Discover Sri Lanka – Scenic train, Sigiriya & Yala Safari

We begin our Sri Lanka holiday as we fly to Colombo.

Following our arrival in Sri Lanka, we will be transferred with guide assistance to our hotel in the coastal town of Negombo, just north of Colombo.   After check in at our hotel, we can settle in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.

Join us for dinner! Dinner is included tonight and for the next 11 nights of our stay in Sri Lanka. Meals are typically simple and with some locally inspired flavours.

Today, on our full-day tour, we will discover Negombo, a village that was once a cinnamon trading centre and is now a bustling fishing community. We begin early in the morning before breakfast and before the heat of the day sets in, as this is the best time to see the locals selling their fresh catch. The fish market can sometimes have a smell, but that is all part of the authentic experience. After breakfast at our hotel, we continue exploring Negombo on a guided tour before setting off for Habarana, a journey of approximately four hours (150 km). Along the way, we will enjoy views of the lush tropical countryside from the comfort of our coach. Our Sri Lanka adventure is truly underway!

We arrive at Habarana and check into our hotel, which will be our home for the next three nights. Let’s enjoy a leisurely evening to relax, unwind and discover our surroundings.

We begin to uncover more of Sri Lanka on a full-day guided excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sigiriya, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The spectacular ‘Lion’s Rock’ fortress is a large ancient rock palace surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens. 

The climb up involves over 1,200 steps along a narrow staircase, requiring a moderate level of fitness. Fortunately, several platforms provide opportunities to rest and enjoy the stunning views along the way for those who want to make it to the top. Marvel at the beautiful collection of Water Gardens, painted frescoes, and ancient graffiti, all on show at what is one of Sri Lanka's crowning glories.

In the afternoon we discover more, on an excursion to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital of Sri Lanka. This UNESCO World Heritage site includes the Royal Palace complex and Gal Vihara rock temple of the Buddha. The entire landscape of the region is punctuated by huge man-made reservoirs and veritable inland seas, the most famous of which is the Prakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama. 

Later we return to our hotel, where we can spend the evening relaxing after our day of exploration.

This morning, we leave Habarana for a full day tour and set off towards the ancient city of Anuradhapura, famous for its temples, landscaped gardens, and the sacred ‘Bo Tree’ which dates from around 245BC and is the world’s oldest known tree. Anuradhapura was the ancient capital of Sri Lanka for more than a thousand years from the 5th century BC and hosts many Buddhist monuments dating back over 2000 years.

Let’s see more of Sri Lankan traditions and discover another lifestyle, as we visit a local village.  We’ll savour the tranquil rural setting as we embark on a bullock cart ride past lush paddy fields, shops and mud thatched houses. After our adventure, we make our way back to our hotel for a well-deserved rest.

This morning we say farewell to Habarana and transfer by coach to Kandy on a full day excursion, an attractive bustling city that is encircled by hills and has a tranquil lake at its centre.  En-route we experience more of Sri Lanka's treasures with a visit to Dambulla Cave Temple, which has been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries and contains a fascinating array of Buddhist mural paintings and statues of Buddha. The drive will take approximately three hours (96km).

On arrival in Kandy, we uncover more history and culture with a visit to The Temple of The Sacred Tooth Relic, a centre for the Buddhist faith. This 16th-century temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha, which was brought to Sri Lanka from ancient India in the 4th century. After the visit we depart for our hotel, which will be our base for the next two nights.

On today’s full day tour, we revel in the beauty of The Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya, home to exotic plants such as coffee, tea, nutmeg, rubber and Cinchona. The gardens feature an arboretum, an Orchid House and a colony of flying foxes.

 After we visit the gardens, we uncover more delights with a Tuk-Tuk ride around Kandy, one of the best ways to discover this city! During our adventure, we pass the British Garrison Cemetry, Aniwatta Residencial area, Kandy Market, Kandy Lake and finish with picturesque scenes from the Kandy viewpoint. The Tuk Tuk ride will take around two hours, after which we return to our hotel to relax and reflect on our day of sightseeing and discovery.

