Your golf tour will lead to exciting encounters with wildlife, visits to historic attractions, discoveries of delicious cuisines and, of course, enjoyable rounds on the most picturesque golf courses in Sri Lanka!
This golf tour is a great way to combine your passion for the sport with a vacation that will take you to some of the major attractions around Sri Lanka. Play a round or two at the second oldest course outside of Britain; explore the busy streets of Colombo and take in the vibrant nightlife; experience the calming effects of the sacred city of Kandy; get some playing time on a beautiful golf course surrounded by a massive reservoir; take a walk through the tea bushes in the cold hills; get a round in at the picturesque Little Switzerland; quietly stalk a leopard in the jungle; and let the crashing ocean waves of the Deep South be the soundtrack to the best round of golf you’ve ever played!
Read MoreYour accommodation during your golf holiday in Sri Lanka will consist of handpicked hotels, designed to minimise time spent in travel*, so that you can have the maximum time to enjoy your hotel, destinations, and of course, the amazing golf courses!
Ideal for:
All golf enthusiasts, families or a group of friends who are keen on exploring Sri Lanka and playing golf at iconic golf courses. Recommended for Solo Travellers / Couples / Friends / Families with kids and teenagers / Small groups consisting of friends and family.
Highlights at glance
- Play on four picturesque, 18-hole golf courses – Royal Colombo Golf Club, Victoria Golf Club, Nuwara Eliya Golf Club and Shangri-La Hambantota.
- Explore the vibrant city of Colombo.
- Witness age-old Buddhist rituals in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Kandy and get a hands-on experience of traditional arts & crafts.
- Journey into the hills, visit a tea plantation, and tour a tea factory.
- Visit a Hindu temple to understand Hindu culture and receive blessings
- Stay at a Private Tented Safari Camp bordering the Yala National Park, experience guided safaris and a delicious BBQ served by a roaring campfire.
- Go on a Boat Safari to see the largest mammal on earth, the Blue Whale** or head out on the Cinnamon Trail*** to understand the nuances of Ceylon Cinnamon.
- Explore the eclectic streets of the Galle Fort, a Unesco World Heritage site – one of the last few living forts in the world.
1st & 2nd Nights - Colombo
Ayubowan! Welcome to your Golf Holiday in Sri Lanka. Your first destination is the vibrant city of Colombo, which is a short drive away from the airport. There is much to explore in this sprawling city from historical and religious sites to beaches, malls, cafes, fine dining restaurants, bazaars, art centres and, of course, lively nightlife! Colombo is also home to the second oldest golf course outside of Britain and you will find it to be the perfect place to tee off your golf tour of Sri Lanka.
The first day of your private golf tour in Sri Lanka can be enjoyed at your own pace. You will be picked up from the airport by your private chauffeur and taken to your hotel. If you arrive during the day you can explore Colombo which, for a modern city, has a surprising number of historical sites and temples. The city is a melting pot of cultures and is home to a variety of cuisines that range from finger-licking-good street food to eclectic fine dining. The city is quite alive at night with nightclubs, late night movies and cafes being popular haunts. But if that’s not your style you could always head to Galle Face beach for a nighttime stroll, and experience a more chilled out atmosphere full of street food vendors and families having picnics.
Your golf tour begins with an early morning start after breakfast and will see you heading to the 18-hole Royal Colombo Golf Club at the heart of the city. Being the second oldest club outside of Britain, it has a rich history and presents a tight and challenging course. There are plenty of tricky sand traps and water hazards to test you here and, occasionally, the toot and clatter from the Kelani Valley railway line which runs along the 6th fairway will add to your concentration challenges as well. Lunch will be served at the club restaurant, which harkens back to its colonial past with old fashioned interiors and architecture. The afternoon and evening are entirely at your disposal for you to continue your exploration of Colombo.
3rd & 4th Nights - Kandy
Steeped in historical and religious significance, Kandy is a city full of legends, mediaeval palaces, spice trails and sacred temples. Even though its days as a royal city have long since passed, it is reverently known as the hill capital, and has the serenity of a land where time has slowed down. The calmness permeates the surrounding countryside, even extending all the way down to the spectacular golf course in Digana, providing the ideal atmosphere for your golf holiday in Sri lanka. Kandy is also a favourite destination for wellness travellers, nature lovers and those seeking culinary adventures.
