From its tangled jungles to coastal surf beaches, historic sites from past civilisations, and abundant wildlife, Sri Lanka is a treasure trove to be delicately uncovered on this wonderful 17-day Travel Associates Signature Itinerary.
There is so much to be seen and experienced in Sri Lanka, the ‘Pearl of the Indian Ocean’. Visit the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya (Lion Rock), and if you are fit enough, climb all the way to the top up 1200 steps. Marvel at the Dambulla Cave Temple, a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries with five sanctuaries. Admire the giant stupas at Anuradhapura – the first ancient capital – and Polonnaruwa, the second ancient capital with its Sacred Quadrangle. In Kandy, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Lanka’s most important shrine. Head for the hills to see the tea plantations, witness the locals fishing on stilts in Galle and search for leopards in Yala National Park.
Sri Lanka awaits. Check out our exceptional itinerary here.
DAYS ONE AND TWO – COLOMBO
Fly in to Colombo to a warm welcome and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel – one of the most lavish boutique properties in Colombo. Nestled between leafy Park Street and the lakeside Buddhist shrine of Gangarama, Uga Residence is a grand Victorian townhouse that once welcomed British governors, Indian maharajas, European nobility and the cream of colonial Ceylon society. Today, the Residence is a unique 11-suite luxury hotel, owned and managed by Uga Escapes. With its spacious, leafy gardens and private courtyards, its gourmet restaurant, swimming pool, gym, bar, the Residence is a refined choice for long or short stays in Colombo. On day two, relax and enjoy the property in the morning, and then embark on a walking tour in the city with Colombo local and passionate photographer, Mark Forbes. See some of the spectacular architecture, learn what being Sri Lankan is all about, and all the while, Mark will take beautiful photos of you in this colourful, vibrant city that you can take home as a memento.
ACCOMMODATION: Uga Residence
Day 2 Colombo
Free morning to relax Late afternoon, meet Colombo local and passionate photographer, to enjoy a personal walking tour by Mark Forbes - A city walk through the city of Colombo, where you can experience firsthand the borrowed words from the Portuguese to the amazing architecture the Dutch/English left behind, see the vision and love the Englishman had for this land - all while learning and experiencing what being "Sri Lankan" is all about. And most of all, to give that photographer in your midst the opportunity to create a masterpiece of Colombo City. With this personalized walk, we guarantee to engage your senses and set it all a-buzz as you will experience (safe) local food and beverages.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Personal City Walking Tour with Local photographer Mark Forbes
ACCOMMODATION: Uga Residence
DAYS THREE TO FIVE – ANURADHAPURA
From Colombo, transfer to Heritage-listed Anuradhapura, the heart of the Cultural Triangle. On the way, visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage that has been caring for abandoned and injured elephants since 1975 with 71 elephants calling the sanctuary home. Once in Anuradhapura, check into your luxury eco-resort, Uga Ulagalla. Once the ancestral estate of local Anuradhapura nobility, it features a 150-year-old mansion at its centre, with 25 private, ecologically built villas with private pools, spread across 23 hectares of lush greenery. A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Uga Ulagalla is close to the archaeological sites in Anuradhapura and an hour away from the great rock fortress of Sigiriya.
It will be an early start on day four for your visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sigiriya, home to the 5th-century ‘Fortress in the Sky’. From the top, up those aforementioned 1200 steps, the 360-degree views over the surrounding jungle will be well worth it.
In the afternoon explore Polonnaruwa, the capital of Sri Lanka from 11th – 13th centuries. The remains of the city offer an impressive and delightful picture into medieval Sri Lanka, with beautiful shrine ruins, frescoes from the Polonnaruwa period, stupas and statues.
On the morning of day five let the smells and tastes of Sri Lanka envelop you with an organic garden tour and cooking class at Ulagalla. Handpick vegetables and herbs on a tour with the chef, ready for your cooking class, so you can recreate the flavours of Sri Lanka at home. In the afternoon, take to two wheels to explore Anuradhapura, once the capital of the ancient Sinhalese kingdoms. Anuradhapura is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient, ruined cities, founded in the fifth century BC before being abandoned after an invasion. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagabas, with one dating back to the 2nd century BC, and its most revered relic being the sacred Boa Tree, planted 2250 years ago – making it the oldest tree in the world.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, visit to Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sri Lankan Cooking class at Ulagallae
ACCOMMODATION: Uga Ulugalla
DAYS SIX AND SEVEN – KANDY
This morning travel from Anuradhapura to Kandy, the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings. Stop at Dambulla on the way, Sri Lanka’s greatest cave-temple complex and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Dambulla is famous for the five cave temples on a rock. Some caves date back to the 1st-century BC. All the five cave walls and ceilings are covered with Buddhist murals and resplendent frescoes with more than 130 Buddha statues, statues of Gods and Kings and deities housed within the caves. From here continue to Kandy and check into your luxury accommodation at Kings Pavilion, an exclusive escape that will offer you an extraordinary perspective on the majesty of the hill capital of Sri Lanka. Surrounded by misty mountains and verdant greenery, the Kings Pavilion gives you an experience akin to royalty.
On day seven, relax in the morning before taking a city tour of Heritage-listed Kandy, the hill capital. Kandy is an example of Buddhism’s influence in Sri Lanka today with temples, shrines and monasteries. To Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the world, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the Dalada Maligawa – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. It is said to house one of Buddha’s teeth. Be entertained this evening by the unique music and traditional dance at a Kandyan Cultural Show.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Dambulla, Sri Lanka's greatest cave-temple complex, Kandyan Cultural Show.
