This 2025 Sri Lanka Photography Tour, is a joint venture for me with Photo Tours World Wide, a group that has been providing excellent photography tours in several parts of the world – Azores, Bavaria, Croatia, Italy, Kenya, Namibia, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, and now in Sri Lanka. Photo Tours Worldwide was founded by Claudia Daniels and Paolo Silva. Photo Tours Worldwide provides individual attention and customized tuition to their clients. I will be co-leading the 2025 Sri Lanka Photography Tour with Claudia Daniels.

Claudia is originally from Mainz, Germany and for two decades has been enjoying life in Venice, Florida. Her artistic photographs are reflections of the natural world around her, especially landscapes and wildlife. She periodically employs diverse techniques to enhance and augment her photographs, such as artistic filters, high dynamic range imaging, and creative pre-and post processing effects. Her images have been featured in various magazines, newspapers, and online publications. She is an experienced instructor and photography guide, and loves to share her enthusiasm for photography and travel. Her educational background encompasses an Associate of Science Degree in Graphic Design, a Bachelor of Business, and a Master of Liberal Arts with a concentration in English and Multimedia; Claudia taught Graphic Design Technology at the State College of Florida for a number of years.

For more information about the 2025 Sri Lanka Photography Tour, and to book online go to: https://phototoursworldwide.com/product/sri-lanka-pearl-of-the-indian-ocean-aug-2025/

For some background, and a detailed itinerary, as well as a Q & A, keep reading below.

2025 Sri Lanka Photography TOUR

August 2 – August 13, 2025

Overview

Sri Lanka, ‘The Pearl of the Indian Ocean’, and the birthplace of my family of origin, is a small tropical island nestled at the southern tip of India. Some seven degrees above the Equator it is about 150 miles wide, and 270 miles long, an ancient land whose documented history spans over 3,000 years.

Background

I was born and lived in Ceylon until I was 14 years old, and finally returned to the island for the first time some 55 years later in 2014. My father was of British and French descent, with my mother being of Dutch ancestry. My detailed genealogy documents show ancestry going back nine generations in Ceylon, renamed Sri Lanka in 1972!

This will be an experience of a lifetime, spanning several disciplines of photography – landscapes, street portraits, low-light action photography at one of the most colorful festivals in the world – the Kandy Esala Perahera, and last but not least, big game wildlife at two of the finest National Parks in Sri Lanka – Minneriya and Yala.

You will enjoy clean, comfortable, even luxurious accommodations in 4 & 5-star hotels, with breakfast and dinner included at the hotels. Also included is all transportation to and from the Colombo International Airport, and the in-country travel via an air conditioned bus.

So, come join us as we take you on a journey like no other, to experience some of the best sights, sounds, and tastes that Sri Lanka has to offer!

Tour Highlights

Landscape – abundant opportunities in the coastal towns of Negombo, our first stop, for beautiful tropical sunsets, as well as the one of a kind fisherman’s catamarans unique to Negombo, and seen nowhere else in the country, let alone anywhere else in the world!

There will also be plenty of opportunities for beautiful landscapes/seascapes in the 2 nights we spend in Koggala, another coastal town in southern Sri Lanka.

Religious Festival - The Kandy Esala Perahera – probably the most exciting event of this journey, and around which this itinerary was built. It is a spectacular 10-day annual street parade in the Central Province city of Kandy, a four plus hour event involving 100 plus majestic elephants, traditional dancers, and other performing artists.

Wildlife - Minneriya (or Kaudulla), and Yala National Parks – some of the finest game reserves in Sri Lanka. We plan to spend several hours in both areas, in private safari 4-wheel drive vehicles with experienced local guides. Minneriya is known for some of the largest gatherings of Asian elephants in any one area.

Yala is leopard country, and they are the Lords of the Jungle! With a leopard density that's higher than anywhere else on this planet, these menacing, but elusive predators prowl majestically in Yala. While elephants roam in their numbers with cautious deer scampering by their side, as well as sightings of the majestic Asian water buffalo.

