16 Days Sri Lanka Grand Tour: Trincomalee, Kandy & Mirissa – 4-Star Hotels

After breakfast you leave the coast and head inland towards the Cultural Triangle. It is a full day: a long drive with two real visits, so you will want a snack in the car and a hat in your bag. The road passes through coconut country and then into the hills before levelling out onto the northern plains.

The first stop is Pinnawala, roughly an hour and a half from Colombo on the old road to Kandy. The orphanage was founded in 1975 beside the Maha Oya river, on a former coconut estate, to look after young elephants found abandoned or hurt in the forests. Calves under three are still bottle-fed by their keepers, which is a delight to watch. The big moment comes when the herd is led down the street to the river for a bath, which happens twice a day. Plan to arrive in time for that, then take a table with a view over the water and watch them wallow.

You carry on to Dambulla, where a steep but short flight of steps leads up to the cave temple. Five caves are tucked beneath a huge overhanging rock that rises about 160 metres above the plain. Inside, 153 statues of the Buddha sit or recline in a dim, incense-scented hush, together with images of kings and gods, while painted murals cover the ceilings in swirling colour. UNESCO listed the site in 1991, and monks have worshipped in these caves for more than two thousand years. Remove shoes and cover shoulders and knees before you go in. Take your time, because the best paintings are overhead.

By late afternoon you check in near Dambulla. Dinner is your own choice, with the hotel restaurant the easy option, and the lake and gardens are a pleasant way to stretch your legs before bed.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

The road leads east after breakfast, about three hours from Dambulla to Trincomalee. The landscape opens up as you drop towards the coast, with paddy, scrub forest and then the first glimpse of sea. Your hotel faces the beach at Nilaveli, north of the town, and you can check in, change and decide how much of the afternoon to give to sightseeing.

The old town is worth an unhurried visit. Trincomalee holds one of the great natural harbours of the Indian Ocean, and its history reaches back so far that scholars connect it with the Gokana of the Mahavamsa chronicle. On a headland above the water stands Koneswaram, a Hindu temple on Swami Rock, regarded as one of the five ancient abodes of Shiva and set inside the walls of Fort Frederick. Walk up to the cliff edge and you look straight down at the sea. The colonial fort itself dates from the Portuguese, Dutch and British periods, and its gate and ramparts are easy to stroll through. Dress modestly for the temple and expect to leave your shoes at the entrance.

If the afternoon is still young, your driver can take you on to the long sand at Nilaveli, where the water is shallow and clear in the calm season. The old programme also lists whale-watching as an optional extra from this coast, and boat trips depend entirely on sea conditions and the operator, so ask rather than count on it.

The hotel restaurant is a pleasant place for dinner, with the sound of waves close by.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

Today is yours. Nothing is booked, and the beach is on your doorstep. Nilaveli is a long, pale strip of sand with shallow water, and in the calm months, roughly May to September, it is perfect for slow swims and walks along the shore.

If you want more to do, there are optional extras. The Pigeon Island marine park lies just off the coast and has shallow coral reefs where snorkellers often meet reef sharks and turtles. Boats leave from the beach, and the park and boat fees are paid separately. Your driver can also take you back into Trincomalee, to the market or to Uppuveli, a neighbouring beach with cafés.

Otherwise, read, nap and eat well. Dinner is up to you, and your driver can suggest a good place nearby.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

You leave the east coast after breakfast and drive back inland, about three hours to the Dambulla and Sigiriya area. The plan for the day is to give the Cultural Triangle a proper afternoon, so you arrive in time for a village outing and still have strength for the rock.

The outing takes place in a farming village close to Sigiriya. An ox-cart carries you along the edge of paddy fields, and a hand-carved outrigger canoe takes you across the village lake in near silence. You also see a patch of chena, the traditional slash-and-burn style of cultivation, and a family demonstrates how rice and curry are cooked in the home kitchen. Lunch is whatever they have prepared, eaten at the table with the family, and it is one of the best meals of the trip. Bring cash for tips and a spare layer in case of showers.

