Sri Lanka - North to South PhotographyTour.
Take stunning portraits in the teardrop of India.
The Tour.
Join Nathan on our North-to-South photography tour of Sri Lanka, where we invite you to embark on an unforgettable journey through captivating landscapes and cultural wonders. Prepare to immerse yourself in the beauty of this vibrant island nation and capture moments that will forever be etched in your memory.
We begin our adventure in the picturesque coastal town of Negombo, renowned for its idyllic beaches and charming fishing villages. Here, we will indulge in the local atmosphere, photographing the vibrant boats and bustling marketplaces that dot the shoreline. As we journey north, we arrive at the ancient city of Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage site. First, we explore Mihintale, a sacred site believed to be where Mahinda Thero introduced Buddhism to the island. The next morning, we arrive early to photograph sacred Buddhist temples, as we uncover the secrets of this ancient civilization.
Continuing our expedition, we don’t need to venture far to Habarana, our base for exploring a Wild Elephant sanctuary and the iconic Sigiriya Rock, a magnificent fortress perched atop a towering rock formation with breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
Heading south, we arrive in Kandy, the cultural heart of Sri Lanka. After a city walk, we experience the island's rich heritage by witnessing a mesmerizing Pooja ceremony at the revered Temple of the Tooth. The following morning, we stroll through a nearby village, hidden amidst the hills, where three iconic temples—Embeke, Galdaladeniya, and Lankathilake—await our lenses.
From Kandy, we meander gentle hills, photographing tea pickers before reaching Nuwara Eliya, the heartland of tea plantations. The next day we embark on a picturesque train ride through the central highlands and get off the train to photograph the famous nine arch bridge.
Continuing further south, we encounter the famous stilt fishermen with their remarkable balancing acts, a timeless symbol of Sri Lanka's coastal culture. As we approach Galle Fort, we are transported back in time to its old town, brimming with colonial charm. We wander through its cobbled streets, photographing the elegant colonial homes with their iconic red-tiled roofs that still house the town's inhabitants. Our journey ends in the vibrant capital city of Colombo, where we explore the bustling streets, from the inner roads of Slave Island to the iconic Galle Face Green.
This tour is designed for photographers of all abilities, allowing you to immerse yourself in capturing the essence of Sri Lanka. Throughout the journey, we stay in beautiful boutique hotels, while all transport is taken care of, allowing you to focus solely on honing your craft and creating a portfolio of beautiful images.
Photo Highlights.
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Stilt fishermen
Private shoot
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Anuradhapura
UNESCO World Heritage site
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Sigiriya Rock
With elephants
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Portraits
Relaxed locals
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Negombo
Life centred around fishing
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Active temples
Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim
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Dambulla
Extensive Buddhist caves
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Kandy
Temple of the Tooth Pooja
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Helga's Folly
An artist’s delight!
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Tea Plantations
Inc famous train to Ella
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Galle fort
Enjoy a two-night stay
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Colombo
A cultural melting pot
Portraits.
Tour Details.
Established in 2024
Duration: 13 days, 12 nights, 11 days of shooting.
Dates and Prices
2027
February 25 - March 9
US$7250
2028
February 7 -19
US$8350 [NEW - SMALL GROUP - MAX 6 PHOTOGRAPHERS]
Past participants will get a special discount.
Our fee includes hotels, breakfast, bottled water throughout the tour, as well as all transport including airport transfers. We base our fee on accommodation in a single room, (always A/C with private bathroom) though we offer discounts for couples sharing rooms, as well as for non-photographers. If you need help with insurance for this tour, please let us know and we can put you in touch with a broker that should be able to help you.
Our Itinerary.
