Description
Sri Lanka is a compact Indian Ocean island with a rich cultural history and a wealth of flora and fauna. The diversity of the terrain is amazing - one can drive from gorgeous beaches through rain forests and upland plateaus and arrive in the heart of the beautiful highland tea region within a day.
After your flight from London we suggest a night relaxing at The Wallawwa, a beautiful boutique hotel only 20 minutes from the airport. The following morning travel to the area known as the Cultural Triangle via Pinawella Elephant Orphanage on the way. The Cultural Triangle's holds the main focus of the islands Buddhist heritage, with the remains of various cities, temples and monuments dating back over 2300 years and is a fascinating education into what has shaped this wonderful land.
Continue to the town of Kandy via the Dambulla Cave Temples and glorious spice gardens. Kandy is the current home to the sacred Buddha relic, the Temple of the Tooth, it also boasts fabulous Botanical Gardens and a moving Commonwealth War Memorial which are both well worth a visit.
As short drive from Kandy, set up in the hills on its own working tea estate is the stunning Lavender House, a serene place to relax and walk and take in some of the most spectacular views Sri Lanka has to offer as well as being the region where Sri Lanka’s greatest export is grown.
Moving further south spend two nights luxury camping, a fantastic safari experience in one of Sri Lanka’s exemplary wildlife parks, Uda Walawe, excellent for spotting wild elephants, before heading to the spoiling Kahanda Kanda, a fantastic base from which to explore the historic city of Galle and the local beaches, when not immersed in the magical beauty of the property itself.
Not forgetting the coast, then travel up to the infamous town of Bentota and The Villa Bentota, a little nugget of luxury service and design with a fantastic pool and access to an amazing beach just over the railway line, the ideal spot to top up your tan.
Finally before flying home, it is well worth spending a night in Colombo to indulge in a little last minute shopping and indeed to take in the creation which is Casa Colombo a historic home, converted from a neglected ruin to the capitals most imaginative and quirky hotel.
Please see our itinerary below. It is a suggested itinerary and can be tailored to suit your individual needs.
Guide price
£3,500 Per Person
£3,500 Per person for 18 nights, based on 2 people sharing including international flights and private transfers.
Itinerary
When to travel
The driest seasons are from December to March for the west & south and the Hill Country & from April to September for the ancient cities region. There is also an inter-monsoonal period in October and November when rain can occur in many parts of the island. The weather doesn’t follow strict rules, though – it often seems to be raining where it should be sunny & sunny where it should be raining.
July/August is the time of the Kandy Esala Perahera, as well as Kataragama festival in the South
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
Sri Lanka
Colombo, The Cultural Triangle, Kandy, The Hill Country, Ude Walawe, Galle, Bentota,