The next stage of your golf holiday in Sri Lanka begins after breakfast with a scenic drive to Kandy. The first stop is at the Spice Trail, where you will learn about Sri Lankan herbs and spices from the host. This is followed by a traditional Sri Lankan lunch, cooked and hosted by an 85 year old artist. You are free to explore Kandy at your own pace thereafter, although it is recommended that you do not miss out on the evening ritual and drumming session at the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic. We also highly recommend trying out some of the local Arrack (alcohol made from fermented coconut flower sap) cocktails at the hotel bar later on in the night.
After an early breakfast, you will be taken to the next stop in your golf tour, the Victoria Golf & Country Resort in Digana. If you manage to tear yourself away from the beauty of the massive reservoir and mountains surrounding this course, you will soon come to appreciate the meticulous design of this 73 Par, 6,933-yard championship 18-hole course. Apart from the terrain, hazards, roughs and other obstacles, this course is also noteworthy among the golf courses in Sri Lanka, for the par 4, 6th hole where the tee box is perched 100 feet above the fairway. The afternoon and evening are entirely at your disposal for you to continue your exploration of Kandy and its surroundings.
5th & 6th Nights - Nuwara Eliya
Tea estate draped mountains decorated with waterfalls, delicious food, cold weather, hot tea, warm and friendly people, colonial architecture, and a golf course that looks like it was lifted straight out of Switzerland and dropped in the hills of Sri Lanka – Nuwara Eliya will probably be the most memorable location during your golf holiday in Sri Lanka. This quaint old town is also a great place to sample unique cuisines, experience different cultures, and understand just how an innocuous green tea leaf turns into a sought after cup of deliciousness!
Setting off from Kandy after breakfast your first stop will be for a chat with some members of the tea plucker community. Here you will get to know their way of life and understand the art of plucking the perfect tea leaves. Then you will indulge in a warm cuppa at a local tea boutique before heading to a Hindu temple to gain an understanding of the religion and culture, and receive blessings. You will then visit a traditional craft community that makes drums & brassware and try your hand at these crafts. The last stop is at a tea factory, where you will find out how tea goes from being a leaf on a bush, to a warm cup of golden goodness!
After a delicious breakfast, it’s time to head out to the second oldest golf course in Sri Lanka situated at the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club. This challenging course rewards straight hitting from the very first tee, with the 5th and 6th holes being the longest of your golf tour in Sri Lanka. Although it is probably the most relaxing course to play golf on, it does come with a fair few technical challenges, the altitude of 6,200 feet being one of them. After your round you can head over to the clubhouse which has a great mix of local and Western cuisine, to enjoy a hearty lunch.
7th Night - Yala National Park
You may be on a golf tour, but a visit to Sri Lanka almost demands that you go on a safari, and with good reason. There are multiple National Parks strewn across the island and each is unique in turn. Yala National park is so vast and with multiple zones, that the terrain, its inhabitants and even the behaviour of its inhabitants can change from zone to zone. Expect to see leopards, elephants, sloth bears, sambar deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys, eagles, snakes and a whole lot more on your visit. The region is also a great place for reflection and quiet contemplation as it is far removed from modern cities and their distractions.
The drive to Yala is a little long, but there’s lots to see on the way. In the interests of time, you won’t be making any scheduled stops, but feel free to ask your chauffeur to stop at any point if you see a photo op. Your accommodation in Yala will be at a Private Tented Safari Camp with modern amenities, situated on the borders of the National Park. This proximity often means that you will have sightings of animals without even having to enter the Park. Your private guided safari will begin towards late afternoon and you will return after dusk to a BBQ dinner under the stars, by a roaring campfire. Your golf holiday in Sri Lanka will continue the next day.
8th, 9th & 10th Nights - Hambantota
The sleepy fishing village of Hambantota has transformed in the last decade with the arrival of an airport, sea port and star class hotels. Significant among these is your next destination, Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa. This newest addition to the golf courses in Sri Lanka, cleverly uses the landscape to craft a course that can be enjoyed by novices and professionals alike. The multi-cultural cuisine and top notch accommodation also act as the perfect companions to a fantastic golf experience. The hotel is also an excellent base to launch expeditions to go whale watching in Mirissa and visit the curiously eclectic Galle Fort.
If your holiday falls outside this period, or if there are adverse weather conditions predicted, an alternative option would be to take the Cinnamon Experience. Here you will visit a beautiful, working cinnamon estate which produces pure Ceylon Cinnamon. Experience the chain of events from planting and caring for the trees to harvesting and processing of the cinnamon bark. It is quite a fascinating experience and will help you to get a deep understanding of why Ceylon Cinnamon is highly valued and sought after.
