This eleven-day journey traces the arc of Sri Lanka’s history from its ancient sacred cities through its highland tea kingdom to its colonial southern coast – a route that connects the island’s most extraordinary landscapes, cultures and wildlife in a logical, unhurried progression. Staying in a selection of Sri Lanka’s finest boutique properties throughout, the Grand Ceylon Heritage Journey is the definitive luxury introduction to this island.
Arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport and transfer to the historic coastal city of Negombo. Settle into The Wallawwa – a restored colonial manor set within tropical gardens – and spend the evening recovering from travel with a sunset garden walk and dinner on the terrace. Overnight at The Wallawwa, Negombo.
A scenic countryside drive through Sri Lanka’s lush interior leads to the Cultural Triangle. En route, visit the remarkable Dambulla Cave Temple complex. Check in to your nature resort overlooking the Sigiriya Rock – the view from your room is itself the evening’s entertainment. Overnight at Water Garden Sigiriya.
Rise early for the sunrise climb of Sigiriya Rock Fortress – Sri Lanka’s most iconic UNESCO World Heritage Site – before the heat and the crowds arrive. Spend the afternoon in Minneriya National Park where elephant herds converge around the reservoir in numbers that regularly exceed a hundred individuals. Overnight at Water Garden Sigiriya.
Drive east to Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital of Sri Lanka, for a private guided exploration of the Royal Palace, the Gal Vihara rock sculptures and the extraordinary temple and reservoir complex that made Polonnaruwa one of the great planned cities of the ancient world. Return to the tranquil Sigiriya landscape for the evening. Overnight at Water Garden Sigiriya.
Scenic drive to Kandy through the spice-growing country of Matale, stopping at a traditional spice and herb garden where the origins of Sri Lanka’s colonial spice trade are demonstrated among the living plants. Arrive in Kandy for a guided visit to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and an evening Kandyan cultural dance performance. Overnight at Kings Pavilion, Kandy.
Journey through the tea country to Nuwara Eliya, stopping at a working tea plantation and factory to learn about the cultivation and processing of Ceylon tea. Check in to Ceylon Tea Trails in Hatton – a collection of restored colonial bungalows set within a working tea estate that offers one of the finest accommodation experiences in Sri Lanka. Overnight at Ceylon Tea Trails, Hatton.
Board the famous hill country railway for one of the world’s great scenic train journeys – a slow, swaying descent through cloud forest and tea plantation from the highlands to Ella in the south. Explore Nine Arches Bridge and the surrounding tea estate scenery on arrival. Overnight at 98 Acres Resort & Spa, Ella.
A scenic drive through the southern plains delivers you to Yala National Park – Sri Lanka’s premier wildlife destination and the world’s most leopard-dense protected area per square kilometre. An afternoon safari with specialist naturalist guides covers the park’s coastal lagoons, grasslands and dry forest in the golden light that makes wildlife photography exceptional here. Overnight at Wild Coast Tented Lodge, Yala.
Continue along the southern coastline to the extraordinary Galle Fort – a UNESCO-listed Dutch colonial walled city of cobblestoned streets, boutique galleries, colonial churches and an ocean rampart walk that delivers some of the finest sunset views on the southern coast. Overnight at Amangalla, Galle Fort.
A full leisure day along Sri Lanka’s southern coast – the morning at liberty for swimming, spa treatments or a stroll through the fort’s boutique streets, the afternoon for whatever the Indian Ocean suggests. Overnight at Amangalla, Galle Fort.
Scenic coastal expressway transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for departure. End of the Grand Ceylon Heritage Journey.
