- Sri Lanka
- Grand Tour of Sri Lanka
Journey to the heart of this captivating island, boasting an incredible variety of highlights from undiscovered pristine beaches in the East, to ancient civilisations and sacred pilgrimage sites in the Cultural Triangle. Journey high up into the tea plantations of Sri Lanka's hill country and then down to Udawalawe and Yala to experience Sri Lanka's stunning wildlife, and discover the country's rich history in Colonial Galle and the capital, Colombo.
2022 Dossier
2023 Dossier
Depart London on your scheduled, overnight flight to Colombo.
Dinner
On arrival you will be transferred to your hotel in Colombo for a welcome dinner.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka, is a bustling, cosmopolitan city whose colonial history is still very much evident along wide, shaded boulevards and among its Victorian churches and tumbledown cafes. An introductory half-day city tour visits the vibrant temples and bazaars of Pettah, selling seemingly everything from traditional jewellery to Ayurvedic medicines. A trip to the Old Dutch hospital is a highlight of the newly restored Fort complex, home to some of Colombo's chicest restaurants, cafes and shops. After lunch enjoy the rest of the day at leisure before returning to your hotel for a welcome cocktail and overnight stay.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today you will leave the capital and head to Dambulla. This afternoon visit the Dambulla Rock Temple, where the impressive caves contain over 2000 square metres of painted walls and ceilings which were once gilded by the ancient King to mark his place of worship. Return to your hotel for the rest of your evening at leisure, enjoy dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today head north to the ancient city of Anuradhapura, the spiritual heart of the Cultural Triangle. Before it becomes very warm, visit the somnolent village of Mihintale and its nearby sacred mountain peak and temple complex. Ancient monastic dwellings and meditations spots are connected by beautiful old stone steps amongst rocky hills. After lunch you will embark on a city tour of Anuradhapura. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Anuradhapura's city ruins are one of South Asia's most evocative sites and contain a rich collection of crumbling temples, vast monasteries and elaborate palaces. Learn the fascinating history of the first ancient Sinhalese capital and marvel at the sacred Bodhi tree, the oldest authenticated tree in the world, tended by its dutiful guardians for over 2000 years. Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early breakfast proceed to Sigiriya. Undoubtedly a highlight of the tour is today's excursion to the awe-inspiring Sigiriya rock fortress. The ancient city of Sigiriya is a World Heritage Site and the city ruins lie on the slopes and summit of the imposing granite peak, towering above the jungle below. Climb up steps carved into the rock face to see the fortified palace and brilliant frescoes or enjoy the spectacular views of the ancient citadel and jungle from the lily-pad-covered moats that surround the rock. Return to your hotel for lunch and to enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After an early breakfast, journey to Sri Lanka's second ancient city. Polonnaruwa became the seat of the Sinhalese kings and Sri Lanka's second ancient capital after the demise of Anuradhapura. Scattered over gently undulating woodland, explore the monumental ruins of the ancient garden-city built by the megalomaniac Sinhalese king, Parakramabahu I, in the twelfth century. Afterwards, continue on to Passikudah where you will spend the next two nights.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today has been left at leisure. With its powder-white sands and emeraldblue waters, Passikudah is the perfect place to relax and enjoy Sri Lanka's laid-back, less-visited East coast.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After breakfast proceed to Kandy via Matale. Here you will explore a typical Sri Lankan spice garden to observe how a variety of spices are grown. After lunch you will continue to the Central Hills Kandy. Head to the famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth. The golden-roofed temple houses Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic - a tooth of Buddha; you will arrive in time for 'pooja' when the heavily guarded room housing the relic is open to both pilgrims and travellers alike.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Cradled amongst misty hills, the small city of Kandy exudes history, culture and beauty with its calm centrepiece lake surrounded by rolling forested landscapes and colourful houses. Explore the famous botanical gardens of Peradeniya, full of exotic palms, colourful orchids and home to over four thousand species of trees and plants. Then enjoy a tour of the city followed by a day at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning you will journey to Nuwara Eliya, often referred to as 'Little England' due to its plethora of colonial bungalows, well-tended hedgerows and pretty rose gardens. The picturesque mountain town is blessed with a salubrious climate and breathtaking views over the surrounding valleys, meadows and peaks. Sri Lanka is one of the world's largest exporters of tea and Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of this industry since the 19th century. En route to your hotel, you will make a stop at a tea plantation to observe the rich traditional process and inhale the heavenly scent of the prestigious Ceylon tea brand.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
