A Timeless Island of Temples & Tea

Best of Sri Lanka:

A Timeless Island of Temples & Tea

Year round

From £8,850pp

Land-only

15 Nights

Aerial View Galle Dutch Fort Sri Lanka

Beira Lake Colombo Sri Lanka

Sunrise Sigiriya Rock Fortress Sri Lanka

Train from Nuwara Eliya to Kandy Sri Lanka

Ceylon Leopard Yala National Park Sri Lanka

Beach Cafe Tangalle Sri Lanka

Thuparama Dagoba Anuradhapura

Guardian Statue Thuparama Dagoba Anuradhapura Sri Lanka

Castlereagh Reservoir Hatton Sri Lanka

Ruins Site Polonnaruwa Sri Lanka

Elephant Yala National Park Sri Lanka

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic Kandy Sri Lanka

Silent Beach Tangalle Sri Lanka

Dambulla Cave Temple Kandy Sri Lanka

Kandy Lake Sunrise Sri Lanka

Lion Rock Dambulla Sigiriya Sri Lanka

Paradise Beach Amanwella Tangalle Sri Lanka

Lighthouse Galle Dutch Fort Sri Lanka

Lotus Tower Colombo Sri Lanka

Galle Fort Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Discover ancient citadels, misty tea plantations and pristine beaches on this unforgettable Sri Lankan odyssey

Your private sanctuary unfolds across Sri Lanka’s most captivating landscapes. Ascend the legendary Lion Rock at Sigiriya, where 200-metre heights reveal centuries-old frescoes above endless jungle canopy. Highland railways carry you through emerald tea plantations and cascading waterfalls, while in Galle Fort’s Dutch colonial corners, master craftsmen share the traditional art of mask-making. Your journey crescendos in Yala’s untamed wilderness, where pre-dawn expeditions unveil leopards padding through dappled light. Finally, Tangalle’s pristine shores embrace you as local families share culinary wisdom in outdoor kitchens beside lapping waves. Fifteen nights of handpicked accommodations and seamless transfers create an authentic Sri Lankan odyssey.

Itinerary highlights

Discover ancient Buddhist cave temples carved into sacred Dambulla's golden cliffs

Climb the legendary Lion Rock fortress towering above Sigiriya's jungle canopy

Explore emerald tea plantations nestled in the misty Ceylon highlands

Experience thrilling wildlife safaris through Yala National Park's untamed wilderness

Learn traditional Sri Lankan cooking techniques on pristine Amanwella Beach

Wander through Galle Fort's cobblestone streets and Dutch colonial ramparts

Master ancient mask-making crafts in hidden workshops within historic walls

Ride scenic mountain railways through pine forests and cascading waterfalls

Itinerary image

Discover ancient citadels, misty tea plantations and pristine beaches on this unforgettable Sri Lankan odyssey

Your private sanctuary unfolds across Sri Lanka’s most captivating landscapes. Ascend the legendary Lion Rock at Sigiriya, where 200-metre heights reveal centuries-old frescoes above endless jungle canopy. Highland railways carry you through emerald tea plantations and cascading waterfalls, while in Galle Fort’s Dutch colonial corners, master craftsmen share the traditional art of mask-making. Your journey crescendos in Yala’s untamed wilderness, where pre-dawn expeditions unveil leopards padding through dappled light. Finally, Tangalle’s pristine shores embrace you as local families share culinary wisdom in outdoor kitchens beside lapping waves. Fifteen nights of handpicked accommodations and seamless transfers create an authentic Sri Lankan odyssey.

Itinerary image

Itinerary highlights

Discover ancient Buddhist cave temples carved into sacred Dambulla's golden cliffs

Climb the legendary Lion Rock fortress towering above Sigiriya's jungle canopy

Explore emerald tea plantations nestled in the misty Ceylon highlands

Experience thrilling wildlife safaris through Yala National Park's untamed wilderness

Learn traditional Sri Lankan cooking techniques on pristine Amanwella Beach

Wander through Galle Fort's cobblestone streets and Dutch colonial ramparts

Master ancient mask-making crafts in hidden workshops within historic walls

Ride scenic mountain railways through pine forests and cascading waterfalls

Day 1

Journey begins

Your odyssey to the pearl of the Indian Ocean commences as you board your flight from London to Colombo, leaving behind familiar shores for an island where ancient kingdoms rise from emerald jungles and golden beaches stretch toward infinity.

Day 2

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Colombo's humid embrace greets you as your private guide extends a warm Sri Lankan welcome, their smile as radiant as the tropical sun overhead. Your sanctuary for the evening awaits—time to shed travel weariness and savour the anticipation of discoveries ahead.