In the later part of the afternoon you climb Sigiriya. This is a 5th-century royal citadel built on a rock that rises about 200 metres from the forest. The path starts in the Water Gardens, passes the polished Mirror Wall and the frescoes of celestial maidens, and then reaches the Lion's Paws, the gateway that once framed a giant lion. About 1,200 steps then lead up the last stretch to the ruins of the palace on top, where the view reaches in every direction. Going late means cooler air and warmer light, but start in good time and carry water. Sturdy shoes are essential and the stairs can be narrow and steep.

You then return to your hotel, tired and happy, for dinner.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

After breakfast you leave Dambulla for Kandy, about two and a half to three hours of driving, with a stop on the way at Matale. The road climbs gradually from the dry plains into the greener hills, and you begin to see tea, rubber and spice trees.

Matale is the market town where the spice gardens sit. A guide walks you through plots of cardamom, pepper, cinnamon, vanilla and cloves, and shows how each is grown, harvested and used. Some are used in cooking and some in Ayurvedic remedies. The farmers belong to a cooperative, and the garden has a small shop if you want to take something home, though there is no pressure to buy. It is a short, sweet-smelling stop and an interesting way to learn why the island was a spice-trading target for centuries.

After checking in at your Kandy hotel, you visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Kandy was the last royal city of the Sinhalese kings, and the temple keeps a relic of the Buddha. According to tradition it reached the island in the 4th century hidden in the hair of a princess from Orissa. Drummers play at the ritual times, and pilgrims queue with lotus flowers. Dress modestly and be ready to remove your shoes.

Around five in the evening you attend a Kandyan dance show, with drums, acrobatics, fire-walking and bright costumes, which lasts about an hour. Afterwards you choose where to have dinner, and your driver can suggest a place.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

A second night in Kandy means a gentler morning and a day of three contrasting visits around the city, none of them far from the others.

First comes a tea estate and factory in the central hills. The Kandy region is where Ceylon tea took hold under British planters, and the first tea plant brought from China is said to have been grown in the Peradeniya gardens. You walk past terraces where pickers cut the new leaf, then follow the leaf through withering, rolling, fermenting, drying and grading. The visit ends with a cup of freshly made tea and a view over the green slopes. Tea is the country's biggest agricultural export, so it is a good way to understand the economy.

Next is the gem museum and workshop. Sri Lanka has been known for sapphires and other stones since ancient times, and here a reconstructed mine and a short film show how raw stones are mined, cut and set into gold, silver or platinum. The showroom is open if you wish to browse and nobody will push you to buy.

In the evening, or at whatever hour suits you best, you go to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, about 5 km west of the city. The gardens fill a bend in the Mahaweli river and cover 147 acres with more than 4,000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal herbs and avenues of palms. The site goes back to a royal court in 1371, and the modern garden was laid out in 1821. During the Second World War it was the Allied regional headquarters. Allow a couple of hours and wear shoes you can stroll in.

You can finish the day with a walk around the lake in the city centre before dinner.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

Today you climb into the hills by rail. After breakfast your driver takes you to Kandy station and sends you off on one of the most celebrated train journeys in Asia. The line follows the tracks laid by the British in 1864 to carry tea and coffee down from the estates, and the ride from Kandy to Nanu Oya takes roughly four to five hours.

The scenery is the reward. The train winds up through tea terraces, over bridges, through short tunnels and past waterfalls, and it moves slowly enough that you can lean out of the doorway and watch the hills turn from green to a deeper green. Local passengers get on and off at tiny stations, and vendors walk the aisles with snacks. Bring a jumper, a bottle of water and a camera with a charged battery. Seats can be limited, so you may stand or sit in different carriages for part of the way.

At Nanu Oya your driver is waiting and drives you the short distance up to Nuwara Eliya, a cool hill station at about 1,900 metres that is often called Little England. Colonial bungalows, clipped lawns and flower beds line the streets, and the air is noticeably crisp.

You check in, warm up and spend the rest of the day at your hotel. Evenings get properly cold, so put on the warm layer you packed. Dinner is your choice, and the hotel restaurant is the easy option.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

A full day around Nuwara Eliya, with plenty of time to stop and look. The district is surrounded by tea estates, and the town itself has an odd mix of colonial relics and a lively Sri Lankan market.

