Whales, Wildlife & Ancient Cities – 4-Star Hotels

Leave Colombo early after breakfast. The drive north to Dambulla takes about four hours, with a coffee or lunch stop on the way, and the landscape shifts from palms to paddy fields as you go. Dambulla's cave temple is your first heritage site: five caves under a vast overhanging rock, reached by a short climb up stone steps. Monks have worshipped here since the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, and the caves hold 153 Buddha images, a trio of kings, four gods and goddesses, and murals that cover the ceilings. Shoes come off at the gate, and shoulders and knees should be covered.

From there it is a short drive to a village near Sigiriya for the programme's rural afternoon. You ride in a bullock cart past paddy fields, glide across the lake in a traditional canoe, visit a chena plot, watch a village cook prepare rice and curries over a wood fire and sit down for an authentic home-cooked lunch. Since there is a long way still to go, your driver-guide keeps the timing flexible.

In the late afternoon you continue to Anuradhapura, roughly one and a half to two hours further. This was the island's first great capital and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. UNESCO listed the sacred city in 1982, and Theravada Buddhism flourished here for centuries. At dusk you visit the Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred fig grown from a sapling of the tree under which the Buddha is said to have found enlightenment, planted in the 3rd century BC, and the huge white stupas such as Ruwanwelisaya and Jetavanaramaya, where pilgrims still make offerings. Dress modestly and go barefoot. Your hotel is in the new town nearby.

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

This is the richest day of the programme, and it begins gently. After a late breakfast, you head east towards Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital that took over from Anuradhapura. King Vijayabahu drove out the Chola invaders in 1070 and reunited the country, and a century later King Parakramabahu, who ruled from 1153 to 1186, built the vast reservoir network that fed the kingdom's rice fields. Its centrepiece, the Parakrama Samudra, is so large that it is called a sea. Today the ruins are spread across shaded ground: the circular Vatadage, the remains of the royal palace and the serene rock-cut Buddhas of Gal Vihara. Wear a hat and comfortable shoes,. Cycling between the main groups of ruins is a pleasant option if the weather is kind.

By lunchtime you return to Habarana for a rest. In the afternoon Sigiriya, only about 25 minutes away, comes into view. The programme looks at the fortress from outside, then climbs the neighbouring rock of Pidurangala, where a path winds past a small temple and finishes with a scramble over boulders. At the top you see Sigiriya's famous profile across the treetops, and no queue of fellow climbers blocks the view. Those who want the full 1,200-step climb of the fortress itself can swap it in as an option.

Late in the afternoon a jeep takes you to Minneriya, where an old reservoir forms the heart of the park. In the drier months herds of elephants gather along the shrinking shoreline, and a calm drive at golden hour often brings you close to family groups with calves. Because both Pidurangala and the safari prefer late light, your driver-guide will decide on the day which fits best, depending on the weather and the season. The jeep fee is paid separately.

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

After breakfast, the road climbs out of the dry zone towards Kandy. It takes roughly three hours, but the stop at Matale breaks the journey nicely. An Ayurveda spice garden here teaches you how the island's flavours grow. You walk between cardamom, pepper, cinnamon and clove, are shown how each is harvested and processed, and learn how herbs are used in traditional remedies. Plan on around an hour. You can buy spices if you want to, but you will not be pushed.

In Kandy, you check in, have a short rest and then walk to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic beside the lake. The relic is believed to be a tooth of the Buddha that reached the island hidden in the hair of a princess in the 4th century. For centuries the relic symbolised kingship, and keeping it was seen as the right to rule. The temple's drums, offerings and lotus flowers make a visit atmospheric whenever you go. Modest dress is expected and shoes are left at the entrance.

At around five in the afternoon you attend the traditional cultural show, which lasts about an hour. The performance combines Kandyan drumming, masked dances, acrobatics and a finale of fire-walking, and costumes are spectacular. Afterwards, stroll beside the lake in the cool of the evening or find supper close to your hotel. The old royal palace and the ring of ridges around the water give the town a restful, almost village-like feel at night, and the air is noticeably fresher than on the plains. Wear something warm if you plan to be out late.

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

Today you cross the high heart of the island, and it is a long day by road, so start early. The route from Kandy climbs through tea country to Nuwara Eliya, a drive of roughly three to four hours, and continues to Ella, another three hours or so. The scenery is the reward: terraces of tea that seem to be combed in perfect lines, waterfalls beside the road and villages on the slopes. If you would rather ride the famous scenic train for the last stretch, we can book seats from Nanu Oya to Ella, with the tickets bought separately.

In Nuwara Eliya, a cool town at about 1,900 m, stop to stretch your legs. Colonial bungalows, clipped lawns and flower beds earned it the nickname Little England, and you can look around the lake or market before heading on. Evenings are cold up here, so keep a jumper handy.