A morning tour of Nuwara Eliya begins today, driving through the lush green tea plantations dotted with the colourful saris of the women working in them. Lunch will be served in a local village, Ella, with far-reaching views over the misty landscapes beyond before continuing to Udawalawe.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Udawalawe national park is renowned for its elephant viewing opportunities against the stunning backdrop of the surrounding hills. Rising early this morning, embark on a jeep safari to witness these majestic creatures in their natural habitat. As well as being home to over 250 elephants, deer, water buffalo, monkeys and a variety of bird species can also be found in the park. Just outside the park is the Elephant Transit Home, an inspirational project started to rehabilitate orphaned elephants. After this visit, depart for Tissamaharama to enjoy lunch and the rest of the day at leisure.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
After some free time this morning, a jeep safari in the nearby Yala national park awaits. Covering a vast 1200 square kilometres, Yala is Sri Lanka's largest national park boasting a uniquely stunning oceanfront setting. Journey through the heartland of wildlife, home to elephants, sloths, deer and, with the highest density of leopards in the world, you may even be lucky enough to spot one of these beautifully elusive animals.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Departing Tissamaharama, you will travel to the sleepy coastal resort of Mirissa. The idyllic crescent of beach, fringed with coconut palms is the perfect place to crack open a coconut and relax on the soft golden sands by the calm turquoise waters.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning will be at leisure for you to further relax or choose an optional whale watching excursion (only available Nov-Apr). The south coast of Sri Lanka is arguably the best place in the world to see planet earth's largest ever creatures, the Blue Whale. Alternatively, visit the nearby Hikkaduwa preschool to see a charity project funded and supported by Mercury Holidays. Late this morning you will travel to Galle, a fort area and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This national treasure has been inhabited by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, all of whom left their distinctive marks visible in the walled Galle Fort and through the sleepy streets strewn with colonial buildings, restaurants and small boutique shops.
Breakfast
After breakfast transfer to Colombo airport for your flight back to the UK.
Kevin Morley
27 Mar 20All hotels were 100% excellent, with the exception of The Palm Garden Village in Anuradhapura.
Christopher Dainty
26 Mar 20Quality accommodation
Trevor Denison
14 Mar 20All very good. With such a comprehensive Itinerary, all meals included, great value for money. Guide, hotels, meals, organisation all excellent.
Elizabeth Ward
11 Mar 20We enjoyed every one of the hotels. They were different but all good quality.
Andy Heard
16 Feb 20Great selection of a variety of hotels all providing excellent comfortable accommodation, great food and superb hospitality .
Wayne Sherratt
29 Nov 19The hotels could not be faulted. Some were different but a pleasure to stay in them.
B Evans
08 Nov 19Excellent holiday, special thanks to Kusum guide/ driver. Superb hotels and well organised.
David Alastair Fleming
26 Oct 19Generally excellent, but some variability, especially with lunch stops.
Christine Moloney
26 Apr 19Some of the hotel rooms & around the pools could have been a bit cleaner. The food & hotel staff were excellent. This was one of the best tour holidays we have taken. The size of the group was perfect as we were able to get on & off the coach quickly & was more friendly with a small number people. The food could not be faulted & the places we ate, other than the hotels, were such a good choice.
David Seares
21 Apr 19All hotels were of a good standard
Michael Sabec
07 Apr 19Very high standard of hotels throughout the tour. Meals in all the hotels were excellent with a very good choice of Sri Lankan or western food. The excellent and knowledgeable service provided by the tour guide, assisted by the coach driver and his assistant, made this a very memorable tour.
Matthew Forde
01 Apr 19All the hotels were excellent, the rooms were terrific in all locations. Most of the service was of a high quality although there were occasional lapses due to lack of training. The buffets were generally well presented and fulsome. The tour was amazing value for money and the guide Lathif was exceptional and ensured the tour exceeded all our expectations.
James Neary
28 Mar 19Most of the Hotels were very good. All reviewed on Trip Advisor individually
Stuart Wilkinson
18 Mar 19All the hotels were of a very good standard with all staff being friendly and helpful. All the hotels varied in style which made the trip all the more enjoyable.
M Glover
15 Mar 19Sudesh our tour guide was outstanding and after many tours around the world, he is probably the best guide we have ever met.
Denise Stendall
26 Feb 19All hotels were good,they were all very helpful providing gluten free food for my husband and at every meal, Ernest, our guide, spoke to the chef on our behalf. The whole trip was well organised, the hotels were good, everything went beyond our expectations. Thank you for a wonderful holiday.
Richard Swaine
09 Feb 19All the hotels selected were good and some of a very high class.
All the meals were beyond our expectations
Marion Slade
09 Feb 19We were most impressed by the standard of hotels used throughout. All were well located, very clean and furnished and appointed to a high standard. We especially enjoyed the Calm Resort at Pasikudah and the Amaya Hills hotel.