All aboard! This morning on our full day tour, we depart our hotel for Kandy railway station. We embark on a scenic colonial era vintage train journey through sub-tropical forests, to lush green tea plantations, and mountainous backdrops, passing shops and local life along our journey to Nuwara Eliya. The train journey will take approximately 3.30 hours (subject to availability). 

On arrival in Nuwara Eliya we set off in our coach to visit a tea plantation and tea factory, we’ll also have a guided tour of the town before checking in to our hotel. The town’s name translates as “City of Light”, but it is also known as “Little England” as it was a popular destination for 19th century British colonialists who indulged in pastimes such as fox, deer and elephant hunting, polo, golf, and cricket. The colonial history of the town can still be seen in buildings such as the Queen's Cottage, General's House, Grand Hotel, Hill Club, and Town Post Office.

Let’s relax more, as we settle into our hotel and admire our magnificent surroundings.  Nuwara Eliya lies in the heart of Sri Lankan hill country and is the home of the famous Ceylon Tea. Situated at an altitude of 1868m, the city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka, and enjoys a temperate highland climate. The rolling mountains are a carpet of velvety green tea plantations, and beautiful waterfalls dot the landscape.

This morning we transfer onwards on another full day adventure to Yala and en route we stop at Ella Waterfalls for a refreshing break. Today's journey will take approximately five hours (185km).

Let’s experience more on a jeep safari in Yala National Park, the second largest national park in Sri Lanka, covering around 979 square kilometres. Home to elephants, leopards, bears, water buffalo, crocodiles and other animals and birds, Yala’s vast landscape and dense vegetation mean it can sometimes take patience to spot wildlife, adding to the sense of adventure. The park has also been featured in Discovery and National Geographic documentaries focusing on leopard research and conservation. After our adventure, we continue to our hotel for an overnight stay and evening at leisure.

After breakfast, we experience one more relaxed game drive in Yala National Park and a second chance to spot the elusive Leopard! 

After our last safari, we depart for Beruwela by coach. The drive will take approximately four hours (210km). En route, we will experience more with a guided tour of Galle, and explore the 17th century Portuguese and Dutch Fort in which the central city is contained.  We stroll through the streets to admire the Dutch-influenced architecture, old British residences, and mosques with their Arabic flourishes before proceeding to our hotel in Beruwela.

We can take it easy for the rest of the day and evening, soaking up the atmosphere and enjoying the ocean air.

We have two full days at leisure in Beruwala, situated along Sri Lanka’s beautiful south-west coast. Enjoy the fresh sea air, sit back and unwind as we come towards the end of our journey through this fascinating country.

These days are perfect for relaxing after exploring Sri Lanka’s many highlights, including ancient temples, cave sites and scenic landscapes.

For those wanting to explore more, there may be the possibility of an optional excursion to a turtle hatchery and then experience the mangrove forests of Madu River home to 300 species of fauna, birds and more, and end your day with a visit to a tea plantation.

Today set out on our excursion to discover more of Sri Lanka. Enjoy a gentle cruise down the river by boat, in search for crocodiles, water monitors and colourful birds. Enroute, visit a small island called Koth Duwa with its beautiful temple and statue of the Buddha. After enjoy a stroll through a tea plantation, and end the day with a visit to an antique tea factory, before sampling a cup of Ceylon tea, a delightful way to end this excursion.

Return to our hotel after your 3 hour excursion.

Minimum numbers apply for this tour and is subject to availability. This tour is sold locally from Beruwela.

After a leisurely breakfast, we transfer by coach to our hotel in Colombo where we’ll spend our last night in Sri Lanka. The drive will take approximately two hours drive from Beruwela (90km).  The rest of our day is at leisure.

Departing Colombo, we make our way by coach to the airport for our return flights home.