• Day excursion to Galle, Kosgoda and Koggala

Day excursion to Galle, Kosgoda and Koggala

What this tour is about: Galle is a lovely historic port city about 2hrs from Colombo. The Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications are inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list, as the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. In this tour, we will explore Galle Fort and the town with its quaint streets, colonial buildings, museums and charming cafes. The Fort contains the well known Galle lighthouse, built in 1939.

Apart from Galle, we will visit the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project to see the work they are doing to save endangered sea turtles. The project is operated by local people with the help of international volunteers.

The nearby Koggala beach has stilt fishermen who for a small fee will let tourists try their hand at fishing. You can either try the stilts, or just stop to photograph them. At Koggala we will also visit the Martin Wikramasinghe Folk Art Museum, established at the home of Martin Wikramasinghe, one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved writers and intellectuals. The museum contains lovely examples of Sri Lankan art and folk culture.

How it works:

  • Pickup from hotel in Colombo at 6:00 am (please ask your hotel for packed breakfast)
  • Arrive at Koggala between 8:30 and 9:00 am
  • 9:00 to 10:30 – See the stilt fishermen and the Martin Wikramasinghe Folk Art Museum
  • 10:30 to 11:30 – Transfer to Galle
  • 11:30 to 2:30 - Tour of Galle, including a stop at a local café for lunch
  • 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm – Transfer to Kosgoda (it is on your route back to Colombo)
  • 3:30 to 4:00 – Visit to Turtle Hatchery
  • 5:00 pm drop to hotel in Colombo

Tour Notes: Please wear sensible walking shoes and dress appropriately for the weather. Although stilt fishing is a traditional practice in Sri Lanka, the fishermen at Koggala now do it primarily for tourists.

Duration: 10-12 hrs

Group size: Can be done by individuals / couples / families / groups.

Costs:
US$ 60 per person for 9 to 15 persons
US$ 70 per person for 5 to 8 persons
US$ 75per person for 4 persons
US$ 85 per person for 3 persons
US$ 100 per person for 2 persons
US$ 185 for a solo traveller

Please write to us for specific pricing if you have a larger group, or if you have children below 12.

Includes: Pickup from the hotel, air-conditioned transport, experienced chauffer-guide, fuel, parking charges, tolls, entrances to Galle Fort Museum and Martin Wikramasinghe Folk Museum, bottled water, drop back to the hotel, and all taxes.

Excludes: Meals, Tips to stilt fishermen, tips to the chauffer.