Mike Hill
08 Dec 18All hotels were good/excellent- generally buffet meals - occasional waiter service for a change would be appreciated. The guide is singled out for special mention for his attention to detail and planning efficiency it was reassuring to have a good safe driver.
M Braide
30 Oct 18Highly organised with attention to detail and planning. The tour was very well planned with two stops at coastal resorts to ease the pace of the tour. The driver gave excellent service. The hotels generally very good standard.
A fantastic value for money tour, with one of the best tour managers that I have ever met.
Highly recommended.
Katie Philpott
05 Oct 18Most of the hotels were very good quality. I particulary liked the Hotel Palm Garden and The Calm Resort.
Katrina Matthews
19 Sep 18Fantastic good quality 3 and 4 star hotels some with amazing views
Leonard Goodes
15 Sep 18Hotels were of a high standard and represented good value for money.
Peter Williams
10 Jul 18All hotels were excellent. Rooms and food brilliant! All staff very good and helpful.
Theresa Robinson
20 May 18All hotels were excellent
Owen Woodward
17 Mar 18Some hotels a bit dated but generally all good
Neil And Sharon Walker
28 Jul 17Excellent accommodation and food. Far exceeded our expectations.
Jon & Anne Sass
28 Mar 17The hotels were of exceptional high standard. All in fantastic locations, rooms excellent and food and service extremely good. Have no negatives at all, very good value.
Jennifer Hancock
07 Dec 16The standard of the hotels we visited was good . We have no complaints about any hotel .
Mark Symes
06 Oct 16Excellent tour with great guide and hotels.
Carol Bickerstaff
09 Jun 16Newton the guide was very patient and informative and a wonderful host. The driver was fabulous and made us feel safe even when others were testing him with their bad driving. Chmi was a very pleasant young man and very helpful on the coach getting water with a smile.
John Coyne
09 Jun 16Absolutely first class!! The guide was knowledgeable and a great travel companion. Excellent value given the quality of hotels and the small size of the group.
John Coyne
31 May 16Absolutely first class!! Knowledgeable guides and fantastic tour companions. Exceptional value given the quality of hotels and small size of groups.
David Tyler
31 Mar 16All Hotels were excellent with a good range of facilities. Buffet meals were also good with a wide selection.
A visa is required for entry into Sri Lanka. We work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be able to arrange your visa for you on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250 590 and quote "Mercury Holidays". The cost of the visa is from £63. The visas take around 10 working days to issue and are only valid for 3 months from the date of issue. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for your visa 8 weeks before travel, however, please be aware that your passport will be required for the application so make sure that you will not need it during this time. Alternatively, you can visit The High Commission of Sri Lanka at 13 Hyde Park Gardens, London, W2 2LU. Please note: If you have chosen to add the 'Kerala Beach Stay' or 'Highlights of Kerala' extension to the end of your tour, you will need to obtain an Indian visa prior to your UK departure. The Travel Visa Company offers a service which takes can take up to 15 working days at busy times. The cost is approximately £134. Alternatively, you can apply for your own visa. You can apply in person or by post to the Indian Embassy in London: 142-148 Goswell Road, London, EC1V 7DU. There are also regional centres elsewhere in the UK. Full details on the process can be found on the Indian Embassy website www.in.vfsglobal.co.uk.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
If booking more than 10 weeks before departure a deposit of £250pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 10 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 10 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
Your flight is to Colombo Airport is with Sri Lankan Airlines (UL), departing from London Heathrow Terminal 3. Each passenger is entitled to 30kg of hold luggage and hand luggage that you are permitted to carry one item of hand baggage (max 5kg - 56x36x23cm) in addition to one small personal item on-board the aircraft. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. IMPORTANT: Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 10 days before departure.
Airport Extras If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras - Tel. 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot, and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches. Please note there are approximately 1,300 steps to Sigiriya Rock Fortress. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 10, and the maximum will be 30. If in the unlikely event there are less than 10 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour with local guides throughout ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
The currency in Sri Lanka is the Rupee, LKR. The Rupee is a closed currency and officially you are not allowed to take any cash out of Sri Lanka. US Dollars and GBP are also widely accepted in Sri Lanka should you wish to keep an alternative currency on you.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £400 will be sufficient for the duration of the tour, depending on how much of a bargain-hunter you are! Tipping is customary in Sri Lanka. Should you wish to tip, this will be collected by your guide at the end of your tour for your convenience. We would recommend approximately £3-5 per person, per day for the driver and guide and £4 per person, per day for the national guides. It is asked that if you do not tip in the local currency, please do not give coins as these are difficult to exchange.