Culture & nature

Your Sri Lankan adventure begins with a private flight to Colombo, where the following morning you'll be welcomed to Sri Lanka! Upon arrival, you'll be met by a representative at Bandaranaike International Airport and transferred directly to Kandy. Once the last stronghold of the Sinhalese kings, the city retains an aura of grandeur and exudes exotic beauty. Nestled amidst verdant hills, Kandy and its surrounding villages are a cultural hub where many legends, traditions, and ways of life are kept alive.

A morning stroll through the Royal Botanic Garden Peradeniya is a wonderful way to start the day, as its high biodiversity of plants from all over the world makes it the most beautiful in all of Asia. The atmospheric heart of Kandy is the Temple of the Tooth, nestled among green hills by the lake. It houses a tooth of Buddha and is particularly captivating in the evening hours with its spiritual atmosphere.

Tropical rainforest and the nearby Adam's Peak characterize the area around Dalhousie, which lies within Sri Pada Peak, Sri Lanka's third-largest nature reserve. While Adam's Peak may not be the highest mountain, it is certainly the most famous. A legend claiming that a footprint of Buddha – or, depending on the religion, Shiva, Adam, or Saint Thomas – can be found on the summit makes it a destination for numerous Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian pilgrims every year. Use the time after your arrival at the hotel to rest and relax, as the journey begins early the next morning!

An extraordinary experience awaits you as you climb Adam's Peak. Even from afar, you can see the lights that wind around the sacred mountain like an enormous string of lights, guiding the way to the top. Together with countless pilgrims, you'll set off early in the morning and follow the more than 5,000 steps, some steep and worn, to the small temple at the summit at 2,243 meters. The breathtaking sunrise rewards your efforts, while the chants of Buddhist monks enhance the magical atmosphere. Afterwards, the journey continues to the highlands around Nuwara Eliya – the heart of Sri Lanka's tea production. A visit to a tea factory and a walk among the lush green tea plants will immerse you in the world of tea production, and conversations with the tea pickers will provide you with a wealth of firsthand information.

Not far from Nuwara Eliya, at an altitude of between 2,000 and 2,300 meters, lies the high plateau of Horton Plains National Park, with its expansive grasslands, bushland, and woodland. A hike through the grassy plains, mystical cloud forests, and marshes leads to World's End – the 800-meter-high escarpment offers a breathtaking view all the way to the sea on a clear day! With a bit of luck, you might even spot one of the elusive leopards in its natural habitat, as well as sambar deer and numerous bird and amphibian species. On the way back, the 20-meter-high Baker's Falls provide a wonderful opportunity for a break. The evening is free for relaxation or independent exploration – the former hill station of Nuwara Eliya exudes British charm, and its many pubs invite you to linger.

There's plenty to discover in Ella – even on your own, as the day is entirely yours to enjoy! Little Adam's Peak and Ella's Rock offer gentle hikes, while the Nine Arches Bridge, which emerges unexpectedly from the lush, green forest, is considered Sri Lanka's most beautiful bridge, built entirely of bricks and standing 25 meters high. It's a popular subject for photographs. Design your stay exactly as you wish.

Tissamaharama is the starting point for your excursion to Yala National Park – vast forests, grasslands, and lagoons comprise Sri Lanka's largest and most famous national park, home to numerous wild animals, including leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and hundreds of bird species. In the afternoon, a jeep safari will immerse you in the stunning natural surroundings and allow you to follow in the footsteps of its inhabitants.

The Sinharaja Rainforest is the last remaining continuous forest area in Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Everything you could imagine a wild jungle to be can be found here: a tropical climate with high humidity, frequent rainfall, towering canopies and dense undergrowth, enchanting waterfalls, and fascinating wildlife including poisonous insects and amphibians, monkeys, and a diverse array of birds. Few tourists visit this area, allowing you to enjoy a peaceful walking safari. Upon arrival, you can spend the rest of the day relaxing or exploring on your own.

Early in the morning, you'll embark on an exciting hike through the Sinharaja Rainforest. Accompanied by a unique soundscape of birdsong, monkey calls, and insect chirping, you'll discover the wonderful natural landscape and its inhabitants on foot. Your ranger will point out the masters of camouflage and knows every animal, tree, and plant – he'll also gladly explain the subtle but important differences between jungle and rainforest. The rest of the day is free for relaxation or independent exploration.

After all the new experiences and adventures, you deserve a break – today you'll head to one of Sri Lanka's wonderful beaches, where you can relax in the sun, sand, and sea, far from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Three nights in Bentota, Balapitya, Mahawaskaduwa, or Negombo (not included, optional at an additional cost).

Enjoy more days on the paradisiacal beaches of Sri Lanka and tailor your stay entirely to your own wishes. (Not included, optional at an additional cost).

Depending on your departure time, you will be transferred to Bandaranaike International Airport today, from where you will begin your journey home. We wish you a pleasant flight home and hope to welcome you back as our guests soon. (Please note that you should arrive at the airport three hours before departure.)