Galle: all 13 tours and excursions for your cruise

A visit to India's treasured sites evokes images of erstwhile royalty and legendary tales of love and valour. There are few places in the world that compare with the mesmerising Taj Mahal and the awe-inspiring Agra Fort. These outstanding attractions are amongst the 'jewels in the crown', drawing thousands of visitors each year from all over the globe. From the magnificent and timeless beauty of the Taj Mahal and the massive Agra Fort to the architecturally avant garde Humayun's...

Ranthambore National Park is a wildlife sanctuary, known for its tigers and is one of the best places to observe these animals in their natural habitat.  Morning and afternoon game drives offer the best chance to see Royal Bengal Tigers in the wild, in addition to jackal, leopard, mongoose, gazelle and numerous species of birds. Conclude your journey with treasured memories of your Indian safari before flying back to Cochin to rejoin the ship.04MIDGLE-A In Search of TigersDeparture: Galle,...

Explore Galle at your leisure during your full-day (8-Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.Points of interestsPoints of interest seen on this excursion may include: The Stilt Fishermen, Martin Wickremasinghe Folk Museum, Galle Fort, Aamari Galle, Dutch Church Note Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to the cruise start date. Actual vehicle type varies depending on...

Explore Galle at your leisure during your half-day (4-Hour) sightseeing tour via private van. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.Points of interestsPoints of interest seen on this excursion may include: The Stilt Fishermen, Martin Wickremasinghe Folk Museum, Galle Fort Note Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to the cruise start date. Actual vehicle type varies depending on availability. Participation is...

Explore Galle at your leisure during your full-day (8-Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.Points of interestsPoints of interest seen on this excursion may include: The Stilt Fishermen, Martin Wickremasinghe Folk Museum, Galle Fort, Aamari Galle, Dutch Church Note Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to the cruise start date. Actual vehicle type varies depending on availability....

Explore Galle at your leisure during your half-day (4-Hour) sightseeing tour via private car. Customize your own itinerary or choose to see an overview of the area's highlights.Points of interestsPoints of interest seen on this excursion may include: The Stilt Fishermen, Martin Wickremasinghe Folk Museum, Galle FortNote Please note: This tour is non-refundable if cancelled within 48 hours prior to the cruise start date. Actual vehicle type varies depending on availability. Participation is limited...

Depart for an early morning excursion to a nearby tea estate, Akuressa, for a complete tea experience. Enjoy a guided tour by the plantation's head planter, who gives an expert introduction to the fascinating process of tea production. In this idyllic place you can walk the fields, participate to the picking of the tea leaves with the local women, see the weighing, processing and packaging at the factory, and eventually partake in a tea tasting session.After your plantation visit, drive to Unawatuna...

Learn about the history of Galle and discover the local flavors while enjoying the beach and a local performance at a specially set-up lunch venue. Start with an exploration of the ancient Muslim port of Galle. The different political influences from Europe can be seen at the Galle Fort, which has been occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch and British until the late 19th century. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, the fort is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Walking along the narrow...

Enjoy some of the unique flavor Sri Lanka offers on this delightful tour of history and cuisine. Start with a visit to a tea estate with a complete tea experience. Get an introduction to the fascinating process of tea production, starting from the picking of the leaf by local women to the weighing, processing and packaging the leaf at the factory. A tea tasting follows to give you the opportunity to sample the varieties available. For lunch, drive to Jetwing Hotel Galle, for a distinctive local...

River Safari by BoatEmbark on a journey to Balapitiya, where a 2 ½ river safari awaits you. A cruise in small boats on the Madu Ganga River reveals another facet of splendid Sri Lanka. Your journey takes you through dozens of mangrove forested islets, and an eco-reserve considered to be a breeding ground for many endangered species of plants and animals. An ornithologist's paradise, this wetland has approximately forty-six species of birds including fourteen aquatic varieties. Watch...

Handunugoda Tea PlantationA 45 minute drive from the pier will take you to Handunugoda which is a unique tea estate. Set on 200 acres of land the estate also grows rubber, cinnamon, pepper and coconut. It is their tea though for which they are best known. Unlike other tea plantations, Handunugoda produces small quantities of special teas only. The emphasis is on the tea's health properties and on quality. No pesticides or insecticides are used.  Their flagship tea, the Virgin White Tea is...

Enjoy a day spent viewing the highlights of Galle, formerly known as Gimhathiththa, the city that was once the main seaport of the island of Sri Lanka from where King Solomon traded in ivory, peacocks and other valuables. The modern history of Galle begins in 1505 with the arrival of a Portuguese ship, driven to its shores by a storm. The Portuguese ruled until 1640, before they surrendered to the Dutch East India Company; the British took over from the Dutch in 1796. This fortress city saw the...

Stilt FishermenCatch a glimpse of one of Sri Lanka's iconic scenes, the stilt fishermen of the southern coast. In water about chest deep, the fishermen sit at a height of about 2m on a cross bar, or petta, tied to vertical poles, or stilts, that they've planted before. They're hoping to catch herrings and mackerel which are then stored in a plastic bag tied around their waist or to the pole. Stilt fishing, although now a dying tradition, has been passed from father to son for generations;...