Authentic Sri Lanka

Day 1: Colombo/Negombo

Welcome to Sri Lanka, a nation where history, culture and character form an indelible portrait. Upon arrival in the bustling capital Colombo, you’ll be met and transferred to Negombo, 45 minutes north. There, you’ll check in to your hotel and have a chance to settle in before exploring your surroundings.

Situated on Sri Lanka’s gorgeous west coast, the oceanside city of Negombo has deep ties to the nation’s colonial history, having been controlled by the Portuguese, Dutch and British over the centuries. Here you’ll find the remains of a Dutch fort dating to the 17th century, as well as the lively Negombo fish market.

Day 2: Negombo to Anuradhapura

This morning after breakfast, your driver-guide will meet you and drive you to Anuradhapura. You will soon start to see the beautiful rural landscapes and villages typical of Sri Lanka. 

On arrival in Anuradhapura, check in to your hotel and relax for the remainder of the day.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll be met by your guide for today’s excursion to the sacred city of Anuradhapura. The cross-country drive will take you by beautiful rural landscapes and villages typical of Sri Lanka. 

Upon arrival, you’ll check in to your hotel. Take some time to settle in before venturing into Anuradhapura.

The city is a former religious and political capital of the country once known as Ceylon. After over a millennia of activity, Anuradhapura was abandoned in 993 AD and returned to nature. Today it’s an archaeologist’s dream, filled with ancient ruins and a 2,250-year-old sacred tree.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3: Anuradhapura to Sigiriya

This morning you’ll take a tour of the ancient Buddhist capital of Anuradhapura. Now a park-like setting of giant tropical trees and even bigger historical relics, the city is home to some of Sri Lankan Buddhism’s most cherished relics. 

Admire the giant white dome of the Ruwanweliseya stupa, one of the world’s tallest ancient monuments, and the Sri Maha Bodhi, the magnificent banyan tree grown from a cutting of the original tree in north India under which the Buddha reached nirvana. At over 2,000 years of age, this is the oldest known planted tree in the world. 

After the tour, it’s on to your next stop, the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya. This small town lies at the centre of the Cultural Triangle, Sri Lanka’s heartland of UNESCO World Heritage sites, and will be your base for the next two nights.

Known to many as the ‘eighth wonder of the world’, Sigiriya Lion Rock is an impressive column almost 200 metres high. At its peak is a spectacular palace carved from the rock for King Kashyapa 1600 years ago.

This afternoon, take the short drive to Polonnaruwa to explore the highlights of Ceylon’s second former capital. This 12th century garden city site is home to some impressive constructions, including the remains of a royal palace of King Parakramabahu I and a famed reclining Buddha.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 4: Sigiriya

This morning you’ll explore Sri Lanka’s most celebrated attraction, the incredible Lion Rock, topped off by the palace of Sigiriya. First constructed by King Kashyapa in the 5th century, the palace was eventually deserted and then used as a monastery. Today, this remarkable rock outcrop and its ornamental gardens, delicate frescoes and grand elevated ruins are a fascinating link to that distant past and a picturesque attraction in the present. 

From the lush tropical gardens alive with birds and monkeys, ascend about 45 minutes up cliff face steps to the summit, where the vast jungle and village views are as spectacular as the constructions themselves. 

The afternoon is free at leisure to relax after your morning climb. If you’re still feeling like climbing, Piduranglala Rock is adjacent to Lion Rock and offers its own grand views.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 5: Sigiriya to Kandy

This morning, you’ll depart your hotel and stop at Dambulla to visit the incredible Cave Temple galleries. 

Located atop a 160 metre tall cliff, the hillside caves are a spectacular gallery of religious art, featuring statues, sculptures and frescoes dating over several centuries. The Dambulla Cave Temples are one of Sigiriya’s must-see attractions, which is saying something.

Nearby, you’ll take a scenic walk through a village and stop by a local home. As you explore the village and get to know your hosts, your guide will tell you colourful and compelling tales about daily life here. During your stay, you’ll receive a cooking demonstration by local women showcasing traditional Sri Lankan cuisine, followed by a lunch made up of delicious regional flavours.

After lunch, you’ll continue on to the city of Kandy. Upon arrival, you’ll check into your hotel and settle in before an evening at your leisure.

Kandy is one of the biggest cities in central Sri Lanka, and certainly one of the most culturally rich. It’s known for its locally grown tea, majestic temples and lush nearby rainforest. Perhaps take a stroll around scenic Kandy Lake before dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Kandy

This morning, take an engrossing tour of Sri Lanka’s second city, including its famous Temple of the Tooth Relic. This sprawling and ornate temple is a pilgrimage site for Buddhists from all over the world, and its titular Buddha relic is revealed to visitors in a vibrant ceremony held several times a day, accompanied by traditional drums and horns played by the festively-dressed temple attendants and priests.

Once you’ve beheld the tooth, your tour continues to Kandy Lake, the apparent natural beauty of which belies its artificial nature. The lake was created in 1807 beside the Temple of the Tooth and provides the city with a shimmering heart.

Afterwards, head to the colourful Kandy Municipal Central Market, where spices, souvenirs and other curios are available for purchase.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 7: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

You’ll bid Kandy farewell this morning as you board a train for a scenic journey through the tea-growing highlands. After departing Kandy’s charming downtown station, you’ll ride the largely-intact colonial era railway system, which remains a vital link between the tea areas of the highlands.

The views are varied and spectacular, with tea and eucalyptus plantations and rainforest side by side with estate bungalows and small farming communities. Occasionally, you’ll catch a glimpse of mountain peaks and shimmering waterfalls.