Street Portraits - last but not least, over the many times I have visited Sri Lanka I have enjoyed capturing images of interesting and extraordinary looking local people in the streets, that I refer to as ‘Street Portraits’. This is something I began doing in Australia many years ago and I would be happy to show you how, and what I have learned about doing this anywhere along our journey.

My Complete Sri Lanka Gallery: https://www.davidjgrenier.com/sri-lanka

At A Glance

Dates: August 2 through August 13, 2025
Full Price: US $6,900 – No single supplement charge!
Deposit: US $1,380
Starts/Ends: Negombo, a 30 minute ride from the Colombo International Airport. Register: For more information about the 2025 Sri Lanka Tour and Workshop, and to book online go to: https://phototoursworldwide.com/product/sri-lanka-pearl-of-the-indian-ocean-aug-2025/

Itinerary

Please note this itinerary is our intended plan. We reserve the right to revise daily activities as necessary (based on weather, circumstance beyond our control, etc.) to provide you the best opportunities to experience and photograph each location.

Day 1, August 2 – Arrival at Colombo International Airport, Katunayake, Sri Lanka.

You will need to arrive in Sri Lanka August 2. Your room will be available to check-in any time after 2:00 pm the afternoon of Day 1.
We will pick you up at the airport and you will be driven to the hotel, a 30-minute drive.
Check-in to the hotel in Negombo – Jetwing Blue https://www.jetwinghotels.com/jetwingblue/

Day 2, August 3 - Negombo.

We will meet for breakfast in the hotel at 9AM, where you will get the chance to meet everyone for the first time as a group, and receive an overview of the workshop and the daily activities.

This will be a get acclimated, relax, use the hotel’s beautiful swimming pool, and get your feet on the ground kind of a day. This is our Negombo hotel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghtnNV_vpco

There will be opportunities to shoot close by to the hotel for those who want to in the mid-morning and sunset timeframes.
Dinner & overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 3, August 4 – Negombo

Breakfast at hotel.

Negombo is the 5th largest city in Sri Lanka. It’s a fishing village, resort city and a commercial hub all in one and has a very visible Roman Catholic influence due to Sri Lanka’s history of being a former colony of the Portuguese, Dutch and British. The catamarans utilized in Negombo for fishing are unique to this town, and found nowhere else in Sri Lanka, let alone the world.

We will photograph these beautiful vessels in the ocean, when they leave to go fishing in the mornings and when they return - times to be determined on a daily basis subject to local wind & tide conditions.
We will also take a boat ride down the Hamilton Canal, also known as the Dutch Canal. This waterway leads to the Negombo Lagoon, one of Sri Lanka’s largest coastal lagoons. Experience the life of the fishing community, as you drift through the colorful wilderness of fishing boats, coconut palms, mangrove forests, bird life and marine creatures.

Sunset on the beach in front of the hotel can be spectacular as well.
Dinner & overnight at hotel.

Day 4, August 5 – Negombo, drive to Dambulla (about 3.5 hrs).

At sunrise we will visit and photograph the Negombo Fish Market.

The Negombo Fish Market is a fresh fish market, literally, on the beach shore. The endless rows of dried fish against the Negombo sky makes a startling sight, and unique photographic opportunities.

Return to hotel for breakfast.
After checkout head to Dambulla.
Check-in to the hotel – Heritance Kandalama https://www.heritancehotels.com/kandalama/
After lunch, we go for a 4-wheel drive safari (approx. 3-6 PM) in Minneriya or Kaudulla National Park to view the natural phenomenon known locally as “The Gathering”, where hundreds of elephants gather around the Minneriya Tank (reservoir), during the dry season (June – September) for a bath and some fun.

“The Gathering” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6PY43_w1bQ

Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 5, August 6 – Dambulla.

In the morning, after breakfast we travel to Polonnarua, which became Sri Lanka’s Royal Medieval Capital in 1073 and remained Sri Lanka’s capital until the late 13th Century. The ancient city’s ruins remain in remarkably good shape, and are a fascinating site to visit. The most impressive are the ancient sculptures of Lord Buddha at the rock temple Gal Vihara, cut into granite dating back to the middle of the 12th century.

