Welcome to Sri Lanka, the land like no other and 8 days of explorations with a local expert giving you the opportunity to touch the historical and cultural cities, the lush green tea estates & waterfalls in the hill-country, the best wildlife & exciting soft adventures, the beautiful golden sandy and remote beaches.

Upon arrival at Colombo CMB airport, you will meet your tour leader and you will be transferred to your hotel. (Can pick-up from any hotel at Colombo or Negombo as well). The first destination will be Negombo coastal town, which has long been known as the most popular beach in Sri Lanka, famous for its golden sandy beach, food and fun. For day one, we haven’t planned any activity, thus you are free to arrive in Sri Lanka at any time. If your flight arrives early in the day, we’ll arrage you a Negombo city tour. Evening, you may have a walk along the seashore while enjoying the beautiful sunset and the pleasant evening atmosphere of the beachside. Overnight stay in Negombo (few hotel options will be given to choose according to your preferences and budget with the quotation).

After enjoying a delicious breakfast with a hot cup of Sri Lankan tea or a coffee, you will take a wonderful journey across the stunning Sri Lankan countryside towards Dambulla city, which is the central point of the cultural triangle on the island. En-route, En-route to Dambulla, you’ll visit the Millennium Elephant Foundation. Take the opportunity to cuddle them, feed them and give them a bath at the nearby river.

Upon arrival at Dambulla, you’ll enjoy a wonderful cultural village tour while exploring the beautiful countryside. It will start with a Bullock Cart ride, one of the most ancient and prime transportation systems in Sri Lanka, still used in some villages. While on the tour, you will also enjoy a canoeing boat ride across the lake and TukTuk ride before reaching the farmer’s house where you will experience the typical Sri Lankan countryside hospitality. Overnight stay in Dambulla.

After breakfast, you will visit Sigiriya Lion Rock, an ancient rock fortress located near the town of Dambulla. King Kasyapa (477 – 495 BC) built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE and it is one of the best-preserved examples of an ancient architecture. Sigiriya refuses to reveal its secrets easily; in fact, you have to climb a series of vertiginous staircases to reach the top. On the way, you’ll pass quite remarkable frescoes and a pair of colossal lion paws carved into the bedrock.

Afterwards, your tour leader will take you to Minneriya/Kaudulla National Park for an afternoon safari, since it is the best time to spot wild elephants on their natural habitat. If you’re up for a serious rumble in the jungle, then Minneriya/Kaudulla is your ideal destination! Spreading over 8800 hectares, this park is mainly a sanctuary for elephants, but it is also home to herds of deer, bulls, wild boars and colorful birdlife. It is always a pleasure to watch baby elephants playing with water by the main lake of the park. This place is well known as the largest elephant gathering place in the world. In the evening, perhaps you could enjoy an “Ayurvedic” herbal treatment. Overnight stay in a nature-friendly resort – Dambulla.

After breakfast, visit the Royal Cave Temple and the Golden Buddha Statue (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE). Dambulla has the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. It has been treasured by many kings since the 1st century B.C. The rock towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains and houses 5 cave temples with some of the most unique and significant historical drawings. Thereafter, you will visit Matale Spice Garden. Then proceed towards Kandy, the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom. It’s set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and bio diverse rainforests. Kandy is also famous for its sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Tooth Relic. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a walk around Kandy’s busy city centre, including a tour of the Central Market, before engaging with a cultural dance show which is inspired by Sri Lankan arts, traditional dance and cultural heritage. Overnight stay in Kandy.

In the morning, In the morning, visit to Tiesh Gem Museum; get to know more about the World renowned and most prestigious Sri Lankan gems and jewellery in a gem museum tour. Thereafter, you will visit the Peradeniya Royal Garden, which is known as one of the best botanical gardens in Asia. You will walk through it by exploring the 300 varieties of orchids, a stately avenue of royal palms, the extraordinary, aptly named cannonball fruit tree and 40m-high Burma bamboo.

Another big hit is the giant Javan fig tree on the great lawn, with its colossal central trunk and umbrella-like canopy of branches. Thereafter, you’ll enjoy a wonderful journey through the lush green tea plantations, the scenic view of the mountains and the waterfalls towards the tea region of Nuwara Eliya. It is often referred to as “Little England” because many of the buildings in this city retain from the British colonial period, such as the Queen’s Cottage, the General’s House, the Grand Hotel, the Hill Club and the Town Post Office. Since this amazing town is located in the mountains, it is characterized by a cool climate all year long. Visit a tea plantation. Sri Lanka, tea and tourism are words which cannot be separated. Explore the cold and misty hills that host lush green blankets of tea plantations. You also have the opportunity to visit a tea factory processing the prestigious brand of Ceylon Tea, to observe a rich tradition kept alive up to date. Make sure to end your factory visit in style over a perfectly blended cup of tea. In the afternoon, you could spend your free time walking through Nuwara Eliya city center and the fruit and vegetable market. Try some snacks around lanes filled with ‘short eats’, street-food possibilities and bustling local eateries. Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.