With Hambantota being just a short drive from Yala, there’s time to meet a Curd Maker on the way. On this stop, you can observe the process of making delicious Buffalo Curd and sample the wares too. Then it’s time to check-in to your home for the next 3 nights, Shangri-La Hambantota. The last stop of your golf tour in Sri Lanka will take place at the 18-hole golf course located within the Shangri-La resort, amidst a vast coconut palm plantation. This course will challenge both casual and seasoned players, and the abundance of nature and wildlife, swaying coconut trees, glassy lakes, and the beautiful Indian Ocean in the background, guarantees an incredible golfing experience.
There’s a lot to see in Galle, but this excursion will focus purely on the Galle Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. On your tour, you’ll get insight into the colonial history, legends and mysteries of the Fort. You’ll also get to meet members of the local community and enjoy a traditional home cooked meal too. You are free to explore and experience the fort thereafter, but we do recommend that you head to the ramparts in the evening to watch the sunset whilst enjoying some street food. You will return to Shangri-La in Hambantota in time for dinner.
If your golf holiday in Sri Lanka falls between November to March, we will arrange a Whale Watching tour for you. The starting point will be the coastal town of Mirissa which is situated between Galle and Hambantota. This private boat excursion requires an early morning start and can take around 5 hours at sea to complete. However, it is an incredibly rewarding experience as there are many Blue Whales and multiple pods of Dolphins to be seen.
We’ve reached the end of your 10-night golfing holiday and it is time to depart. Your chauffeur will meet you at the hotel lobby and take you to Colombo Airport in time to catch your departure flight.
What more to add?
- Early Check-ins or late Checkouts (organised upon confirmation of your flight schedules).
- Additional nights in any of the locations.
- Additional Safaris in Yala National Park (requires an additional night stay).
- Additional nights in Hambantota or Galle (beach stay).
- Options for domestic air travel are available. Further information can be provided upon inquiry.
- The Whale Watching excursion is a seasonal activity and will be possible only from November to March.
- A culinary lesson could be substituted if preferred.
You may see the hotels which we have handpicked for you under each accomadation style. However, there are hundreds of other alternative properties for you to select if you wish to and you may mix and match hotels in different categories as well.
Modest
Accommodation
$ 4,257
1-2 persons
$ 3,844
3-4 persons
$ 3,725
5-6 persons
If you’re looking for a no-frills stay that’s easy on the wallet, and love to spend time with locals and explore the surroundings at your own pace, this is the perfect choice for you. This hotel style is wonderfully cosy, unique, mostly owner-run and provides you with a more personalised service.
Plush
Accommodation
$ 5,111
1-2 persons
$ 4,698
3-4 persons
$ 4,579
5-6 persons
Indulgence without breaking the bank? Well, this is the category for you. Personalised and high-quality service, attention to detail, comfort and all modern amenities are hallmarks of this category, whilst being situated in some amazing locations.
Colombo Court Hotel
The 32-room upscale Colombo Courtyard is a stylish, contemporary, and environmentally friendly hotel that works well as an affordable option in Colombo for leisure...
Bougainvillea Retreat
Bougainvillea Retreat is a luxurious and secluded hideaway in the heart of Sri Lanka, Set amidst lush gardens and overlooking the serene Victoria Lake,...
Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya
Situated on Nuwara Eliya Hill, adjacent to the Golf Course and surrounded by cool tropical greenery, akin to an English summer, the Grand Hotel...
Big Game Yala by Eco Team
The Big Game Camp site by Eco Team is located close to the Yala National Park and it takes 15 to 20 minutes to...
Shangri La Hambantota
Shangri-La Hambantota is a luxurious resort situated on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, surrounded by lush greenery, stunning beaches, and crystal-clear waters of...
Dreamy
Accommodation
$ 6,877
1-2 persons
$ 6,464
3-4 persons
$ 6,345
5-6 persons
The absolute best in comfort and experience, these high-end properties will make your jaw drop! Unique designs, private plunge pools, personal butlers… the list goes on at these boutique properties. Luxury here is not about star ratings and amenities, it’s about being away from crowds and having authentic, personalised experiences.
Uga Residence
This Victorian townhouse once welcomed governors, maharajas, nobility, and the cream of Ceylon’s colonial society.
Bougainvillea Retreat
Bougainvillea Retreat is a luxurious and secluded hideaway in the heart of Sri Lanka, Set amidst lush gardens and overlooking the serene Victoria Lake,...
Goatfell Kandapola
High up on a hill in Nuwara Eliya, amidst the Concordia Estate's tea plantations and close to Finlay’s Tea Factory, which enjoys magnificent hill...
