Jewels of Sri Lanka - All Inclusive

We depart the UK for our overnight in-direct flight to Sri Lanka.

We fly into Colombo and transfer to the Colombo Courtyard Hotel, by Marriott, where a warm welcome awaits, along with a welcome drink and refreshing cold towel.

In the late afternoon, after settling in at the hotel, we enjoy a guided city tour of Colombo, the largest city and former administrative capital of Sri Lanka. A vibrant city, with a mixture of modern life and remnants of a bygone colonial era, Colombo is home to many historical landmarks and contemporary architecture, showcasing a rich cultural heritage. Due to its large harbour and strategic position along the East-Western trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago but was only made capital when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815. Our tour takes us to Colombo’s historical, religious and commercial sites, including the historic and bustling Fort and Pettah, the elite residential Cinnamon Gardens and the Galle Face Green, as well as a drive by the newly opened Lotus Tower.

Later, at the hotel, we enjoy a welcome dinner – a chance to relax and get to know the other group members.

After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to the town of Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After check-in at the Tropical Life hotel, we enjoy lunch in the main restaurant before setting off for our jeep safari at the Minneriya National Park.

Famous for its large wild herds of elephants, which congregate on the edge of rivers and reservoirs to bathe and socialise, this park is one of the best in Sri Lanka to see these wild giants in their element, as our jeep takes us close to the herd for a better view of this beautiful sight. A mixed forest of 8,890 hectares, the park is overflowing with evergreen shrubs and consists of grasslands, marshes and deep woods. This vast range of ecosystems supports incredible biodiversity, creating a wildlife refuge – the Ceylon fish owl and sea eagle are among the bird species you may spot. The park is home to leopards, deer, sloth bears and monkeys, including the purple-faced langur and macaques.

Later, we return to the hotel and have the rest of the evening to spend at leisure and enjoy dinner.

Immerse yourself in the beauty of Sri Lanka's rural life with today’s unique excursions, on which we discover stunning natural sites, and diverse wildlife and gain insight into the rural lifestyle of the people who live here.

We begin our tour of Sevanagama Village with a breathtaking catamaran ride across the serene lakeside. Admire stunning views, spot various species of birds and animals and appreciate the craftsmanship of the boatmen, as they create exquisite welcome garlands from water lily flowers. Next, a manual tractor ride transports us into the heart of traditional and rural village life, as we explore a vibrant flower garden, see how seasonal crops are harvested and visit a Montessori village kindergarten. We join the village farmers on a nature trail through lush paddy fields, vegetable gardens, and papaya plantations, leading to a traditional mud house and gain further insight into conventional domestic life, as the local farming families teach us how to prepare authentic meals, such as Pol Roti with Pol Sambol, a Sri Lankan flatbread. After our demonstration, we enjoy a delicious lunch before a memorable tuk-tuk ride through the Sevanagama village.

We then head to the country’s second capital, Polonnaruwa. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries, this World Heritage Site showcases ruins of the Royal Palace and the Gal Viharaya, where three splendid statues of the Buddha rest in upright, sedentary and recumbent postures, carved out of rock. There’s so much to see, from the Audience Hall, notable for its frieze of elephants and fine lion carvings, Nelum Pokuna – the Lotus pond, the 12th century Polonnaruwa statue and Parakrama Samudra Lake, built by King Parakramabahu the Great.

Later, we travel back to our hotel and enjoy our evening meal.

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and begin our journey to Kandy, stopping en route to visit Dambulla Cave Temple. 2,100 years old, this temple holds a unique atmosphere and has been treasured by many kings since the 1st century B.C. Today, it is a Sri Lankan icon and houses exceptional drawings in five magnificently constructed cave temples, flanking the main golden temple of Dambulla. Exquisite paintings cover the cave walls, that shelter 150 statues of Lord Buddha with the gigantic Buddha statue glittering in gold, which today houses an important junction in the country's economic and cultural uplifting.

