Family Sri Lanka: Trincomalee to Colombo with Kids (13 days)

You'll start your fun-filled 13-day adventure in Negombo on the west coast of Sri Lanka. Upon arrival at Colombo International Airport, you'll be met by your guide and transferred to your resort on Negombo beach – we recommend Jetwing Beach resort, a luxurious, modern property positioned right on the shoreline. Here, you have two days to relax and recuperate from your flight, enjoying the sand and surf, lazing by the pool, sipping sunset cocktails or booking in for a pampering spa treatment.

Enjoy more beach time today. You may choose to simply relax and adjust to the tropical climate, or the more intrepid travelers might like to take a catamaran ride with a local fisherman out onto the Indian Ocean. Kids can stay entertained with watersports, or join activities with guests their own age at Jetwing’s Kids Club. The Jetwing Beach property also hosts a beach clean-up twice week and guests are invited to help the local community keep the environment pristine. In the evening, enjoy a seafood barbecue on the beach, or book in for a romantic fine dining experience at Black Coral restaurant.

Today you’ll get an early start as you make your way to Sri Lanka’s “Cultural Triangle”. Along the way, you’ll stop at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, a sanctuary and breeding ground for elephants where you can enjoy watching the adults and babies bathe in Maha Oya River. Next, you’ll visit Maximus, an initiative that recycles elephant waste into paper. The project not only produces paper from the readily available source of elephant dung, it provides employment to locals. After learning about the paper-making process at Maximus, you’ll head to the Heritance Kandalama in Habarana.

Enjoy a free day in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, where you can fill your time with history, leisure or adventure. One of Sri Lanka's most important locations is the Sacred City of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Anuradhapura was the religious and cultural capital of Ceylon for centuries, and in the ruins and monuments that still stand you can gain insight into ancient Sinhalese civilization. As a major Buddhist center, it holds much religious significance – a Bodhi tree onsite is grown from a tree branch under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. Some parts of Anuradhapura date back to the 10th century BC. After exploring this fascinating site, return to the Heritance Kandalama.

Today is yours to spend at leisure. Another family-friendly outing in the Anuradhapura District is safari. You can go on a safari on elephant-back, exploring lush green jungle and spotting animals such as Sambar Deer, monkeys and mongoose. Or you can take a jeep tour through Minneriya National Park, home to wild elephants, waterbirds, Sri Lankan leopards and Sri Lankan sloth bears. Minneriya National Park is where elephants gather in the dry season, with up to 700 individuals migrating from Wasgamuwa National Park, attracted to the fertile grass plains. After seeing the elephants in their natural habitat, you can come back to the Heritance Kandalama, cool down in the pool and enjoy a sumptuous buffet spread.

Today you’ll travel to Trincomalee on the east coast of Sri Lanka, where you’ll spend four days enjoying white sand beaches and clear blue seas. The waters surrounding Trincomalee are home to coral-fringed islets and abundant marine life such as dolphins and whales. In the city itself, you’ll find plenty of culture and history, old colonial buildings and elaborately decorated Hindu temples among them. In Trincomalee, we recommend staying in a luxurious seaside resort such as the Nilaveli Beach Hotel or the Jungle Beach Resort, both of which feature modern rooms, international dining, a pool, watersports and direct beach access.

Spend the day at leisure in Trincomalee. A popular attraction in Trincomalee is Pigeon Island, just a ten-minute boat ride offshore. This rocky islet makes for a great day trip, with snorkeling and diving, and shallow rock pools to explore. This protected area is home to nesting rock pigeons and is also the subject of various conservation efforts aimed at preserving its reefs. As such, it’s a fantastic destination for nature lovers and for educating young explorers on sustainable travel.

Enjoy another day at leisure in beautiful Trincomalee. If you're prepared to wake up early, you can enjoy one of the world's most unforgettable travel experiences – whale-watching. The deep waters off the Trincomalee coast are frequented by blue whales and sperm whales at certain times of year, and on a whale-watching expedition, you're also likely to spot spinner and bottle-nose dolphins. The success rate of spotting whales is usually very high – seeing these beautiful giants up close is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many. Spend another night in your beach resort in Trincomalee.

Today you've got another day on the beach in Trincomalee. For a touch of history, you can visit Fort Frederick in the city, used by Dutch, Portuguese and British colonial forces. The fort is positioned on Swami Rock, where you can also see the intricately-decorated Koneswara Hindu temple – the Temple of the Thousand Pillars – which features an intricate bas-relief in black granite. Swami Rock is full of myth and legend – near the temple is “Lover’s Leap”, where a Dutch general's daughter once attempted suicide after her paramour returned to Europe. She survived the fall and the location is famous not just for its sheer drop but for the sunset views it offers across the waters.

Make the trip inland today to the hill capital of Kandy, Sri Lanka’s largest city. Kandy is a UNESCO-protected site and a sacred Buddhist center, home to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which has what’s believed to be one of the Buddha’s teeth. You’ll also find the serene Kandy Lake here, plus temples, palaces and grand colonial buildings. The city is also home to botanical gardens, meticulously maintained and full of orchids, spices and palm trees. In Kandy, we recommend you stay at Earl’s Regency Hotel, positioned in beautiful gardens, and offering a full array of facilities and services, including a pool, free WiFi, tennis courts and an onsite spa.

Enjoy a day at leisure today in Sri Lanka’s cultural capital. This picturesque and peaceful mountain city was the last ruling seat of the Kingdom of Kandy, and retains vestiges of its prestigious past, such as the Udawattakele Royal Forest Sanctuary - a tropical forest in the palace complex - and the Temple of the Tooth Relic itself, also within the palace walls. The fertile hills of the region make it a popular spot for tea plantations and there are tea factories and museums to visit, as well as spice gardens, such as the New Ranweli Spice Garden, where you can learn about the medicinal properties of various herbs and spices. Return to Earl's Regency in the evening.

Spend another free day in Kandy today, relaxing at the hotel, enjoying the local brew in a cozy café or browsing handicraft shops for mementos of your journey. For an active day in Kandy, you might like to go trekking along one of the many scenic trails that crisscross the surrounding mountains. Of the different treks you can do, there's one that encompasses the Gadaladeniya Buddhist temples, the Lankathilaka temples and the Embakke shrine. There are trails that lead you through monkey-inhabited forests and past waterfalls, and some that traverse tea plantations. At the end of the day, unwind in your luxurious Kandy hotel.

Today you’ll head to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo for your final night’s stay. This former trading port features a colorful mix of cultural influences thanks to colonial architecture, sleek new commercial buildings and growing tourist infrastructure attracting an international clientele. In Colombo, we recommend spending the last night of your trip in a luxurious property such as the Wallawwa, just a 15-minute drive from the airport. This beautiful colonial-style hotel has been restored in a chic, contemporary manner and features a luxurious spa, and guest rooms with private verandas, lush gardens and all modcons, some with their own plunge pool. It’s an easy trip into town if you want to do some last-minute sightseeing or shopping, or you can simply relax at the resort before your departing flight in the morning.