Amazing Sri Lanka (24 Days)

Transfer from the airport to Negombo, a short drive of around 20 to 30 minutes, to check in to the hotel.

Spend time on Negombo's sandy beaches and watch the centuries-old fish industry at work.

Enter the historic cave temples dating back to the 1st century BC, with ancient murals depicting the life of the Buddha and hundreds of Buddha and deity figurines across five main caves, including the Cave of the Divine King, the Cave of the Great King and the Great New Monastery.

Climb the 5th-century rock fortress built for King Kasyapa, entering through the lion's paw staircase, viewing the famous murals, and walking through the terraced gardens, cisterns and tunnels that lead up to the palace.

Walk through the ruins of Sri Lanka's second major capital, which flourished between the 10th and 13th centuries, taking in monuments such as Gal Vihara, Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple and the statue of King Parakramabahu.

Go on safari through Minneriya National Park, known for the Great Elephant Gathering of over 150 elephants in the dry season between May and October, alongside other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

Visit this UNESCO World Heritage Site, built in the 16th century to house and protect the Buddha's sacred tooth relic, with its painted halls, carved pillars and golden statues.

Walk through gardens established in the early 19th century, home to over 4000 species of plants including orchids, spices and medicinal plants, with features such as the cannonball tree, a suspension bridge and hedge mazes.

Stop at Ramboda Falls, the 11th tallest waterfall in the country.

Walk through the shaded avenues and colourful mazes of Hakgala Botanical Gardens.

Take a relaxed walk along the shores of Lake Gregory.

Arrive in Nuwara Eliya, a hill-country town built by the British in the style of an English countryside settlement, with period homes, an Anglican church and a golf course, set at a cool, high elevation.

Explore the montane grasslands and cloud forests of Horton Plains in Ohiya, home to many endemic species, and visit the area's archaeological finds.

Ride the train from Nanu Oya to Ella through tea plantations, misty villages and the landscapes around Haputale, with mountains, woodlands and waterfalls along the way. Train tickets are not included in the tour price.

Take the three-hour hike up to Ella Rock, passing views of the Namunukula Range and Little Adam's Peak, with landmarks such as the Bandarawala Range, Poonagala Hills, Narangala, the Ella Gap and the Badulla train tracks visible from the top.

Take a three-hour safari through Yala, the island's second-largest national park on the southeastern coast, with chances to see Sri Lankan leopards, wild water buffalo, sloth bears and large herds of elephants, along with many other mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

Visit this bare coastal plateau, unusual for its lack of trees due to toxic heavy metals in its serpentine rock, which local legend links to the Ramayana story of Hanuman's burning tail and to King Ravana's mythical airport.

See this hill east of Galle, topped by a white Buddhist dagoba, said in legend to be a fragment of the Himalayan mountain Dronagiri dropped by Hanuman, and linked to Sita's stay in Lanka.

Explore Galle Fort, one of the best-preserved fortifications in Asia, built up by the Portuguese and Dutch, with its museums, lighthouse and cobblestoned streets.

Spend time on the beach, enjoying the sand, sun and sea breeze, watching the sunset over the ocean, and trying water sports such as jet-skiing and windsurfing.

Watch for turtles coming ashore to nest.