The Essence of Sri Lanka

Your 11 magical nights in Sri Lanka begins with your arrival into Colombo’s international airport. You’ll be welcomed by your private driver and transferred to your hotel, an approximately 20-minute drive away, where you’ll enjoy time to relax and unwind in a peaceful spot after your long flight. Indulge in treatments like massages, wraps and scrubs, take a refreshing dip in the pool or stretch your legs with a stroll through the centuries-old gardens with all sorts of tropical plants. When hunger pangs hit try one of the delicious local classics. Fish ambul thiyal (sour fish curry), is a favourite.

This morning private transfer will pick you up at your hotel for the drive to Gampola which sits at the edge of Kandy, the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. You’ll be surrounded by bio diverse rainforest and tea plantations, with many sacred Buddhist sites nearby like the Temple of the Tooth shrine and the 1^st-century BC Dowa rock temple which contains a 38-foot Buddha image craved from granite rock. There are a number of beautiful murals that depict the life of Buddha painted on the cave walls too. The Royal Botanical Gardens can be found here too.

On your fourth morning your private driver will bring you on a journey south to Nuwara Eliya. From there you’ll hop on a train to tea country, with your overnight destination the small town of Ella which enjoys a picturesque mountain setting dotted with tea fields. This scenic venture travels through undulating hills and tiny villages home to tea pickers. The area is renowned for its rich biodiversity with many different varieties of flora and fauna, along with waterfalls, caves and rock cliffs. You’ll find lots to do, from visiting a tea factory to exploring on foot, or simply relax and enjoy the scenery.

Heading south from Ella, your private driver will bring you to your accommodation near Yala National Park. The diverse landscape here includes everything from forest, grasslands and lagoons that border the Indian Ocean, to an ancient Buddhist monastery further inland. This is an excellent destination for viewing Sri Lanka’s exotic wildlife, including impressive bird life, elephants, monkeys, sloth bears, crocodiles and leopards – in fact, the park is one of the best in the world for spotting the elusive cats. A nature lovers’ haven, you can opt for a Jeep safari tour to find them with an expert guide.

Saying farewell to Yala, private transfer brings you through the scenic southern coast, passing stilt fishermen on the way to your accommodation in Galle, founded by the Portuguese in the 16^th century. One of the highlights of Sri Lanka, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site with centuries-old streets lined with restaurants, cafes, boutiques and museums, as the best example of a European-built fortified city in South East Asia. While you’re here, you can take a culinary tour to sample the delicious street food or join a cycling tour to pedal the Paddy Trail to see more of inland Sri Lanka.

Your final two nights will be spent in the resort town of Bentota, the perfect place to relax and unwind before departing the country. Soak up the sun or swim in the waves off the pristine golden sand beaches, or if you want to try something more thrilling, banana boat rides, wake boarding, windsurfing, jet skiing and other water sports can be enjoyed here too. This is also a popular place for diving, with vibrant coral and large schools of fish found at Hundirangala, South Reef and Canoe Rock. At the Kosgoda Turtle Conservation Project you can see turtles in their natural habitat.