Sri Lanka Classic Circuit

Sigiriya, Kandy, tea country, the south-west beaches and Colombo, with a private car and guide.

Your route

1. 1 Dambulla 1 night
2. 2 Kandy 2 nights
3. 3 Nuwara Eliya 1 night
4. 4 Bentota 1 night
5. 5 Colombo 1 night

1. Day 1 Dambulla

   Pinnawala, cave temple, Sigiriya.

   Welcome to Sri Lanka. Indian travellers must apply online for an ETA before flying. Your chauffeur-guide meets you at Colombo airport and drives north towards Dambulla. Stop at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, home to rescued elephants, at feeding or bath time. Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple, with five caves full of Buddha statues and ancient paintings. Climb Sigiriya, the Lion Rock fortress, about 1,200 steps to the top, with frescoes on the way. Dinner at the hotel. Overnight in Dambulla.

2. Day 2 Kandy

   Spice garden, Temple of the Tooth.

   After breakfast, drive south to Kandy, about two and a half hours. Stop at a spice garden to see cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper and learn about Ayurvedic remedies. In Kandy, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the holiest Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka, during the evening puja. Walk around Kandy Lake, and watch a Kandyan cultural show with drummers and fire walkers at extra cost. Kandy is cooler than the plains, and the lake walk is lovely in the evening, with views of the temple and hills. Overnight in Kandy.

3. Day 3 Kandy

   Free day in Kandy.

   A free day in Kandy to explore at your own pace. Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, with their orchid house and giant fig tree, or walk through the city market. You might drive up to the Bahiravokanda Buddha statue for views over the town. In the evening, relax at your hotel or enjoy a traditional Sri Lankan rice and curry dinner. Ask us about an Ayurvedic massage. Kandy's markets sell lovely handloom fabrics, wooden masks and gemstones. Overnight in Kandy.

4. Day 4 Nuwara Eliya

   Ramboda Falls, tea factory.

   Drive up into the hills towards Nuwara Eliya, about three hours, through tea estates on steep green slopes. Stop at Ramboda Falls and visit a tea factory to see how Ceylon tea is plucked, rolled and dried, with a tasting. Nuwara Eliya, called Little England, has colonial bungalows, a red-brick post office and Gregory Lake. Evenings are cool, so carry a jacket. The road is winding, so motion sickness tablets can help. Evenings here are cool, so carry a warm layer. Overnight in Nuwara Eliya.

5. Day 5 Bentota

   Down to the coast, turtle project.

   Drive down from the hills to Bentota on the south-west coast, about four to five hours, through rubber and coconut country. On the way, visit the Kosgoda sea turtle conservation project, where eggs are hatched and baby turtles released to the sea. Check in to your beach hotel and enjoy a swim or a walk on the long sandy beach at sunset. Bentota is known for its calm river, water sports and long golden beach, a peaceful place to rest after the hill country. Overnight in Bentota.

6. Day 6 Colombo

   Madu river, on to Colombo.

   Take a boat safari on the Madu River, through mangrove forests and past small islands with a cinnamon peeling demonstration and a Buddhist temple. Then drive north along the coast to Colombo, about two hours. Visit Independence Square, Galle Face Green by the sea and the Gangaramaya Temple, and shop in Pettah's busy markets. Enjoy dinner at one of Colombo's seafood restaurants. Colombo is a city of contrasts, with colonial buildings, busy bazaars, modern towers and a long seafront promenade. Overnight in Colombo.

7. Day 7 Colombo

   Departure.

   After breakfast, check out of your hotel. Depending on your flight time, shop for Ceylon tea, spices and handloom textiles in Colombo. Our chauffeur-guide transfers you to Bandaranaike International Airport, about one hour from the city. Please reach three hours before departure. Bandaranaike International Airport is in Katunayake, north of the city, so leave early to allow for traffic. Keep your ETA approval handy for check-in. Your Ramayana journey through Sri Lanka ends here, with the blessings of the sacred sites where the epic is believed to have unfolded.

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