Overview

 Highlights


  • Time spent in the hill capital of Kandy and the Royal Botanical Gardens
  • Cultural Performance by traditional Kandyan Dancers
  • Tea plantations of Nuwara Eliya
  • Visit the Elephant Orphanage centre
  • Visit the Rock Fortress of Sigiruya & coastal town of Galle
  • Cultural Exchange with Southlands College
  • Project work that addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Historic Colombo
  • Tailor this itinerary to suit your school's needs & budget

Think of Sri Lanka and the first things that come to mind are tea, culture and wildlife and that's what we bring to your students in this itinerary. By incorporating visits to the Elephant Orphanage, Cultural hub of Kandy, Tea Plantations of Nuwara Elliya and the coastal town of Galle you will find this experiential learning trip an ideal introduction to the highlights of this island paradise. With visits to Southlands College and work on a community project, students will be able to gain hands-on experience and valuable knowledge of Sri Lanka and the people who live there.

Countries:

Start and Finishing Point:

Colombo

Activities:

Grading:Adventure touring   

Addressing:


Upon arrival at Colombo Airport, you will be met and transferred to the group hotel in Negombo. Depending on the time you arrive the afternoon is free to relax or explore the area before meeting your guide in the evening where you will have a trip briefing. This evening enjoy a tour of Negombo including the Old Dutch fortress dating back to 1678, the Hamilton Canal which was built by the Dutch for the transportation of cinnamon, St Mary’s Church, the Old Dutch Cemetery and the Negombo Fish Market.

Meals:  D

After an early breakfast we leave for the Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, a Royal Citadel for 20 years in the 5th Century AD built by King Kasyapa. The highlights being the Frescoes, Mirror Wall and the Lion's Paw, considered as the 8th Wonder of the modern world. We will spend the night at a hotel in Dambulla.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we depart for Kandy – literally the “City on the Hills”; so named as it was protected by nature - water, rocks and jungles. En route we will visit the Dambulla Cave Temple considered to be the largest painted caves in the world with more than 22,000 sq ft of painted surfaces with many paintings, sculptures, statues of Lord Buddha, Kings and Gods. We will also stop to enjoy the natural beauty of the Knuckles Range in the Pitawalapatana Plains and walk in a Spice Garden and take part in a conducted tour to get some knowledge about the growth and use of spices in the day to day life. We will also stop in a Batik Making Factory, see how beautifully the village girls turn out beautiful coloured cloths for different purposes with colourful designs. We will arrive into Kandy in the late afternoon. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings before falling to the British in 1815 AD, and a World Heritage Site. The name Kandy conjures visions of splendor and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. The central attraction is the golden roofed Temple of the Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. The Kandy Lake built by the last King Sri Wickramarajasinghe in 1806 adds colour to the City. It is a City for arts and crafts as well as culture and history.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast leave for a City Tour including the Upper Lake Drive - a place where one could have a bird's eye view of the city below, the Royal Botanical Gardens - one of the best of its kind in Asia with more than 5000 species of different varieties of flora which incidentally was the Headquarters of Lord Louise Mountbatten - the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces during the 2nd World War, a Gem Museum - to see how the valuable gems that you see on a shop shelf are turned out from a raw stone with the back ground history. In the evening watch a Cultural Performance by traditional Kandyan Dancers and Drummers including devotional "Fire Walking" and walk across in the star lit night to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha - by far the most important place of worship for Buddhists worldover.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast we depart for Nuwara Eliya - “Little England” through the Ramboda Pass. Nuwara Eliya is nestled in a wooded basin at the foot of Mount Pidurutalagala Sri Lanka’s highest peak; this region at 2061 m (6,183 ft) above sea-level has a cool, crisp climate unknown elsewhere in Sri Lanka. A serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of Colombo, the town seems like a piece of the English Lake District. Unusual plants, birds and animals thrive here besides natural features like waterfalls and caves. Tea, the glistening green leaves of this lovely shrub, along with neat rows of green, cloak ridges and valleys provide a lasting impression of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. The Golf Course – one of the finest and picturesque in Asia, the serene Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity, beautiful parks and well kept lawns and hedges give the place an air of nostalgia. En route visit a Tea Factory and a Plantation to witness the manufacturing process of world famous "Ceylon Tea" and to taste a pure unblended cup of factory fresh tea before being sent to the tea auctions in Colombo leading to export. This evening is free for walks /tour around the city - the important places being the Victoria Park, Gregory Lake, golf course, market etc.