In the morning, you will enjoy a spectacular train journey from Nanu-oya station to Ella village. It is known as one of the most picturesque hill country train journeys in the world. Ella is everyone’s favorite hill country village due to the fact that it’s a wonderful nature-friendly location. The Nine Arch Bridge, a major tourist attraction in Ella, is a massive bridge built entirely of solid rocks, bricks and cement without using a single piece of steel. Ella is a great place for walking and climbing and its most famous trekking route is to “Little Adam’s Peak”. In the evening, you could chill out at the village center where there are lots of restaurants, pubs and also evening entertainments. Ella is a stunning location that anyone who is visiting Sri Lanka should not miss out. Overnight stay in Ella Village.

In the morning, start your journey towards Yala National Park, the largest and most stunning national park in Sri Lanka. Thanks to a river running through it, Yala National Park is divided into two sections. Because the river makes crossing to the other side difficult, Yala is really treated as two separate parks. But that doesn’t change the fantastic offerings! Encompassing a range of diverse ecosystems, the park has an impressive variety of wildlife, including sloth bears, leopards and lots of colorful birds. Enjoy a 4×4 jeep ride searching for leopards hanging on trees or whispering through the bushes, crocodiles patrolling the river or wild baby elephants drinking water and playing around. Overnight stay in Yala.

After an amazing journey through the mountains and waterfalls, you have finally arrived at the world-famous beachside of Sri Lanka. In the morning, you will head towards Mirissa while enjoying the magnificent view of the Indian Ocean. Mirissa/Dickwella is a delightful sandy beach that was a well-kept secret in the past, but now more restaurants and pubs are opening up to visitors. Mirissa/Dickwella is also characterized by white sands and coconut palms growing right from the edge of the sea as if in imitation of a postcard of the perfect tropical beach. Upon arrival at your hotel, you could grab a towel to relax on the beach while enjoying a cocktail or a chill beer under the shade of a beach umbrella. In the evening, perhaps you could walk down along the seashore and you could find a seafront restaurant to try some authentic Sri Lankan seafood – a wonderful crab curry is likely to be on the menu. Overnight stay in Mirissa/Dickwella.

Early in the morning, hit back to the beautiful golden sandy beach and jump into a boat for an amazing ride on the sea to capture the blue whales and dolphins. Mirissa is one of the best places in the world to spot the biggest creature on the planet. Please note that whale watching is a SEASONAL activity. Thereafter, your tour leader will drive you along the southwest coast towards Galle, a city well known for its Fort (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE). It is the intersection where classic Dutch and British architecture meets a tropical setting, creating a vivid atmosphere in beauty. Walk through the streets listening to the creaks of wooden saloon doors and observe how European architecture mingles with South Asian traditions nowadays flooding cultural enthusiasts on a global scale. Historical Galle Lighthouse stands proudly on the southeast tip of the fort. Afternoon, you’ll visit a turtle hatchery center where baby turtles learn to take the first swim and injured adults are rehabilitated back into the wild. Both locals and international volunteers are battling for the protection of sea turtles since they are endangered creatures. Overnight stay in Bentota.

After breakfast, you will check-out from your hotel and you will be transferred to the airport for your short flight to Male (flight time-13.30 pm), Maldives (approx. 1.5 hours flight). After a wonderful tour around Sri Lanka now slow things down with a four-night relaxing beach stay in the Maldives. Upon arrival to Male, you will meet a hotel representative, who will transfer you to the hotel by a shared speed boat. Overnight stay in a cozy beach resort.

After breakfast, if you are up to it, you will enjoy a full-day or half-day island hopping. Your day starts with a speed boat ride that will take you to 3 different spots, perfect for going snorkelling and dolphin watching. As you snorkel in these unbelievably beautiful reefs, you will come across an abundance of marine life and a multitude of colourful fish. Manta rays, turtles and even sharks may be the highlight of the trip. Experience the thrill of a tiny desert beach, surrounded by crystal clear waters and the coral reef with the ultimate privacy. A packed lunch and bottled drinks are served to each guest on the sandbank. NOTE: This is an optional experience, thus it can be purchased separately from the resort.

After breakfast, if you are up to it, join a snorkeling trip. It is a fun and relaxing way to view the colorful and fascinating world just beneath the ocean’s surface. Snorkelers use a clear plastic mask and a short tube to breathe while floating face-down on the surface of the water. This way you can observe coral and marine life without scaring away the fish with your movements and without having to come up for air every minute. Just floating and being immersed in the underwater scenery is enough to escape the hurdles we encounter in everyday life. There are different locations where you can see a totally different environment with different fishes and sea creatures. NOTE: This is an optional experience, thus it can be purchased separately from the resort.

It’s a free day: after breakfast, you could spend your time relaxing on the beach or exploring the underwater sea life. Optional: explore the historic city of Male, capital of the Maldives, and get a sense of ordinary life for the locals. Male is one of the smallest capitals in the world with several great local and cultural attractions such as the Male National Museum, Mulee-aage Palace, Male Friday Mosque and local markets, among others. NOTE: This is an optional experience, thus it can be purchased separately from the resort.

Today is your last day in beautiful Maldives. After breakfast, you will check-out from the hotel and you will be transferred to the airport by a shared speed boat