Sri Lanka (with optional Maldives extension)

Upon arrival at Colombo airport, you’ll be met by a private driver and transferred to your hotel in Negombo.

The town of Negombo is a seaside resort town on the west coast of Sri Lanka, just a short drive from the nation’s capital, Colombo. It has been an important trading port for both the Dutch and Portuguese throughout Sri Lanka’s history. Its palm tree-lined streets, the natural beauty of the beaches, and it’s less crowded than Colombo make it the perfect first stop to embark on your Sri Lanka adventure.

Overnight: Pegasus Reef Hotel or similar (D)

This morning you’ll visit the Polonnaruwa Archeological site. This world heritage-listed site was once the nation’s capital in the 11th – 13th centuries. This site contains some of the best p[reserved and spectacular statues. Lankatilake, Tivanka and Thuparama are the most beautiful image houses. Tivanka has some of the best examples of frescoes of the Polonnaruwa period. While Rankoth Vehera and Kirivehera are well-preserved large stupas, Gal Vicar (a rock shrine) has four Buddha statues.

Later, you’ll embark on a 4 x 4 jeep safari through the Minneriya National Park. Estimated at 8889 hectares, this large national park is a designated wildlife protection area. Most well known for its Elephant populations, it’s not uncommon to see large herds of 100 – 150 Elephants roaming and gathering around the lake.

Overnight: Habarana Village by Cinnamon (B, D)

This morning you’ll visit the Dambulla Cave Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and dates back to the 1st century BC. Originally it was the refuge of King Walagamba, and the caves were later converted into a rock temple. It has five caves under a vast overhanging rock, the ceilings of the caves are painted with complex patterns of religious images. The caves are considered to be the finest storehouse of Sinhala art and sculptures consist of an imposing 15-metre long reclining Buddha, 150 statues of the Buddhist order, statues of Kings and Hindu deities etc.

From Dambulla, you’ll head towards Kandy with a stop at the Matale Spice Gardens. You’ll be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed. A processing and training unit has been set up in the area and farmers are grouped in a cooperative to ensure fair prices where you’ll also be able to purchase spices. Here you’ll also enjoy an authentic lunch on the spice plantation.

Kandy is the last capital of Sri Lanka. It is amongst hilly terrain and the centre of the city houses the most charming Kandy Lake. The city lies at an elevation of 465 meters above sea level. Kandy was the last home for Kandyan Kings of the 19th century and a fountain for all music, arts, crafts and culture in the country.

Upon arrival in Kandy, transfer to the hotel for a chance to refresh before an evening at the Kandy Cultural Dance Show. A colourful display of Sri Lankan Arts, Dance & Cultural Heritage that is a must-see for any visitor who visits the historic city of Kandy.

Overnight: Cinnamon Citadel (2 nights) (B, L, D)

This morning, sit back and enjoy the scenery on the drive to Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya -The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence, houses like country cottages or Queen Ann-style mansions.

Enjoy Tea Plucking and Tasting Session in Heritance Tea Factory.

Heritance Tea Factory is an ultimate colonial-style stay experience enhanced by the tea plantation and the misty mountains. Tea tasting is the process in which a trained taster determines the quality of a particular tea. Due to climatic conditions, topography, manufacturing process, and different clones of the Camellia sinensis plant (tea), the final product may have vastly different flavours and appearances. These differences can be tested by a trained taster to ascertain the quality prior to sale. The flavour characteristics and indeed leaf colour, size and shape are graded using a specific language created by the tea industry to explain the overall quality.

Overnight: Jetwing St Andrews (B, D)

Early morning enjoy Bird Watching in the resort with an experienced Naturalist.

Bird lovers will be delighted to observe that the resort provides 63 species of the resident birds of Sri Lanka, including 6 precious species endemic to the country. All these birds are reported to be forest birds and their existence is naturally protected within the environs in this 98-acre tea cultivation and 10-acre forest reserve. Out of those 63 bird species, birds such as Woodpeckers, Babblers, Barbets, Flycatchers, Minivit, Chestnut-headed Bee-eaters and Hill Mynas are the types of birds commonly seen in this location.

Later, visit Little Adams Peak.

Little Adams Peak is located in the southern reaches of the Central Highlands in the Ratnapura District and Nuwara Eliya district of the Sabaragamuwa Province and Central Province lying about 40 km northeast of the city of Ratnapura and 32 km southwest of the city of Hatton. The surrounding region is largely forested hills, with no mountain of comparable size nearby. The region along the mountain is a wildlife reserve, housing many species varying from elephants to leopards, and including many endemic

Species. A fairly easy walk with good paths and stairs, it takes approximately 2 hours.

The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight: 98 Acres Resort and Spa (B, D)

After breakfast, travel to Galle.

Galle said to be the famous Tarshish of the Bible, is the Port where the Portuguese first landed in Sri Lanka. Fortified by the Dutch who ruled maritime Sri Lanka in the 17th and 18th centuries, the city still retains the air of old Holland. Old Dutch Churches and monuments with armorial bearings, well preserved Fort and ramparts, imposing crested and monogrammed gateway dated 1669, and many well-preserved Old Dutch houses and narrow alleys still bearing Dutch names. Stone seawalls, expanded by the Dutch, encircle car-free streets with architecture reflecting Portuguese, Dutch and British rule. As for souvenirs, one may make a pick of exquisite hand-made lace, Ivory carvings, moonstone jewellery and beautiful translucent tortoiseshell ware, including bracelets, trinket boxes, and combs – sometimes inlaid with silver.

The rest of the day is at leisure to relax at this gorgeous seaside resort.

Overnight: Radisson Amari Galle (2 nights) (B, D)

Today we bid farewell to Sri Lanka. You’ll transfer to Colombo for a final meal at Paradise Road Tintagel.  A world-renowned boutique hotel that is a former colonial residence. A heritage building of national importance that was previously home to three of Sri Lanka’s political leaders. Tintagel Colombo was selected as the chosen hotel to host His Royal Highness

Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness Duchess of Cornwall.

Later, a transfer to Colombo International Airport to board your onward flight.

Maldives Extension: If you’ve added our Maldives extension your flight to Male is included. Upon arrival in the Maldives, you’ll be transferred by speed boat to your resort.

Overnight: Sun Siyam Olhuveli (3 nights) – Full Board meals and drinks package is included