Sri Lanka Photography Tour

14 DAYS / 13 NIGHTS EASY-PACED

DELUXE FROM NZ $4,362 PP

Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscape, captivating cultural heritage, white sandy beaches, wildlife and unique experience within such a small location like Sri Lanka. We begin and end in Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. We will travel south to Galle, and photograph stilt fishermen on the beach. Enjoy and photograph the magical village of Ella and the train ride to Nuwara Eliya. Tea plantations and the famous Demodara 9 Arches Bridge. We’ll photograph Sri Lanka “Veddas” indigenous tribal communities and their unique culture, and the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. All while staying in stunning hotel properties that are bound to captivate your soul. This adventure is designed not only to guide you to the most photogenic locations carefully planned for the best light, but to aid you in mentally visualizing a scene before capturing the decisive moment.

Tour notes: Itinerary Can be tailormade

Tour Type: Bespoke Special Interest Group Journey Group size: Minimum 07 and above Departs daily: Choose your dates Best Time to Travel: Sept to April Accommodation: Various Category Available

Combine your stand-alone or multi tour with wholesale return airfare and save

Dambulla

2

3 Colombo

2 Kandy

2 Nuwara Eliya

Ella

1

2 Yala

Galle

1 Day 1: Arrive Colombo

On arrival at the airport, meet your Tour Manager at the arrival lounge who will assist with the transfer to Colombo Hotel. Stay two nights in Colombo.

Day 02: Colombo B D

We begin by meeting in the lobby of our hotel, where we will have our group introductions and discuss the days ahead. Thereafter we hop on to our tuk-tuk and start our photography journey, stop and click the iconic sights such as The Independence Square, BMICH and the Aukana Buddha Statue replica, Beautiful Gangarama Temple, the Beira Lake, Galle Face Green, Peta Bazaar and the Colombo railway station. Evening enjoys a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 03: Colombo – Galle B D

We depart Colombo and head to Galle a rustic town with a wonderful collection of Dutch-colonial buildings. This historic fort area is filled with little boutique shops, cafes and hotels owned by artists, writers, photographers, designers and poets. Just wandering the old walls and streets you will come across an architectural collection of structures dating back through the centuries. Its glories have earned the Fort status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Next, we spend some time exploring Ambalangoda, and its artisans who make the ubiquitous “devil masks” used in devil dances. Before dinner, we will photograph the stilt fishermen during sunset, including fishermen on the beach. Overnight stay in Galle.

Day 04: Galle – Yala B D

Travel to Yala afternoon explore Yala National Park on a jeep safari. It’s one of the best places in the world to see and photograph wild lepers and sloth bears. This is Sri Lanka’s premier park because it holds the world’s densest populations of Leopard. We will try our luck to catch sight or photograph the

What’s included: 13 Nights deluxe accommodation Travel by chartered air-conditioned vehicle Group assistance and transfers Sightseeing as specified Meals as specified THO National Guide (minimum 07 people) Monument entrance fees Jeep safari at Yala Minneriya & Udawalawe National Park Spice plantation visit Cultural dance show in Kandy Tea Tour Hi-Tea Bottled water while travelling and All current collectable taxes.

wild cat. However, even if leopards do not perform, the park is loaded with birds and other nature photography opportunities. Stay two nights in Yala.

Day 05: Udawalawe NP Excursion B D

Morning we will take our first “game drive”. The park holds a healthy population of Asian Elephants, and they will be a major focus of our time here. However, as we drive the tracks looking for this massive grey) beast, we will bump into photogenic birds as we go; species like Crested Hawk-Eagle, Indian Roller, Jerdon’s Bushlark, Brown Fish-Owl, and Blue-tailed Bee-eaters.

Day 06: Yala – Ella

B D

Today we begin with an early morning drive to Ella a tiny, picturesque village in the highlands of the country. We’ll have the chance to shoot incredible landscapes, carpeted tea plantations, Tea Leaf Picker ladies, plus railway life and very friendly local people. Sightseeing that is worth capturing on your camera is the Lipton’s Seat, Nine Arches Bridge and Little Adam’s Peak at sunset (depending on the weather). Stay overnight in Ella

Day 07: Ella – Nuwara Eliya B D

We are up early for the sunrise and a shoot of the Village to take in as much as possible before we leave Ella. Board a train From Ella to Nanu Oya known to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Onboard you will have plenty of opportunities to shoot incredible landscapes of hill stations, carpeted tea plantations, mountain ranges, plus railway life as we stop off at rural stations to stock up on sweet tea and snacks. Stay two nights in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 08: Nuwara Eliya –Hatton Plain B T D

After an early breakfast we drive up to the Horton Plains National Park and set off on our trek to ‘World’s End’ and the beautiful Bakers Falls. Horton Plains is Sri Lanka’s highest plateau, approx. 2200m above sea level and the dramatic drop-off at the edge of the plateau is particularly well demonstrated as ‘World’s End,’ where there is a 300-meter precipice. This afternoon we head to the glamorous colonial Grand Hotel to enjoy high tea, served either outside on the lawn or in the open-sided tea lounge.

Day 09: Nauwara Eliya – Kandy B D

After an early breakfast, we travel to Kandy en-route to photograph the beautiful Ramboda waterfalls, Labookelle Tea Factory, and tea plantations. This afternoon stroll through the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens to shoot the majestic Javan fig tree, dressed in scores of fruit bats. Stay two nights in Kandy.

Day 10: Kandy B D

Morning we enjoy a guided sightseeing tour of Kandy and photograph the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Then walk around the Upper Lake area to enjoy the view of Kandy. Later visit Gem Museum and watch a short film on Gem Mining in Sri Lanka then explore the shop attached showcasing the finished jewellery. In the evening enjoy a spectacular Kandy Cultural Show.

Day 11: Kandy – Dambulla B D

Today travel to Dambulla, en-route visit Matale Spice Plantation where you can see how herbs and spices are grown in their natural environment. Learn their medicinal value and use in Sri Lankan cuisine to enhance the taste of speciality meals. Later visit the Dambulla Cave Temples a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the complex spans five caves and contains over 150 Buddha images, some of which date as far back as the 1st century BC. Stay two nights in Dambulla.

Day 12: Sigiriya & Minneriya Excursion B D

Today we photography Sri Lanka two iconic sights the Sigiriya rock and Minneriya National Park. Discover the 5th-century ancient clifftop fortress of Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and explore the ruins of ancient palaces, moats, shrines, frescoes and water gardens as you take in commanding vistas of the misty forests beyond. Afternoon proceed for a wildlife safari at Minneriya National Park. The Park is based largely around a huge reservoir and serves as an important gathering place for Sri Lanka’s large elephant population and other wildlife like the sambar deer and sloth bear.

Day 13: Polonnaruwa –Colombo

B D

Explore Dambulla’s largest vegetables and fruits wholesale market. The harvest from the surrounding fields and villages is brought into the market for distribution to the rest of the country. Later we travel Polonnaruwa, UNESCO World Heritage Site, highlights are huge man-made reservoirs, Royal Palace complex, the Quadrangle and the spectacular Gal Vihare complex of four massive images of the Buddha, cut from a single slab of granite. Overnight in Colombo.

Day 14: Colombo Departure B

Tour finishes after breakfast with a direct transfer to Colombo airport to board your onward flight.