Your first visit is to Hakgala Botanical Gardens, a terraced garden on the slopes of a dramatic rock, a few kilometres outside the town. The cool air suits roses, tree ferns and orchids, and the gardens shelter monkeys and blue magpies, which are often seen among the trees. Wander the paths at an easy pace, and take a jacket as the mist can drift in at any moment.

Not far away is the Seetha Amman Temple, a bright Hindu shrine decorated with painted figures and linked in local tradition to the Ramayana epic. Its colours are especially vivid against the green hillside. Remove shoes before entering and keep your voice down inside.

Back in the town you walk through the market, where stalls sell vegetables grown in the highland soil, from carrots to leeks, alongside spices, tea and everyday goods. After that you can stroll beside Gregory Lake, a pleasant place for a coffee, or drive through the estates and pause at viewpoints along the way. A visit to a tea factory is possible if you wish. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax at your hotel.

Have dinner where you prefer, with the hotel restaurant the easy option on a cold evening, and by now you will be glad of a warm room.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

Today you leave the hills and descend to the south-east lowlands, with one of the prettiest stops in the country on the way. The drive from Nuwara Eliya to Ella takes about three hours, and the scenery shifts continuously from tea fields to rock faces and valleys as the road drops.

At Ella you first stop at the Nine Arch Bridge near Demodara. The viaduct was commissioned in 1921, in the British era, and built entirely from stone blocks and cement with no steel reinforcement, curving in a graceful line between two hills. It sits in the middle of the jungle, and the best time to be there is when a train crosses, so ask your driver to check the timetable and plan your arrival around it. Walk along the tracks only when safe and always listen for an approaching train.

Next is Ravana Falls, a broad waterfall beside the main road, where water drops about 82 feet from a hollow rock. After rain it fans out like a drooping areca flower, but in the dry season it thins considerably. Local legend links the place with King Ravana of the Ramayana. You can pause for a short while, take some photographs and buy a drink from the stalls nearby.

From Ella the road continues for roughly two hours down to Tissamaharama, a lakeside town and the starting point for Yala. You check in and relax at your hotel in time for dinner. Tomorrow starts early.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

The day begins in the dark. You leave your hotel early with a breakfast pack so that you are at the gate of Yala when the morning safari starts. A park tracker joins your 4x4 jeep, and the first hour after sunrise is when the animals are most active.

Yala is the country's most visited park and holds one of the highest known densities of leopards anywhere, but they are shy, so a sighting is never certain. You have a good chance of seeing elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, peacocks, wild buffalo and many bird species, and each drive is different. The jeeps move slowly over sandy tracks, and the tracker listens for alarm calls from deer and langurs, which often hint at a hunting cat. Bring a hat, sunscreen, binoculars and a light jacket for the cool start. The park has an annual closure period, so we always check dates before you travel. Jeep and entrance fees are paid separately.

You return to the hotel in the late morning, hungry and dusty. The rest of the day is yours. Many guests nap, swim in the pool and have a long lunch, and if you still want to stretch your legs, a lakeside walk in Tissamaharama is an easy option, taking in the old reservoir and its white stupa. Dinner is up to you, and the hotel can suggest somewhere nearby.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

A day of travelling towards the south-west coast. After breakfast you drive for about three hours to Galle, and you can stop whenever you see something you like along the way.

Galle Fort is a UNESCO-listed walled town on a headland. The Portuguese began it in 1588 and the Dutch strengthened it greatly from 1649, and the thick ramparts still enclose a grid of lanes. You can walk along the top of the walls past the lighthouse and the Dutch Reformed Church, then drop down into streets of old merchant houses that now hold boutiques, galleries and cafés. Allow a couple of hours, wear a hat, and if you can, time your visit so that you are on the ramparts in the late afternoon, when the heat eases and the sea turns gold. In its day the town was an important trading port for spices and other goods.

From Galle it is about 45 minutes along the coast to Mirissa. The road passes palm-lined beaches, surf breaks and fishing villages, and you can stop for a coconut or a swim. You reach your hotel in the evening and have time for dinner and an early night by the sea.

