Recently Viewed
Galle Fort Tour: Colonial History and Modern Culture
Galle
Experience an adventurous and luxurious night camping tour in Sri Lanka. Choose from a variety of camping options in stunning locations, from rainforests to beaches. Perfect for nature-loving couples!
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
learn more
Highlights
- Galle Fort - The Galle Fort, also known as the Dutch Fort, is a fortification initially constructed by the Portuguese on Sri Lanka’s southwestern coast. Built in the late 16th century, the original fortifications were quite rudimentary. However, in the 17th century, the Dutch extensively modified the fort, transforming it into a significant archaeological, architectural, and historic monument that showcases European influence in Southeast Asia from the 16th to the 19th centuries. UNESCO recognized the site as a World Heritage Site for its unique display of an urban ensemble illustrating the interaction between European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries, meeting criterion number four for such recognition.
- Unawatuna Beach - Unawatuna is one of Sri Lanka’s largest tourist destinations and is the country’s most famous beach. It features a beautiful banana-shaped stretch of golden sand and turquoise water, surrounded by lush green palm trees.
- Handunugoda Tea Estate - Located 30 minutes from Galle Fort, the Handunugoda Tea Estate is perhaps the closest tea plantation to the sea in the world. However, this is not its only unique feature. Known as the Virgin White Tea Factory, the estate produces white tea that is completely untouched by human hands. The tea plucking process follows an ancient Chinese ritual where the finest teas were cut by virgins who never touched the tea with their bare skin and offered the produce as a tribute to the Emperor. Handunugoda mimics this tradition, although nowadays the ‘virgin’ concept applies only to the tea, not the tea pluckers. This white tea is rich in antioxidants and is considered the healthiest tea in the world. It is also one of the most expensive teas, fetching over 1500 USD per kilo. Recent testing shows that Virgin White Tea has an antioxidant content of 10.11 percent, the highest naturally occurring level.
- Sea Turtle Conservation Project (Koggala) - The southern coastal belt of the island is an excellent spot to observe several notable species of turtles. However, due to increased human activities such as beach development, poaching, and fishing, the turtle population in Sri Lanka’s surrounding waters is rapidly declining. Three out of the seven species of sea turtles are now classified as endangered, with the remaining species listed as critically endangered.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Bottle of water
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- All fees and/or taxes
What's Not Included
- Lunch
Additional Information
This tour generally covers the whole Galle Fort area. This includes amazing views, knowledge on colonial history, interesting back stories, and detailed insights. You also get to know about the modern Sri Lankan culture and its connection with the colonial era. Finally, at the end of the tour you can enjoy the sundown (during the evening tour) in the horizon before you leave the fort premises.
Location
Galle Fort
Church Street
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