Meals:  B,L,D

We will drive to Galle after breakfast known as the Southern Capital and where we will be based for the next 6 days. En route we will visit the Elephant Transit Home which is a widely regarded as being the best elephant rehabilitation centre in Sri Lanka and with the strongest animal protection policies in place. The centre is home to many baby elephants who have been victims of the human elephant conflict. We take a stop to experience the baby elephants being bottle fed; here we will also partake in presenting a donation in the form of Milk Powder (Lacktogen) to be used for the baby elephants. Galle is a coastal city rich in culture and history. After we have checked into our hotel we will spend the afternoon visiting the Galle Fort a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Turtle Hatchery and a Mask Museum.

Meals:  B,L,D

Every project is different. Details of your school's project will be confirmed after further discussion of your itinerary. Overnight hotel Galle

Meals:  B,D

We will say farewell to the friends we have made and make our way leisurely up to Colombo, the Commercial capital of Sri Lanka.. A fascinating city, not only for its comfortable blend of East and West, but also for its balanced mixture of past and present. This afternoon we take a city tour with sights including a Buddhist Temple, Dutch Wolvendhal Church, a Hindu Temple, Town Hall, BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall) and Cinnamon Gardens the prime residential area as well as the newly opened Performing Arts Theatre. Depending on time we will also visit the Cresat Shopping mall.

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast we will be transferred to the airport for our flight home.

Meals:  B


Addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Life On Land:  Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

Good Health And Well-being:  Ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development.

Gender Equality:  Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world.

Clean Water And Sanitation:  Clean, accessible water for all is an essential part of the world we want to live in.


Learning outcomes for students

World Expeditions Schools journeys are designed to encourage positive personal development and the learning of life skills, while leaving the communities and environments we travel to, in a better condition than when we arrived.
The programs are designed to:
• build strong friendships and bonds with their peers, their teachers, and the local people they meet.
• increase the confidence to engage with new people, and collaboratively make informed decisions.
• discover the benefits of working cooperatively together as a cohesive team, to achieve a common objective.
• Increase the ability to face, and cope with, mental and physical challenges and therefore increase resilience.
• give students a chance to appreciate and care for the natural world. The environments we travel through are beautiful and often pristine, invariably the students will gain a deeper appreciation and understanding about how their individual actions impact on the environment.
• Learn personal skills i.e., time management, personal hygiene, responsibility for personal gear, patience, tolerance, and public speaking.
We help encourage students to learn what it means to be a true global citizen.


Inclusions

  • Full board as per itinerary
  • Experienced and expert English speaking local guide
  • Comfortable accommodation on twin share basis
  • Private internal transport by private vehicles
  • Sightseeing and entry fees as listed in itinerary
  • Medical kit
  • Airport transfers

  • International Flights
  • Bottled water, aerated drinks
  • Items of a personal nature such as phone calls, laundry, postage etc.
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Visa
  • Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
  • Optional activities and sightseeing not listed in the itinerary
  • Additional accommodation or transport required due to any emergency situation (this should be covered by travel insurance)
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Cost of the Project work
  • Charity project work - unless pre arranged locally

Grading

Adventure touring

Although there is no commitment to extended physical activity on this journey we nonetheless want to keep the ‘accent on the active’. We therefore advise that any physical training you complete before undertaking the trip will be to good effect and enhance your travel experience.


Customise your program

We can fully customise a School Travel Program to suit your students' learning objectives and budget. Whether you require a Service Learning program, physical challenge, cultural immersion or certain curriculum targets - talk to one of our educational travel experts about the elements you need in your itinerary. We pride ourselves on developing unique itineraries to meet the learning requirements for schools.

World Expeditions Schools is a division of one of the world's leading adventure travel companies, World Expeditions. We can develop itineraries in any destination that is offered by World Expeditions, which is to every continent on earth.

Use our simple Expedition Design Form to contact us with your requirements and an educational travel expert will be in touch to assist.


Why travel with us

Why travel with us

Assisted over
14,000 Students Worldwide

Since the 1980's, we have helped students from around the globe to experience the world's most exciting destinations, allowing them to travel, give, grow.

400+ Service Learning
Programs

Together with students, we have completed over 400 Service Learning programs in developing countries. We will always continue to support causes including social justice, animal welfare, the environment and more.

Fully Customised
School Travel Programs

Want to include service learning, your school curriculum and a physical challenge, or any of the above? Contact us and we can design a program fully catered for your students and budget.

Safety and
Support - Our #1 Priority

Every school receives a detailed risk management plan that is guided by government advisories and the local partners we work with. We never compromise on the safety of your students to reduce the price of the program.

Testimonials


Want to find out more?

Our educational travel experts are ready to help you tailor an itinerary or service learning project to suit your school’s needs and budget. Contact us today to receive a free consultation.


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