Join the 7th edition of our Sri Lanka photography tour, a journey designed to elevate your documentary and travel photography. This tour ensures we explore the island’s rich diversity—from lush tea plantations and scenic train rides to bustling fishing villages on the South Coast and vibrant street markets in Colombo. Along the way, you’ll sharpen your photography skills, enjoy unforgettable food, and capture the essence of one of the world’s most photogenic countries.
January 15 - 26, 2026
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Capture the vibrant fishing villages and bustling markets of Sri Lanka’s South Coast.
Experience two of the most scenic train rides in Asia, from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya and from Galle to Colombo.
Photograph the stunning tea plantations and mountain villages of Sri Lanka’s highlands.
Explore the lively street life of Colombo and Galle Fort, perfect for storytelling photography.
Enjoy personalized photo reviews and workshops, helping you improve your documentary and travel photography.
Discover authentic daily life away from tourist paths while enjoying Sri Lanka’s rich culture and cuisine.
TOUR DETAILS
Duration: 12 days
Starting In: Negombo
Ending In: Colombo
Participants: 6
Includes: All hotels, meals, and transportation
Excludes: International flight, Visa, Insurance
DATES & TOUR LEADERS
Jan 15 - 26, 2026
Tour led by: Etienne Bossot & Lee Starnes
Single Supplement Included
ITINERARY
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ITINERARY /
Day 1 – Arrival in Negombo
Arrive in Sri Lanka where your driver will meet you at the airport. After checking in our hotel in Negombo, we’ll gather for a welcome dinner to meet the group, share expectations, and introduce the exciting journey ahead.
Day 2 – Negombo Fish Market & Coastal Villages
We rise early for the bustling Negombo fish market, capturing fishermen unloading their catch and the chaos of drying fish racks. In the afternoon, we’ll explore nearby fishing villages, full of character and color, before capturing awesome beach sunset images.
Day 3 – On the Road to Kandy & Bustling Markets
Today we make our way inland toward Kandy. On the drive, we’ll stop spontaneously at villages or temples, depending on the scenes that unfold along the road. In the afternoon, we dive into the lively Kandy market, photographing its energy and rich details.
Day 4 – Scenic Train to Nuwara Eliya & Tea Field Village Life
We begin the day with the legendary train ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya, a journey offering endless photo opportunities of rolling hills, misty mountains, and life along the tracks. In the afternoon, we’ll visit a breathtaking village hidden among magnificent tea fields, where we’ll capture portraits and daily life of the people working in this unique landscape.
Day 5 – Photo Review & Life in the Tea Fields
The day begins with our first photo review, taking time to reflect on the images captured so far and refine our techniques. Later, we’ll return to the tea fields, immersing ourselves in the rhythm of daily life as we connect with the local people and photograph them skillfully harvesting tea leaves against the lush green backdrop.
Day 6 – Sunrise Villages & Journey South
The morning will be spent exploring highland villages and capturing daily life in this unique mountain setting. After lunch, we begin our journey down toward Sri Lanka’s fertile southern plains. As the afternoon light settles in, we’ll stop along the way to photograph the lush fields, villages, and rural life that thrive in this abundant landscape, before reaching our hotel for the evening.
Day 7 – From Misty Highlands to Coastal Fishing Villages
We’ll begin the day photographing the misty rice fields and surrounding villages near our hotel, a magical setting in the soft morning light. After breakfast, we’ll make our way toward Sri Lanka’s South Coast. By late afternoon, we’ll arrive in a vibrant fishing village, where we’ll capture the energy and colors of the sunset as the boats return and daily life unfolds by the sea.
Day 8 – From the Fish Market Frenzy to Historic Galle Fort
We’ll rise early to dive into the busiest fish market on Sri Lanka’s South Coast, where the atmosphere is alive with energy, movement, and bold characters—perfect for fast-paced, candid photography. After lunch, we’ll drive to Galle and spend the afternoon exploring the historic Galle Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site, capturing its lively streets, colonial architecture, and everyday local life.
Day 9 – Remote Fishing Village and Night Photography in Galle
In the morning, we’ll venture to a remote fishing village, where colorful boats return from the sea and the lively trade of buyers and sellers unfolds before our cameras. This village also boasts the most photogenic tea shop—a perfect spot for both portraits and storytelling. In the afternoon, we’ll wander through Galle’s old market and bustling streets, before capturing the unique atmosphere of Galle Fort at night, when the charm of this historic town truly comes alive.
