The Sri Lanka wanderer | A Red Dot favourite cricket tour.

The Sri Lanka Wanderer

Introduction

There is no finer, more welcoming place in the world than Sri Lanka for a cricket holiday. Its breathtaking combination of golden beaches, energising hill country and cultural sites all within easy reach of the capital Colombo can rival anything the Caribbean has to offer. You are able to play in the leading venues in the island, including Galle's seaside stadium and the historic Sinhalese Sports Club. But most appealingly of all, cricket is a national obsession in Sri Lanka and cricket travel allows you a unique insight into a fascinating island and friendly people.

The Sri Lanka Wanderer is designed for an ambitious tour party which is intent on mixing cricket with a an exploration of this stunning island. The tour avoids all big chain hotels and instead offers a combination of boutique style and unique atmosphere. The cricket is played at stunning venues and there is time for great golf and even a night on safari. You will need to hit the ground running as your first game is on Day 2. We will take that into account when we arrange the opposition and the length of the game.

It concentrates more on the hill country than some tours, and skips the cultural triangle in favour of some high-class golf. Beach lovers can make good use of three days at Galle – the beautiful bay of Unawatuna is only three miles away – and a finale at Mount Lavinia.

Red Dot cricket itineraries go through three simple stages: a Sample Itinerary (as below), which most meets your aims and aspirations and which can be adjusted as required; a Draft Itinerary, drawn up once an itinerary has been agreed in principle with all parties; and a Final Itinerary, which confirms your arrangements a few weeks before travel. We can arrange good-quality tour cricket shirts and polo shirts for collection on your arrival.

Holiday Highlights

	Avoid traditional chain hotels
	Camp in style amongst the elephants in Uda Walawe game park.
	Great cricket venues; from the tea country to Galle
	Play golf at Victoria, one of Asia’s best courses
	Travel by train through the spectacular tea country.
	Explore Galle Fort and its nearby beaches.

