Day 1 & 2Red Dot will meet you at the airport in the early afternoon, probably slightly bleary eyed and in need for some rest. Stay at The Beach in Negombo, easily the most chic and stylish hotel in Negombo, The Beach is set on a beautiful stretch of private beach just minutes away from the International Airport. This is a popular choice with families because of its wide array of activities available for children and adults alike. Spend two nights here to recover fully from the long journey. Go on a catamaran ride with a fisherman. Visit a fishing village and the early morning fish auction bustling with activity as the catamarans comes ashore with their bounty of fresh fish, prawns, crabs and lobster. Take a boat ride into the Muthurajawela Marshes - rich in bird life and amphibians. Negombo by night also has a vibrant atmosphere with a scattering of bars and restaurants. Venture off with the in-house Naturalist who will accompany you on a guided tour to see Negombo’s colonial architectural heritage including Portuguese period Catholic Churches, ruins of the Dutch Fort and cemetery, and boat rides along the centuries old Dutch Canals.

Day 3 & 4Journey to the Cultural Triangle where you will be staying the next two nights at Chaaya Village in Habarana. Explore Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is one of the most dramatic and inspiring historical locations in the world. The climb to its summit on metal staircases attached to the rock face is one of Sri Lanka’s most loved experiences. Even those afraid of heights can find enough to marvel at from ground level. A mythical past of feuding dynasties suits Sigiriya’s striking setting. It was built in 5th century AD by king, Kasyapa, as a fortress-palace. Worthy of being called the “8th wonder of the world”, Sigiriya will astonish anyone with its outstanding views across the plains, staggering engineering and wonderful atmosphere. You might also consider an adventurous elephant safari at Habarana where you’ll be taken on elephant back through a jungle trek and across shallow waters.

Day 5 & 6Journey into Sri Lanka’s tea-growing highlands and stay two nights at the Lavender House, a stunning five-bedroom tea planter’s bungalow situated on a working tea plantation midway between Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. The outdoors offers extensive landscaped gardens, clay tennis courts, a jogging track, and an infinity pool with picturesque views of the surrounding tea plantation. Go on an adventurous nature trek or explore the surrounding Helboda Tea estate and tea factory where you will gain insight into the manufacturing process as well as an opportunity to taste the different grades of hill country tea. The hill country town of Nuwara Eliya also offers many activities including the challenging 18 holed golf course of the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club.

Day 7This morning you head to the south central region referred to as the Buttala Foothills. En route stop at Kitulgala for an adventurous white water rafting excursion. Kitulgala owes its popularity to the Kelani River which offers exciting Grade 3 rapids for rafting. Journey on to the jungles of Uda Walawe National Park where you will stay over night at the Mahoora safari camp. Go for an early morning game drive into the Uda Walawe National Park. According to Wildlife reports there are about 500 elephants in this National park and they often roam in herds of up to 100. Leopards, buffalo, deer and sloth bears keep them company along with mongooses, bandicoots, foxes, water monitor lizards and crocodiles. Visit the Elephant Transit Camp at Uda Walawe run by Sri Lanka’s Wildlife Department. Here about 22 young elephants, mostly babies, who have been orphaned or recovering from injuries, are being rehabilitated before release into the wild. The elephant population in Sri Lanka was at one time as high as 20,000 on this island. Unfortunately, today it has come down to 3,500. Conservation efforts such as the Elephant Transit Camp in Uda Walawe are vital to the future of this endangered species. The orphaned baby elephants reside at the transit camp for about four years until they are old enough to be weaned of milk and learn to eat grass and other vegetation from the bush. Each infant has to be fed on Lactogen milk formula five times a day first the first six months. Much funding is required for this expensive feeding process. The Wild Life Department has initiated a Baby Elephant Adoption Programme where individuals can provide funding on a monthly basis and become a foster parent to a baby elephant of their choice. Support this valiant effort at conserving the dwindling elephant population of Sri Lanka.

Day 8 & 9After breakfast, journey south east to Yala National Park and stay two nights at the Yala Village Hotel located close to the game park. Yala National Park, with a total protected area of 126,768 hectares, consists of scrub plains, lagoons and rocky sections and offers the broadest cross-section of the country’s flora and fauna. In terms of game-viewing this is probably the best place to see all of the 'big three': elephant, leopard and water buffalo.

Day 10, 11 & 12Journey southwards along the beautiful coast to Weligama where you will spend three nights at the Weligama Bay Resort overlooking the magnificent Weligama Bay. With Taprobane Island lying slightly off shore, and colourful fishing boats bobbing in the tiny harbour, Weligama bay is one of the most recognizable sights on the idyllic south coast. Go on a night safari to observe the endangered Marine Turtles in Rakuwa near Tangalle. The south of Sri Lanka beyond Dondra is considered one of the best locations in the world for spotting Blue Whales, Sperm Whales and Spinner Dolphins. Mirissa Water Sports as well as the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation based in the Mirissa Harbour offers Whale and Dolphin watching excursions during the season from December to April. Mirissa Water Sports offers exciting water sports activities such as sailing, fishing, coastal cruises, river trips, sea kayaking, snorkelling and boating. We also recommend an adventurous cycle tour in Galle with Idle Tours which specialises in organising cycle tours in the deep south. The tours are quite unique as they follow the winding rivers, small rural villages, paddy fields & low land tea estates and ends up at some of the best south-west coasts beaches. Cycle tours offered by Idle Tours include an experienced guide who will provide technical support as well as carrying cameras etc for the tourists so they are unburdened. He also carries a medical kit in the unlikely instance someone falls off! The bikes are all lightweight, aluminum framed mountain bikes fitted with Shimano (quality Japanese) parts and have either 21 or 24 gears. They are very simple to use. All cyclists have water bottles and we provide helmets and also gloves if required.

Day 13 & 14Today you head to Colombo - the leafy island capita for your final two nights stay. En route, we recommend visiting Galle’s 17th century Dutch Fort, a UNESCO-protected World Heritage site and a melting pot of cultural influences. Several hours can be spent wandering along the narrow streets, well preserved ramparts, the lighthouse, the Dutch Reform Church, and several houses with the typical manor house style architecture with columns, courtyards, and verandas. The thick, high ramparts that protect and distinguish the Fort are today used for romantic evening strolls and convenient viewpoints to catch the sweaty action of local 'village' cricket games and the international games held in the adjacent Galle cricket stadium. Once you reach Colombo, check into the Cinnamon Grand, a luxurious five-star hotel in the heart of the capital. Colombo has much to offer and you might like to fit in some shopping at the adjoining Crescat mall or at ODEL, Paradise Road or Barefoot. Cinnamon Grand has several interesting restaurants including the Lagoon that serves fresh seafood or hop across to the Galle Face Hotel for a drink at the Inn on the Green and then dinner at the Seaspray restaurant situated at the edge of the sea.