The Nature of the Spice Isle

2 weeks travelling the length and breadth of Sri Lanka, visiting its National Parks and World Heritage Sites in order to catch a glimpse of its hidden treasures and natural delights.

Arrive Colombo. You will be met on arrival and transferred to meet the air taxi. This dramatically shortens what would otherwise be a long road journey and allows the passenger a view that they would otherwise not experience.

Plane: Cessna Caravan Amphibian
Route: Colombo to Anuradhapura

You will be met on arrival in Anuradhapura and transferred to Wilpattu National Park.

You will be transferred into the central wet zone of the island. On the way, you will have the chance to visit spice gardens growing a variety of spices, such as cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg. These are the places to invest in top quality Ayurvedic remedies and oils, although they do not come cheap. It was for these spices that Sri Lanka was initially colonised by the Portuguese, Dutch and British. You will also go via the Dambulla Cave Temples.

You will have the opportunity to visit the Elephant Orphanage. This is about an hours drive from Kandy and is a good chance for people to get up close and personal with a pachyderm. It is a good idea to go and have lunch by the river as after feeding, they are all brought down to bathe and to watch them from a vantage point with a cold drink is a pleasant experience.

In the evening, you will be taken to the Temple of the Tooth to see the blessing ceremony with all the fanfare, drums, trumpets and brightly coloured Monks performing their rituals.

You will also have the chance to visit the Botanical Gardens and to see a cultural show whilst in Kandy.

You will be transferred by road to Kalawana in the Sinharaja rainforest, through some of the most dramatic landscapes in the country. En route you could stop in Kitulgala, where the ‘Bridge over the River Kwai was filmed’ – there is a swinging suspension bridge over the river, definitely worth a quick visit.

More on Sinharaja Rainforest 

Day at leisure, perhaps including a visit to Ratnapura and the Sinharaja rainforest.

More on Ratnapura 

You will be transferred by road to the south eastern corner of the island, to Yala National Park.

More on Yala National Park 

You will be met at the Lodge and transferred around the coast to Bentota.

More on Bentota 

You will be transferred back to the airport in time to check in for your return flight to London, with Sri Lankan Airlines.

PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR ITINERARIES ARE DESIGNED TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE POSSIBILITIES AND ARE NOT SET IN STONE. WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO QUOTE FOR A HOLIDAY OF YOUR DESIGN. TO BOOK YOUR HOLIDAY CALL ONE OF OUR TRAVEL CONSULTANTS ON :

+44 (0)20 8343 3446