We continue our drive to Kandy, stopping on the way at a spice garden in Matale. Here we see these plants growing in their natural habitat and learn how they are used in traditional medicine and local cuisine. Once we arrive in Kandy, we enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before checking in at the Topaz Hotel, where we spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Please note: to reach Dambulla Caves, there is a short, but fairly steep incline with steps.

This morning, we enjoy a leisurely breakfast at the hotel and then visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Elegant and spacious, Sri Lanka’s largest garden is 147 acres and home to over 4,000 different species of plants, including beautiful orchids, ferns and palms. The 10,000 or so mature trees, many tropical timbers, gently sway like lofty giants, creating a wonderfully peaceful atmosphere. Highlights of the collection include the Giant Bamboo of Burma, which rapidly grows 30 centimetres a day and can reach a height of 40 meters.

In Kandy, we stop for lunch at a local restaurant and continue to the Temple of Tooth. Considered the foremost sacred place of worship in the Buddhist world, the temple guards one of Lord Buddha’s teeth, preserved in a gold casket, resting on a beautiful solid gold lotus flower and encased in jewelled caskets upon a throne.

A stroll across the city, cradled by mountains among misty hills, takes us to the centre of Kandy. The spiritual heart of Sri Lanka, the city is a unique blend of nature and luxury, where a shiny shopping complex sits alongside a peaceful central lake. Explore the marketplace, locally known as a bazaar and the arts centre, as well as a gem museum and lapidary, ahead of a refreshing coconut drink from one of the many colourful fruit stands in the market.

After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and journey to Nuwara Eliya, stopping en route to visit one of Kandy’s tea plantations. Ceylon tea is perhaps the most famous tea in the world and as the most important export of Sri Lanka, there’s lots to discover here. Go behind the scenes of this world-renowned produce, as we meet the people who pick it and learn about their lives, walk through the tea plantations, visit a processing factory, and enjoy a delicious cup straight from where it’s made.

Nuwara Eliya, meaning ‘the city of dawn,’ sits at the highest elevation (about 2000m above sea level) in Sri Lanka and its tallest peak, Piduruthalagala, can be seen from here. The city, known as ‘Little England’, was established by the British in the 19th century and today thrives as a popular holiday resort for locals and tourists, due to its cool climate and quaint feel. We enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before check-in at Heaven Seven Nuwara Eliya, with the rest of the day to spend at leisure.

We enjoy breakfast before leaving for Yala. On arrival at the Elephant Reach Hotel, we settle in and have lunch here.

Later in the afternoon, when wild animals become active and search for food, we set off for a 4WD jeep wildlife safari into the national park. We explore many wondrous sites today and try to catch a glimpse of the magnificent yet elusive leopard. Wild boar, deer, elephants, bears, peacocks, flamingos and many more animals roam freely as nature intended, while elephants gather at waterholes to drink and bathe their young.

We return to the hotel for our evening meal and enjoy time at leisure.

After breakfast at the hotel, we check out and leave for Bentota, with an en-route visit to Galle Dutch Fort. The picturesque town of Galle was the centre of Dutch rule in the 17th century and its history is depicted in the majestic Fort. The city is one of the best-preserved colonial-era locations in Southeast Asia and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Walk on the old ramparts and admire the amazing views of the sea or shop for souvenirs and traditional crafts at the boutiques. After some exploring, we stop for lunch at a local restaurant and continue to Bentota, where we check in at the Ekho Surf Hotel. We spend the evening at leisure and enjoy our dinner.

Today, you can choose to have a day at leisure or join us on a discovery of the Madu River.

On the Madu River cruise, we witness the timeless natural rhythms of rural life and stop to watch local farmers go about their daily work of cinnamon planting and coconut leaf weaving. We journey through an eco-reserve, considered a breeding ground for many endangered species of plants and animals. An ornithologist's paradise, this wetland has approximately forty-six species of birds, including fourteen aquatic varieties. Watch out for the water monitors, kingfishers, eagles, monkeys and colourful butterflies!

This evening, we gather for our farewell dinner.

We check out of our hotel and transfer to the airport for our flight home.