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Sri Lanka in Depth + Maldive Dhoni Cruise, a tour by Explore Worldwide

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
19 dates
Choose a month below
Countries
Sri Lanka, Maldives
Operator
Explore Worldwide
From
£3,076
per person

Highlights

What makes this one worth it

  1. Jeep safari in Wilpattu National Park

  2. Climb of Sigiriya Lion Rock fortress

  3. Dawn ascent of Adam’s Peak with pilgrims

  4. Train journey through Sri Lankan tea plantations

  5. 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.

4°N6°N8°N
The route in outline: places are joined in the order visited, not by the roads or sea lanes taken.
  1. 1 Colombo
  2. 2 Kandy
  3. 3 Sigiriya
  4. 4 Galle
  5. 5 Male
  6. 6 Nuwara Eliya

Itinerary

The route

  1. Colombo

  2. Kandy

  3. Sigiriya

  4. Galle

  5. Male

  6. 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 £3,076, 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.

New to Sri Lanka? Our Sri Lanka guide has the practical essentials: money, plugs, visas and when to go.

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