8 DAYS TIMELESS SRI LANKA

Arriving into Colombo, you will be transferred to your hotel. This afternoon, proceed on a Colombo walking tour with Mark Forbes, a Sri Lankan storyteller to get acquainted with various colonial and post-colonial sites in the capital.

This morning, we will drive 174km or about 4 hours to Sigiriya. Along the way, stretch your leg to explore the UNESCO-listed Dambulla Cave Temple. This drive can be replaced with a flight at a supplement cost.

Set off to Polonnaruwa (UNESCO), the 11th century capital of ancient Sri Lanka. Enjoy home-cooked lunch and demonstration at the heart of ‘Rice Country’ where your host will demonstrate how to prepare curries from local vegetables and fishes. Thereafter, we embark on a jeep safari in Minneriya National Park in search of elephant herds.

Beat the hordes of tourists with 7am climb up the UNESCO-listed Sigiriya. On the summit of this huge rock is the remains of a palace built by King Kasyapa, accessible through 1,000 stairs (about 1 hour). Then, we transfer 98km or about 2h 45m to Kandy. Enjoy a Kandy walking tour through the town centre with its shop houses and marketplaces. Stop for a tea at the historical Queen’s Hotel followed by a Puja Ceremony at the Temple of Tooth (UNESCO), housing Sri Lanka’s most important artefacts. Huge crowd may be expected in the temple.

Your morning starts with an educational walk through Royal Botanical Garden with Professor Palipana, a Botanist and an author. A drive of 75km or about 3 hours brings us to Hatton, a picturesque hill station with tea gardens rolling off the mountains in every direction.

We devote the entire day to explore the Hill Country (UNESCO). Visit a tea factory to learn the arduous process to turn delicate leaves into the eponymous Ceylon tea. Afterwards, let us whisk you for a 14km trek through hillside villages, farmlands, tea estates, forests and a waterfall. This trek can be shortened or lengthened to suit your requirements.

A long scenic drive of 247km or about 5.5h leads us to the charming Galle Fort. This drive can be replaced with a flight at a supplement cost.

Our morning walking tour of Galle Fort (UNESCO) will bring us through secret spots and hidden backstreets, discovering how Galle thrived as a merchant trading spot for thousands of years.