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Fantastic 4.53rating (30)
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One Week Helping, Seven Days Touring

location
2 - 2 weeks  Â·  Age 18 - 50+
Verified

Highlights

  • Pick your project for week one: the kindergarten, the sea turtle and marine conservation programme, or the rescued street dog sanctuary.
  • Spend week two on a guided seven-day route across Sri Lanka - Sigiriya, Kandy, the hill country, Ella and a Yala jeep safari.
  • Ride the Kandy to Ella train, routinely called one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world, through tea estates and mountains.

Highlights

  • Pick your project for week one: the kindergarten, the sea turtle and marine conservation programme, or the rescued street dog sanctuary.
  • Spend week two on a guided seven-day route across Sri Lanka - Sigiriya, Kandy, the hill country, Ella and a Yala jeep safari.
  • Ride the Kandy to Ella train, routinely called one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world, through tea estates and mountains.
  • Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock and Little Adam's Peak, see Ravana Falls and the Nine Arches Bridge, and visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
  • Open from age 16, fixed at two weeks, with accommodation, transport and a local guide arranged throughout.
    • You don't have to pay anything yet

    Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    Groups
    50+

    About the program

    One week volunteering - kindergarten, sea turtles or dog care, your pick - then seven guided days across Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella and Yala.

    Two weeks, split down the middle: one week on a project, one week seeing the country properly with a guide who knows it.

    We are straightforward about what this is. A single week of volunteering is not going to transform anything, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise. What it does give ...

    About the program

    Two weeks, split down the middle: one week on a project, one week seeing the country properly with a guide who knows it.

    We are straightforward about what this is. A single week of volunteering is not going to transform anything, and we would rather say so than pretend otherwise. What it does give you is a real week inside a working project — not a demonstration laid on for visitors — and then a second week that gets you well beyond the beach resorts.

    If you want the volunteering to be the point, book one of our longer placements instead. If you want a fortnight in Sri Lanka that includes doing something useful rather than only sightseeing, this is built for exactly that.

    Week one: choose your project

    • Kindergarten — assisting teachers with three to six year olds at underfunded centres around Galle
    • Sea turtle and marine conservation — hatchery work, beach patrols and protecting nests
    • Dog care — at the largest animal sanctuary in Sri Lanka, home to around 2,500 rescued street dogs

    You work alongside the local teams who run these projects year-round. You are based in the volunteer houses at Unawatuna, across the road from the beach.

    Week two: seven days across the island

    A guided route taking in most of what people come to Sri Lanka for:

    • Sigiriya — the climb up Lion Rock, a fifth-century fortress on top of a two-hundred-metre column of stone
    • Kandy — the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandyan dress, and the story of Ceylon tea where it is actually grown
    • The hill country train — Kandy to Ella through tea plantations and mist. It deserves the reputation
    • Ella — Ravana Falls, the Nine Arches Bridge, and the hike up Little Adam's Peak
    • Yala — a jeep safari for elephants, crocodiles, sloth bears, deer and an enormous variety of birds. Leopards are possible, not promised; anyone guaranteeing you a leopard is guessing

    Accommodation, transport, a local guide, and daily breakfast and lunch are arranged throughout the tour week.

    Who this suits

    Anyone 18 or over with reasonable fitness — there is real climbing at Sigiriya and Little Adam's Peak, and the days are long. It works particularly well for people with a fortnight rather than a summer, for first-time solo travellers who want the logistics handled, and for those who would find two weeks of pure sightseeing a bit thin.

    Typical day

    WEEK ONE — the project

    Saturday — Arrival. Met at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) and driven to Galle on the shared transfer. Check the timing before booking: two shared transfers each Saturday, morning and afternoon/evening, and arriving outside them means a private transfer at ...

    Typical day

    WEEK ONE — the project

    Saturday — Arrival. Met at Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) and driven to Galle on the shared transfer. Check the timing before booking: two shared transfers each Saturday, morning and afternoon/evening, and arriving outside them means a private transfer at USD 100.

