Spice, Rice & Curry: A Culinary Journey
Nine days of markets, spice gardens, home cooking and street food, eating your way across the island.
- Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
- Route: Sri Lanka
- Travel style: Food & Cooking
- Best time: Year Round
- Page last updated: 14 October 2026
Overview
Sri Lankan food is about rice and curry, but also hoppers, string hoppers, fresh seafood, coconut sambols, jackfruit and an astonishing range of spices. This journey takes you to the markets and kitchens where it all begins, with plenty of time at the table.
You will cook as well as eat: village-style clay-pot cooking, a family kitchen in Kandy and, at the end, the street food of Colombo. Tell us about dietary needs or favourite dishes and we will build them in.
Price
Price: on request. Request a quotation with your dates, group size and preferences.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1: Day 1: Arrival and Negombo
Meet your driver-guide at Bandaranaike International Airport and transfer to Negombo, a town known for its seafood. Enjoy a relaxed first dinner by the sea.
Places: Negombo
Day 2: Day 2: Negombo to Sigiriya
Visit the Negombo fish market in the morning, then drive inland to Sigiriya. In a nearby village cook a rice-and-curry lunch in clay pots over a wood fire with a local family.
Places: Negombo, Dambulla, Sigiriya
Day 3: Day 3: Sigiriya
Start at a village market, then choose between climbing Sigiriya Rock or a lighter morning. In the afternoon learn to make hoppers and pol sambol, the island's classic coconut relish.
Places: Sigiriya
Day 4: Day 4: Sigiriya to Kandy
Drive to Kandy via Matale and visit a spice garden to see cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and cloves growing. In Kandy, cook a family-style meal of dhal, vegetable curries and sambols.
Places: Matale, Kandy
Day 5: Day 5: Kandy
Wander through Kandy's central market, taste local sweets such as milk toffee and visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The rest of the day is free.
Places: Kandy
Day 6: Day 6: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
Climb into the hill country, where cool air grows vegetables and strawberries. Visit a market or farm and finish with afternoon tea in a colonial-style setting.
Places: Nuwara Eliya
Day 7: Day 7: Nuwara Eliya to Galle
Travel down to the south coast, stopping for king coconut and roadside snacks on the way. Arrive in Galle for a seafood dinner.
Places: Galle
Day 8: Day 8: Galle to Colombo
Spend the morning in Galle Fort's lanes and cafes, then drive to Colombo. In the evening taste street food on Galle Face Green: kottu roti, short eats and prawn fritters (isso wade).
Places: Galle, Colombo
Day 9: Day 9: Departure
Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your departure flight, perhaps with a last market stop for spices to take home.
Places: Colombo, Airport
Package Inclusions
- Accommodation at selected hotels on the specified meal plan
- Private transportation throughout the tour
- Airport arrival and departure transfers
- English-speaking chauffeur / guide
- Meet & greet assistance at the airport
- Sightseeing as per the itinerary
- All transfers and transportation mentioned in the itinerary
- Highway tolls, parking fees and driver-related expenses
- Fuel charges
- Government taxes and service charges applicable to included services
- Complimentary bottled drinking water during transfers and sightseeing
- All services specifically mentioned under the package inclusions
- 24/7 assistance from our local team during the tour
Package Excludes
- International Air Tickets
- Sri Lanka Visa / ETA Fees
- Entrance Fees to Attractions
- Optional Excursions & Activities
- Lunches, Beverages & Personal Meals
- Personal Expenses (shopping, laundry, telephone, minibar, tips, etc.)
- Airport / Hotel Porterage
- Travel Insurance
- Camera & Video Charges / Permits, where applicable
- Alcoholic Beverages & Other Drinks
- Early Check-in / Late Check-out, unless specifically mentioned
- Expenses arising from delays, natural disasters, closures, disturbances, or circumstances beyond our control
- Chauffeur-Guide Tips / Gratuities
- Any Services Not Mentioned in the Package Inclusions
General Booking Conditions
These conditions apply to every booking made through Figo Holidays. They cover booking and confirmation, prices and inclusions, payment terms, amendments to bookings, cancellation by the client, cancellation or changes by Figo Holidays and more.
Experiences
- Clay-pot cooking in a village near Sigiriya
- A walk through a produce market with your guide
- Matale spice garden: cinnamon, cardamom, pepper and cloves on the plant
- A home cooking class in Kandy: dhal, curries and sambols
- Vegetable farms and an afternoon tea in Nuwara Eliya
- Colombo street food: kottu roti, short eats and prawn fritters
Plan this trip
Send an enquiry or message us on WhatsApp from the page to adjust dates, hotels and pace. All journeys can be tailored.