itinerary
DAY 1: ARRIVE SRI LANKA AND TRANSFER TO KOTUGODA
On arrival at the airport you will be greeted by your chauffeur and make the brief 30 minute transfer to your hotel in Kotugoda. Spend a restful night in a garden suite at the stylish Wallawwa Hotel, a delightful boutique property with tropical gardens, a spa, and a lovely pool.
Accommodation: The Wallawwa
DAY 2: TRANSFER TO THE CULTURAL TRIANGLE (4HRS DRIVE). CLIMB SIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRESS
Enjoy the scenic 4 ½ hour transfer through meandering roads and villages to the Cultural Triangle. Steeped in ancient history, this area is home to the remnants of powerful ancient cities established thousands of years ago by Sri Lanka’s many kings, with plenty of temples and holy sites to observe en route. In the cool of the evening, enjoy an informative, privately-guided excursion to the impressive Sigiriya. Note that it is a steep 30 minute to one hour climb up, and 30 minutes back down again (depending on walking speed). It is certainly do-able for anyone with a good level of fitness, and is well worth the effort; the views from the top are magnificent. Light clothing, sun cream, lots of water, and a hat are recommended.
Accommodation: The Other Corner
DAY 3: CULTURAL TRIANGLE - ANCIENT CITY OF POLONNARUWA
Spend the morning enjoying a privately-guided tour around Polonnaruwa. This once thriving religious and commercial centre boasts ruins, statues, and stupas rising majestically out of the dense jungle, and houses an informative archaeological museum. Explore the site by vehicle or on foot, and do come prepared for the heat. In the afternoon, relax and enjoy the pool at your hotel.
Accommodation: The Other Corner
DAY 4: TRANSFER TO KANDY (4HRS) VIA DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE
En route to Kandy today, visit Dambulla Cave Temple. Dambulla first gained significance when it was used as a refuge for King Valagambahu in 1st century BC. Concealed here by the local monks upon returning from exile to his throne at Anuradhapura, Valagambahu showed his gratitude by building a magnificent cave temple for them, which consists of a complex of wonderful Buddhist image houses. The temple’s rock ceiling is one large sweep of colourful frescoes depicting Buddhist mythology and the tales of the Buddha's previous births, some of which date back over 2,000 years. This cave temple has the largest number of Buddha statues housed together in one place, and houses a colossal, 14-metre-long figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the rock. The climb from the base takes approximately half an hour and although there are approximately 200 steps, it is not strenuous and can be done at a leisurely pace. Your guide will pay your entrance fee and make the climb with you, and note that the best time to go up is in the early morning or the late afternoon to avoid the heat. You will need to cover your knees and shoulders – and access the inner chambers barefoot or with socks.
Accommodation: Clove Villa
DAY 5: KANDY - BOTANICAL GARDENS & TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH
This morning, enjoy a private, leisurely 1 ½ hour guided walk around the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, accompanied by a botanist. Sri Lanka’s largest botanical gardens have acres of open spaces for children to explore. Do remember to bring a hat and sun cream, as well as a camera! Lunch is at the Empire Café, followed by a 1-hour walking tour of the bustling markets and streets of vibrant Kandy town, a UNESCO world heritage site and gateway to the beautiful ‘Tea Country’. Afterwards, enjoy a refreshing cup of tea at the historic Queens Hotel. Before dinner, there’s a visit to the Buddhist Temple of the Tooth which is renowned for housing the relic of the tooth of Buddha, and as such has been a sacred destination for pilgrims for thousands of years.
Accommodation: Clove Villa
DAY 6: TRAIN JOURNEY TO THE TEA COUNTRY (3HRS)
After breakfast, depart from Kandy and embark on a scenic 3-hour train ride into Sri Lanka’s stunning ‘Tea Country’. Climbing to 2,000 metres above sea level, this atmospheric journey reveals majestic mountain peaks and cascading waterfalls, lush, emerald tea plantations, and aromatic cyprus and eucalyptus woodlands. The climate here is cooler and more temperate, so do dress accordingly, and bring a camera and money for a drink or snack as the train does not have a restaurant carriage.
