Sri Lanka: Ancient Temples, Misty Hills & Golden Beaches

Arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo. Our representative will greet you and begin the drive to Sigiriya in the Cultural Triangle of central Sri Lanka (approx. 3.5 hours). En route stop for breakfast and to admire the lush green countryside dotted with rice paddies, Buddhist temples, and palmyra palms

After breakfast, visit the Dambulla Cave Temple (also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla) — a magnificent cave temple complex carved into a granite hill, housing five cave sanctuaries filled with 157 statues of the Buddha and ancient murals covering 2,100 square metres of walls and ceilings — another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Drive to Kandy (approx. 2.5 hours) — the last royal capital of Sri Lanka and the cultural heart of the island.

After breakfast, drive to Nuwara Eliya (approx. 2.5 hours) through Sri Lanka's stunning Hill Country. Stop at a roadside tea plantation along the way for a guided tour of a working tea factory — see how Ceylon tea is plucked, withered, rolled, fermented, and graded; end with a tasting of the world's finest black tea. For a truly unmissable experience, take the iconic scenic train journey from Hatton or Nanu Oya to Nuwara Eliya through the misty emerald tea estates — widely regarded as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world.

After breakfast, begin the drive back towards Colombo (approx. 3.5 hours). Stop at the world-famous Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage — home to over 80 Sri Lankan elephants including calves rescued from the wild. Watch the elephants bathe, play, and feed in the Maha Oya River at scheduled bathing times — an extraordinary experience for all ages.

Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel. Spend the morning at leisure — explore Colombo's famous shopping destinations including the Pettah Market — Colombo's oldest and most colourful bazaar for spices, textiles, and gems, and Odel and the Crescat Boulevard for branded shopping. Pick up Ceylon tea, Ayurvedic products, gemstones, batik fabric, moonstone jewellery, and buffalo curd (Sri Lanka's famous yoghurt) as souvenirs. Complete hotel check-out and transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your return flight to India. Carry back the rich, vibrant colours of Sri Lanka!