Day 10 – Train Journey to Colombo and Sunset on the Coast
This morning, we’ll embark on another scenic train journey, photographing life on board as well as the vibrant activity in the train stations along the way. By afternoon, we’ll dive into the buzzing Pettah Market of Colombo, a true feast for the senses and the camera. To end the day, we’ll head to the coastline to capture a dramatic sunset over the Indian Ocean.
Day 11 – Colombo by Tuk Tuk and Final Photo Review
This morning, we’ll hop into Tuk Tuks for a unique ride through Colombo, stopping at the city’s most photogenic spots before diving into the lively vegetable market for fast-paced, colorful photography. In the afternoon, we’ll gather at the hotel for our final photo review, reflecting on the journey and sharing our best work. We’ll then close the day with a vibrant sunset shoot at the iconic Galle Face, capturing the energy of Colombo at dusk.
Day 12 – Farewell and Departure
For those who wish, we’ll start the day with an optional morning shoot at Colombo’s bustling Pettah market, perfect for one last dose of street photography. Afterwards, we’ll arrange airport drop-offs for all participants. End of the tour.
Testimonials
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"I had the pleasure of attending the November 2019 Sri Lanka photo tour with Etienne. This was a fantastic week, filled with fish markets, scenic drives, walks through tea fields, and other excellent photo subjects. Etienne is an attentive guide and natural teacher, and he really cares about building his students’ skills during photo shoots and through photo critique sessions. Sri Lanka is an amazing destination, with a huge variety of landscapes, street, and portrait photography possibilities. The effort that Etienne put into scouting out the best and most interesting photo locations was evident throughout the tour. I appreciated the flexible nature of the tour, with an itinerary that still allowed for last minute changes to chase a unique photo opportunity, catch a particularly good sunset, or hide from the occasional rain shower. Photographers of all skill levels will enjoy this tour and will see the quality of their photos improving over the week. I came away from the tour with good memories, a hard drive full of new photos, and a more creative approach to making images. If you like photography and have ever wanted to see a bit of Sri Lanka, I can’t recommend this tour highly enough. Just writing this review makes me want to sign up for the next trip with Pics of Asia!"
Devin - New Zealand
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"Been lucky enough to attend many of Etienne’s tour. Etienne always have the capacity to inspire and lead people during the workshop, Sri Lanka was definitely no exception . Tour was co-led with Lee and it was great to get two teachers. Both have a different and complementary approach and it is always helpful to exchange views during the photoshop review . What I like the most in any of his tour, no matter the destination, is always his capacity to improvise and jump on any interesting opportunity that might come along the road . He always try to make the best from any situation. Some might think that it is a lack of preparation, some others like me, will value these very rare moment where you need to quickly get out from your comfort zone and shoot something you were not prepare for ! I think Etienne’s master that piece , i would even say that it is his “hallmark” which makes it so special and enjoyable. You will always end up with something special , unexpected , different , something that you will bring back home in your “photo tool box” . Something which is not buyable , which is called passion, experience and the sincere desire to share his knowledge."
Thomas - France
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"Absolutely enjoyed my time with Etienne as we explored Central Vietnam and Hoi An. Apart from providing great photography tips and encouraging us to step out of our photography comfort zones, the experience was amazing, as we tasted local delicacies and visited places that are off the beaten path and where you can go when you speak Vietnamese. I also made a lot of friends in the short intense week of workshops. In short, I highly recommend the tour with Etienne."
Wei - Singapore
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"Pics of Asia is THE place to learn and progress in photography in Asia. Etienne and the other co-leaders are great photographers, skilled and very very very fun to hang with! This is why many photographers come multiple times to do most of the different countries proposed by Pics of Asia because they like it so much. I myself did few in Vietnam and they were a blast, as well as Iran which was mind-blowing. If you want to visit tourist free places in Asia, interact with the locals and take true travel and people photographies, this is the place to be!"
Adrien - France
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![photography tour in Vietnam]()
“Pics of Asia tours are like crack cocaine – in a good way! They’re amazing fun, you feel high during them and completely wrecked afterward. Oh, and they’re more than a bit addictive. Etienne and the other tutors will share their wisdom and take you to unbelievable locations – but getting that final shot is entirely up to you. Everything is completely real. If you want staged pictures, these are not the tours for you!”
Andy - UK
Pics of Asia Photography Tours and Workshops in Asia
Join the Sri Lanka Photography Tour
TOUR SUMMARY
Location: Sri Lanka
Dates: Jan 15 - 26, 2026
Starting in: Negombo
Ending in: Colombo
Price: USD 4450
How to book?
Simply fill the form below, and we will get back in touch with you with more details. Upon confirmation, we will need a 50% deposit to reserve your spot, with final payment being due 45 days before departure.