Explore Sri Lanka — 12 Days

Welcome to Sri Lanka. Met by your driver-guide at Bandaranaike International Airport, transfer to a comfortable beach hotel in nearby Negombo. Recover from your flight at leisure or stroll the lagoon and visit Saint Mary's Cathedral. Welcome dinner.

Drive north to Anuradhapura — the ancient first capital of Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Afternoon tour of the sacred city by tuk-tuk: massive Ruwanwelisaya stupa, the sacred Bo Tree (the oldest documented tree in the world), Jetavanaramaya, and Isurumuniya rock temple.

Morning visit to Mihintale — the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, where the religion was first introduced in 247 BC. Drive to Sigiriya in the afternoon and climb the legendary rock fortress for sunset views. Explore the royal gardens and ancient frescoes along the way.

Morning bicycle tour through the ancient ruined city of Polonnaruwa — Sri Lanka's second capital and a stunning UNESCO site with carved Buddha statues, royal palaces and ancient stupas. Afternoon at Dambulla Cave Temples — five caves filled with 153 Buddha statues and centuries-old frescoes.

Drive south to Kandy with stops at a Matale spice garden for a guided tour and home-cooked Sri Lankan lunch. Evening visit to the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic followed by a traditional Kandyan cultural dance and fire-walking show.

Morning at the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya. Take the iconic scenic train from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya through endless tea estates — bring your camera. Tour a working Ceylon tea factory with a tasting session. Afternoon walk through "Little England" — Nuwara Eliya's charming colonial-era town.

Optional sunrise hike to Hortons Plains and World's End viewpoint — a 9 km loop with one of Sri Lanka's most stunning views. Drive on to Ella in the afternoon. Hike Little Adam's Peak and visit the famous Nine Arches Bridge to watch the sunset train crossing.

Morning at leisure in Ella with optional Ravana Cave or Ravana Falls visit. Drive south to Yala — Sri Lanka's premier wildlife park. Evening half-day jeep safari for the chance to see leopards (Asia's highest density), wild elephants, sloth bears, and dozens of bird species.

Optional dawn safari for serious wildlife photographers (extra cost). Drive along the south coast to Mirissa — known for whale watching, beach culture and Coconut Tree Hill. Visit the iconic stilt fishermen at Weligama. Sunset on Mirissa beach.

Early morning whale watching boat trip from Mirissa (Nov–Apr) — blue whales, sperm whales and dolphins. Drive to historic Galle Fort. Afternoon walking tour of the UNESCO-listed Dutch colonial town with its boutique shops, cafés and 17th-century ramparts.

Long drive to the east coast. From May to September, Trincomalee or Pasikuda offers the calm turquoise sea while the south is rainy. Arrival at your beach hotel in the afternoon. Sunset on the wide, uncrowded eastern beach.

Final morning on the beach. Drive to Colombo for a brief city tour with Galle Face Green, Independence Square, and Barefoot for textile shopping. Lunch at a recommended restaurant before departure transfer to the airport.