Our Team 
Our Tour Experts 
Heroes and Heroines A Lot of Elephants
Marvel at the herds of wild elephants that gather at Minneriya National Park.
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Our Team Steppes Travel is made by the people who work here. Incredible holidays are made possible because of their vast travel experience and the great enthusiasm they bring to their work.
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![William Dalrymple]()
Our Tour Experts We carefully select our experts based on their knowledge, companionship and influence, ensuring that you can travel with the most knowledgeable leaders in the field.
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Heroes and Heroines The people who lead the way when it comes to those things which matter to us: exploration, the environment, women’s empowerment and education.
A Family Holiday to Sri Lanka
Families will be enchanted by Sri Lanka’s warm welcome and the country is diverse and easy to travel around. This family itinerary to Sri Lanka includes many of the highlights of the country, along with some fun activities that should prove especially appealing to children. Boutique hotels are well geared up to providing home from home experiences.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
1
2Cultural Sigiriya
Scale the heights of the Lion Fortress of Sigiriya. An exciting but safe climb.
3Yala National Park
Go on safari and watch your children’s faces light up as you track leopard and more.
4The Tea Train
Experience the thrill of hanging out of doors and windows tasting the freedom – its fun to meet the local families at each station as you go.
Why we like it
Sri Lanka is a relatively small country, which means comparatively little driving. The island is a year-round destination. Children will love the opportunity to scramble around ancient ruins, swim in waterfalls, and get up close to elephants. Each day returning to a good beach or pool. We know the owners of the family-friendly lodges personally, so we can ensure your experience is personalised, every step of the way.
Day 1
Colombo - Negombo
Day 2
Negombo
Day 3
Negombo - Dambulla
Day 4 - 5
Dambulla
Day 6
Dambulla - Kandy
Day 7
Kandy
Day 8
Kandy - Nuwara Eliya
Day 9
Nuwara Eliya
Day 10
Nuwara Eliya - Yala National Park
Day 11
Yala National Park
Day 12
Yala National Park - Galle
Day 13
Galle
Day 14
Galle - Colombo
Day 1
Colombo - Negombo
Enjoy the privacy and freedom of renting your own fully staffed private beach villa. Children can run free whilst grown-ups kickback.
Day 2
Negombo
Pay a visit to the Thimble Foundation workshop, offering unique arts and crafts. Support the communities of fishermen’s wives and daughters.
Day 3
Negombo - Dambulla
Day 4 - 5
Dambulla
Explore the caves at Dambulla with their life-size statues and bright colours.
Day 6
Dambulla - Kandy
Day 7
Kandy
Day 8
Kandy - Nuwara Eliya
Day 9
Nuwara Eliya
Take a train ride through the tea hills and experience the scenery of the tea country.
Day 10
Nuwara Eliya - Yala National Park
Day 11
Yala National Park
Watch your children’s faces light up as you track leopard and wild elephant in Yala National Park.
Day 12
Yala National Park - Galle
Day 13
Galle
The best place for stress-free shopping, Galle is home to boutique galleries and craftsmen at work. Buy gifts from here to take home. Then explore the Dutch Fort and play on the beach.
Day 14
Galle - Colombo
Now for the details
Indiana Jones in Sri Lanka - The Cultural Triangle
The ancient sites, many UNESCO listed, are superb. Enjoy exploring by bike or scrambling around the 2,000-year-old ruins. Visit Dambulla and Sigiriya – immense rocks that soar dramatically up from the flat central plains. The climb up can be a little steep but the views from the top in the early morning are incredible. Along the way, the children will enjoy watching the playful monkeys that live in the temples. We recommend getting the climb out of the way before the heat and the coach tours arrive!
Tea Plucker for a Day
Learn to be a tea plucker. Take a guided tour from the grounds of the tea estate and see the brightly dressed ladies amongst the lush greenery. Have a go yourself.
