DAY 1 Negombo
Your tour commences with an arrival transfer to your hotel in the seaside village of Negombo.

Stay at: Jetwing Sea (4 star) or similar

DAY 2 Negombo – Sigiriya
Depart Negombo and travel past small villages, chaotic towns and roadside carts toward the ancient heart of Sri Lanka. En route, you will have the option to visit the Selyn craft factory in Kurunegala and see the traditional handloom weaving. Your journey continues to the spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya. Spend the afternoon exploring the "Lion Rock," one of Sri Lanka’s most iconic sights. Take the opportunity to climb to the top of this striking rock with its vertical walls supporting the remnants of an ancient city constructed in the 5th century.

Stay at: Aliya Resort (4 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

DAY 3 Sigiriya - Polonnaruwa - Sigiriya
Explore the ancient royal capital of Polonnaruwa, one of the most beautiful cities in Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage. Discover on foot, or by bicycle (optional), the wonderful treasures that remain in the archaeological park including the four beautiful rock-cut Buddha statues at Gal Vihara Temple. This afternoon join a jeep safari in the Minneriya National Park, one of the best places in Sri Lanka to see wild elephants. Year round you can see the Asian elephant in this special location, but the best time of year is during the dry season when the rivers dry up and the elephant herds congregate for what is known as "The Gathering" - believed to be the largest gathering of Asian elephants in the world.

Stay at: Aliya Resort (4 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

DAY 4 Sigiriya – Dambulla – Kandy
Proceed to Kandy, stopping en-route to visit the Dambulla Cave Temple, the best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. This Buddhist place of worship is thought to date back to the 1st century and houses the country’s most sacred Buddha images. Not far from Kandy is the Matale spice garden, here you will be introduced to different spices and shown how some spices are grown and processed. The gardens are a delightful place to stroll in fragrant greenery and learn about nutmeg, pepper vines, clove trees and curry, cinnamon and the precious cardamom, a relative of ginger. On to Kandy for an evening of cultural experiences, beginning with a visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic to witness the evening "Pooja" offering, followed by a colourful Kandyan Dance performance featuring a spectacular display by fire-walkers.

Stay at: Cinnamon Citadel (4 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

DAY 5 Kandy – Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast, enjoy a scenic city drive through Kandy. Set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, the city’s heart is the picturesque Kandy Lake (Bogambara Lake), a popular spot for a morning stroll. Kandy is famed for its sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, said to hold the tooth of the Lord Buddha himself.

Your journey then continues to the hill station of Nuwara Eliya, affectionately known as ‘Little England’. You will travel via the Hatton Road, a beautiful and different route that offers stunning views of the St Claire and Devon waterfalls. For those seeking a bit of adventure, the drive passes through Kitulgala, where you can enjoy optional white-water rafting if interested. Arrive in this mountainous, tea-growing region where the colourful chaos of Sri Lanka meets colonial bungalows and well-tended lawns.

Stay at: Araliya Green Hills (4 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast and dinner

DAY 6 Nuwara Eliya – Colombo
Descend from the high country as you return down the coast to explore the capital city of Colombo, en route visit the Glenloch Tea Estate and Tea Factory where you can learn how the famous Ceylon Tea is cultivated, dried and packed. In Colombo, you will explore the country's capital which is a diverse mix of people, architecture and religion influenced by ancient kingdoms and European settlers. Your guided tour will visit Pettah Bazaar, Wolvendaal Dutch Church, Gotami Vihara, Independence Hall and Hindu Kovil at Slave Island, one of Colombo’s most impressive Hindu Temples.

Stay at: Movenpick Hotel (4 star) or similar
Meals included: Breakfast

DAY 7 Colombo
Your tour concludes with a departure transfer to the airport for your onward journey.

Meals included: Breakfast