Two small tips for the day. Galle Fort is a living neighbourhood, with families, schools and shops, so wander the side lanes as well as the main street and you will find quiet courtyards and old doorways. Carry small notes for a coffee or a cold drink, and keep your swimwear in an easy-to-reach bag, because the first sight of the Mirissa shore from the road is hard to resist.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

Today is yours, at a beach resort on a crescent of golden sand. Swim, sleep, read and have lunch at a beach restaurant.

If you would like to do something, Mirissa is the island's whale-watching hub, and trips set out early in the morning, usually from about November to April. Blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins pass offshore, though sightings are never certain, and the sea can be rough, so those prone to motion sickness should take a tablet. Nearby Weligama has gentle waves that suit beginner surfers, and a lesson there is an easy half-day. Both are optional extras, and you pay on the day.

Whale watching is a long morning. Boats usually leave around dawn, head some distance out to deeper water, and return after several hours, so a hat, sunscreen, water and a light windproof layer are all useful. Your driver can take you to the harbour and collect you afterwards, leaving the afternoon to rest.

If you prefer to stay put, the shore in front of your hotel is the day's main attraction. Mirissa has sunsets that draw people onto the sand every evening, and the little beach cafés cook fresh fish and cold fruit juices. A walk along the shore to the rocky point at the end of the bay takes you away from the crowds, and a swim in the early morning, when the water is still and the beach is empty, is a good way to start.

Dinner is up to you tonight, and there is no schedule to keep tomorrow morning beyond a leisurely breakfast.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

A short drive, a lot to see. After breakfast you travel north along the coast towards Bentota, about two hours in total, but you break the journey twice and the day is more of an outing than a transfer.

First stop is the Madu River, a wetland just north of Galle made up of mangrove islands and narrow channels. It covers some 915 hectares, holds 64 islands, some of them inhabited, and is fed by seven tributaries. It has been a protected sanctuary since 2006. A boat winds through the mangroves, passing a small cinnamon-peeling demonstration and a temple on an island. You can also stop at a platform where tiny fish nibble at tired feet, a tickle some people love and others skip. Morning light is soft on the water, and there are often kingfishers and egrets along the banks.

The second stop is a turtle hatchery on the coast near Kosgoda. Five species of sea turtle come ashore to nest on these beaches, and the hatcheries protect the eggs, look after injured animals and release hatchlings into the sea. You can see tanks of young turtles and learn how the conservation works. It is best to take only photographs and avoid touching.

After that you continue to Bentota, check in and settle into your resort. The beach is wide, and the river meets the sea nearby. Dinner is your own choice, and the hotel restaurant is the easy option.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

A last free day, with nothing to organise. Bentota has a wide beach, and the calm river mouth is a good place for kayaking, banana-boat rides and jet-skiing, all of which are optional extras.

The town also has a long tradition of Ayurveda, so a massage or treatment at a spa is a fine way to spend a few hours. The Bawa gardens nearby are lovely to wander if you want a quiet look at landscape design.

Otherwise, repack your bags, swim, read and have a relaxed dinner nearby or at your hotel.

If you feel like a gentle outing, your driver is available for short trips around Bentota. Ask him about the temples and quiet lanes inland, or about a late-afternoon walk along the river bank where fishermen cast their nets. These are suggestions, not commitments, and you can decide on the spot.

A few practical points for the final stretch. Sort out your laundry and souvenirs today, keep passports and flight details in one bag, and settle any extras at the hotel reception before you go to bed so that tomorrow morning is calm. Tell your driver the time of your flight now, and he will agree the departure time with you. Dinner is your own choice tonight, and the sound of the surf is the last thing you hear before sleep.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide

After a final breakfast you check out of your hotel. The drive to Katunayake airport takes roughly two hours, and your driver will plan the departure time around your flight with some margin.

It is a good moment to say goodbye to your driver-guide, who has been with you for the whole circuit. If you have time before leaving, a last swim and a slow breakfast are worth it. Safe travels, and we hope to see you again.

Transport: Private air-conditioned vehicle with English-speaking driver-guide