Day 1Upon arriving in Sri Lanka, transfer to the Ice Bear, a characterful guesthouse located in Negombo, just a few minutes drive from the airport. This is an ideal location from which to explore Negombo’s vibrant cultural heritage: ride on a catamaran as it sets sail in to the sunset; take a boat ride along the centuries-old Dutch canals that wind through the town; experience Negombo’s Colonial heritage including Catholic churches and the ruins of the Dutch Fort.

Day 2 & 3Today you head to Sri Lanka’s cultural triangle and check into Kassapa Lions Rock, the only hotel in the Cultural Triangle with magnificent views of both the gigantic Sigirya Rock and the Pidurangala rock, situated side by side. Explore the ancient ruins of the Sigiriya Fortress built in the 5th century by King Kassapa. The ruins of the fortress upon the huge rock, the wall frescoes, and the symmetrical royal gardens surrounding the rock are amazing feats of this period. Dambulla Cave Temple is also a must-see with its rock ceiling covered in one large sweep of colorful frescoes, some of which dates back to over 2,000 years. This cave temple has the largest number of Buddha statues all housed in one place including a colossal figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the rock. The adventurous might want to attempt the climb to Pidurangala accompanied by the hotel’s naturalist.

Day 4 & 5The journey from the cultural triangle to Sri Lanka's hill capital - the small lakeside city of Kandy - will occupy most of the morning. On the way, visit the ancient Aluvihara rock temple, located in Matale. It was here that the oral teachings of the Buddha were committed to writing – the Tripitika - for the first time. For your next two nights, we recommend you stay at the Kandy Cottage, a three bedroom guesthouse situated by the Udawattekelle forest and bird sanctuary and just 10 minutes away from Kandy town. Explore the virgin forests of Udawattekelle which is inhabited by numerous species of birds and butterflies. Visit the Trinity College chapel which is a 10 minute walk from the Kandy Cottage and is an excellent example of a colonial period church designed according to ancient Kandyan architecture. The Christian murals here are famous and are done by local artists. Explore the city of Kandy, steeped in history and culture. Walk around the tranquil Kandy Lake and visit the Temple of the Tooth which has a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha enshrined here since 4th Century A.D. Religious services (pooja) are held daily at dawn, mid-day, and in the evening where guests can participate. The services are accompanied with traditional music and drumming. During the month of August, Kandy dazzles for ten days with the sounds and lights of the Kandy Perehara – a magnificent procession where the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha from the Temple of the Tooth is majestically paraded on elephant back along the streets of Kandy.

Day 6 & 7Today you journey to the southern highlands, a stirring land of lush tea plantations, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls. We recommend you jump aboard the train – one of the great rail journeys in the world. Your driver will transport your luggage by car. Your destination is Ella, a scenic village in the southern highlands. Check-in to View Point Villa with spectacular views across tea plantations and mountains. Several treks are possible from here to Little Adam’s Peak, the ancient Dova Temple, Ravana caves and the Ravana falls associated with the epic Ramayana tales. View Point Villa will organise a guide for the treks. Visit a nearby tea estate and tea factory. Explore the towns of Bandarawala and Haputale where there are several scenic waterfalls including Dunhinda and Diyaluma. Adisham, a Benedictine Monastery in Haputale which dates back to the colonial period, is also an interesting morning’s excursion.

Day 8 & 9Journey onto the south east of Sri Lanka. Visit Buduruvagala to see Sri Lanka's tallest rock-cut Buddha statue before reaching the southern town of Tissamaharama where you will stay two nights at Hibiscus Garden. Tissamaharama was the capital of the ancient Ruhunu Kingdom in the 2C B.C. Tissa, named after King Kavantissa, is dominated by lakes and gigantic semi-circle shaped Buddhist Dagobas (temples). The sprawling Tissa Wewa was built by King Kavantissa 2,300 years ago. The sacred jungle shrine of Kataragama is located nearby, as are several ancient Buddhist temples and an archeological Museum that provides a glimpse into the ancient Ruhunu kingdom. Explore the jungle of Yala – one of the best National Parks to see a wide variety of Sri Lankan wildlife because of its scrub plains, lagoons and rocky sections. Yala is home to herds of wild elephants, leopard, sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys and numerous species of birds.

Day 10, 11 & 12Journey along the scenic south coast to the fishing village of Ahangama located half an hour away from the historic city of Galle. Stay three nights at Easy Beach, a laidback beachside guesthouse. Try your hand at stilt fishing which is a traditional method of fishing in these areas. Stilt fisherman can be spotted right in front of Easy Beach during the day. Ahangama has some of the best beaches and surf spots in the area. There are several challenging surf spots nearby. Based at Mirissa Harbour, Mirissa Water Sports offers exciting water sports activities such as sailing, fishing, coastal cruises, sea kayaking, snorkelling and boating. 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. Whale watching excursions into the deep seas is organised by Mirissa Water Sports during the season from December to April when the seas are calm. We also recommend a visit to Galle’s 17C Dutch Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with narrow streets lined with Dutch and British colonial era buildings which are still in use, sturdy ramparts looking out to sea, the lighthouse, and a growing collection of art galleries, shops, restaurants and several boutique hotels and cafes.

Day 13 & 14Your next destination is the historic city of Galle where you will spend two nights at Fortaleza within Galle’s 17C Dutch Fort - a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Much of the old Fort, a small walled city with about 300 homes and an old-world feel, still remain with its well preserved bastions, public buildings, churches, lighthouse and a maze of narrow streets. Hours can be spent exploring the maze of narrow streets lined with Dutch and British period buildings still in use, the sturdy ramparts looking out to sea, the growing collection of art galleries, antique shops, cafes and restaurants.