Welcome to Colombo!

On arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), you will be met in the arrivals hall by a local representative and escorted to your private transfer, who will transfer you to your Colombo Hotel.

Day 2 – Colombo  Galle

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning after breakfast, meet your private chauffeur guide for a welcome meeting that will provide an orientation to Sri Lanka and an introduction to your upcoming journey.

We then head south towards Galle, with a Colombo sightseeing tour on the way. Colombo offers a blend of modern western and Sri Lankan elements, and you will drive past some of the commercial capital’s sites including Old Parliament, President’s House, Gangaramaya Temple, Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park and Independence Square.

We will also visit the Colombo National Museum. This museum takes visitors through Sri Lankan history, housed in a neo-Baroque building constructed by William Henry Gregory, Governor of Ceylon, in 1877. Exhibits are dedicated to each of Sri Lanka’s historical kingdoms, with informational display boards providing insights such as the meaning behind the mudras (gestures and poses) depicted in Sri Lanka’s Buddha statues.

Then, in Balapitiya, we take a boat trip on the Madu River to visit 64 scattered islands, including Cinnamon Island, where we learn about cinnamon production. Sri Lanka is the world’s largest producer of pure cinnamon.

Arrive at your hotel in the evening for dinner.

Inspiring Highlights

•  Pettah Market
•  Colombo National Museum
•  Madu River
• Cinnamon Island

 

Day 3 – Galle

Hotel: Radisson Blu Resort Galle

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a leisurely morning at your hotel, with lunch served at the hotel.

This afternoon, set out on a tour of Galle Fort and its fortifications. This is a city that blends past and present. Declared a UNESCO heritage site in 1988, the presence of Portuguese, Dutch and English is evident in the architectural styles of Galle Fort.

Return to the hotel this evening for dinner.

Inspiring Highlights

•  Galle Fort

Day 4 – Galle  Yala National Park

Hotel: Cinnamon Wild Yala

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

In the morning after breakfast, we leave for Yala National Park. 

On arrival, spend your afternoon on a guided game drive exploring the dynamic wildlife and the most luxuriant plant life in Yala National Park. Being one of the largest parks in Sri Lanka, it is the ideal place to sight the rare leopard!

Enjoy dinner at the hotel in the evening.

Day 5 – Yala National Park  Nuwara Eliya

Hotel: The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

You will have an early start today, departing before sunrise for another safari in Yala National Park by jeep to spot the diverse wildlife that calls the park home.

Return to the hotel for breakfast, then we leave Yala and make a stop in Ella to take in the sceneries of the hill country.

Transfer to Ella Railway Station and board the scenic train to Haputale. The journey takes you through tea country with views of rolling hills, waterfalls and plantations along the way.

On arrival in Haputale, continue by road to Nuwara Eliya. Often referred to as ‘Little England’, this genteel highland community has a vaguely British-country-village feel to it, with its colonial-era bungalows.

Check in to your Inspiring Stay for the next two nights, the Grand Hotel. Built in 1891, this was the palatial residence of the former Governor of Sri Lanka, Sir Edward Barnes. The Grand Hotel is an enduring icon of Nuwara Eliya, perched on a mountain ridge overlooking green countryside in tea country. It retains a romantic, old-world ambience alongside modern comforts, with well-appointed rooms, magnificent gardens and an array of amenities and activities including music therapy, yoga and more. The Grand Hotel is also renowned for its traditional afternoon tea, a quintessential British tradition which you will experience on this tour.

In the evening, enjoy dinner at your hotel.

Inspiring Highlights

• Yala National Park
• Scenic Train Journey
• Nuwara Eliya & The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya

Day 6 – Nuwara Eliya

Hotel: The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Today you will have a leisurely morning at your hotel.

This afternoon, enjoy an Inspiring Taste at probably the most talked of outlet in Nuwara Eliya, the Grand Tea Lounge. Here we enjoy an iconic High Tea at the Grand Hotel.

Dinner this evening will be enjoyed at your hotel.

Inspiring Highlights

• Grand Tea Lounge

Optional Tour – Horton Plains & World’s End
At approximately 5:30am, leave for Horton Plains National Park. This park holds great importance due to the rich and unique biodiversity and being a catchment area feeding some of the main rivers of Sri Lanka. It is also known to be a ‘super biodiversity hotspot’ and thus declared a UNESCO site in 2010. The national park is most famous for the vista – World’s End.

