Tour · 21 nights · with Explore Worldwide
Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise
A three-week small group tour with Explore Worldwide combining Sri Lanka’s ancient cities and national parks with a week aboard a traditional Maldivian dhoni, cruising quiet atolls and snorkelling pristine reefs.
- Duration
- 21 nights
- Departures
- 22 dates
- Choose a month below
- Countries
- Sri Lanka, Maldives
- Operator
- Explore Worldwide
- From
- £3,775
- per person
Highlights
What makes this one worth it
Jeep safari in Wilpattu National Park
Climb of Sigiriya Lion Rock fortress
Dawn ascent of Adam’s Peak with pilgrims
Train journey through Sri Lankan tea plantations
Snorkelling and island visits on traditional Maldivian dhoni
About the trip
This escorted tour by Explore Worldwide begins with a drive from Negombo to Wilpattu National Park, known for its leopards and quiet lakes, then continues to the ancient cities of Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, where well-preserved ruins stand with little sense of the crowds found elsewhere. Highlights include a climb to the lion-carved summit of Sigiriya and a dawn trek up sacred Adam’s Peak alongside pilgrims.
After four nights in the hill country, visitors ride a train through tea plantations to Ella and explore Udawalawe National Park, home to elephants and birds of prey. The tour winds down with time in colonial-era Galle before a final day in Colombo’s layered streets. From there, the journey switches to the Maldives, boarding a traditional local dhoni for a week’s cruise through South Male, Vaavu and Meemu Atolls. Each day offers snorkelling over reefs that might harbour turtle, reef sharks and manta rays, with nights anchored near sandbars or small villages, and the option to sleep under the stars.
The itinerary is flexible, weather dependent, and refreshingly low-key, allowing the gentle rhythms of island life to settle in. The contrast between Sri Lanka’s cultural and natural landscapes and the Maldives’ crystalline waters is neatly balanced over three weeks of travel.
- 1 Colombo
- 2 Kandy
- 3 Sigiriya
- 4 Galle
- 5 Male
- 6 Nuwara Eliya
Itinerary
The route
Colombo
Kandy
Sigiriya
Galle
Male
Nuwara Eliya
These are the places the trip visits, in order. Explore Worldwide publishes the day-by-day itinerary on its own site.
When to go
Departures and prices
Lowest price each month, per person.
Explore Worldwide confirms exact dates, availability and prices when you book.
Need to know
Before you book
- Price based on
- Per personThe operator confirms the exact basis when you book.
- Travelling alone
- Check with Explore Worldwide
- Flights
- Not included: you book your own to the start
- What’s included
- Check with Explore Worldwide
- Accessibility
- Check with Explore Worldwide
For full details of what’s included, check with Explore Worldwide. See the full details on their site
Questions people ask
- How long is Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise?
- Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise is a 21 nights tour holiday.
- Who operates Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise?
- Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise is operated by Explore Worldwide.
- How much does Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise cost?
- Prices for Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise start from £3,775, subject to availability.
The operator
Explore Worldwide
Small-group adventures, walking and wildlife
Small groups with local leaders, and a fondness for the places at the end of the road. Trips are graded so you know how active they are.
You book with Explore Worldwide directly. They confirm your place, take payment, and look after you from the moment you leave home; Atlas & Passage’s part ends when you click through.
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