In the afternoon we will visit a local village, where you will be treated to a cooking demonstration of typical Sri Lankan food, showing you the ingredients used, how the food is made, and an opportunity taste the final product.

Day 6, August 7 – Dambulla, drive to Kandy (about 2.5 hours).

After breakfast, check out of hotel.
Enroute to Kandy, we will photograph Sigiriya from two advantage points,, an ancient rock fortress located in the northern near the town of Dambulla. It is a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of granite approximately 600 feet high.

Proceed to the hill capital Kandy, located in Sri Lanka’s central highlands and is surrounded by mountains, tea plantations and biodiverse forests. The city was the last kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka. It is built around a lake and is home to the most sacred Buddhist temple on the island, the Temple of the Tooth Relic, and the islands biggest botanical gardens, the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens.
Check-in to hotel – Grand Kandyan https://www.grandkandyan.com/

Early evening we drive to visit and photograph the Cultural Dance Show at the Kandy Lake Club in the evening.
It is a stimulating Sri Lankan Arts, Dance & Cultural Heritage Show that is a must see for any visitor who visits the historic city of Kandy. The Kandy Lake Club Dance started in 1982 with the view of having a cultural dance performance bringing together all Sri Lankan dance types to one platform. It is the first Cultural Dance Show of its kind to be established in Sri Lanka. It has since become a tourist attraction for many people visiting the country and keen on a glimpse of its rich cultural heritage.

This is great opportunity to experience low light action photography to ready you for the Kandy Perahera that we will shoot the next night.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 7, August 8 – Kandy.

After early breakfast, we visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. We will observe locals worshiping in the Temple, one of Sri Lanka’s most sacred shrines that houses the tooth relic of Lord Buddha.

Later we will visit a local Buddhist monastery, where we will have an opportunity to photograph young novice monks.

We leave early evening to reserved seating for viewing and photographing The Kandy Esala Perahera, the grandest of all Buddhist festivals in Sri Lanka, featuring dancers, jugglers, musicians, fire-breathers, and about 150 lavishly decorated elephants. This is held in Esala (July or August) which is the month that is believed to commemorate the first teaching given by the Buddha after he attained enlightenment.
One of the biggest Buddhist celebrations of the year, the annual Kandy Esala Perahera is a religious ceremony during which devotees pray for good rains to cultivate the crops. One of Buddhism’s most sacred relics, the Sacred Tooth, is taken from the Temple and paraded through the streets. Following this, more festive events take centre stage and you can expect to see a lively cast of Kandyan dancers and drummers in colourful traditional costumes. Kandyan Chieftains in medieval court dress, more than one hundred caparisoned elephants, whip crackers, torch bearers etc., make it an unforgettable & spiritual experience.
2015 Kandy Esala Perahera, a short video that I shot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E11Up7wDtM

Overnight at the hotel.

Day 8, August 9 – Kandy, drive to Yala National Park (about 6.5 hours).

Checkout and drive to Yala National Park.
This will be our longest drive in this tour, so we will make a couple of rest breaks along our journey.
Check-in hotel – Jetwing Yala https://www.jetwinghotels.com/jetwingyala/
Dinner at the hotel.

We get off to an very early start for a 4-wheel drive safari into Yala National Park.
Yala is leopard country and we have excellent guides to put us in the best places to witness and photograph all animals that make up this diverse ecosystem. This is dry season in this part of the country, and it is said that this is the best time of the year to photograph a leopard. The extreme dry conditions force the leopards to come out to the watering holes by the river.
After we get back to the hotel we drive to Koggala to visit the miles of textured sands and colorful fishing boats in this seaside bay that provides beautiful landscape photo opportunities.
Check-in to the hotel https://cocobayunawatuna.com/
Sunset shoot of the stilt fisherman, unique to Sri Lanka on the beaches of this coastal town.
Dinner & overnight in hotel.

Day 10, August 11 – Koggala.

After breakfast at hotel we visit the Old Dutch Fort, and the Galle International Cricket Stadium. These days, the old beautiful buildings are transformed into trendy shops, cafes, and restaurants.
Sunset shoot of the stilt fisherman, just in case the previous night didn’t give us the best sunset conditions.
Dinner and overnight in hotel.

