7 Days Sri Lanka Adventure Tour: Sigiriya, Kandy & Kitulgala – 4-Star Hotels

After breakfast you leave Colombo and head inland across the island, a drive of about four hours to reach Dambulla. The road passes through coconut country, then paddy and forest, and your driver-guide will stop for a break wherever you need one.

The cave temple at Dambulla is the first sight of the Cultural Triangle. A staircase leads up the rock to a row of five caves tucked beneath an immense overhang, which rises roughly 160 metres above the plain. Inside you find 153 Buddha statues, figures of three kings and four deities, with painted ceilings covering the walls. People have worshipped here for more than two thousand years, and UNESCO listed the complex in 1991. Take off your shoes at the entrance, cover your shoulders and knees, and allow around an hour.

After a late lunch and a short rest, you head out for an open jeep safari in the afternoon at Minneriya. The park is centred on an old reservoir, and as the dry season advances the water pulls back and fresh grass appears on the shore. Elephants come in from the forest to feed, sometimes in herds of dozens or more, which is the event known as the Gathering. Timing depends on the season, so your guide will tell you what to expect, and the best months are roughly July to October. Even outside that period you have a good chance of seeing elephants along with deer, buffalo, monkeys and water birds. Jeep and entrance fees are paid separately.

You finish the day in Habarana, a village surrounded by forest and lakes. You can dine at your hotel restaurant or ask your driver-guide for a place nearby, and the sounds of frogs and insects keep you company as you fall asleep.

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

Today starts early, because Sigiriya is best before the heat. Habarana is only about twenty-five minutes from the fortress, so you are at the gate soon after breakfast. This was the palace-and-garden complex that King Kashyapa built in the fifth century, and it is now one of the island's most visited places. Your path leads through terraced water gardens, then up to the Mirror Wall and the Lion's Paws gateway, then along a gallery that holds the painted celestial maidens. Roughly 1,200 steps take you to the summit ruins, with the jungle spread out in every direction. The climb takes around three hours in total and is the most demanding sightseeing of the cultural days, so bring water and a hat.

Later you drive on to Kandy, about two and a half to three hours away, climbing from the dry lowlands into green hills. The air cools noticeably, and tea gardens and small markets line the winding road.

In the late afternoon the day turns active again with a guided walk of about three hours through farmland on the edge of Kandy. A local guide leads you along footpaths between paddy terraces, vegetable plots, spice trees and village houses, explaining how people grow and cook their food. Wear shoes with grip, because paths can be slippery after rain. Most of the walk is easy, with a few gentle slopes.

Back in town you check in at your hotel, shower, and settle in for the evening. If you still have energy, take a stroll by the lake. Tomorrow you head to the rainforest.

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

After breakfast you leave Kandy and drive west for about two hours to Kitulgala, a rainforest town on the Kelani river. The road drops through green hills and rubber estates, and the humidity rises as you enter the forest. Kitulgala is the island's capital of outdoor sport, offering rafting, canyoning, jungle walks and bird watching, and parts of a famous 1950s war film were shot on the river banks.

The first adventure is abseiling down a waterfall. Instructors fit your harness and helmet, explain the signals and check every knot before you step backwards over the edge. Then you walk the rope down the rock face while water pours around you. It is thrilling rather than frightening, since the team controls your descent, and most people want to go again. If you prefer to watch, the viewing spot is good, and no one pushes you to do anything.

After lunch comes a trek of about one and a half kilometres along the Kataran Oya, a forest stream, to a series of natural rock pools and small waterfalls. There are seven pools, each a little different, and you can swim, slide down a smooth stretch of rock and, if you dare, take a confidence jump into deep water. Footing is uneven and wet, so wear sports sandals or trainers with a good grip and bring a change of clothes.

Back at your hotel you can shower and rest, and a quiet evening in the forest is a good way to recover. Listen for birds at dusk and keep a torch handy if you walk about after dark.

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

Today is the big water day. After breakfast you meet your rafting team at the river, collect your helmet and life jacket, and receive a thorough safety briefing. The instructors teach paddle commands, show what to do if you fall in and match the boats to the group. Rafting is open to anyone from the age of ten, and previous experience is not needed.

Then you set off. The route runs for about five kilometres down the Kelani, and you pass through five major and four minor rapids, with calm stretches in between where you can float, look at the forest and spot kingfishers or monitor lizards on the banks. The rapids are exciting but manageable, and the river is lined with rainforest, rocks and the occasional village. A guide sits in each boat to steer and keep everyone safe. Wear a swimsuit, quick-drying shorts or leggings and strapped sandals, and pack a towel and dry clothes for later. Water levels vary with the weather, and the team may adjust the route if the river is too high.

After the run you shower and eat lunch. Then you drive to the coast, a journey of about two and a half hours, leaving the rainforest for the flat, palm-fringed south-west. The beach suburb of Waskaduwa lies just north of Kalutara and offers a long strip of sand and a handful of seafront hotels.

You arrive in time to walk on the beach and watch the sun go down over the Indian Ocean. After the past two days it is easy to relax, and sore arms are a good excuse to order a cold drink and do nothing.

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

A slow morning at the hotel is the best start to today. After breakfast, your driver-guide takes you on a half-day outing to the Madu River, a wetland of mangrove channels and small islands that has been a protected sanctuary since 2006. Around sixty-four islands are scattered across the estuary, and some are inhabited. A boatman steers you along narrow waterways beneath arching roots, past fishing nets, birds and sometimes a monitor lizard. Stops along the way usually include a cinnamon-peeling demonstration, a small temple on an island and a fish-spa platform where tiny fish nibble at your feet, which tickles more than it hurts.

From the river you can visit a turtle hatchery along the coast near Kosgoda. Sea turtles come ashore here to lay eggs, and the hatchery protects the nests, looks after injured animals and releases young turtles into the sea. You can see tanks with turtles of different ages and learn why so many are endangered. Be gentle, do not touch the hatchlings, and consider leaving a small donation if you can.

By early afternoon you are back at Waskaduwa and the rest of the day is free. Swim in the sea if the waves are mild, read on the sand or lie by the pool. Waskaduwa is a quiet corner of the coast with few crowds, so the pace is easy. If you would like a massage after rafting and abseiling, your hotel can arrange one. You can dine at your hotel restaurant or at a place nearby, and enjoy a final evening by the water before the flight home.

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

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast, a last swim if the tide allows, and check out when you are ready. Your driver-guide takes you to the airport at Katunayake, a drive of roughly an hour and a half, so allow generous time before your flight. If you have a few spare hours before your flight, your driver-guide can stop for last-minute souvenirs or a final coffee on the way. Your driver helps with luggage at the terminal, and we hope the week of rock, river and sea has been a good one.

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