Wildlife Safari
Minneriya National Park is a favourite place for leopards, deer and wild elephants. During the dry summer months of June to September, the wild elephants of this park come to graze in their hundreds. The Millenium Elephant Foundation near Kandy allows you to spend a few hours walking with and feeding the elephants. This proves to be highly educational and a huge amount of fun too.
Train Travel
Take a train through the tea plantation. Hop on board for a few scenic hours. Taste the freedom and excitement of waving from the doors and windows. People selling food and drink jump on and off the trains. Unlike the UK there are seat reservations, lots of space and no compulsory standing!
Family Friendly Sri Lanka
We’ve chosen our favourite tried and tested ‘homes away from home’, including tea planters’ residences, ancestral estates, comfortable boutique hotels, and handpicked private villas, all of which we know and think would be perfect for a family. The private fully staffed villa accommodation brings with it great freedom for families, enabling them to manage specific requests, flexible meal times and more importantly, freedom to make a noise!
We also appreciate that families need to travel during school holidays, so this trip has a price that has been based on travel from February to October inclusive. However, we can tailor-make this itinerary for you throughout the year. Early booking is highly recommended to take advantage of lower airfares and early-bird booking offers.
Read More
Walk Galle Fort
The best place for stress-free shopping, Galle is home to boutique galleries and craftsmen at work. Buy gifts from here to take home. Then explore the Dutch Fort and play on the beach.
Let’s chat
Speak to our experts
Our team is waiting to help you tailor a trip that will leave you with stories for a lifetime. Call us on
01285 601 784A note on price
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
This Itinerary
Price
From £5,150 Per person
When to travel
Sri Lanka in January
Sri Lanka benefits from generally good weather all year round and experiences a tropical climate with the best and most popular to visit being during our winter months, from January to April.
Sri Lanka in February
Visit the Southern and Western coast of Sri Lanka to experience the hot and humid climate in coastal areas or visit the mountainous regions for cooler temperatures with less humidity.
Sri Lanka in March
In Northern and Central Sri Lanka, temperatures will start to rise, and these regions will become more humid with March being generally a dry month for Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka in April
Overall, April is a very good time to visit Sri Lanka, with most of the island experiencing high temperatures and lots of sunshine, all before the first monsoon rains of the year begin in the South.
Sri Lanka in May
From May to August, the country experiences the first of its two annual monsoon seasons in Southwest Sri Lanka. Therefore, during these months it is best to visit Northeast Sri Lanka including Batticaloa and Passekudah.
Sri Lanka in June
Rainfall with continue in the South during the monsoon season whereas in Northern Sri Lanka, June is one of the best times to visit this area with a warm climate and high temperatures throughout.
Sri Lanka in July
In Northern Sri Lanka, the months of June and July are particularly good times to travel to the area, with minimal rainfall, particularly high temperatures and long days of sunshine.
Sri Lanka in August
Throughout the country, you can expect excellent climate conditions. August is ideal month for those wanting to experience both the Northeast and Southwest regions of the island, typically quite unusual due to Sri Lanka’s monsoon seasons.
Sri Lanka in September
September will start to see the end of the monsoon season in the Southwest and whilst rainfall and thunderstorms are less frequent, are still likely across the region.
Sri Lanka in October
Prior to the monsoon season, rainfall is likely throughout the country and can sometimes be unpredictable, meaning disruptions in travel are likely.
Sri Lanka in November
From November to February, Northeast Sri Lanka will experience one of two annual monsoon seasons. Whilst most days will experience rainfall, it is a great time to travel to experience the lush, green countryside.
Sri Lanka in December
Due to the monsoon in the Northeast, it is best to visit the southwest coast of Sri Lanka prior to the second monsoon reaching this area in May. Experience high levels of sunshine, perfect for Sri Lanka’s beaches.
Holiday Inspiration
Our experts have created and curated these tailor-made holiday ideas to get you started. Take the time to search through them and find something that is the spark for your unique adventure.
