Ultimate Island Discovery

Today is a long journey, but it is broken by a morning of village life that many guests rate as a highlight. You leave Colombo early and drive inland for about four hours to the countryside around Sigiriya, passing from palm groves and rubber estates into the flat, farmed plains of the dry zone.

Near Sigiriya you swap the car for something slower. A bullock cart rolls you along a dirt track between rice paddies, and then you step into a narrow wooden outrigger boat to cross the village lake, where herons and kingfishers work the edges. Your hosts explain how chena cultivation works, with fields cleared from scrub and planted for a season, and invite you into a home kitchen. There, curries are simmered in clay pots over an open fire, and you can lend a hand grinding, stirring or shaping the rice before sitting down to the meal.

After lunch the road continues for another one and a half to two hours to Anuradhapura, the cradle of the island's first great kingdom. It is worth arriving in time for the evening, when the atmosphere around the Sri Maha Bodhi changes. This sacred fig tree grew from a cutting of the tree beneath which the Buddha sat, brought here in the third century BC, and pilgrims gather at dusk to bring jasmine and lotus, kneel and chant. Walk quietly, remove your shoes and cover your shoulders and knees. It is a moving introduction to the city you will explore in full tomorrow.

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

You have a whole day for the first capital, which is the right amount of time. Anuradhapura flourished as a royal and religious centre for well over a thousand years and remains one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. UNESCO recognised its ruins in 1982, but it feels less like a museum and more like a working sacred site, with worshippers crossing the grounds in white.

Start early, before the sun is fierce. Your guide leads you to the two great white domes: Ruwanwelisaya, which gleams against the sky and is circled by a wall decorated with a long row of elephants, and Jetavanaramaya, a brick monument so large that it ranks among the tallest ancient structures in the world. Shoes come off before the sacred platforms, so socks are useful, since the stone gets hot by mid-morning. Between the monuments you pass old monastery foundations, bathing ponds and carved stone slabs, and the guide helps you read what you are looking at.

In the afternoon you drive to Mihintale, about 13 kilometres east of the city. The hill is regarded as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, because it is where the monk Mahinda is said to have met King Devanampiyatissa in the third century BC. A broad granite staircase of roughly 1,800 steps rises between frangipani trees to a whitewashed dagoba on the top, and the view over the plains is wide. Go barefoot on the sacred ground, dress modestly and carry water. The climb is gradual and the terraces offer many places to stop.

Back in Anuradhapura, you stay a second night, so there is no need to pack tonight.

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

After breakfast you leave the first capital and head east to its successor. Polonnaruwa took over as the seat of kings after the Chola invasion, and its great age ran from the eleventh century to the thirteenth. It is another UNESCO site, and it has a very different atmosphere from Anuradhapura: smaller, greener and arranged in a way that is easy to understand.

The key to the place is water. Vijayabahu ended the Chola occupation in 1070, and later King Parakramabahu, who ruled from 1153 to 1186, put his energy into irrigation. He built reservoirs on a scale that still impresses. The biggest of them, the Parakrama Samudra, laps against the edge of the ruins, and the rice harvests it supported are what kept the kingdom prosperous. Standing on the bund, with the water stretching away on one side and the ancient city on the other, you understand why he is remembered.

Your guide takes you through the sites in a logical order. The Vatadage is a round relic house with four entrances guarded by carved stones, and the royal palace stands in massive brick. Then you walk to Gal Vihara, where a single granite wall has been cut into a seated Buddha, a standing figure and a reclining one, serene and finely carved. Allow a couple of hours in all, and bring a hat.

Late in the afternoon you drive back towards Sigiriya for Pidurangala. The path goes past a small temple and ends in a scramble among boulders, and from the top the great fortress rock stands directly opposite, catching the last sun. Wear sturdy shoes. Then it is back to Polonnaruwa for the night, about an hour to an hour and a half by road.

