Off the Beaten Track in Sri Lanka: Cultural Highlights & East Coast Beach Escape

After breakfast, you’ll visit the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya. These flourishing gardens are home to more than 4,000 species of plant including orchids, palm trees, medicinal plants and a plethora of spices. First established in 1371 when King Wickramabahu III ascended the throne, this royal park later became a botanical garden under British rule in 1821 and is the largest of Sri Lanka’s three primary botanical gardens.

In the evening, you will revisit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic to explore this magnificent temple and the Royal Palace Complex further.


Accommodation: Cinnamon Citadel Kandy.

In the morning, you’ll visit a tea plantation and tea factory located amid the stunning landscapes of the Sri Lankan hill country (the Tea Factory is closed on Sundays and on Mercantile Holidays).

During your visit, you’ll be able to sample some of the best tea in the world and gain a fascinating insight into the intricacies of the tea-making process while learning about the history of tea production in Sri Lanka.

Following your tea experience, the rest of the day is yours to spend at leisure and enjoy your hotel’s facilities.


Accommodation: The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya.

For the next four days, you’ll be able to unwind in one of Sri Lanka’s most idyllic coastal corners. Pasikuda is home to one of the East Coast’s most stunning beaches, where you can enjoy lounging under the tropical sun or relish a choice of thrilling water sports.

Furthermore, your luxurious hotel boasts a range of facilities, including an authentic Balinese-inspired spa where you can be pampered with a traditional treatment; outdoor swimming pools; sports including badminton, beach volleyball and water polo; and ocean-based activities such as snorkelling, water-skiing, deep-water diving and sunset cruises.

Please note that your driver-guide will be unavailable during your stay in Pasikuda.


Accommodation: Anantaya Resort & Spa.

In the morning, you will visit the astounding spectacle of Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a 5th-century fortress which stands atop a 600ft-high monolith that towers over the surrounding landscape. This jaw-dropping UNESCO World Heritage Site includes an ancient stairway which winds its way to the summit through what would once have been the jaws of a crouching lion - today only the paws remain. At the top, you can explore the remains of the former royal citadel established by the ancient King Kashyapa I, while along the domineering rock’s edge you can admire a series of beautiful frescoes which adorn the rockface, dating from the 5th century A.D.

In the afternoon, you’ll head out on an incredible Jeep Safari through Minneriya National Park, a thriving wilderness comprising evergreen forest and tropical shrubland. Minneriya is famous as the place where visitors can witness the world’s largest gathering of Asian elephants, with herds of up to 350 individuals gathering around the park’s waterholes during the dry season (June to September). Aside from these magnificent elephants, the park’s 8,890 hectares are also home to a plethora of species including spotted deer, sloth bear, sambar deer, buffalo, purple-faced leaf monkey, grey langer, porcupine, Indian Pangolin, some 170 species of bird and the elusive Sri Lankan leopard.

Depending on the movement of the elephant herds, the game drive may take place in Kaudulla National Park or Hurulu Eco Park instead.


Accommodation: Habarana Village by Cinnamon.

At a prearranged time, your driver will collect you from your hotel and transfer you to Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, where you will arrive in perfect time for your onward flight.