Family vacation to Sri Lanka
From
US $2055
To
US $2445
14 Days excluding flights
More info:From $1545 - $1835 per child. Optional single supplement £519. Mimimum age 9.
“A two-week family vacation, exploring the highlights and heavenly hideaways of Sri Lanka, fully guided and perfectly paced to suit all ages.”
Highlights
Colombo | Kurunegala | Sigiriya | Lion Rock Fortress | Polonnaruwa | Minneriya National Park | Cave Temple at Dambulla | Kandy | Temple of the Tooth | Nurawa Eliya | Bandarrawela | Ella Gap | Yala National Park | Ahangama | GalleTravel Team
If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? rosy@responsibletravel.comCheck dates, prices & availability
Date
Price per adult
Basis
Status
Vouchers
Accepted
Vacation type
Small group vacation
Small group travel is not large group travel scaled down. It is modelled on independent travel – but with the advantage of a group leader to take care of the itinerary, accommodation and tickets, and dealing with the language. It’s easy to tick off the big sights independently – but finding those one-off experiences, local festivals, traveling markets and secret viewpoints is almost impossible for someone without the insider knowledge gained from years in the field. If you’re heading off on a gap year your, perhaps – but for those with a two-week vacation, a small group tour will save valuable planning time.The leaders are not guides – they’re not there to shepherd you around. Instead, they’ll let you know which local restaurant serves great value food – without running the risk of travelers’ tummy. They’ll allow you to avoid hour-long queues at train stations and attractions.
We like to think of small group travel as the Goldilocks option. It is independent travel without the fuss, worry and bunk beds – and organised travel without the coaches. And it’s cheaper than a tailor made tour. It’s sits somewhere in the middle – and we think it’s just about right.
What are the main benefits?
Big experiencesHave big, life-enriching experiences that would be impossible to organise without lots of time and insider knowledge.
Simplicity
Make the most of your vacation time by letting someone else do the hard work and boring logistics!
Peace of mind
Small group tours take care of the security aspects – and provide a safety net should anything unexpected happen.
Who is it ideal for?
Travelers who are short of timeIf you don’t have three months to spend exploring, small groups trips let you cover more ground in less time. Your days are not spent queuing for tickets or finding hotels – so you can squeeze more into your vacation.
Solo travelers who’d like company
Likeminded travel companions plus peace of mind for those traveling alone. Single supplements are usually available – providing privacy if you want it.
Less confident travelers
Stray from the tourist trail without worrying about getting lost, and meet local people without dealing with the language barrier.
Mythbuster
“I won’t get any privacy!”Couples and friends have private rooms, and you can choose to eat alone or not. Single supplements give solo travelers their own room.
“There won’t be any free time”
Free mornings or afternoons let you explore on your own, or just relax.
“The accommodation will be basic”
Trips are as high or low end as you like. Though off the beaten track destinations won’t have luxury hotels, this is all part of the adventure.
“I won’t like the other travelers!”
Tour operators try to create groups with a similar demographic – age, families, activity levels... Chances are, you’ll even make new friends.
“Will we be following an umbrella?”
No.

Meet a group Leader
Name: Valerie ParkinsonStory: The first British woman to climb Manaslu, Valerie climbed Everest for her 50th birthday. She’s spent fourteen Christmas Days trekking to Everest Base Camp, and is involved insetting up Responsible Tourism initiatives in the Himalayas.

Meet a local guide
Name: Roshan FernandoStory: Roshan has led over 130 trips – he adores showing travelers around Sri Lanka. He won the company Leader Award in 2010, but his career highlight was working on their Tsunami Project – which earned him a responsible tourism award.
Responsible tourism


Responsible tourism: Family vacation to Sri Lanka
Environment
Activity:We are very conscious of the environment and try to limit our impact on our surroundings as much as possible. All of our vehicles used on this tour are subject to annual eco testing and we monitor this closely in order to reduce our carbon footprint. We do believe in leaving no more than footprints, although this tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts. We also leave a positive impression by visiting important National Parks, ruins and museums- our entrance fees to which contribute to their upkeep. For example, our game drives in Yala N.P. promote animal welfare and financially contribute to conservation projects in the area.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
Community
Accommodation and Meals:All of the hotels we stay in are dedicated to hiring local staff and using freshly sourced produce wherever possible. This helps to benefit the surrounding community by providing employment opportunities and income alternatives where they may be otherwise hard to come by. When meals are not provided, our local guide will encourage and recommend clients to visit local restaurants and cafes to try local specialties. Sri Lankan cuisine consists of staples like rice usually accompanied with assorted meat and vegetable curries as well as various pickles, ‘sambols’ and a handful of tiny poppadum. In Tangalle, we have the opportunity to have a local lunch in one of the houses that we built for victims of the devastating 2004 Tsunami.
Local Craft and Culture:
There is so much culture and history to be discovered and explored during the trip. We get to explore the UNESCO city of ancient Polonnaruwa filled with temples, palaces, huge Buddhist stupas and sculptures dating from a thousand years ago. And also visit one of the most iconic sights in Sri Lanka, the UNESCO Ancient city of Sigiriya, where this fifth century rock fortress shows one of the best examples of ancient urban planning.
Before we drive to the beautiful lakeside town of Kandy, we stop by a rope making factory in a local house in the Matale area where we get to witness the traditional process of rope making, an interesting experience for both adults and children. We will also explore a sari factory where we learn about these traditional garments that have been worn in Sri Lanka for thousands of years. Through these visits, clients learn more about Sri Lankan craft, how they are made and possibly purchase something as a form of support. Though the sale of items made from endangered species are strictly prohibited in Sri Lanka, there still ornaments made of sea-shells (shell fish) openly sold on the island. Hence, our local guides are sure to advice clients on what can be bought and what to avoid.
Activity:
One of the highlights of the trip is the game drive in Yala National Park, though best known for elephants; clients may also spot deer, monkeys, buffalo and a wide range of bird life. We are very conscious of the environment and try to limit our impact on our surroundings as much as possible. All of our vehicles used on this tour are subject to annual eco testing and we monitor this closely in order to reduce our carbon footprint. We do believe in leaving no more than footprints, although this tour actively encourages guests to talk to local people, visit local cafes and restaurants and use markets to purchase traditional crafts. By visiting landmarks, cultural sites and National Parks, our entrance fees contribute to the upkeep of these places.
Charity:
Following the disastrous tsunami back in 2004, our local operator founded the “Back to Life” project to raise funds for the disaster. With the funds we provided, they were able to financially co-sponsor the project which has enable 25 families to be rehoused and for two schools to be equipped with toilets, running water and outdoor swings. Additionally, they collaborated with a German operator and the village temple to contribute 10 large water tanks and an eye clinic to a remote village with a donation of 200 pairs of glasses. They also provided assistance in the development of a day care and a school for children in the hill country.
Group Size:
This is a small group tour, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
UK Office:
It all starts at home where we work towards reducing our carbon footprint in our offices through energy conservation measures, recycling policies and the promotion of cycling and walking as a means for our staff to commute. Our head office has become a plastic-free zone with the use of plastic bottles being banned in our head office and we distributed reusable water bottles and tote bags to every staff member. We also support a large number of community and environmental projects in different parts of the world and try to give something back to the places we visit.
Our travel guides
From
US $2055
To
US $2445
14 Days excluding flights
More info:From $1545 - $1835 per child. Optional single supplement £519. Mimimum age 9.
Our travel guides
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