Today you fly to Colombo.

Depending on your flight, you land in Colombo the evening before, in the early morning or in the morning; if you land before 5 am, an extra hotel night and the transfer are included. On a city tour you experience the lively capital, where magnificent colonial buildings stand next to modern shopping centres, and stroll along the Galle Face Green promenade. In the afternoon you drive to a beach hotel on the west coast, where a welcome dinner awaits in the evening. 1 night in Ambalangoda. (D) (Distance: approx. 150 km; driving time: approx. 3 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Mask & Tide is located in Ambalangoda on the south-west coast, just a few steps from the beach and close to the centre with its traditional mask carving. It has a garden, outdoor pool, restaurant, bar and free Wi-Fi; the rooms have air conditioning, bathroom with shower and flat-screen TV.

In Galle you explore the exceptionally well-preserved old town within the walls of Galle Fort (UNESCO World Heritage) with its picturesque lighthouse – many consider Galle the most beautiful town in Sri Lanka. At lunchtime you enjoy a typical rice and curry in a small restaurant. Then you drive to Kataragama. At evening prayers you visit the temple complex, where Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims practise their traditions, and watch worshippers smash coconuts on the stones as an offering; your guide explains the origins of this custom. Afterwards you continue to the hotel in nearby Tissamaharama. 1 night in Tissamaharama. (B/L/D) (Distance: approx. 175 km; driving time: approx. 3 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Chaarya Resort & Spa in Tissamaharama is set amid palm trees close to nature, with an outdoor pool and pool bar. The restaurant serves Asian, Western and Sri Lankan dishes.

Early in the morning you set off on a jeep safari in Yala National Park (approx. 2.5–3 hrs), home to elephants, water buffalo, crocodiles, monkeys and many bird species. Yala is particularly known for its high density of leopards – which also attracts many jeeps (wildlife sightings depend on nature). You then travel by coach into the highlands. A hike up Little Adam’s Peak rewards you with a panoramic view over lush tea plantations (easy, approx. 4 km, approx. 1.5 hrs, +/- 140 m elevation). 1 night in Bandarawela. (B/D) (Distance excluding safari: approx. 100 km; driving time: approx. 3 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Orient Hotel is a charming, traditional mid-range hotel in the centre of Bandarawela with classic architecture, a well-kept garden and personal service. The practical rooms have a private bathroom, hairdryer, minibar and coffee and tea facilities.

By train you travel from Bandarawela to Nanu Oya – one of Sri Lanka’s most spectacular railway lines (approx. 2.5 hrs) with views of mountain passes, streams and tea plantations as far as the eye can see. In Nuwara Eliya, British colonial flair awaits with gardens, old manor houses, churches and a golf course, which you discover on a short town tour. On the way to Kandy you visit a working tea factory, learn about the production steps – rolling, sorting, drying, packing – and taste three to four varieties. Along the way you will probably see tea pickers at work. 2 nights in Kandy. (B) (Distance: approx. 150 km; driving time: approx. 3.5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast Hotel Topaz is located on Anniewatte Hill in Kandy with views of the pool, the mountains and parts of the city. It has a pool with sun deck, a spa, a gym, tennis courts, a garden and a restaurant with changing themed buffets. The air-conditioned rooms have large windows, TV, safe, minibar, tea and coffee facilities and bathroom with hairdryer.

In the morning you join the worshippers at the Temple of the Tooth (UNESCO World Heritage), where according to tradition a tooth of the Buddha is kept in an ornate golden shrine that is shown during the morning ceremony. Afterwards you explore the temple’s halls and, on a tour, the other sights, the market and the lakeshore. After lunch at a local restaurant you have free time – for example for Peradeniya Botanical Garden, buying spices at the market or visiting an Ayurvedic pharmacy. You can easily return to the hotel by tuk-tuk. (B)

Today you visit the Dambulla cave temples (UNESCO World Heritage). According to tradition, King Vattagamani Abhaya hid here from invaders and had the caves converted into temples after his return. In the grottoes you marvel at countless standing, sitting and reclining Buddha statues. Around midday you reach the Sigiriya area. You spend the afternoon by the hotel pool or go on a jeep safari to one of the nearby national parks – Minneriya, Kaudulla or Hurulu Eco Park, depending on where elephants are most likely to be seen (optional, approx. USD 60 p.p. for 4 participants, bookable locally; wildlife sightings depend on nature). 2 nights near Sigiriya. (B) (Distance: approx. 120 km; driving time: approx. 3.5 hrs)

2 nights · Double room · With breakfast Elephas Resort is quietly set among rice fields on the edge of Sigiriya with a view of a lake; exotic birds can be watched from the resort. The restaurant serves Chinese and Sri Lankan dishes.

Early in the morning – the rock opens at 6 am – you climb many steps up Sigiriya Rock (UNESCO World Heritage) in the calmest possible atmosphere, admire the frescoes of the “Cloud Maidens” and enjoy the panoramic view in the morning light. A hearty breakfast awaits back at the hotel. Around midday you visit a family, watch various curries being prepared and taste them for lunch. In the afternoon you hike through forests, farmland and small villages and along lakes (easy, approx. 7 km, approx. 2.5 hrs, +/- 50 m elevation). Your guide explains how food and spices are grown and processed. To finish, there is a picnic with a view of Sigiriya Rock. (B/L/P) (Distance: approx. 35 km; driving time: approx. 1 hr)

On the way to the east coast you stop at Polonnaruwa (UNESCO World Heritage) and admire the royal palace and Buddha statues in the archaeological park – one of the best-known sites in the Cultural Triangle. In the afternoon you reach the coastal town of Passikudah; for dinner you go to a local restaurant. 3 nights in Passikudah. (B/D) (Distance: approx. 150 km; driving time: approx. 3 hrs)

3 nights · Double room · With breakfast Amaya Beach is located on Passikudah beach; a palm grove leads to the bay. Right in front of the hotel there are corals in the shallow water – beach shoes are advisable there, while a few metres further the sand is fine. It has a pool and a restaurant serving local cuisine; snorkelling trips to the reef are available for a fee. The spacious rooms are modern.

The long sandy beach of Passikudah is ideal for a relaxing day – for walks along the beach or a swim in the sea. (B/D)

The day is yours – on the beach or with a cocktail by the pool. In the evening you meet for a farewell dinner at the hotel. (B/D)

On the way back to the west coast you stop at an authentic market in a small town, mingle with the locals and, at your guide’s invitation, taste local treats and seasonal fruit. You spend the last night in Negombo, enjoy the hotel and look back on the trip over dinner. 1 night in Negombo. (B/D) (Distance: approx. 270 km; driving time: approx. 6.5 hrs)

1 night · Double room · With breakfast Seahorse Hotel & Spa is located on the west coast near the beach, a few minutes from the centre of Negombo, with an outdoor pool and spa.

In due course you are taken to Colombo airport. For departures after 11 pm a late check-out is included; for earlier flights the usual check-out times apply. (B) (Distance: approx. 11 km; driving time: approx. 30 min)

In the morning you land back home.