Purchasing train tickets remains one of the most challenging parts of organizing a tour in Sri Lanka, purely because the very high demand for seats coincides with limited availability of seats as there are only three trains per day, and what’s more, only a few carriages on these three trains allow reserved seating! Accordingly, train tickets are strictly subject to availability, and can be confirmed only 10 days prior to the date of the journey. By default, we try to reserve seats on the First Class carriage for all our travellers, unless they specifically request a different carriage. Unfortunately, please note that due to the very high demand, we are sometimes unable to obtain First Class tickets. In such instances, we try our best to get any and all possible alternative tickets.
Accommodation: Amba Estate
DAY 7: VISIT A TEA FACTORY
Today there’s a visit to a historic tea factory to observe the processing methods, followed by the opportunity to enjoy a tea tasting. Sri Lanka is one of the world’s largest exporters of tea with a roaring tea industry that dominates the island’s central highlands. Introduced to the country by British tea planter James Taylor in 1867, tea irreversibly changed the topography, and even the demography of the country. In the wake of Sri Lanka’s coffee blight, British planters were quick to discover that tea was a more lucrative industry. The production of tea involves a tedious procedure of plucking, withering, rolling, oxidizing and drying – a process that requires heavy machines and plenty of manpower. As the number of tea estates rose, there was an increased need for human labour and workers were shipped over from Tamil Nadu in India to maintain the plantations, and these people, an often-overlooked ethnic minority in Sri Lanka, are still the main employees in the tea industry today. A visit to a tea factory has become a staple of every Sri Lanka travel itinerary, and for good reason! If you look past the crowds of tourists and the sometimes amusingly gimmicky tea tours on offer, you’ll find a fascinating subject matter – the epic story of the tea industry, a central theme to the story of not only Sri Lanka, but also the post-industrialized world.
Accommodation: Amba Estate
DAY 8: GUIDED WALKS IN THE TEA PLANTATION
The climate in the hills is warm during the day, yet fresher and cooler at night, and is therefore ideal for long walks. Scenic hikes through the tea fields are a highlight of a stay at the Amba Estate and there is a good selection of walking trails on and around the property.
Accommodation: Amba Estate
DAY 9: DRIVE TO UDA WALLAWE NP (3HRS). AFTERNOON GAME DRIVE
Relax during a scenic 3-hour drive down from the Tea Country to Uda Wallawe National Park. After lunch, enjoy a late afternoon game drive around the park – a large population of some 500 elephants lives here, making this one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see these wonderful animals. The National Park is also comparatively free of tourist traffic, which means a relatively peaceful wildlife experience. Other animals that may be spotted include deer, wild buffalo, water monitors, and crocodiles.
Accommodation: Kalu's Hideaway
DAY 10: TRANSFER FROM TEA COUNTRY TO GALLE (5HRS)
Sri Lanka’s oldest city, Galle, has played host to Chinese, Arab, Persian, and Indian traders over the centuries, along with Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonialists. Today, it is a thriving hub of European and Arabic culture, boasting art galleries, literary events and a host of shops and restaurants within its atmospheric, cobblestoned alleyways. Beyond Galle, largely south of the town, is a glorious collection of beaches.
Accommodation: Mango House
DAY 11: GALLE COUNTRYSIDE CYCLING
Galle’s inner landscape comprises patches of jungle, rice paddies, cinnamon plantations, lowland tea fields, and quaint mud roads joining small villages, and is home to beautiful tropical plants and lots of Sri Lanka’s wildlife. The journey begins with a peaceful boat ride down the Kapu Ela River, accompanied by a light-hearted, entertaining local naturalist who is very knowledgeable about the area’s bird and reptile life. Enjoy floating slowly along canals, passing local village hamlets, rubber and cinnamon plantations and tea fields, and watching as grey fish eagles soar through the air and water monitor lizards haul themselves out of the river and cling to the low branches along the bank. Disembark from the boat and mount your bikes for a 9km cycle along the narrow mud lanes between villages, passing picturesque paddy fields and small settlements with markets selling vibrant local fruits and vegetables. Stop along the way at a wattle-and-daub hut for a cup of herbal tea and traditional hoppers cooked over a fire, before getting back on your bike and cycling to the pick-up point. For anyone who’s tired by the cycling at this point, there’s the option to be driven from the hut back to base.
Accommodation: Mango House
DAY 12: GALLE - DAY AT LEISURE
Today, you are free to explore Galle and its surrounding beaches at your own pace.
Accommodation: Mango House
DAY 13: DEPART
Transfer to Colombo Airport for your flight home.
