Sri Lanka in Feb with a 10-year-old
 

Hi Everyone,

I have been reading all of the trip reports and comments for Sri Lanka and they have been extremely helpful in planning my upcoming trip with my son. We have a total of 10 days in Sri Lanka (arriving February 19), and I'm trying to figure out how to maximize our time without exhausting my son. He of course wants to do EVERYTHING, but I feel that we need to edit. I have our flights and a driver. Here is the proposed itinerary:

2/19 arrive & drive to Habarana
2/20 AM Polonnaruwa, evening safari Minneriya
2/21 Sigiriya
2/22 drive to Gampola via Dambulla, evening Kandy tour
2/23 Pinnawala elephant orphanage, spice gardens
2/24 go to Nuwara Eliya by train
2/25 Horton Plains & World's End
2/26 drive to Yala via Budhuruwagala (6 hours?)
2/27 AM safari
2/28 drive to Hikkaduwa
2/29 beach day
3/1 drive to airport for late evening flight

My son will like all of this - he's into animals, nature, anything outdoors but he also loves different cultures and is excited about all of the temples. My main concern/question is whether or not to go to Yala. It's far, and maybe our time would be better served by some relaxation at the end of our trip. Initially I had wanted to spend 3 nights in the Maldives at the end, to give us a chance to unwind and snorkel etc. What do you all think? Is Yala un-missable? Or is there anything else that may be redundant and/or not appropriate for a 10-year-old which could be eliminated in favor of a rest at the end? I know that there is no right answer of course, but if anyone has some specific insight with regard to kids, I would really appreciate it. Thanks!

My first though is wow! you are packing an awful lot in to 10 days! Travelling seems to take much longer in SL than elswhere so please do not underestimate the time it will take to get from place to place - it always seemed to take much longer than we anticipated. As far as exhausting you son is concerned, be aware that climbing Sirigaya, fantastic though it undoubtedly is, is exhausting and very hot and some adults have found it daunting.

Good to see you have included a train journey, I am sure your son will love that!

Worlds End tends to involve a very eary start to get the good views but I believe it does involve some hard walking.

We were going to go to Yala last Feb but had to change our plans because there was absolutley no accommodation available! If you do decide to go then I would book immediately.

Femi has provided a very informative TR focusing on SL wildlife @

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...an-sojourn.cfm
My own TR on Sri Lanka covers some of the places you are considering

http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...-and-curry.cfm

We spent our beach time at Goyambokka and Weligama which we enjoyed and Mirrisa also looked great. We were less impressed by the beaches closer to Galle (inc Hikkaduwa) which were very pretty but busy.

Thanks! I did read both of those reports and they were extremely helpful. I agree that it's too much to try to see, but I'm just not sure where to cut. Will keep working on it ;-)

I absolutely loved Yala, and we are heading back this year for a long weekend. We stayed 3 nights back in October in a tented camp inside the park and it was most enjoyable. It not only was relaxing but we were the first ones out in the morning. In total we saw 11 different leopards, elephants, many buffalo and deer, birds, two cobra's, on two evening game drives we saw jackles.

It is a bit of a drive, but I think they are opening or have recently opened a new road that will make the drive much shorter. At least that is what our driver told us back in October.

I agree with crellston in that I think you are packing a lot into the itinerary you posted. Perhaps just the cultural triangle and the beach? Or, if your son is really into wildlife, Yala and the beach.

My preference during vacation is for fewer locations in a given time frame than most other people. But if this pace above has worked for you in the past, go for it.