Insider Series: 13-Day Culinary Sri Lanka Tour Co-Curated by Matt Preston & Gary Mehigan

Aromatic spice gardens, fragrant tea fields and authentic street food: curated with Matt and Gary’s insider expertise, this itinerary captures their vision for an unforgettable adventure. While they won’t be joining in person, Luxury Escapes’ expert local guides will bring each day to life – the ones who know every back alley, hidden market, and family recipe.

With seven first-class Insider Experiences included, you’re all set for the Sri Lanka of a lifetime. Enjoy dinner at one of the island’s most elegant restaurants, Colombo’s Gini – where every dish, each showcasing the island’s magnificent produce, is kissed by fire before plating. Sample showstopping cocktails and wood-smoked fare at Matt and Gary’s beloved Smoke & Bitters before learning the secrets of Sri Lankan home cooking with local legend Shahira (“a magical cook and teacher,” says Gary Mehigan).

From a guided tour of Kandy’s legendary food markets to a masterfully presented four-course dining experience at The Merchant Galle Fort and lunch at Geoffrey Bawa’s spectacular Lunuganga estate (“every space, angle and vista will leave you wishing it’s yours,” says Gary Mehigan), every meal tells a story. Finish your adventure by cracking into multi-award-winning seafood at Ministry of Crab, set within Colombo’s hertiage Dutch Hospital, described by Matt Preston as “one of the world’s most best-loved crab restaurants.”

Along the way, unearth ancient jungle ruins and historic fortresses. Learn how to prepare a traditional meal in a local village, then take a scenic train into Nuwara Eliya where the masters pluck delicate Ceylon leaves in the verdant highlands. Find Asian elephants in the wilds of Minneriya National Park, then climb the 1,200 steps of the Sigiriya Rock Fortress for a truly humbling sunrise. At every turn, uncover the generosity and warm hospitality the locals are known for, sharing in their passion for flavourful food. Each stay along the way offers something special, from Le Grand Galle’s breathtaking Indian Oceanfront views to the Elizabethan manor-style elegance of The Grand Hotel, high in tea country.

This is your chance to experience Sri Lanka the way culinary insiders do, uncovering flavours and traditions off the tourist track.