On arrival you’re met by your private chauffeur-guide and driven to your hotel in Negombo. Your chauffeur guide will stay with you for the rest of your trip, acting as your private driver and guide. Depending on your flight time you may have some time to relax this afternoon to get rid of jet lag.

Whilst in Negombo, find a good beach spot and take a cool dip or enjoy sunbathing. Relax well and get yourself pampered before venturing your exciting holiday.

After a leisurely breakfast you will be collected from the hotel and driven over to Sigiriya in Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle. You will have the rest of the day to enjoy the countryside and perhaps wander to the local village.

This morning you have time at leisure, maybe to enjoy the hotel’s pool. In the afternoon you have a Jeep safari in one of the three national parks in the area; the specific one will be chosen on the day to ensure you have the best chance of seeing the wildlife, which includes elephants, sambar deer and monkeys and a wide variety of birdlife.

The Elephant Gathering in Minneriya National Park is one of the world’s most spectacular wildlife phenomenon. Hundreds of Asian elephants converge around the park’s main lake generally between July and October, coinciding with the dry season in Sri Lanka’s North Central & Eastern provinces.

The tank is an incredible place to observe elephants that come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as the huge flocks of birds that come to fish in the shallow waters.

We recommend visiting Sigiriya Rock with your chauffeur-guide early in order to avoid the crowds and the heat. Upon reaching the top of Sigiriya, spend time taking in the exhilarating vistas which go on for miles and ponder the ancient ruins where an ancient civilisation once lived. Sigiriya was built in the 5th century during the reign of King Kashapa and is probably the most fantastic wonder of Sri Lanka.

Once you come down enjoy a drink of a fresh King coconut and a slice of pineapple from a local vendor. Spend the evening in leisure by the hotel pool.

You will leave Sigiriya today and your chauffeur guide will first accompany you to Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka’s second ancient capital. The ancient city ruins have a mix of both Buddhist and Hindu influences, and are a great place to learn more about the history of Sri Lanka. We recommend using bicycles to explore. Afterwards, drive to Passikudah to spend 4 nights by the coast.

Days in leisure to enjoy Sri Lanka’s east coast. The calm sea is ideal for swimming, or you might like to test out the hotel pool.

After breakfast, you will be driven to Kandy, the drive passes rice paddies and farmland which is ideal for spotting wildlife along the way. On arrival, you will have the rest of the day at leisure.

Today you will explore Kandy taking in the Temple of the Tooth, and Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. You might like to take a walk around Kandy Lake, which is surrounded by local stalls and markets.

You will be collected from your hotel and taken to Kandy Train Station. You will then board the train for the approximately four-hour journey up to the tea country. The train route rises slowly through the changing countryside. From Hatton the scenery is the most spectacular, passing waterfalls and many tea plantations. You will be collected by your driver from Nanu Oya station and taken to your hotel for the next two nights.

Optional visit to a working tea factory in the afternoon.

An early morning start is recommended for your trip to Horton Plains as the views tend to be at their best in the morning. The 9 km (6 mile) circular route takes you past Little World’s End and then World’s End view points before passing Baker’s Fall, a 20 m (65 ft) high waterfall, on your return to the car. You will have the rest of your day at leisure to relax.

Today you will head down out of Tea Country, and back to Colombo/Negambo. The drive takes around five to six hours. You will be able to make stops en route, and you may want to have lunch at Kitulgala, the location for the film ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’.

After a leisurely breakfast you will be taken to the airport in time for your flight home.