vehicle, Train, Safari Vehicle
Accommodation: Hotel (11 nts)
Included activities
Coconut Plantation Visit - Madampe
Negombo - Fish market
Dambulla - Cave temples
Dambulla - Wholesale Markets tour
Sigiriya - Lion Rock
Dambulla - Cave Temples
Matale - Spice Garden Tour and Lunch
Kandy - Temple of the Tooth
Kandy - Market Wander & Tastings
Kandy - Cooking Class in a Sinhalese Home
Tea Factory Visit
Yala/Bundala National Park - Wildlife safari
Galle - Dutch Fort
Galle - Walking tour
Colombo - Walking tour
Colombo - Dutch Burgher Lunch
Ref: IN11014
PLease contact us for more information
luzelle@atravelagent.co.za