You will be accompanied by a private escort the entire duration of the hike – from the Horton Plains Park Park Office, to World’s End (via Mini World’s End) and back. Wear strong and comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunglasses. Bring sunscreen, food and water. The weather can change very quickly on the plains – one minute it can be sunny and clear, the next chilly and misty. Bring a few extra layers of warm clothing.

There are no safety rails available so we recommend this activity for those who are physically fit and go on long walks often. We do not recommend this if you have a difficult time walking along uneven, potentially wet, and rocky terrain. 

Meeting Point: Hotel
Includes: Return transfers, entrance into Horton Plains National Park, packed breakfast, private escort.
Start Time: 5.30am
End Time: 12.30pm

Optional Tour – Horton Plains & World’s End

At approximately 5:30am, leave for Horton Plains National Park. This park holds great importance due to the rich and unique biodiversity and being a catchment area feeding some of the main rivers of Sri Lanka. It is also known to be a ‘super biodiversity hotspot’ and thus declared a UNESCO site in 2010. The national park is most famous for the vista – World’s End.

You will be accompanied by a private escort the entire duration of the hike – from the Horton Plains Park Park Office, to World’s End (via Mini World’s End) and back. Wear strong and comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunglasses. Bring sunscreen, food and water. The weather can change very quickly on the plains – one minute it can be sunny and clear, the next chilly and misty. Bring a few extra layers of warm clothing.

Start time: 5:30am departure from hotel
End time: 12:30pm return to hotel
Distance: 7.5km round trip – 150m elevation gain
Inclusions: return transfers, entrance into Horton Plains National Park, packed breakfast, private escort

There are no safety rails available so we recommend this activity for those who are physically fit and go on long walks often. We do not recommend this if you have a difficult time walking along uneven, potentially wet, and rocky terrain. 

Day 7 – Nuwara Eliya  Kandy

Hotel: Earl’s Regency – Kandy

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, depart Nuwara Eliya for Kandy. En route, take in the scenery of the tea country with views of rolling hills and waterfalls along the way.

Stop to visit a tea plantation and factory. Here you will enjoy the absolute tea experience, from the moment the young tea leaves are plucked to being processed in the factory to make a cup of tea. If you are interested, the tea factory is a good place to purchase quality tea.

Continue on to Kandy, with lunch at a local restaurant en route.

On arrival in Kandy, check in to your hotel before dinner.

Inspiring Highlights

•  Tea Plantation

Day 8 – Kandy

Hotel: Earl’s Regency – Kandy

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, explore the beautiful city of Kandy with an included Tuk Tuk and Bazaar tour, followed by lunch at a local restaurant.

Kandy, once known as Senkadagala, was the Hill Capital from 1514 to 1815 AD and was named a UNESCO heritage site in 1988. Take in the city’s lake, historic temples and well-preserved royal palace ruins.

In the evening, enjoy a traditional Sri Lankan cultural performance before returning to the hotel for dinner.

Inspiring Highlights

• Kandy Lake
• Cultural Performance

Day 9 – Kandy  Minneriya National Park  Sigiriya

Hotel: SigiriyaJungles

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast, depart Kandy for a scenic drive through the central highlands to Sigiriya. On arrival, check in to your hotel and settle in at leisure.

This afternoon, enjoy a jeep safari at Minneriya National Park. Located in the districts of Matale and Polonnaruwa and bordered by the Mahaweli and Amban rivers, this park stretches across 36,948 hectares. It was declared a National Park in 1984 and is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to observe elephants.

This evening, enjoy an Inspiring Taste with a sundowner pre-dinner Arrack (a local cocktail) or something else to suit your taste, along with canapés, followed by dinner at your hotel.

Inspiring Highlights

• Minneriya National Park

Day 10 – Sigiriya  Sigiriya Rock Fortress  Polonnaruwa  Sigiriya

Hotel: SigiriyaJungles

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning will be an early start, where  we’ll climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress (also known as Lion’s Rock) – an extraordinary artistic complex dating back to 477-498 AD. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has become a global attraction due to its unique architecture.