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Day 1
Arrive any time: Enjoy free transfer to your hotel
PM: Optional technical and aesthetic travel photography workshop for those who need it
Sunset: Meet Nathan and the group
Sleep: Negombo boutique hotel
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Day 2
Sunrise: Fishing beach
AM: Dry fish market
PM: Lagoon boat ride
Sunset: Fisherman throwing net
Sleep: Negombo boutique hotel
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Day 3
Sunrise: Wet fish market
AM: Hindu Temple
PM: Check-in to hotel
Sunset: Mihintale - hillside temple complex
Sleep: Anuradhapura boutique hotel
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Day 4
Sunrise: Sacred Bo tree
AM: Ancient city of Anuradhapura
PM: Drive to Habarana
Sunset: Hurulu Wild Elephant Sanctuary
Sleep: Habarana boutique hotel
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Day 5
Sunrise: Sigiriya Rock fortress
AM: Alternative view of Sigiriya
PM: Local village walk
Sunset: Cow carts crossing water
Sleep: Habarana boutique hotel
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Day 6
Sunrise: Wholesale vegetable market
AM: Dambulla cave temple
PM: Kandy street walk
Sunset: Helga’s Folly
Sleep: Kandy boutique hotel
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Day 7
Sunrise: Temple of the Tooth Pooja
AM: Rural between two temples
PM: Private dance show
Sunset: Private Fire-breathing show
Sleep: Kandy boutique hotel
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Day 8
Sunrise: Free time
AM: Drive to Nuwara Eliya
PM: Nuwara Eliya street walk
Sunset: Tea plantation
Sleep: Nuwara Eliya heritage hotel
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Day 9
Sunrise: Free time
AM: Catch train to Ella
PM: Nine Arch bridge
Sunset: Hotel rooftop
Sleep: Ella boutique hotel
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Day 10
Sunrise: Hotel rooftop
AM: Waterfall
PM: Check-in to hotel
Sunset: Stilted fisherman
Sleep: Galle Fort hotel
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Day 11
Sunrise: Fish market
AM: Galle fort streets
PM: Post-processing workshop
Sunset: Fishing beach
Sleep: Galle Fort hotel
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Day 12
Sunrise: Galle Fort
AM: Drive to Colombo
PM: Local street walk
Sunset: Colombo sea front promenade
Sleep: Colombo luxury hotel
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Day 13
Depart any time with our airport transfer
Or consider staying on for some beach time
We know you will have had a fabulous time but you might need a rest
Bon Voyage
Check out our photo book below:
Here’s a photo book we made from the tour in 2025. We’ll provide you with templates (including suggested text) and help you to upload your own images, so that you can make your own on the tour and print it when you get home.
Make the dream a reality.
Tuition.
On any of our tours, stunning photography is the name of the game, and our objective is for you to leave with a collection of images that you'll be proud to show off. Indeed, many of our past participants have gone on to win awards and competitions with photographs taken on our tours.
Nathan’s teaching approach is very hands-on, as he believes in learning by doing. He will guide you through technical challenges, provide artistic inspiration, and lead by example in approaching locals for great portraits. You'll be amazed at the striking and authentic images you'll be able to capture.
We also offer Lightroom workshops during our tours, where we cover workflow management and picture processing. We'll show you the tools to take your travel photography to the next level and provide tips on saving your pictures for various outputs like social media, e-books, and printing.
If this is your first tour with us, you can also join Nathan’s pre-tour workshop, designed to equip you with essential skills for travel photography. Covering technical competence, creative observation, and ethical responsibility with a focus on people and culture, this workshop is perfect if you’re new to travel photography or need a refresher. The workshop runs on the first day of the tour from around 2-5pm. Enhance your photography skills and capture breathtaking moments to treasure forever. Apply via our tour request form and prepare to take your photography skills to the next level.
How we travel.
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Boutique hotels
Accommodation is a key element of any tour and we have gone to great lengths to secure luxury hotels in amazing locations that are not only a place of rest but have lots of local character. All rooms will have air condition control and private bathrooms for your convenience.
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Charming rooms
Unlike most photo tours we assume you dont want to share a room. We do not charge a single-person supplement but we do offer a discount if you choose to share a room if you are travelling with a partner or friend. We are very competitively priced, but we don’t cut corners on accommodation; on the contrary, others can charge more for less, and we have no hidden costs.
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Fabulous locations
Although you deserve a rest, most of our hotels and restaurants also have photography in mind. Sometimes you can photograph interesting things right outside the building. Sometimes we eat at the hotel, sometimes we take you out, but our restaurant choices always have an exciting (mixed) menu, and we consider your good health a primary concern.
Tour Grading
Each of our tours combines a distinctive mix of experiences that may appeal to you in different ways depending, for example, on your fitness level or what you hope to get out of the journey. We’ve created a simple chart grading each tour across seven key elements, and you can see the details of this tour below. If you would like to see a comparison between all of our tours, you can find more information here.
TripAdvisor.
Michael F - March 2025
Sri Lanka photo tour.
Having previously joined Nathan on his photo tours in Myanmar and Rajastan, India, I joined the March 2025 Sri Lanka tour. My expectations were fulfilled by Nathan's absolute commitment to enable participants to capture the essence of the people and the country. A full-on program covers the major towns, markets, villages and provides insight into the way of life. Then there is Nathan's added value in tuition on processing and guidance when shooting in the field.
Choose from 19 tours in 10 countries!