Sri Lanka City & Beach

The Art of Creating Sri Lankan Tea

Sri Lanka

As well as its aromatic spices, Sri Lanka is famed for its tea production. Since the first plantation was established in the 19th Century, millions of kilograms of tea have been exported around the globe, to countries including the UK, the UAE and Turkey. You’ll visit one of the oldest tea producers in the country and learn all about the creation of the famous Ceylon loose-leaf tea from the plant to the cup via the refining and blending processes. You’ll also learn about the subtle differences in flavour of teas grown at different altitudes and how teas are blended for the tastes of their ultimate destinations around the world.

• Duration: 1½ hours
• Daily departures from Colombo and Negombo hotels
• Operates year-round
• Private experience

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Highlights of Colombo In A Day

Sri Lanka

Bustling Colombo is packed with unmissable sights and you’ll discover the most compelling of them on this private full-day visit. The well-thought-out itinerary includes a blend of historic sites and contemporary attractions, along with some that are both, such as the Dutch Hospital, the oldest building in the Colombo Fort area, which has been repurposed as a stylish shopping and dining destination. Other highlights include the Galle Face Promenade, which runs the length of the city’s celebrated seaside park; Sambodhi Chaithya, a Buddhist shrine that’s a fascinating example of 1950s architecture; and Nelum Pokuna Art Street, a colourful open-air market where local artists showcase and sell their work. Just behind Art Street is the National Museum, where you can feast your eyes on everything from the crown jewels of the last King of Kandy to vividly painted demon masks.

• Duration: full day
• Daily departures
• Operates year round
• Private experience

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Colombo City Walk

Sri Lanka

Join a family-friendly tour to explore the Colombo neighbourhood of Pettah on foot in the company of a knowledgeable local guide. Your tour begins by exploring colourful and fragrant markets, including a floating market. You’ll have the chance to see a Dutch church dating to 1749, the Dutch Period Museum and the Red Mosque. Explore places rich in history and religion, such as the Gangaramaya Temple and the Colombo Museum.

• Duration: half day
• Daily departures from Colombo and Negombo
• Operates year-round
• Private experience

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Highlights of Colombo by Classic Car

Sri Lanka

On a private tour, step back in time and observe Colombo’s historic buildings from the comfort of a classic car. Spend a couple of hours visiting architectural landmarks in Columbo. The colonial buildings in Fort are some of the city’s most recognisable structures, including the Dutch Hospital, once used as a health centre for the Dutch East India Company and later by seafarers. You can also visit the Old Colombo Lighthouse, an elegant Victorian tower.

• Duration: 2 hours
• Time: 8.30am to 10.30am or 4pm to 6pm\ • Daily departures
• Operates year-round
• Private experience

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Mangrove Conservation Project Visit

Sri Lanka

Koggala Lagoon is in Sri Lanka’s southern province, where a wide range of wildlife live, and small villages dot the shoreline. It’s home to a large mangrove biome with eleven mangrove species and a high level of biodiversity. Many of the mangroves were destroyed yet vital habitat restoration has been underway since 2010, led by the Wildlife and Ocean Resource Conservation and supported by the DER Touristik Foundation, Kuoni’s parent company.

On this half-day experience, a private transfer will collect you from your hotel and take you to Koggala Lagoon. You’ll meet the team who’ll provide an overview of the conservation work and the mangrove ecosystem at Koggala, beginning with a look at the plant nursery. Mangroves are vital plants that grow in water, tolerating conditions that most plants can’t survive in, thanks to their ability to remove salt. Crucially, mangroves absorb twice as much carbon dioxide as tropical rainforests, helping maintain good water quality, filter pollutants, and protect shorelines from erosion.

After an introduction to the science behind the mangrove growing and planting techniques, you’ll board a boat to venture out onto the lagoon to study the mangroves, observing the local wildlife that live here, with birdlife soaring overhead, including herons and hawks. You’ll have the chance to plant seedling mangroves following a successful technique that other organisations involved in the restoration of mangrove swamps around the world have adopted.

• £10 of each excursion sale goes towards the conservation programme
Duration: 3 hours (excluding transfer times)
• Departs from Galle, Tangalle, Koggala, Bentota, Ahungalla and Hikkaduwa hotels (as private car & driver transfer)
• Operates year round
• You must wear clothes that cover your legs and shoulders
• Shoes and sandals must be removed
• We recommend booking the tour in the morning or the late afternoon to avoid the heat of the day

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