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

Sigiriya has the best light and the smallest queues in the early morning, so you arrive soon after the gates open. The rock is a plug of ancient lava rising about 200 metres from the forest, and in the fifth century King Kashyapa made it his fortress and palace. You begin by walking through the Water Gardens, with their ponds and fountain beds, then climb a spiral stair to the sheltered pocket in the cliff where the painted maidens are found. These women, holding flowers and wearing jewellery, are among the oldest surviving paintings in the country, and photography is not allowed in the gallery.

Next comes the Mirror Wall. Its polished surface was once so smooth that the king could supposedly see his reflection, and visitors from later centuries scratched poems on it. Higher up, two huge stone paws mark the place where a lion gateway stood before the final climb. About 1,200 steps in total lead up to the summit, where foundations, pools and terraces spread across the top, and the view takes in lakes and forest. Allow around three hours, and carry water.

You then have lunch and a break before the afternoon trip to Dambulla, a short drive away. Five caves lie beneath the overhanging rock, which is about 160 metres high, and they have been a place of worship since long before the Christian era. Walls and ceilings are covered with painted scenes, and rows of Buddha figures sit in the dim light: 153 of them, along with statues of three kings and four deities. UNESCO listed the site in 1991. You remove your shoes at the entrance steps, so wear socks and keep shoulders and knees covered.

Return to Sigiriya for the night.

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

The road to Kandy takes about three hours, but the day is better if you take it slowly. After breakfast you leave the dry plains behind and wind into the hills, stopping first in Matale. This market town lies about 25 kilometres from Kandy and is known for its spice gardens, the best of which let you walk among the plants rather than just look at jars.

Your guide introduces them one at a time. Cinnamon is peeled from the inner bark of a small tree, pepper climbs a post as a vine, cardamom grows low in the shade, and cloves are picked as buds before they open. You learn which plants go into the island's curries and which are used in Ayurvedic oils and herbal remedies. The gardens belong to a farmers' cooperative with a small training and processing unit, which helps keep prices fair, and the shop sells spices and balms at modest prices, though you are free to buy nothing.

In Kandy you drop your bags at the hotel and head to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, beside the lake. The relic of the Buddha is said to have arrived in the fourth century, carried secretly in the hair of a princess from Orissa, and for centuries the kings of the hill country who held it were seen as the legitimate rulers of the island. The temple has golden roofs and carved wooden pillars, and a steady line of worshippers carries lotus flowers inside. Dress modestly and remove your shoes.

At five o'clock a cultural show begins in a nearby hall. It lasts around an hour, with drummers, masked and costumed dancers and fire-walkers.

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

Kandy rewards a slower pace, so this day is spread out with room to wander. After breakfast you visit a gem museum and workshop. Sapphires from Sri Lanka have been prized for centuries, and the island also yields rubies, topaz, moonstone and garnet. The display cases hold raw and polished stones side by side, a model of a traditional mine shows how miners dug through gravel by hand, and a short film follows the stones from pit to workshop. You can then watch how cutters and setters make jewellery in gold and silver, and visit the showroom, though there is no pressure to buy.

Lunch is a good moment to take a walk around the lake in the middle of town. The path circles the water beneath old trees, and white egrets and cormorants wait on the small island and shore. Your driver-guide can suggest somewhere simple to eat nearby.

Late in the afternoon you drive to Peradeniya, about 5 km west of Kandy, where the Royal Botanic Gardens fill a bend of the Mahaweli river. This is a place where plant lovers could spend a week. The site began as a pleasure garden for a medieval queen, later became a royal residence, and in the nineteenth century it was developed as a scientific botanic garden under the British. It holds more than 4,000 species, including an orchid house, a spice garden and a long avenue of tall palms and giant trees. Wide lawns make it very easy to walk, and shade is plentiful. Two hours is comfortable.

Then you return to your hotel for a free evening.

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

Today the programme turns from culture to adventure. After breakfast you drive for about two hours from Kandy to Kitulgala, a small town in the rainforest beside the Kelani river. You may recognise the scenery: the David Lean film The Bridge on the River Kwai was shot here in 1957, and the town has since become the island's capital of outdoor sport.