Day 11, August 12 – Koggala, drive back to Negombo (about 3 hours).

After breakfast departure to Negombo.

Check-in to hotel – Jetwing Blue https://www.jetwinghotels.com/jetwingblue/
Sunset shoot on the beach in front of the hotel.

Day 12, August 13 – Negombo

Sunrise shoot of the catamarans.
Afternoon shoot of young novice Buddhist monks.
Dinner at the hotel.
Late night/early morning transfer to the airport in time for your departure flight. (Approx. 30 minutes drive).

Common Q&As

Q: Do I need a Visa to enter Sri Lanka?
A: If you are an American citizen, a 30-day double entry Sri Lankan Tourist Visa is required. You need to apply for this visa after you have booked your return flights (arrival and departure flight details are required). The application can be done within ninety (90) days of your outbound flight. Apply for an ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization) online at THIS SITE ONLY at a cost of US$20: http://www.eta.gov.lk/ Beware of other fake sites that look almost identical but want to charge you US$90!

Q: What are the passport requirements for entry into Sri Lanka?
A: To enter Sri Lanka, passports should have one blank page and be valid for no less than six months from the date of arrival.

Q: Do I need vaccines for Sri Lanka?
A: It is safest and best to check with your personal physician.

Q: Can I use a credit card during my travels?
A: Yes, most retail places will accept Visa & Mastercards. Before you leave home, check with your credit card company on what additional charges they may add. I use a card that has no additional usage fees as long as the transactions entered overseas are in US dollar amounts.

Q: Does Sri Lanka have unusual precious gemstones?
A: Yes, and it is worth looking into. Here is a good summary of the available: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/sri-lanka/articles/why-these-gorgeous-gemstones-from-sri-lanka-are-worth-taking-home/

Q: What kind of food will be available?
A: Breakfast, and dinner will almost always include both western and local options, and typically are buffet style. Contact us if you have any dietary needs or restrictions.

Q: What is special about Sri Lankan food?
A: 40 Delicious Things To Eat While in Sri Lanka! https://www.notquitenigella.com/2019/10/16/sri-lankan-food-what-to-eat/

Q: What will the weather be like?
A: Pleasant average temperatures of 82-86°F (28-30°C) can be expected across the whole of the island during July/August, although the Cultural Triangle region could be a little warmer than the coast, and the hills around Kandy and the Tea Country will be a little cooler, especially in the evenings.

Q: Is there a dress code for entering the Temples that we visit in Sri Lanka?
A: Yes. For women - no bare shoulders, and skirts and shorts will need to be below your knees. For men - pretty much the same, wear long shorts that hang below your knees or full-length trousers.

Q: Will we need special electrical converters in Sri Lanka?
A: While some hotels have universal plugs built in, these are the 2 common converters that I have always taken with me: (1)https://www.amazon.com/Grounded-Universal-Adapter-India-Africa/dp/B005JK5O3O/ref=sr_1_38?keywords=power+plug+adapter+sri+lanka&qid=1571619238&sr=8-38 (2) https://www.amazon.com/OREI-Grounded-Universal-Adapter-Singapore/dp/B004SCSV2U/ref=sr_1_33?keywords=power+plug+adapter+sri+lanka&qid=1571619468&sr=8-33

About: David J. Grenier

I am passionate about photography and travel. I was born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and moved to Brisbane, Australia in 1958. I have also lived in South Africa, England, France, Spain, and came to California in 1972. I have dual citizenship – Australian and American. I have photographed in Australia, Argentina, Chile, Iceland, Italy, Sri Lanka, India, Canada, as well as many beautiful locations in the USA.

I was first introduced to photography at an early age by my father in Sri Lanka. He had a great love for the ocean, and a passion for photography – both passions that I have shared with him all of my life. I can vividly recall the sights and pungent odors of watching him reveal his back and white images on a piece of paper by immersing it in a tray of development liquid. My photography began on the beaches in Sri Lanka with my father, and here I am decades later leading a photography workshop to some of those very same beaches! It is a small world afterall…