Day 3

Colombo to Sigiriya

Dawn breaks over your departure to Sigiriya, the ancient citadel calling from across misty plains. The three-and-a-half-hour drive unfolds through countryside dotted with palm groves, pausing at the Millennium Elephant Foundation where gentle giants rescued from hardship find sanctuary—your first encounter with Sri Lanka's commitment to protecting its magnificent wildlife.

Day 4

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

Sacred Anuradhapura spreads before you after breakfast, its weathered stupas and monastery ruins whispering tales from two millennia past. Once home to thousands of monks and over a hundred kings, this UNESCO World Heritage site reveals the spiritual heart of ancient Ceylon through crumbling brick and time-worn stone.

Day 5

Sigiriya, Sri Lanka

The legendary Lion Rock looms 200 metres above the jungle canopy, its ancient frescoes of celestial maidens gazing down through centuries of monsoons and sunshine. King Kashyapa's 5th-century fortress yields its secrets as you climb past water gardens and ramparts, then continue to Polonnaruwa where medieval capitals tell stories of vanished glory.

Day 6

Sigiriya to Kandy

Buddhist devotion carved in stone awaits at Dambulla's five cave temples, where 130 Buddha statues meditate in chambers adorned with vibrant murals dating to the 1st century BC. The road then winds upward to Kandy, Sri Lanka's final independent kingdom, where evening brings traditional dancers leaping through fire and balancing spinning plates.

Day 7

Kandy to Hatton

Kandy Lake reflects the morning sky as your guided walk traces the footsteps of pilgrims to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Buddhism's most venerated shrine. Market stalls overflow with exotic fruits and aromatic spices before your journey continues to the misty hills of Hatton, where tea estates carpet rolling mountains.

Day 9

Hatton to Yala National Park

Steam billows from your train as it snakes through pine forests and past cascading waterfalls, the rhythm of wheels on tracks providing soundtrack to some of Earth's most spectacular scenery. Tea pickers wave from hillsides as you descend toward Ella, where your driver awaits for the onward journey to Yala's untamed wilderness.

Day 10

Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

Jungle sounds herald the dawn as homemade Sri Lankan breakfast fortifies you for wilderness adventures ahead. Bird calls echo through ancient trees while you rest between safari drives, then late afternoon brings your first game drive into Yala's heart, where leopards prowl and elephants trumpet their wild songs.

Day 11

Yala National Park to Tangalle

Pre-dawn departure reveals Yala's nocturnal secrets giving way to morning hunters—perhaps a leopard's spotted coat disappearing into undergrowth, or a sloth bear shuffling through morning shadows. Wildlife encounters complete, the coastal road leads to Tangalle where ocean breezes replace jungle whispers.

Day 12

Tangalle, Sri Lanka

Waves lap Amanwella Beach as traditional cooking lessons unfold in an outdoor kitchen, ocean breezes cooling your efforts while the head chef guides your hands in preparing authentic island dishes. Aromatic spices blend with sea salt air as you master recipes passed down through generations.

Day 13

Tangalle to Galle

The Dutch colonial ramparts of Galle Fort rise from the Indian Ocean, their weathered stones bearing witness to centuries of monsoons and maritime battles. Your afternoon walking tour reveals hidden courtyards and historic churches within these UNESCO-protected walls, where cricket matches unfold on grounds once used for military parades.

Day 14

Galle, Sri Lanka

Traditional mask-making secrets emerge in a hidden Galle Fort workshop, where kaduru wood transforms under skilled hands using sustainable materials like treacle, cinnamon, and beeswax. Later, the Ahungalla turtle hatchery reveals conservation efforts protecting five endangered species, tiny hatchlings preparing for their first ocean journey.

Day 15

Bid farewell to Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's final embrace lingers as you journey to Colombo's international airport, sixteen days of discoveries treasured in memory—from ancient kingdoms and sacred temples to leopard encounters and turquoise lagoons, each moment a jewel in your collection of travel memories.

Day 16

Arrive home

British air welcomes you home, Sri Lankan adventures complete.

What's Included

International return flights from the UK
Seamless ground transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
Handpicked accommodations
Meals as indicated
All activities as specified with entrance fees included
English-speaking driver guide
All applicable taxes

Ceylon Leopard Yala National Park Sri Lanka

What's Included

International return flights from the UK
Seamless ground transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
Handpicked accommodations
Meals as indicated
All activities as specified with entrance fees included
English-speaking driver guide
All applicable taxes

Ceylon Leopard Yala National Park Sri Lanka

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Every journey I plan starts with a conversation. Tell me what excites you, what you've always dreamed of experiencing, and I'll craft something extraordinary. The best expeditions begin with a single question: What would make this unforgettable for you?

Ashley | Expedition Planner