We commence our journey with a relaxed stay at our hotel in Colombo to refresh after the flight. This densely populated judicial capital too has a lot to offer from mouth watering street food, vibrant cafes and restaurants, well preserved colonial buildings, shopping malls and other recreational activities.

Touring the city by tuk-tuk is a wonderful experience while in Colombo. Pettah markets, Red Mosque, Gangarama temple, Lotus tower, Galle face and the Port City are among a lengthy list of places you can visit while in Colombo.

Let us take you on a food tour to boost your taste buds with spices from East to West. From sea food platters to burger towers, from shawarmas to crepes, from rotis to pastas, from tea to chai; Colombo serves them all.

Kandy, the heritage packed city, housed the last throne in Sri Lanka of which the palace and the surroundings still stand proudly in the city center. Departing Colombo early to avoid the heavy traffic, we head towards Kandy with a packed breakfast.

Highlight – On our way to Kandy we visit the Elephant Freedom Project to enjoy a couple of hours with a gentle giant. It is a wonderful sight to see unchained elephants roaming freely, enjoying their best life. Surrounded by many elephant riding places, they make the difference by not promoting elephant rides which is why we love this small, family run project. Accompany an elephant on walks while learning about them, bathe and feed them while not missing out on the amazing photo opportunities.

In the evening, visit a unique Gem store to learn about the gem and jewelry making process. Your journey will begin at the gem mine. Complete with life-like models and ambient sound effects, the mine will help you understand the effort and extent of labor that is required, in the quest to find the gem stones.

Next we enjoy a Cultural show which is an hour long depiction of diverse hues of Sri Lankan tradition. This is performed by the Kandy Lake Club which was founded in 1982 with a view to bringing together all the dance types of Sri Lanka to a single platform.

Later in the evening would be a perfect time to visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic. This is of utmost cultural and religious importance to Sri Lankans and Buddhists living world wide.

Today we travel from the cultural hub to the lavishly green hill country location of Nuwara Eliya. We catch the local train from Kandy to Nanu Oya to have an authentic Sri Lankan experience which is an exceptional highlight of the day.

Highlight – Nuwara Eliya was a retreat for Colonialists where they could escape the heat of the tropical island, and to plant and take home the world’s finest tea.We visit a tea plantation today followed by a factory visit to have a first hand experience of the tea making process, summed up by testing a few samples.

We enjoy the evening at leisure before going for a stroll in Gregory park to spend the rest of the day. Hop into a motor boat for a relaxed ride around the lake or challenge yourself with a thrilling and adventurous Jet ski ride.

Galle was identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. Founded in the 16th century by the Portuguese, Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British. It is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions.

Highlight – We depart the hill country early today and travel South. On the way, we visit Udawalawe Elephant transit home where orphaned and sick baby elephants are being fed and cared for until they are strong enough to be released into the wild. The afternoon feeding time is at 2.30 and it would be a wonderful experience to see hungry calves running to their stations to be bottle fed. If time allows you can enjoy a jeep safari in Udawalawe National Park.

After a long drive from the hill country to the Southern beach, we enjoy the evening at leisure. Be a lazy log by the beach, sipping your favorite cocktail. Cool breeze on face, fine sand at feet and the comforting sound of the waves crashing on the beach will relieve your soul in a matter of seconds.

Highlight – We start the day with a boat ride in Madu River which is another must-do during your stay in the south. Enjoying a fish foot therapy, visiting the cinnamon island for a refreshing cup of cinnamon tea, watching water birds and riding underneath a mangrove canopy shares the spotlight of this ride.

After a satisfying seafood meal, we visit the fortified old city of Galle. The dashing boutiques, cafes and buildings with colonial architecture, lined up inside the city walls create a magnificently beautiful maze that one would love to be lost in. Stroll in the narrow laneways leisurely or hop into a tuk tuk to take the best out of this visit. The lighthouse, old post office, Dutch Reform church, maritime museum, All Saints Anglican Church will create a vintage vibe before us while petit restaurants will add more flavor to your evening.

Seated on the fortified walls facing the southern sea, watch your last evening in Paradise Island fading together with the setting sun.

Today, we bid farewell to beauty-packed Ceylon. On your way to the airport, stop in Colombo for last minute shopping to take home some tangible memories from paradise island.