The first activity is abseiling beside a waterfall. Instructors fit your harness and helmet, explain the signals and then lower you down the rock face with the water running beside you, so you can take it as slowly as you like. Later you walk for about 1.5 km through forest to the Kataran-Oya rock pools, a chain of seven natural pools linked by little cascades. The water is cool and clear, and the pools are a lovely place to swim. For the more adventurous there are two classic Kitulgala activities here: the stream slide, where you ride the current down a smooth channel, and the confidence jump, where you leap into a deep pool from a ledge. Both are optional and supervised.

If the river is running well, white-water rafting on the Kelani is available as an extra, with a guide in each raft. Activity fees are paid separately and the staff can tell you which options suit your fitness. Bring quick-drying clothes, a change of dry clothes, sandals with straps and a towel. Swimming ability is useful for the pools.

You overnight in Kitulgala, with the sound of the forest after dark.

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

Today is mainly about moving into position, and it is a gradual, scenic day. After breakfast you leave the rainforest and climb into the central hills, where the vegetation turns from jungle to tea. Terraced slopes are covered in neat bushes, and women pickers carry baskets on their backs. The drive takes a good part of the day, so the schedule leaves room for photo stops at viewpoints, a roadside tea break and lunch whenever you feel hungry.

You end the day in the small settlement near the foot of Adam's Peak, known locally as Sri Pada. This conical mountain, about 2,240 metres high, is sacred to four religions. Buddhists believe the hollow in the summit rock is a footprint left by the Buddha, Hindus say it belongs to Shiva, and Christians and Muslims associate it with Adam, who is said to have first set foot on earth here. For centuries pilgrims have climbed the thousands of steps through the night to be at the top for sunrise.

Your guide gives you a briefing this evening. Wear warm layers, because the summit is cold and windy before dawn. Bring a torch, water, snacks and shoes with good grip, and carry a little cash for tea stalls on the way. Go to bed very early, since you will be woken in the middle of the night. The main climbing season runs roughly from December to May, when the path is lit and busy with pilgrims; outside this period, the stalls are closed and the weather is less predictable, so your guide will decide whether the ascent is wise and suggest an alternative if it is not.

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

The day begins in the middle of the night. At around two in the morning you set out from the trailhead with your guide, and for the next few hours you climb stair after stair in a slow river of pilgrims, many of them in white. In season the route is strung with lights, and tea stalls and small shrines mark places to stop. Take it at your own pace. The steps are steep in places, the air thins and it gets colder as you rise, but the atmosphere is friendly and everyone is moving towards the same goal.

At the summit the crowd gathers to watch the sky lighten. When the sun rises, the mountain throws a perfect triangular shadow across the land below, a famous sight when the air is clear. A small shrine holds the sacred footprint, and a bell rings each time a pilgrim completes the climb. Allow time to warm up before heading down; the descent is hard on the knees, so walking poles help.

Back at the bottom, you have breakfast, rest and then drive on to Nuwara Eliya, the hill station at about 1,900 metres, nicknamed Little England. In the afternoon, if you have the energy, your guide shows you the town: the market, the old colonial bungalows and the Hakgala Botanical Gardens, which are known for roses, tree ferns and orchids, with monkeys and blue magpies in the trees. The Seetha Amman Temple nearby is linked with the Ramayana. If you are too tired, simply rest, because the evening air is chilly and a hot drink by the fire is the best reward.

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

After a good breakfast in the cool hills you drive to Ella, which takes about three hours by road, with the scenery changing from tea and vegetable fields to drier, more open valleys. On the way you stop at two of the area's best-known sights, both close to the village.

Ravana Falls drops about 82 feet from a round rock face, close to the road and inside a small wildlife sanctuary. In rainy periods, the water spreads in a shape that people compare with a drooping areca flower, while in dry months the flow shrinks dramatically, so what you see depends on the season. The name comes from King Ravana in the Ramayana, and local stories say he hid his captive in caves nearby.

The Nine Arch Bridge near Demodara was commissioned by the British in 1921 and is nearly a century old. The arches are made of stone and cement with no steel or concrete supports, and they swing in a curve across a gully full of jungle and tea. People gather on the nearby slopes to photograph trains as they cross, so your guide will check the timetable and bring you at the right moment. Wear walking shoes, because the approach path can be muddy.