    Sunday — Settle in at the volunteer house in Unawatuna and meet the others.

    Monday — Orientation: welcome presentation, health and safety, cultural briefing, a session on your chosen project, and an area tour.

    Monday to Friday — At your project. Breakfast at the house, transport to the site by air-conditioned van or tuk tuk, and dinner back at the house. Hours depend on which of the three you have picked — the turtle project runs some early mornings, the dog sanctuary works around the heat, the kindergarten runs to school hours.

    Evenings are free, and Unawatuna Beach is across the road.

    WEEK TWO — the tour

    Seven guided days across the island, with accommodation, transport, a local guide, and daily breakfast and lunch arranged throughout:

    • Sigiriya — climbing Lion Rock, the fifth-century fortress
    • Kandy — the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Kandyan dress, and Ceylon tea at source
    • The hill country train — Kandy to Ella through tea estates and mountains
    • Ella — Ravana Falls, the Nine Arches Bridge, and the hike up Little Adam's Peak
    • Yala National Park — a jeep safari for elephants, crocodiles, sloth bears, deer and birdlife

    The exact running order shifts with train availability and weather. Bring proper shoes: Sigiriya and Little Adam's Peak are real climbs, not viewpoints you drive to.

    Free-time activities

    During the project week you are in Unawatuna with the beach across the road, so evenings look after themselves: swimming, the surf breaks along the coast, and Galle Fort twenty minutes away for a sunset on the ramparts.

    The tour week is itself the free time, in the sense that it is the part built ...

    Free-time activities

    During the project week you are in Unawatuna with the beach across the road, so evenings look after themselves: swimming, the surf breaks along the coast, and Galle Fort twenty minutes away for a sunset on the ramparts.

    The tour week is itself the free time, in the sense that it is the part built around seeing things rather than working. The guide handles the logistics; you turn up.

    If you want to extend either end, the coast around Mirissa, Ahangama and Tangalle has good surf and whale-watching from November to April, and Colombo is worth a day on the way out rather than a rush to the airport.

    The volunteer house runs weekly rooftop yoga, weekly film nights and a monthly barbecue during the project week, all included.

    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Criminal Background Check

    required

    Required Documents

    Criminal background check, parental consent form if under 18, passport copy and travel and medical insurance

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    No qualification or experience is needed for any of the three projects. What matters is reasonable physical fitness - Sigiriya is around 1,200 steps and Little Adam's Peak is a proper climb, both usually in heat - and a flexible attitude, since train times and weather reshape the tour week. Tell us which project you want when you apply, as places on each are limited per week. A clean criminal background check is required.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 09:00 - 16:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    On-site Services

    Included in the programme fee:

    • Week one: volunteer house accommodation in Unawatuna with Wi-Fi, three meals a day, local transport to the project, orientation and training, and your placement on whichever of the three projects you choose
    • Week two: accommodation throughout the tour, transport, a local guide, and daily breakfast and lunch
    • Shared arrival transfer from Colombo airport on Saturdays within the set time windows
    • Entrance arrangements and the Yala jeep safari
    • An experienced bilingual operations team, staff on 6am to 8pm, and 24/7 local emergency support
    • Comprehensive pre-departure information and a certificate of participation on request

    Not included:

    • International flights
    • Sri Lankan ETA (visa) fee
    • Dinners during the tour week
    • The return transfer to Colombo — arranged for you but paid locally
    • A private arrival transfer if you land outside the Saturday windows
    • Travel and medical insurance, which is mandatory. Buy it through us at extra cost, or bring your own and send a copy
    • Vaccinations, tips and personal spending

    The price shown already includes your application fee – there is nothing further to pay us on arrival. Payment can be split into interest-free instalments, with the balance due 45 days before you start.

    Airport Pickup at Bandaranaike International Airport

    Read this before you book your flight. The arrival transfer is included, but with conditions that catch people out.

    You are collected from Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) and driven to Galle, about two and a half hours south. The included transfer is shared, on Saturdays only, within two set windows — one morning, one afternoon or evening.