Photo Gallery


Day 1 & 2Arrive into the airport early on Day 1 - welcome to Sri Lanka. After your long flight it is only a short drive to The Beach Hotel in Negombo, where you can relax by the classy infinity swimming pool or on the clean and sandy beach. Negombo is a lively coastal town and this serves as a gentle introduction to Sri Lanka before your first match. After a hearty breakfast on Day 2, it is time to board your tour coach and head to MATCH 1 at the beautiful Welegadera Stadium. Situated at the foot of the huge granite Elephant Rock and overlooked by a large Buddha, this ground at Kurunegala is often used for international tour matches and is a great introduction to cricket on the island. After the match – which we recommend so soon after your arrival that you keep to a maximum 30 overs – you venture into the Kandyan Hills to find the Victoria Golf and Country Club. You will arrive a little weary, with night having closed in, but the sights next morning will make it all worthwhile. The Beach A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, The Beach is tastefully designed along contemporary lines, taking the surrounding seaside landscape into full view. Open verandahs, walk ways and waterways - brings in the cooling ocean breeze and the tropical sun – influences of the Geoffrey Bawa genre of architectural design. Interiors are minimalist and elegant with cemented floors and walls infused with a touch of amber coloring, enhanced with dramatic contemporary art in the lobby area, and the minimum of hardwood furniture throughout. The hotel is very much a home away from home, and has something special for everyone including an extensive fun filled Kids Club, an action packed water sports centre, and a luxurious spa for those wanting to be pampered. ...(More)
Day 3, 4 & 5Awake in the Victoria Golf and Country Club. The morning sun will immediately rouse your spirits as it reveals one of Sri Lanka’s best kept secrets. Nestled within the Kandyan hills, Victoria is a stunning destination and perfectly equipped for a cricket touring team. Day 3 can be spent on the world class golf course, or perhaps by the large pool. Tennis, bird watching and horse riding is also available. On Day 4 you take the short drive into Kandy and play MATCH 2 at the unique Asgiriya Stadium, which is the only Test ground to be owned by a school and which possesses a square with comparative pace and bounce. On Day 5, having played the course already, the golfers will take on Victoria Golf Club in a golf match and the non golfers can lounge by the pool, go mountain biking, birdwatching or hiking, or even explore Kandy. In the evening, enjoy a poolside barbeque hosted by the club. Victoria Golf Chalets Victoria Golf & Country Resort has two sets of chalets: Victoria and Knuckles. The four Victoria chalets enjoy grandstand views of the 17th Tee and the mountains beyond. The two Knuckles chalets are also well placed to enjoy the mountain views. Both sets of one-bedroom chalets are located just minutes from the clubhouse. ...(More)
Day 6 & 7Potentially a few sore heads this morning. None the less, the tour continues and it is an early start to catch the mountain train to Nuwara Eliya. This is perhaps one of the world’s most spectacular railway lines as the train hugs the mountain side on its way through the tea plantations of the central highlands. The tour bus will take all the kit and meet you at Nuwara Eliya. The late afternoon of Day 6 may present the opportunity for more golf or a chance to tour a tea plantation. The next day, Day 7, is MATCH 3. This will be held at the spectacular Radella Cricket Club, a simple yet evocative ground built in a natural amphitheatre, surrounded by steep tea-laden slopes. This is a unique cricketing venue, and never again will you enjoy a match tea that has been grown so close to the pavilion you drink it in. After the game, make the 25-minute journey or so back to the Hill Club, don your club blazer and enjoy a dinner with colonial overtones. Hill Club Britain's imperial age pervades the Hill Club, from its green, manicured lawns to its men-only bar, log fires and its insistence that gentlemen wear a tie for dinner. This granite mansion, first devised as a social club by a homesick British planter, has been quietly upgraded, but do not look to change it. Relish it as living history or look elsewhere. ...(More)
Day 8 & 9After a relaxed breakfast, the team will now make its way down from the highlands and towards Uda Walawe National Park for a night camping in the bush. This is camping in style and the night under the stars in the Sri Lankan wilderness undoubtedly will be a tour highlight. Wildlife is abundant across these beautiful plains and there will opportunity to view large herds of elephant and buffalo. Mahoora Safari Camps Mahoora Safari Camps, managed by Eco Team - one of the premier wildlife companies in the island, offers camping inside a range of national parks, including Yala, Uda Walawe, Wasgomuwa, Bundala and Sinharaja Rainforest. The word 'Mahoora' meaning `the great one', is a term used by Sri Lanka's original inhabitants, the ancient Vedda tribe to describe a person of great importance including royalty. The Mahoora camping experience is designed to be just that ~ a camping experience blending service fit for royalty with an indigenous touch. ...(More)
Day 10, 11, 12After your safari, the team will continue its tour towards the historical coastal town of Galle. The team will stay within the walls of the UNESCO World Heritage Site at the renowned Galle Fort Hotel. From this great location you can explore local beaches, enjoy numerous beach bars and a number of great restaurants. On Day 12, you play MATCH 4 at Galle International Stadium. Everybody wants to play at Galle. The famous old ground in the shadow of the Dutch Fort was rebuilt after the tsunami and received an outpouring of support and affection that confirmed it as one of the most loved venues in the world. Unsurprisingly, ground rental charges have risen to meet a challenging future, but the game has an undeniable resonance. Galle Fort Hotel Galle Fort Hotel evokes a subtle sense of colonial grandeur, skillfully updated for the modern age. Enter through the unassuming doors, and a dramatic interior unfolds – verandahs and courtmetres, columns and arches, carefully restored to its original grandeur. Interiors are elegantly furnished with a minimalist style, blending old and new. ...(More)
Day 13, 14 & 15After your stint in Galle, the tour begins its journey home. The drive up the coast road to Colombo can be broken up with a trip to a tsunami relief project or turtle hatchery. You could even find time for an additional Twenty20 match on the artificial pitch at Seenigama, the tsunami village that has been rebuilt by the Foundation for Gooddness charity, with the help of Surrey and MCC among others. Once in Colombo, Red Dot would recommend the charming Mount Lavinia Hotel. On Day 14, MATCH 5 is the final match of your tour. This will be played at one of Colombo’ numerous first class venues and followed by an end of tour dinner in one of the cities premier restaurants. The following day, leave to the airport in good time for your return flight. Mount Lavinia Hotel The famous Mount Lavinia Hotel, once the sprawling mansion of a British governor general, is prized by those who like "old colonial’’ with a beach setting. Colombo’s only true beach hotel – it has its own private beach -- lies in its quiet southern outskirts, in Mount Lavinia, and increasingly offers modern facilities alongside its undoubted charm. ...(More)

Package price includes:

	Return economy flight (inclusive of all taxes)
	15 night’s accommodation on twin-sharing basis
	Breakfast at all hotels
	Air-conditioned coach for duration of the tour
	Match costs including venue hire, umpires, packed lunches and water
	Full-time cricket liaison officer for tour duration
	Cricket assistant for organizing dressing room, kit, drinks and assistance during practices/warm-ups