Sri Lanka Heritage and Tea Country

Today you’ll visit the lovely The Elephant Freedom Project – an ethical sanctuary that shelters just a handful of elephants. They also limit the number of visitors per day to prevent these gentle creatures from feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Instead, you get to have a truly special experience walking the elephants around the sanctuary and down to the river where you will be able to bathe them. This is a truly immersive, once-in-a-lifetime experience for any animal lovers.

From here, you’ll then be driven to your next five-star hotel, The Water Garden Sigiriya.

Today you’ll discover the Dambulla Cave Temple complex – the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. They have been a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries and many people have come here to pay their respects and pray to Gautama Buddha. The cave paintings and statues make the complex fascinatingly beautiful and only add to their history. Before the arrival of Buddhism, these caves were inhabited by pre-historic Sri Lankans, known by the findings of burial sites around 2700 years old in the area.

From here you’ll be driven to the Minneriya National Park where you’ll be able to enjoy a game drive around the park, studying the gathering of hundreds of Elephants to the Minneriya reservoir each year between June and August. This is one of the best Elephant migrations to witness in the world!

Today you will tackle the Sigiriya Rock Fortress – this UNESCO World Heritage Site draws visitors from far and wide to climb up to the ruins of the capital built by King Kassapa I. This humongous piece of granite rock stands 200 metres tall with the ruins of the king’s palace found right at the summit. Once you reach the top, you are greeted by these mystical ruins of a time gone by, as well as by some of the most incredible views of the surrounding jungles.

From here, you’ll head to Anuradhapura, the former capital of Sri Lanka and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. You’ll cycle through the backroads with your tour guide who will show you all the secret and hidden spots of this ancient kingdom that the other tourists don’t get to see. Anuradhapura is a huge complex containing some of the most awe-inspiring temples, ancient pools, ancient dagobas and more. This is one of the most cultural places to visit in Sri Lanka.

Today you will be driven to Matale where you will enjoy a Spice Garden experience, seeing how many spices are produced in the country as well as how they are made and collected. Walk through the gardens witnessing the harvesting of cinnamon, pepper, cloves and nutmeg. Also, see how cardamom is harvested from the trees by hand and then buy spices right from the source.

From here you’ll continue onto Kandy where you’ll visit the famous Temple of the Tooth in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy. This temple holds a relic of Buddha which has played a huge role in the country’s politics, believing whoever is in possession of the relic holds the governance of Sri Lanka. The temple is ornately decorated with statues and beautiful paintings everywhere and has contributed to Kandy being made a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Today you will board the local vintage train on the way to Hatton. This train used to be used by the British during the Colonisation of Sri Lanka in the late 1800’s. You will have seats pre-booked for you to allow for maximum comfort and the best seats for viewing the stunning ride past the forests, villages, waterfalls and tea estates.

Once you’ve arrived you will check in to the world’s first tea bungalow resort – the five-star Ceylon Tea Trails. These elegant, boutique villas are all individual and look out over the World Heritage Central Highlands. The breathtaking views of the mountains and tea fields are the most beautiful things to wake up to every day and you’ll be offered a free tour of the estate to see it all in more detail, plus a tea tasting session.

Today you’ll be driven to Kitulgala where you’ll enjoy a whitewater rafting adventure down the Kelani River. This winding river, which runs off the slopes of Adam’s Peak, runs through the Hill Country of Sri Lanka before meeting with the Indian Ocean. You’ll be fully briefed by professionals and taken down the river rapids for an exhilarating experience.

Today you’ll be driven from Hatton to Colombo where you’ll have a couple of days to relax before you head home.