    • Land on a Saturday inside a window and it costs you nothing.
    • Land outside the windows, or on any other day, and a private transfer costs USD 100.

    The tour week ends closer to Colombo than Galle does, so check with the team where your final day leaves you before booking your outbound flight.

    The return transfer to Colombo is not included — it is arranged for you and paid locally in Sri Lanka.

    Accommodation

    Accommodation changes between the two weeks, which is worth knowing before you pack.

    Week one, at the project: you stay in Unawatuna, in one of two volunteer houses a hundred metres apart, both overlooking Unawatuna Beach. The beachside house has twelve en-suite air-conditioned bedrooms, most with balconies, plus a dining area, lounge, terrace and garden, with CCTV and overnight security. The larger house has thirteen en-suite bedrooms, most with ocean views, and a private forty-foot pool. Rooms are shared and both houses have Wi-Fi.

    Week two, on tour: selected hotels and guesthouses along the route — Sigiriya, Kandy, the hill country and Yala. Standards are comfortable rather than luxurious, and each stop is chosen for its position on the route.

    Pack a small bag for the tour week and leave the rest at the volunteer house if that is easier; you will be moving every day or two.

    Food & Beverages

    Week one, at the project: breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, cooked at the volunteer house. Mostly Sri Lankan — rice and curry, dhal, coconut sambol, hoppers, fresh tropical fruit — with western options in rotation.

    Week two, on tour: daily breakfast and lunch are included. Dinners are not. That is deliberate: the evenings are when you get to pick where you eat, and the towns on this route have far better food than any fixed arrangement would give you. Budget accordingly.

    Tell the team about allergies and dietary requirements before you arrive. Vegetarians are extremely well served in Sri Lanka; vegans and anyone with a serious allergy should flag it early, particularly for the tour week.

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site
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    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB) in Colombo. We assist you to find cheap flights to Sri Lanka. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Sri Lanka provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Sri Lanka you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Sri Lanka. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Start dates — Weekly, year-round, arriving on a Saturday. Fixed two-week programme.

    Getting there — Fly into Colombo Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB). Galle is about two and a half hours south.

    Transfers — read before booking your flight

    • The arrival transfer is included, but only as a shared transfer on Saturday inside two set windows: one morning, one afternoon/evening.
    • Outside those windows, or on any other day, a private transfer costs USD 100.
    • The return transfer to Colombo is not included — arranged for you, paid locally.

    Choosing your project — Tell us which of the three you want (kindergarten, sea turtles, dog care) when you apply. Places on each are limited per week, so book early if you have a strong preference, and note that the kindergarten runs to Sri Lankan school terms.

    Fitness — Sigiriya is roughly 1,200 steps and Little Adam's Peak is a proper uphill walk, both usually in heat. Neither is technical, but neither is optional if you want the views.

    Bring — walking shoes, a hat and sun cream, modest clothing for the temples (shoulders and knees covered, shoes off, and no clothing depicting the Buddha, which causes real offence in Sri Lanka), and a light layer for the hill country, which is genuinely cold at night.

    Visa — Sri Lanka requires an ETA for most nationalities, applied for online before travel. The fee is not included.

    When to come — December to April is driest on the south coast. May to September brings the southwest monsoon: rain in bursts, fewer crowds at Sigiriya and Yala, cheaper travel. The hill country can be wet and cold in any season.

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program Fees

    $874 per week 2 - 2 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES

    Duration

    2 - 2 weeks

    Deposit

    Reserve your spot with just a few clicks and a small, secure deposit. You can pay by credit card, PayPal, or other convenient methods.

    Final Payment

    You’ll agree on the final payment method with your local organization during the application process. This final payment is only due closer to the start of your trip.

    You don't have to pay anything yet
    4.5
    Top Pick
    One of the top picks on Volunteer World, according to travelers

    Location

    Asia > Southern Asia > Sri Lanka > Galle

    Meet your project coordinator

    Sahil
    30
    reviews
    4.53
    Fantastic
    2007
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