ACCOMMODATION: Kings Pavilion Kandy
DAYS EIGHT AND NINE – HATTON
From Kandy station, ride the stunning scenic railway through the Sri Lanka highlands to the hill station of Hatton. Enjoy the beautiful views of green-carpeted tea estates as the train wends its way up the mountains, where a warm welcome awaits, as well as a transfer to your home – the Dunkeld Bungalow at the Ceylon Tea Trails. Dunkeld is one of five colonial-era planters’ bungalows, packed with period furnishings. Each bungalow features your own housekeeper, chef and butler – Ceylon Tea Trails really sets the gold standard for luxury in Sri Lanka. Your afternoon is free to explore the tea gardens before enjoying the gourmet cuisine.
After the butler brings you a cup of tea in bed, prepare to learn all about tea production from the fields to the factory, on a morning tour through tea country. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, either a walk or an adventure trek is a delightful way to experience the varied landscapes, exotic flora, abundant birdlife and the sweet rhythm of life in a tea garden. Take in vistas of mountain lakes, manicured tea gardens, forests and villages.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Scenic Rail Journey through the Sri Lanka highlands, Tea Tour through Tea Country
DAYS 10 AND 11 – YALA NATIONAL PARK
This morning travel southeast to your exclusive wilderness eco-camp located at Yala National Park. On the way, visit Ella, an essential stop on any Sri Lankan itinerary, with its majestic views of tea plantations and waterfalls. and stunning views. There will also be a stop to take photos of the spectacular Nine Arches viaduct bridge enroute to your accommodation – Uga Chena Huts, which nestle between the Indian Ocean, verdant jungle and a saltwater lake. This property features 18 luxurious private cabins that offer awe-inspiring views of the surrounding wilderness and seascape. Guests of Chena Huts overlook a beach where sea-turtles come to lay eggs by moonlight and elephants wander down from the nearby jungle to play in the surf. Rise early the next morning for a game drive, spotting wildlife as the park comes to life. Go trekking for leopards, sloth bears, elephants and other wild animals, together with 200 bird species making this park their home. Return for breakfast and a day of leisure, having a swim in your private pool. As dusk arrives head back out for another thrilling game drive. .
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Game Drives through the National Park
ACCOMMODATION: Uga Chena Huts
DAYS 12 TO 14 – TANGALLE
This morning, travel west along the southern coast to Tangalle where you can then settle into your stunning seaside resort, Anantara Peace Heaven Tangalle Resort, for a few days of free time, rest and relaxation. Located near the old fort town of Tangalle, Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort is located on a cliff in a large coconut plantation boasting panoramic sea views. Anantara Peace Haven boasts 32 five-star private villas featuring individual plunge pools with highly trained personal butlers at your service. All villas are fitted with a wine humidor, a fully stocked personal bar and an espresso machine, Bose sound systems, separate rain showers, a bath tub and Thermae bath products. Perhaps you might like a spa treatment at the sublime Anantara Spa, or you might prefer to laze by the outdoor swimming pool.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE:Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle Resort
ACCOMMODATION: Kings Pavillion
DAYS 15 AND 16 – GALLE
Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, travel down the coast to the seaside city of Galle, stopping on the way to watch the incredible ‘stilt fishermen’ in action. In the afternoon join a local heritage expert who will take you on an absorbing walking tour of Galle Fort. Built by the Dutch in 1663, the fort is the largest remaining European fortress in Asia. Your home for the next two nights is Fort Bazaar, a handsome merchant’s home-turned-boutique hotel. Fort Bazaar offers 18 stylish guestrooms and fresh, contemporary interiors invoking a Middle Eastern vibe. Positioned on Church Street within a UNESCO-listed 17th century fort, this spa hotel in Galle promises serenity, high-end service and gourmet modern dining, and makes a very welcoming retreat from the bustling cobbled streets of Galle Fort..
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE: Walking tour of Galle Fort
ACCOMMODATION: Fort Bazaar
DAY 17 – COLOMBO – HOME
Transfer to Colombo in time for your onward flight, home..
YOUR LUXURY INCLUSIONS
- 2 nights accommodation at Uga Residence Colombo in a Park Suite.
- Breakfast daily A glass house of wine per person during dinner
- 3 nights accommodation at Uga Ulagalla Anuradhapura in a One Bedroom Pool Villa.
- Half board daily 1 round of Archery or Jungle Kayaking
- 2 nights accommodation at Kings Pavillion Kandy in a Suite.
- Breakfast daily 35% Spa Discount or one complimentary lunch
- 2 nights accommodation at Dunkeld Bungalow (Ceylon Tea Trails) Hatton in a Garden Suite
- All meals
- 2 nights accommodation at Uga Chena Huts Yala in a Luxury Cabin
- All meals Bonfire Dinner
- 3 nights accommodation at Anantara Peace Haven Tangalle in an Ocean View Pool Villa
- Breakfast daily
- 2 nights accommodation at Fort Bazaar Galle in a Bazaar Room.
- Breakfast daily
- English speaking Chauffeur guide for the entire trip
- Air-conditioned private vehicle for all transport services.
- Entrance fees at monuments and places of visits as per itinerary.
- Cooking Class in Anuradhapura
- Two Game Drives at Yala National Park
- Train ride from Kandy to Hatton
- Walking Tour with Mark Forbes
- Assistance by English speaking representative for airport to hotel to airport transfers
- The service of a dedicated travel advisor to manage your booking and host your experience