culinary-spice-trail

YOUR JOURNEY

7 Days of Island Culinary & Spice Trail

A sensory journey through Sri Lanka's culinary traditions — from Colombo's street-food culture and Matale's spice gardens to village cooking, highland tea estates, traditional seafood cuisine and the cinnamon-growing lagoons of the south.

Colombo street food and city life in Sri Lanka

Day 01

Street Food Trails & Crab Feasts

Colombo

Schedule: Personal airport pickup by your private chauffeur-guide, followed by a comfortable transfer to your hotel in Colombo.

Afternoon: Begin your culinary journey with a guided late-afternoon tasting walk through the vibrant streets of Pettah and along Galle Face Green. Sample Sri Lankan favourites such as kottu roti, isso wade (prawn fritters), egg hoppers and achcharu while discovering the everyday food culture of the capital.

Evening: Enjoy a memorable seafood dinner featuring Sri Lanka's famous lagoon crab.

Overnight: Cinnamon Grand Colombo / Galle Face Hotel

✦ Private airport transfer ✦ Pettah street-food trail ✦ Premium crab dinner

Day 02

Spice Gardens & Open-Fire Claypot Cooking

Colombo · Matale · Kandy

Morning: Travel towards the central highlands, stopping in Matale to explore a working spice garden. Discover how cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg and other spices are cultivated, harvested and prepared.

Afternoon: Step into a traditional village kitchen for a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking experience. Grind fresh spices on a traditional stone miris gala and prepare a young-jackfruit (polos) curry over a woodfire, using traditional clay cooking pots.

Overnight: Earl's Regency / Cinnamon Citadel Kandy

✦ Spice garden experience ✦ Traditional woodfire cooking ✦ Miris gala spice grinding ✦ Village culinary experience

Kandy and the sacred temple tooth of Sri Lanka

Day 03

Sacred Traditions & Kandy Market

Kandy

Morning: Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic during the morning Puja, experiencing one of Kandy's most important living religious traditions.

Afternoon: Explore Kandy Municipal Market with a local guide, discovering seasonal vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices used throughout Sri Lankan cuisine.

Evening: Enjoy a hands-on Sri Lankan curry cooking class and learn how fresh ingredients and traditional spices are combined to create authentic local dishes.

Overnight: Earl's Regency / The Golden Crown Hotel

✦ Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic ✦ Kandy market experience ✦ Local culinary exploration ✦ Sri Lankan curry cooking class

Day 04

Tea Estate & Highland Railway

Kandy · Nanu Oya · Nuwara Eliya

Morning: Board the scenic mountain railway towards Nanu Oya, travelling through misty valleys and seemingly endless tea-covered slopes.

Afternoon: Visit an active high-country tea estate and learn how altitude, weather, harvesting and processing influence the character of Ceylon Tea. Take part in a guided tea-tasting session.

Evening: Enjoy traditional high tea surrounded by the cool-climate landscapes of Nuwara Eliya.

Overnight: The Grand Hotel / Heritance Tea Factory

✦ Scenic highland railway journey ✦ Tea estate visit ✦ Guided tea-tasting experience ✦ Traditional high tea

Galle Fort and the southern coast of Sri Lanka

Day 05

From Highland Tea to Southern Seafood

Nuwara Eliya · Galle

Morning: Descend from Sri Lanka's tea country towards the southern coast, watching the landscape transform from cool mountain plantations to tropical lowlands.

Afternoon: Explore the atmospheric lanes, ramparts and historic architecture of UNESCO-listed Galle Fort.

Evening: Take part in a private Sri Lankan cooking experience focused on Malu Ambul Thiyal — a traditional sour fish preparation made with tuna and goraka. Learn how the distinctive flavours and spices are carefully balanced.

Overnight: Le Grand Galle / Fort Bazaar

✦ Highland-to-coast journey ✦ Galle Fort heritage walk ✦ Malu Ambul Thiyal cooking experience ✦ Southern Sri Lankan cuisine

Madu River lagoon and southern Sri Lanka

Day 06

Fishing Harbour & Cinnamon Lagoon

Galle · Mirissa · Ahungalla

Early Morning: Visit a local fishing harbour as the day's catch comes ashore. Observe the lively morning fish trade and learn how freshly landed seafood reaches local markets.

Late Morning: Continue north along the southern coast towards the lagoons of Ahungalla.

Afternoon: Take a boat journey through the Madu River wetlands, passing mangroves and traditional villages before visiting a cinnamon-growing island. Discover how cinnamon bark is traditionally harvested and prepared.

Evening: Enjoy a relaxed seafood dinner by the coast.

Overnight: Heritance Ahungalla / Taj Bentota Resort & Spa

✦ Local fishing harbour experience ✦ Madu River boat journey ✦ Cinnamon island visit ✦ Traditional cinnamon experience ✦ Coastal seafood dinner

Day 07

Tropical Farewell & Departure

Ahungalla · Colombo Airport

Morning: Enjoy a relaxed final morning at your coastal retreat, followed by a leisurely breakfast featuring Sri Lankan favourites such as string hoppers, coconut sambal and tropical fruit.

Afternoon: Your private chauffeur will transfer you directly to Colombo Airport via the Southern Expressway for your departure.

Tour Ends

✦ Relaxed farewell breakfast ✦ Private airport transfer ✦ Southern Expressway journey ✦ Farewell to Sri Lanka

INCLUDED

What Your Journey Includes

Private chauffeur throughout your journey
Personalised travel planning and individual support
24/7 availability throughout your journey
Selected stays at carefully chosen hotels
Airport pick-up and return transfer
Individual adjustments to your itinerary according to your wishes

EXCLUDED

Not Included in the Travel Price

International flights
Visa and entry fees
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Additional meals and activities unless otherwise mentioned

BOOKING & CONDITIONS

Important Information
About Your Journey

Booking & Payment

A deposit of 20 % is required to confirm your booking.

The remaining 80 % can be paid in cash upon arrival or by bank transfer no later than 3 days before your arrival.

For bank transfers, all applicable bank charges are to be covered by the customer. The full invoice amount must be received by Die kleine Insel.

Cancellation Policy

The 20 % deposit is generally non-refundable.

In the event of cancellations within 30 days before arrival, as well as in the case of no-shows, there is also no entitlement to a refund, as accommodation, transfers and other travel services are arranged and confirmed in advance on a binding basis.

NOT QUITE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Your journey does
not have to follow a plan.

Every one of our journeys can be tailored to you. More safari, less hotel, a different route or a few days by the sea – you decide how Sri Lanka is experienced.

Plan your journey individually →