7-Day Classic Sri Lanka Highlights Round Tour

Your chauffeur guide meets you in the arrivals hall and transfers you the short distance to the coastal town of Negombo.

• Check in and unwind after your flight.
• Evening walk along Negombo beach, or visit the Dutch Canal and the bustling fish market.

Overnight: Negombo

Drive north into Sri Lanka's Cultural Triangle for two UNESCO World Heritage sites in a single day.

• Morning: Explore the Dambulla Cave Temple complex - five natural caves filled with ancient Buddha statues and intricate ceiling murals.
• Afternoon: Climb the 5th-century Sigiriya Lion Rock Fortress, taking in the water gardens, the mirror wall and the summit palace ruins with panoramic jungle views at sunset.

Overnight: Sigiriya / Dambulla

Travel south to Kandy, the island's hill capital and its cultural heart.

• Morning: Stop at a Matale spice garden to learn about Ceylon cinnamon, cardamom, herbal remedies and traditional Ayurveda.
• Afternoon: Visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa).
• Evening: Watch a lively Kandyan cultural dance performance with traditional drumming and fire walking.

Overnight: Kandy

A spectacular drive into the central highlands, climbing past waterfalls and endless green tea terraces.

• Morning: Stroll the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, then begin the mountain ascent past Ramboda Falls.
• Afternoon: Tour a working Ceylon tea factory and estate to follow the leaf from plucking to packing, ending with a tasting.
• Evening: Explore Nuwara Eliya - 'Little England' - with its colonial architecture and Gregory Lake.

Overnight: Nuwara Eliya

One of the great railway journeys of the world, followed by an easy mountain hike.

• Morning: Board the blue train at Nanu Oya station for the ride to Ella through misty tea plantations, mountain passes and village stations.
• Afternoon: Hike up Little Adam's Peak for 360-degree mountain views, then walk down to photograph the Demodara Nine Arch Bridge.

Overnight: Ella

Descend from the highlands to the dry southern plains and the island's most famous national park.

• Morning: Drive to Tissamaharama and check in to your safari lodge.
• Afternoon: Board a modified 4x4 safari jeep for a game drive in Yala National Park, tracking Sri Lankan leopards, wild elephants, sloth bears, crocodiles and abundant birdlife with an expert tracker.

Overnight: Tissamaharama / Yala

A scenic coastal finale along the southern shoreline.

• Morning: Drive the southern coastal highway, stopping at the Kosgoda turtle conservation centre and to photograph the traditional stilt fishermen.
• Afternoon: Guided walking tour of UNESCO World Heritage Galle Dutch Fort - ramparts, lighthouse and boutique shops.
• Evening: Transfer via the Southern Expressway to Bandaranaike International Airport for your departure flight.