Continue down to Ella and visit the Nine Arch Bridge near Demodara. Built of stone blocks and cement in 1921 and curving across a green gorge, it is best seen when a blue train crosses. Then stop at Ravana Falls, about 82 ft high, which tumbles beside the main road and carries the name of a character from the Ramayana. It is wide and loud after rain and a slim ribbon in dry months. Check in to your hotel and relax in the village's cafés.

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

Take a slow morning in Ella. If you feel energetic, the walk to Little Adam's Peak takes about an hour through tea fields and gives you a broad view across the valley. Otherwise, enjoy breakfast on a terrace, wander the village and pack at your leisure. The drive from Ella to Tissamaharama takes roughly two hours, and the scenery changes rapidly as the road drops from the hills to the dry southern plains.

Check in to your hotel at Tissamaharama, a lakeside town and the main base for Yala, and rest through the hot early afternoon. Later, your jeep and tracker collect you for a safari, and you cross into the park as the light begins to soften. Yala has one of the highest densities of leopards known anywhere, so a patient search along the rocky outcrops and waterholes is sometimes rewarded. You may also see elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles, buffalo, peacocks and a great many birds. Nothing can be promised, but the afternoon drive is often the most atmospheric of the day. Take a hat, binoculars and a layer for the ride back in the dark. The tracker rides alongside your driver and shares news of sightings with other jeeps by radio, so it is worth being patient at a promising spot rather than rushing on. The park is also very good for birds, with peacocks, eagles and waterbirds along the lagoons, which keeps even a leopard-free hour interesting.

Return to Tissamaharama after sunset. The town is quiet, and a dinner by the Tissa Wewa lake at the heart of the old settlement is a pleasant way to end the day. The jeep fee is paid separately, and Yala has a seasonal closure, which your driver-guide will check before you travel.

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

After breakfast you head west along the south coast. The drive from Tissamaharama to Galle takes roughly three hours, and you can stop for a swim or a coconut at one of the quiet beaches on the way. Much of the road runs close to the sea, and you often see fishing boats pulled up on the sand.

Galle Fort is the main stop. The Portuguese began the fortification in 1588, and the Dutch greatly strengthened it from 1649 onwards, which is why it now looks like a miniature European town on a tropical headland. Walk the ramparts, which form a circuit with views of the sea on one side and tiled roofs on the other. You pass the lighthouse and the clock tower, and you can look into the Dutch Reformed Church. The grid of lanes inside holds boutiques, galleries, small museums and cafés, and an hour or two goes quickly. Late afternoon is the best time, when the stone turns gold.

Mirissa is about 45 minutes from Galle. The bay is a crescent of golden sand with palm trees behind it, and it has become the island's whale-watching hub. Arrive in time for the sunset, stroll along the beach and enjoy a seafood supper at one of the beachside restaurants. If you plan to go whale watching in the morning, ask your driver-guide to help arrange the boat. Boats leave at dawn, so an early night helps. Between the end of the season and the start of the next the sea is rougher and the trips pause, but the bay remains lovely for walks and for swimming in the calmer corners.

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

Travelling between about November and April? Then this is your whale-watching morning. Boats set off from Mirissa at first light, when the sea is calmest, and steam out to deep water where blue and sperm whales pass. Dolphins are seen on many trips, and the blue whale, the largest animal on Earth, is the one everyone hopes to see. No sighting can be promised, and the swell can be strong, so take a seasickness tablet if you are prone to it. The trip is optional, and the fee is paid separately. Outside the season the boats do not go out, and the morning becomes a beach morning.

Return to the beach for breakfast or an easy swim, and let the sun and sea take the rest of the morning. Later, your driver-guide takes you a short way up the coast to Hikkaduwa. The town is known for its coral reef, its shallow water with turtles and its lively strip of cafés along the shore. Glass-bottom boats and snorkelling trips set out from the beach, so you can see the reef without any special skills. Settle into your beach hotel, then enjoy a sunset walk on the sand and a relaxed dinner at one of the places by the water. Hikkaduwa has the longest-established beach scene on this coast, so there is a range of cafés, from quiet to lively, and you can choose the mood you like. Reef-safe sun cream and a rash vest help protect both your skin and the coral.

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

Today has no fixed programme. After a lazy breakfast, you can lie on the sand, swim, snorkel over the reef or take a glass-bottom boat ride to see coral and turtles. If you prefer something to do, your driver-guide can arrange a short outing: a boat trip through the mangroves of the Madu River, a visit to the turtle hatchery up the coast or a second walk around Galle Fort. Treat it as an optional extra, with fees paid separately. Otherwise, a massage, a long lunch and a book are a perfectly good plan.

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

After breakfast, check out and meet your driver-guide for the transfer to Colombo's airport. The journey from the south-west coast takes a few hours, so your driver sets the departure time according to your flight, allowing plenty of margin. If time allows, a last swim or a coconut by the beach is a gentle way to say goodbye before you sit back and watch the palm-fringed coast road go by. Your driver-guide helps with luggage and drops you at the departures hall, and you leave with a plan, if you like, for what to see on a next visit. Safe travels.

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