For lunch, participate in an Inspiring Taste cooking demonstration where you’ll learn to prepare Sri Lankan rice and curry (5-6 curries). Savour your meal while overlooking the beautiful gardens.

In the afternoon, we’ll take a sightseeing tour of Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital city of Sri Lanka (1017-1235 AD). Polonnaruwa was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982 after the fall of Anuradhapura.

In the evening enjoy a cocktail and dinner at your hotel.

Inspiring Highlights

•  Sigiriya Rock Fortress
•  Polonnaruwa 

Optional Tour – Polonnaruwa Bicycle Tour

Enjoy a scenic and leisurely bicycle ride to Parakrama Samudra Reservoir before continuing to Polonnaruwa for a sightseeing bike tour. Pedal along ancient ruins and see Polonnaruwa from a different perspective.
The route is very flat and suitable for all levels of bicycle experience.
Meeting Point: Hotel
Start Time: 1.00pm
End Time: 5.00pm

Day 11 – Sigiriya  Dambulla  Sigiriya

Hotel: Sigiriya Jungles

Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. Afterwards, continue to the Dambulla Cave Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by King Walagambahu in the 1st century BC. Perched over 100 metres above the surrounding plains, this is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples, housing some 150 statues of the Buddha alongside images of Hindu deities. The walls and ceilings are adorned with vivid frescoes depicting the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Return to your hotel for lunch.

Spend the rest of the afternoon and evening at leisure.

Inspiring Highlights

• Golden Temple of Dambulla 

Optional Tour – Audangawa Village Walking Tour

Leave on foot or by bicycle and travel through Audangawa village. Visit the local temple and evoke blessings from the priest. Visit a villager’s house and enjoy a warm herbal drink or a king coconut. Wander through the village passing paddy fields and Chena cultivations.
Meeting Point: Hotel

Day 12 – Sigiriya  Negombo

Hotel: Goldi Sands Hotel – Negombo

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Today, after breakfast, depart the beauty of Sigiriya as we make the drive back to Negombo. On arrival, enjoy the afternoon free at leisure to explore the coast and the local activity or simply relax by the pool.

 

Day 13 – Negombo

Hotel: Goldi Sands Hotel – Negombo

Meal: Breakfast, Dinner

Spend the day relaxing at the beach or by the pool.

Dinner this evening will be at your hotel.

Optional Tour – Muthurajawela Wet Marshes

Explore the Muthurajawela Wetlands, Sri Lanka’s largest coastal wetland, located just north of Colombo and seamlessly connected to the scenic Negombo Lagoon. This vast saltwater marsh is a haven for biodiversity, home to over 190 species of animals, including a remarkable variety of birds, reptiles, and fish.

The best way to experience Muthurajawela’s natural beauty is by taking a tranquil boat ride through its winding waterways and the scenic Negombo Lagoon. As you glide through the lush mangroves, watch for colorful kingfishers, graceful herons, egrets, cormorants, and playful monkeys along the banks. The area hosts more than 100 species of birds, with migratory visitors arriving between November and March.

Bring your camera to capture the serene water landscapes, vibrant greenery, and rich wildlife of this unique ecosystem — a peaceful escape just a short distance from the bustle of Colombo.

Includes: tour guide, transportation, and boat ride.
Start Time: 6:30 am
Duration: approx. 2 hours.

PLEASE NOTE:

• For groups (14 Day & 15 Day Ultimate Sri Lanka Premium Small Group Tour) departing from 13/02/26 to 18/02/2026 included ; 25/02/26 to 20/03/2026 included.; 15/05/26 ; 29/06/26 the optional tour will be a visit to the Anawilundawa Bird Sanctuary (as you will travel to Marawila).
• For private tours (14 Day & 15 Day Private Ultimate Sri Lanka) departing from 09/02/26 to 27/02/26 included ; 02/03/26 to 19/03/26 included ; 15/05/26 ; from 26/06/26 to 29/06/26 included the optional tour will be a visit to the Anawilundawa Bird Sanctuary (as you will travel to Marawila).

Day 14 – Negombo  Colombo

Unfortunately, today marks the end of your incredible tour through Sri Lanka.

Late check-out is included, as you have access to your room until 8 pm.

At the appropriate time, you will be privately transferred to the Bandaranike International Airport (CMB) to board your flight home.