Rock, Tea and Rail

Meet your chauffeur-guide at the airport and head north (about 4.5 hours), stopping for lunch along the way. Check in, unwind, and enjoy the evening at leisure, with the rock rising over the treetops nearby.

Rise early for sunrise at Sigiriya Rock, or at nearby Pidurangala for the best view of Sigiriya itself. After breakfast, explore the ruins of Polonnaruwa, the medieval capital, by bicycle or vehicle. Highlights include royal palace remains, the Gal Vihara Buddha statues, and the Parakrama Samudra reservoir.

Stop at the Dambulla cave temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with painted ceilings and rows of Buddha statues. Continue to Kandy (about 3 hours) via a spice garden. In the late afternoon, visit the Temple of the Tooth, then enjoy a Kandyan cultural show in the evening.

Climb to Nuwara Eliya (about 3.5 hours), the cool "Little England" of the hill country. On the way, visit a tea plantation and factory to see how the leaf becomes your cup of Ceylon tea, and stop at Ramboda Falls. In the evening, stroll beside Gregory Lake and enjoy the cooler air.

Board one of the world's great railway journeys through rolling tea estates, waterfalls, and misty valleys to Ella. Seat reservations are needed, and your guide will arrange them where possible. Arrive in Ella and check in to enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the village.

Climb Little Adam's Peak, an easy walk with big views over the Ella Gap, then continue to the Nine Arches Bridge to watch the train cross. Adventurous guests can hike Ella Rock, a longer and steeper trail (optional). Spend the afternoon at the cafés.

Drive to the south coast (about 5 hours). On the way, take an optional elephant safari at Udawalawe National Park. Reach Galle in the late afternoon and walk the ramparts of the Dutch-era fort, watching the sun sink into the sea.

Enjoy a slow morning, perhaps a final stroll through the fort's lanes. Your chauffeur-guide takes you to the airport (about 2 hours) via the expressway for your flight.