Check in at your hotel in Ella and take some time to relax. The scenic railway between Nanu Oya and Ella is one of the island's famous journeys, and if you would like to ride it, we can swap it in for today's road transfer. Tickets are bought separately and seats must be booked in advance.

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

There is nothing fixed on today's programme, and that is deliberate. After a run of early starts, a full day in one place gives you time to see Ella properly, and the hill-country air makes it easy to unwind.

For a short walk, Little Adam's Peak is the obvious choice. The trail begins close to the village and takes about an hour, winding through tea bushes to a ridge with a long view down the Ella Gap. It is gentle enough for most people, and sunrise or late afternoon are the best times. Ella Rock is the harder alternative, a longer and steeper hike that is better done with a local guide. Both walks are optional.

If you prefer to stay in the village, the main street is lined with relaxed cafes, small shops and tea rooms. Spend a morning with a book, order a long lunch or book a cookery class or a massage. You can also look at a train crossing the Nine Arch Bridge again, or take a short ride on the hill railway from Ella station, with tickets available separately.

A short walk to a viewpoint at sunset, or a hot drink on a terrace as the valley turns blue, is all the plan you need. Evenings in Ella are mild and often misty. Dine early, because tomorrow takes you down to the lowlands for the first safari of the tour.

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

After breakfast you leave the hills behind and descend to the flat, hot south-east. The drive from Ella to Tissamaharama takes about two hours, and the change in landscape is dramatic: terraces give way to scrub forest, village tanks and open ground.

Check in at your hotel in Tissamaharama, which is the usual base for visits to Yala and Bundala. If you have time, have a look at the ancient Tissa Wewa reservoir and the gleaming white stupa beside it. Rest through the hottest hours, because the evening is for wildlife.

In the afternoon you head to Yala in an open 4x4 jeep with an experienced tracker. The park is the most visited wildlife area in the country and is known for having one of the highest concentrations of leopards recorded anywhere, though they are elusive. You may also see elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, wild boar, peacocks and dozens of bird species, and the park has been described as the finest safari destination in Sri Lanka. A safari usually lasts around three hours. Wear neutral colours, and bring binoculars, a hat, insect repellent and a light jacket for the ride back at dusk. Entry fees and jeep hire are paid separately. Wildlife is never certain, but the chances of a good sighting are high, and the golden hour at the waterholes is worth the trip in itself.

You return to the hotel for a late dinner and an early night.

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

This is a day of two different pleasures: history in the morning and the beach at night. After breakfast you drive roughly three hours west to Galle, following the south coast, with the road running close to the sea for much of the way.

Galle Fort is a UNESCO site and one of the best-preserved colonial towns in Asia. The Portuguese began it in 1588, and from 1649 the Dutch rebuilt it with thick walls and bastions, turning it into a profitable spice-trading harbour that lasted for over two hundred years before the British arrived. The grid of streets inside the walls still follows the Dutch plan. A local guide can lead you on a walking tour that explains the stories behind the buildings, and you will pass the white lighthouse, the clock tower and the Dutch Reformed church, known as the Groote Kerk, as well as museums and merchants' houses with deep verandahs. Many are now boutiques, galleries and cafes.

Save time for the ramparts. Walking the wall on the seaward side, with waves breaking on the rocks below, is the best way to see the whole fort, and the light in the late afternoon is lovely. Then drive on for about 45 minutes to Mirissa. This is a curve of golden sand with palm trees and relaxed beach restaurants, and it is the island's main base for whale watching. Boats leave early in the morning, usually between November and April, and dolphins are often seen as well.

Settle into your hotel and walk down to the beach for a final sunset.

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

Your last morning belongs to the sea. Have a final swim or a slow breakfast, and then your driver-guide takes you north to the airport, a drive of roughly four hours, so the start time depends on your flight. If your flight is late and you travel in whale season, ask us about an early boat trip before you leave. Otherwise, you can use the road time to watch the coast pass one last time. We hope the island has lived up to its name for you.

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