When your journey comes to an end, you’ll transfer by road to your ultimate destination of Nuwara Eliya. This quaint colonial town, known as ‘Little England’, is the heart of the highland tea industry and retains a lot of its former atmosphere despite its newfound popularity as a cool climate retreat. Dotted with parks and gardens, a racecourse and colonial bungalows, Nuwara Eliya is a fascinating link to the past. The Central Market is well worth a stroll, with fresh produce, spices and other local goods for sale. 

Meals: Breakfast

Day 8: Nuwara Eliya to Ella

This morning you’ll depart Nuwara Eliya for Ella. The drive takes you through picturesque hillsides that change constantly as the misty green of Nuwara Eliya makes way for the occasional temple or tea factory.

Upon arrival in Ella, check in to your hotel and enjoy some time at leisure in this picturesque location.

The Nine Arches Bridge, a colonial-era viaduct bridge, is one of Ella’s most famous sites and is well worth a look. You may also enjoy one of the many hikes around the town, providing stunning views as the high hills drop away to the tropical lowlands.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 9: Ella

The experience of making and sharing a traditional village breakfast in an unparalleled locale is something every visitor to Sri Lanka should experience.

After sunrise you’ll transfer from Ella to your village destination, Udawadiya. 

Set amid misty mountains and vast paddy fields, Udawadiya is as beautiful as it is remote. During your visit, you’ll discover life in the village, which counts farming as its stock in trade. Make your own hoppers with the help of a village expert and prepare for a memorable local breakfast. Depending on the time of year, you may be dining alongside local farmers ploughing fields with their buffalo.

After breakfast, return by jeep to your hotel and enjoy some free time to explore Ella or take one of the hill walks in the surrounding area, perhaps to the panoramic Little Adams Peak if you’re feeling like a view to remember.

This afternoon, you will be taken on a journey of the century-long history of the Demodara Station, popularly known as the ‘Demodara Loop’. A marvel of civil engineering and a testament to the determination of colonial-era rail companies, the rail line passes under itself, emerging from a tunnel which runs directly beneath the Demodara railway station. The line incorporates the beautiful Nine Arches Bridge, also known as the Bridge in the Sky. 

Meals: Breakfast

Day 10: Ella to Yala National Park

This morning you’ll descend to the lowlands, where you will enter the dry coastal zone and the jungles of Yala National Park. 

A vast wildlife sanctuary, Yala National Park is home to elephants, crocodiles and its most famous resident, the leopard.

Once you’ve checked into your hotel, enjoy lunch before departing mid-afternoon for Yala and your first safari. Yala’s leopard population is one of the highest in terms of population density in Asia, with the big cat being regularly spotted on safari here. 

However, look out for bathing Asian Elephant and Water Buffalo, herds of Sambar and Spotted Deer, sunbathing Mugger Crocodiles, Wild Boar, mongoose, jackal and a vast array of water birds and raptors, among many others. Yala’s biodiversity is a huge drawcard for the park, but you might also spot ancient Buddhist ruins amid the wildlife.

The park closes shortly before sunset, at which time you will be returned to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 11: Yala National Park to Galle

This morning rise early for a return visit to Yala. A second safari can often reveal quite different sightings to your first, and the park can be magical at sunrise, especially by its picturesque lotus-covered lagoons much favoured by elephants, buffalo, sea eagles and other wildlife. 

Once your safari has ended, you’ll return to your hotel for breakfast. Then prepare for the drive to Galle, on the southwestern point of Sri Lanka. This coastal city is renowned for Galle Fort, a Portuguese structure built in 1619 but extensively added to by the Dutch, Moors, British and other local communities over the centuries. 

The colonial vibe can be found all around Galle, which combines historical riches, wonderful architecture and a vibrant atmosphere in a tropical coastal location. Explore the fort ramparts, the Old Dutch Church and wander cobbled streets lined with historic villas, many now galleries, cafes and restaurants.

This evening you might like to try one of the many small eateries and bars in historic venues inside the Fort, which offer a variety of local and international styles. 

Meals: Breakfast

Day 12: Galle

Today is free to further enjoy and explore Galle at your own leisure.

The ocean’s never far from view as you explore orderly streets lined by Dutch-style houses. If you haven’t already, Galle Fort’s lighthouse is worth a second look. Built by the British in 1839, it’s Sri Lanka’s oldest lighthouse and still in operation today.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 13: Galle to Bentota

This morning you’ll depart Galle for the coastal drive north to the popular seaside town of Bentota. With its beautiful beaches and relaxed seaside atmosphere, the tropical paradise of Bentota is an ideal spot to relax and reflect on your journey as it comes to an end. 

Meals: Breakfast

Day 14: Bentota

Your tropical downtime continues today as you take the time to enjoy the beach, explore Bentota town or simply relax at your hotel. 

If you manage to resist the pull of the country’s best beaches and head into town, there are plenty of quirky shops and boutique hotels to explore. There are also plenty of ancient temples and tea plantations nearby, as well as a turtle hatchery working to reestablish the town’s turtle population.

Meals: Breakfast

Day 15: Bentota to Colombo

Say goodbye to paradise this morning as your driver-guide takes you to Colombo. 

Sprawling, dynamic and diverse, Colombo has a lot to offer. Home to 3 million people, it runs at a pace and rhythm of its own. A mix of temples, high rises and bustling markets make Colombo an experience as much as a destination.

On arrival, check in to your hotel before joining a tour of the city. You’ll see some of the city’s key attractions, including the famous Galle Face Green and the colourful Gangaramaya Temple, probably the city’s most famous place of worship and a unique blend of modern and historical Buddhist architecture. 

Meals: Breakfast

Day 16: Colombo

Today is yours to enjoy at your leisure until your departure transfer to the airport. Note: many flights depart Colombo late at night; if you have a late departure, you may want to book a late checkout from your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast