Rise and shine for a day of exploration! Join your local guide on a walking tour through Old Colombo and stop at the expansive Colombo Fort area. Visit the Old Colombo Dutch Hospital – the oldest building in the complex, now repurposed for a number of high-end boutiques – before making your way to the open-air bustle of nearby Pettah Market. Browse the wares and perhaps find the perfect souvenir to take home.
Bid farewell to Colombo and set out for wondrous Anuradhapura. Along the way, you may choose to join an optional visit to a Model organic village and monastic retreat, inland from the small town of Melsiripura.
In the evening, check-in at your hotel set in the lush greenery of Anuradhapura. Take a dip in the elegant pool, then step straight into your poolside villa to rest ahead of your adventurous day tomorrow.
Wake to a hearty breakfast and an early trip to Sigiriya Rock Fortress. These awe-inspiring palace ruins are set high atop a granite rock formation, offering sweeping jungle views and astoundingly well-preserved ancient architecture and water gardens. Take your time unearthing this unparalleled wonder, then return to your hotel for your choice of included activity. Decide to string your bow and take aim with a round of archery or opt for a thrilling jungle kayaking adventure. After a full day of adventure, retire to your hotel to spend an evening at leisure.
Take to the road after breakfast and head to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Golden Cave Temple of Dambulla. Home to five sanctuaries, countless statues and paintings dating back to the 1st Century BC, this sacred temple complex has hosted the pilgrimage of countless people for millennia. Continue on your way to Kandy, an ancient seat of royal power, now known for a plethora of must-see cultural sites, from the humbling Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic to the spectacular Kandy Lake.
Upon arrival, polish up on your geology with a hands-on gem identification and cutting experience. Under the guidance of an expert gemmologist, you’ll cut and polish your very own stone to be made into a unique piece of jewellery. As you work, chip away at the long and storied history that earned Sri Lanka the name ‘Gem Island’. With myriad precious and semi-precious stones found on the island – from sapphire to amethyst, moonstone and blue topaz – your local factory tour will shed light on the rocky mining process and the effort it takes for its glittering results.
Later, check in at your charming hotel and relax before a filling dinner.
This morning, take a tour around the Royal Botanical Gardens with an expert botanist who has worked amongst these trees for over 30 years. Discover the endemic flora and admire over 300 varieties of orchid, releasing aromas of chocolate and mint. Return to your hotel to spend your day at leisure. Choose to join an optional walking expedition on Stage 1 of the Pekoe Trail, through picturesque tea country.
This evening,savour one free-flow hour of beer at your hotel, followed by a delicious dinner.
Today, venture into the central hills of Sri Lanka’s tea country on a scenic train journey. Marvel at the verdant hills of lush tea leaves and watch tea pluckers at work in the plantations. Upon arrival in Ella, choose to join an optional zipline experience at Flying Ravana, sweeping down over the tea estates to Ella Gap. Continue onto your tranquil wellness resort for the evening at leisure.
After breakfast at your hotel, it’s time to embark on a morning tea experience. Visit the local tea plantations and factory and get acquainted with the art of tea plucking as you try your hand in the field. Discover Sri Lanka’s primary export and the different varieties grown in the region, then learn about the process, from planting all the way to brewing. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy freely, including one-time relaxing 30-minute complimentary massage for two. Enjoy the amenities of your wellness retreat and recline in comfort in your chalet.
Gather your energy over breakfast, then set out for the drive to Yala National Park – an enormous wildlife sanctuary on Sri Lanka’s southeast coast. Celebrate your arrival with a luxury jeep safari, keeping your eyes peeled for the majestic Sri Lankan leopard, wild water buffalo and over 40 other species of mammals. This is one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved spots for viewing fantastic fauna and appreciating the diverse nature of this island brimming with life.
Later, travel onward to Galle and check-in at your hotel for an evening as you choose.
This morning is free for exploration.
Galle’s long history as an important trading port is apparent in the melange of colonial architecture. Choose to dive deeper into the story of Sri Lanka’s oldest seaport with a visit to the National Maritime Museum, set in a vast old spice warehouse. Alternatively, choose to join a fascinating optional cinnamon tapping experience with cinnamon-infused lunch at Villa Mayurana or take a tour of an estate that produces Virgin White Tea and sip a cup with the owner (surcharges apply for both).
In the afternoon, take a walking tour of Sri Lanka’s oldest seaport. Uncover the UNESCO World Heritage-listed 16th Century Galle Fort, built by the Portuguese and later expanded by the Dutch and British. Continue at your own pace, perhaps enjoying the sunset over the ramparts with a cup of Sri Lanka’s finest tea. Upon returning to your hotel, close out your day with a blissful 30-minute couples spa treatment.
After one last breakfast, it’s time to take the drive back up the coast to Colombo and transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), where you’ll wave farewell to the glittering ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean.’