Mahoora Yala by Eco Team
Part of the Mahoora Camp portfolio by Eco Team, Mahoora puts you closer to Katagamuwa, the less-used entrance to Yala National Park, and on...
Shangri La Hambantota
Shangri-La Hambantota is a luxurious resort situated on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, surrounded by lush greenery, stunning beaches, and crystal-clear waters of...
Everything you need to know about the tour
We’ve taken every possible measure to ensure your safety and comfort during this tour.
The hotels, tours, add-ons, guides and chauffeurs who are part of this programme are carefully vetted, so that you enjoy the highest quality standards and enjoy your tour with peace of mind. At any given point of the tour you will always be within reach of your guide or chauffeur, either physically or via phone (e.g: when you are out exploring on your own), for any assistance.
The important stuff:
Sri Lanka is a nation where religion and culture occupy an important place in the day-to-day lives of the local people. It is important to be aware of the customs and practices that are particular to the location you are visiting, so here are a few general tips to keep in mind during your travels. Your guide / chauffeur will assist you with more detailed information.
- If you plan on visiting any temples, ancient or current, you should wear clothing that covers your body from your shoulders down to your knees. Head coverings such as caps or helmets should be removed and shoes must be taken off at the entrance. White coloured clothing is generally a good choice to go with here.
- Some religious places do not allow photography or videography without prior permission and some may not allow it at all. Refer to signage or ask your chauffeur guide about the policy or protocol. Don’t try to photograph or take videos without permission.
- If you have any tattoos associated with Buddhism, Hinduism or Islamism, it’s best that you cover them completely in public places.
- Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places, workplaces and on public transport.
Included:
- Accommodation for 03 nights on Bed & Breakfast basis, except at Goatfell & Mahoora Camp Yala (All Inclusive). All accommodation is on a Double or Twin sharing basis.
- Transportation via air-conditioned car / micro van with an English speaking chauffeur throughout the tour including Airport Transfers.
- Chauffeur’s accommodation, meals and fees.
- 4 golfing sessions at venues mentioned in the itinerary, including green fees and caddie fees.
- Jeep Safari in the Yala National Park in a Private Jeep including private guide, entry permit costs & government tracker fees.
- Entry Permits to all the sites, temples, museums & monuments mentioned in the itinerary.
- Costs of all experiences, community visits, hikes and village walks mentioned in the itinerary.
- Service charges at the hotels & applicable taxes by the Sri Lankan Government at the time of booking.
Not Included:
- Any International or Domestic flights.
- Any Visa fee or ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) fee.
- Any additional beverage or food.
- Early Check in or Late Checkout Charges at Hotels.
- Cost of optional activities / sites.
- Tips to the staff.
- Any mandatory supplement by the government.
- Any expenses of a personal nature (telephone, laundry, hotel extra bills, etc.).
- Any other expense, other than those mentioned in the inclusions list above.
- Single room supplement.
About pricing:
Although it may sound strange for a tropical country, Sri Lankan hotels operate on seasonal rates. This is simply due to a particular region having attractions or weather that’s best enjoyed during a specific time of the year and also due to the demand coinciding with the European winter season. So it’s not uncommon to have two rates that apply on different dates in the same month.
But to make things less complicated for you, Experiential Journeys does things differently by giving you the lowest season ball-park rate on the website, and follows up with the exact rate upon receiving an inquiry or booking request along with the confirmed travel dates. You will not be charged anything until the final price is agreed upon.
Experiential Journeys is an Australian based company and uses AUD as the main currency. We serve a global community of travellers predominantly from New Zealand, U.K., U.S.A., Canada & U.A.E.
Experience
Possible experience in this tour
Some of these experiences are already included in the tour you are looking at, either as a full length or time limited activity. You have the freedom to pick out the ones you want during your tour and the extent to how you want to experience it.
3 - 4 hours
Colombo City Walk… From the Fort to the Crocodile Gate
Colombo, a city with a soul, is the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital city. Experience its warmth and grandeur through a fascinating day tour...
Colombo
Negombo
3 hours
The World’s Greatest Leopard Safari – Yala National Park
Yala National Park is synonymous with Leopard-topia– holding the largest leopard population in the world, per kilometer. Globally recognised as being not just the...
Yala
5 - 6 Hours
Whale Watching Mirissa
Experience the kiss of salty air as you journey into the Indian Ocean, to one of the world’s best whale hotspots. See it all...
Galle
Tangalle & South Coast