Sri Lanka Encompassed — Plus

Location: Colombo

Accommodation: Hotel Sapphire

Arrive at any time.

There are no planned activities until an evening welcome meeting.

ACTIVITY: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.

Location: Colombo

Accommodation: Beacon Beach Hotel

Meals: BREAKFAST

Enjoy a guided city tour of Colombo before heading to Negombo. With evening free time, explore the stunning Portuguese and Dutch architecture.

ACTIVITY: Visit the Pettah district of Colombo and wind your way through a series of open-air bazaars and markets. The area is home to Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, one of the oldest and most visited mosques in Colombo, and also hosts Kayman's Gate, Colombo Town Hall, and the Khan Clock Tower.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Location: Negombo

Accommodation: Fresco Water Villa

Meals: BREAKFAST

Begin the day visiting the seaside and observe fisherman sorting through their haul ashore. Board a boat to glide along the Dutch canal and get a closer look at the lives of the locals. Travel to the Dambulla province and visit the cave temple before watching the sun set over the lake.

Travel through the countryside to Sigiriya in Dambulla, the central province of Sri Lanka. Visit the the World Heritage Site of the Golden Cave Temple of Dambulla. In the evening, try to catch a beautiful sunset over the Kandalamma Lake.

TRANSPORT: Negombo - Sigiriya

ACTIVITY: Visit the ancient Dambulla cave temples at one of the most well-preserved temple and cave sites in Sri Lanka. See Buddhist mural paintings that line the walls of the seventh-century caves as well as a collection of hundreds of statues of Buddha in different poses.

ACTIVITY: Get a closer look at daily life while cruising calmly along the Dutch canal, one of many canals in the city linking estuaries and lagoons together. Watch as Negombo's residents collect coconuts, and keep an eye out for the multitude of bird species in the area.

ACTIVITY: Take a walking tour of a fishing village. There's no better way to learn about the life of the locals than to head to the sea to take in the action. Watch the fishermen bring their boats to shore, clean their nets, dry the fish, and sell to waiting buyers.

Location: Sigiriya

Accommodation: Fresco Water Villa

Meals: BREAKFAST, LUNCH

Guided tour of the rock fortress of Sigiriya — a World Heritage site. Meet locals and share a meal in a nearby village.

Enjoy a walking tour of a local village to learn about residents' way of life while getting a chance to try the local cuisine at a lunch prepared by the families of the community. Later, visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Built in the fifth century, this rock fortress boasts well-laid out gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces with beautiful wall motifs. In the afternoon, opt to go for a tour of Polonnaruwa, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, where you can cycle through the ruins.

ACTIVITY: Wander through a typical Sri Lankan village to learn more about its residents and their way of life. Enjoy some local cuisine prepared by the families of the town and get a chance to interact with the community.

ACTIVITY: Be mesmerized by this rock fortress, which captivates every visitor with its well-laid out gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with beautiful wall motifs. Start at the water gardens and climb more than 1,200 steps to reach the top. Pass caves with frescoes and boulders to find the ruins of a palace on the flat surface of the old volcanic magma rock. The rock rests 370m (1,213 ft) above sea level with a shear drop on all sides.

FREE TIME: EVENING Head out and explore.

Location: Sigiriya

Accommodation: Oak Ray Heritage Hotel

Meals: BREAKFAST, LUNCH

Drive through the Knuckles Mountain Range and visit a spice plantation en route to Kandy. Stop for lunch at G Adventures supported-Sthree Craft Shop and Cafe. Take a guided visit to the famous Temple of the Tooth.

En route to Kandy, stop at the herbal centre of spices. Students of Ayurveda will explain different uses for each herb. Arrive to Kandy in the afternoon. Go for a stroll around Kandy Lake and visit the famed Temple of the Tooth. Enjoy an included lunch at G Adventures supported-Sthree Craft Shop and Cafe. In the evening, opt to attend a Kandyan Cultural Dance.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: MORNING Visit the herbal centre of spices for an interactive session with students of Ayurveda. Learn all about the medicinal uses of various herbs used by the people of Sri Lanka in their massages and treatments.

ACTIVITY: Walk through the city and around Kandy Lake to get a better feel for the place.

ACTIVITY: Enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Tooth, which houses an important relic – a tooth of Lord Buddha kept in a well-preserved golden casket. Learn about the importance of this site from local guides.

