Sri Lankan Splendours in a week

Itinerary in brief:

• 2 nights Kandy
• 2 nights Nuwara Eliya
• 1 night Yala National Park
• 2 nights Negombo

Day 1: Arrive Colombo – travel to Kandy 

On arrival, you'll be greeted by your driver/guide and driven to Kandy. En route, visit the spice garden in Mawanella before arriving in Kandy and checking into your hotel.

After freshening up, begin your city tour by driving to the top of the hill for a bird’s eye view of the city. From here you can visit the sacred ‘Temple of the Tooth’ one of Sri Lanka’s most important religious monuments, said to hold the tooth of Buddha.

Tonight you will get to enjoy a Kandyan Cultural Show at the Kandyan Arts & Cultural Centre, featuring dancers, drummers and fire walkers.

Overnight in Kandy

Day 2: Knuckles Mountain Ranges

After breakfast, you will be collected for your trip to the Knuckles Mountain Ranges. The name ‘Knuckles’ derives from the similarity of its ridges to the knuckles of a clenched fist. This mountain range is great for bird watching, trekking and wildlife photography, but the weather can be quite unpredictable so make sure you pack your waterproofs.

In the mountains, you'll be taken for a 4km accompanied trek beginning in the village of Ratkinda, at the base of the elephant shaped rock ‘Manigala’. As you pass through the village, you'll get tosee authentic Sri Lankan rural life before walking past paddy fields and into forest canopy of the valley, with it's unique bio-diversity including flowers, birds and butterflies. The trail horse-shoes back to village you began in, taking around 3 hours.

Overnight in Kandy

Day 3: Kandy to Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast, you'll head to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya on the way to the town of Nuwara Eliya.

On arrival into this beautiful town you will check into your hotel and relax before heading out at your own pace on a sight-seeing tour. Nuwara Eliya is set in the heart of tea country and is where the English created a home away from home with Georgian and Queen Anne style houses complete with well-kept lawns and hedges. After a look around the town the evening is free to enjoy at leisure.

Overnight in Nuwara Eliya

Day 4: Horton Plains National Park

It’s an early start this morning and by 5:30am you will be on your way to Horton Plains, the highest plateau in the country.

Horton Plains is one of the most important national parks in Sri Lanka with its unique vegetation and many rare highland birds. The best feature of the plains however is the steep slope that falls 880 metres to the lowlands offering spectacular views across the countryside towards the south coast – this is known locally as the ‘end of the world’.

Overnight in Nuwara Eliya

Day 5: Nuwara Eliya to Yala 

After breakfast it’s a 90 minute journey to the town of Ella. Ella is a mountainous village considered one of the most scenic parts of the island and home to the Ella Gap, a gap in the mountains where you can see all the way to the ocean on a clear day as well as the Rawana Waterfall, a stunning site with the scenic backdrop of mountains and valleys.

Whilst in Ella you will be able to join a mountain bike ride to Ellewala Falls. This takes around 40 minutes and you are able to swim in the waterfall on the arrival if you wish before heading back.

Once you have completed your bike ride it’s onto Yala National Park where you will spend the night.

Day 6: Yala National Park to Negombo

Another early start this morning, there’s time for a cup of tea before it’s off on a jeep safari around the national park. Yala National Park is home to wildlife such as elephants, wild buffalo, sloth bear and crocodile as well as the highest density of leopards in the whole world. Spotting these elusive animals can still require a bit of luck though!

After breakfast at the hotel you will check out and be on your way to Negombo. On the way there’s time for a stop in Colombo and a city tour to show the highlights of Sri Lanka’s capital city. Make sure to check out the vibrant markets and bazaars of Pettah.

From here it is a further hour onwards to Negombo.

Overnight in Negombo

Day 7: Negombo

Today is a free day, after breakfast why not head to the beach and relax on the white sand.

Overnight in Negombo

Day 8: Depart Negombo

After breakfast check out of your hotel, your driver will be available to take you to the airport at anytime.