ACTIVITY: Stop for a delicious traditional Sri Lankan lunch prepared by Sthree Craft Shop and Café. This social enterprise offers opportunities for local women and youth living with disabilities, through handicraft and hospitality training.

Location: Kandy

Accommodation: Tamarind Gardens Homestay

Meals: BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER

Enjoy a free morning in Kandy then travel to Digana. Arrive for lunch before embarking on a guided village walk. Stop at the home of a jewellery maker who handcrafts delicate Kandyan jewellery, and the cottage of a local incense maker.

FREE TIME: FULL DAY Head out and explore.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: Get a crash course in local life with a village walk through Digana. Learn about some of the essential local industries like it's milk collection point and dolomite mine. Meet with a local jeweller creating handicrafts from copper sheets and precious stones then take home personally crafted incense after a lesson in incense production by a local woman. Employing other women from the community, watch as oils and resins are mixed to craft the perfectly scented incense!

Location: Digana

Accommodation: Hotel Jojo's

Meals: BREAKFAST

Enjoy a free morning of exploration before transferring to Nuwara Eliya. In the afternoon, explore a traditional tea plantation in the central highlands. Gain insight into the process of growing tea and its effect on the Ceylon region.

Nuwara Eliya, also known as 'Little England', offers a lot of options for visitors. Explore the nature trails, visit the plantations, or go golfing or horseback riding.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: The town of Nuwara Eliya produces the finest Orange Pekoe Ceylon tea, and is inhabited mainly by tea planters and plantation workers. Pay a visit to one of the factories to learn all about tea production.

Location: Nuwara Eliya

Accommodation: Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel

Meals: BREAKFAST

Spend a free morning hiking in the Horton Plains Nature Reserve or strolling local markets. Later, travel to Ella.

Use free time to explore the area. Opt to stay close to the city, wandering local markets or head further afield. There's a 9km (6 mi) trek in the Horton Plains Nature Reserve. Wander around Victoria Lake and take in the views.

FREE TIME: MORNING With so much to see and do, don't waste a minute.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

FREE TIME: EVENING Get to know Ella with some free time this evening.

Location: Ella

Accommodation: Oak Ray Ella Gap Hotel

Meals: BREAKFAST

Enjoy a free day in the charming town of Ella. Opt to tour the iconic Nine Arch Bridge, admire views of Ella Rock, or simply relax and wander around town.

Location: Ella

Accommodation: Big Game Camp Yala

Meals: BREAKFAST

Opt to hike Little Adam's Peak with a free morning. In the afternoon, travel to Yala National Park and enjoy a safari.

ACTIVITY: Head out on a safari in Yala National Park. Keep an eye out for leopards, elephants, jackals, sloth bears, sambars, spotted deer, crocodiles, and more than 200 bird species. Learn about its diverse wildlife and the history of the park.

FREE TIME: MORNING Experience more of hill country with a free morning. Opt to shop or trek to Little Adam' Peak.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Location: Yala National Park

Accommodation: Mandara Resort Mirissa

Meals: BREAKFAST

Enjoy one last morning visiting Yala NP then bid farewell and travel south to idyllic Mirissa Beach.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Location: Mirissa

Accommodation: Mandara Resort Mirissa

Meals: BREAKFAST

Take a day trip to Galle and tour the colonial city and historic fort before returning to Mirissa.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

ACTIVITY: Visit the Galle Fort, a 16th-century fort first built by the Portuguese, and later occupied by the Dutch. The ramparts are still standing even after being battered by Mother Nature, including the 2004 tsunami. Explore more of the beautiful capital, taking in the Dutch architecture and lively atmosphere. The Dutch Hospital shopping complex is a great place to scoop up some souvenirs.

TRANSPORT: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.

Location: Mirissa

Accommodation: Mandara Resort Mirissa

Meals: BREAKFAST

Enjoy a free day in peaceful Mirissa. Opt to relax on the beach or take a surfing lesson.

FREE TIME: FULL DAY Kick back and relax on the beach or give surfing a try.

Location: Mirissa

Meals: BREAKFAST

Depart at any time.

Additional Information: The Colombo airport can be reached by private taxi or bus. Your CEO can help you arrange a transfer.

ACTIVITY: Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.