Maldives and Sri Lanka Explorer

On arrival at Male Velana International Airport, after clearing customs you will be welcomed by our airport representative who will provide the private vehicle transfer a few minutes to the float plane terminal, the largest float plane terminal in the world. On arrival you will be escorted to the Heritance Airport Lounge where you may enjoy a refreshing drink, a bite to eat, catch up on emails, or just sit and relax before your 45-minute float plane flight is ready to depart. When your flight is ready, you will be escorted down to the jetty, your luggage loaded onboard, sit back, and enjoy the flight 45-minutes north to the Heritance Aarah and enjoy the view from only 2500 feet. Upon arrival you will be warmly welcomed by the resort staff, complete check-in procedures and enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Relax and enjoy the stunning Maldives at the beautiful Heritanve Aarah

Relax and enjoy the stunning Maldives at the beautiful Heritanve Aarah

Relax and enjoy the stunning Maldives at the beautiful Heritanve Aarah

Relax and enjoy the stunning Maldives at the beautiful Heritanve Aarah

Enjoy your last few hours at leisure before you enjoy your schedules float plane ride back to Male. On arrival at Male you will transfer from the float plane terminal to Male Velena International Airport for your onward flight to Colombo.Upon arrival, by special arrangement, you’ll be met as you exit the plane by an Immigration official holding a sign with your names on it. The official will then expedite you through Immigration formalities, and escort you to the comfortable Silk Route Lounge where your Chauffeur Guide will be waiting for you. Relax with a refreshing drink and snack while your bags are collected for you. If you would like to have some local currency with you during your stay in Sri Lanka, the airport would be the ideal opportunity to do so, as there are several currency exchange counters with competitive rates, as well as ATMs that accept Visa and MasterCard. Along with a member of the airport staff, make your way over to the general arrivals hall and once your luggage is delivered to the lounge, you will be escorted to your private vehicle and enjoy a short drive of about 25 minutes to The Wallawwa for a much-deserved night’s sleep.

Following a breakfast at leisure, check out and depart on a scenic 3-hour drive to Sigiriya and check in at the Water Garden in time for lunch at your own expense.

Later this afternoon, meet your local, accredited, English-speaking guide and head out to explore the area’s principal attraction, the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by King Kashyapa (477-495). The “Lion Rock” is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70-hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens, including the renowned water gardens, ring the base of the plateau. Not to be missed are the Heavenly Maidens frescos hidden away in a sheltered pocket of the rock, approached by a spiral stairway. The hike to the top and back is many hundreds of steps, moderately strenuous and takes approximately two-three hours depending on your pace.

Please note that to reach the top of Sigiriya Rock, there are nearly 1,200 stone steps up and then down. Anybody in reasonably good condition will be able to venture to the top of Sigiriya Rock and it’s certainly worth the effort, however it’s important to know these little details before embarking on this outing. The Sigiriya Rock experience takes approximately 90 minutes to three hours depending on the pace at which you wish to ascend and descend.

Commence the day with a visit to a local rural school in the Habarana area. Maybe sing the ABCs to the kids or share some jokes, as this is always a wonderful way to interact with the local community. You also get to understand the prevailing educational system in the country and how government schools manage the transition of schooling efforts from rural communities to main cities. Education is completely free in Sri Lanka and together with healthcare provides great relief for communities in the rural villages. Despite these perks, many schools face challenges to finance its infrastructure, provide basic sanitation and carry out extracurricular activities including development of sports and music.

Next, depart on a 60-minute drive and explore the medieval capital of the island, Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka ruled by King Vijayabahu after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. Apart from the Brahmanic monuments built by the Cholas, the site comprises monumental ruins of the fabulous ‘garden city’ created by Parakramabahu I in the 12th century. The visit is of four parts, paying homage to the strategic planning of this archaeological city by its first rulers. We start off with the King’s Palace which still stands tall giving us an idea of the architectural superiority which existed during ancient times. After a quick visit to the palace and the baths, we then visit the Tooth Relic Temple, the magnificent Image House, and the historical ‘Vatadage’. The visit ends at the Gal Vihara Temple where we witness the awe-inspiring Buddha statues carved out of rock. Bicycles are available should you wish to cycle through the archaeological sites.

Following the visit to the archaeological site, settle in at a rural café for an authentic Sri Lankan lunch cooked on clay pots and pans, and indulge in the various aromas and flavours that go into these local dishes.

After a delightful lunch, embark on an afternoon game drive in the Minneriya / Kaudulla / Hurulu National Park. The park covers a large area of land, water bodies and consists of a mixed forest of evergreen shrubs, a favourite habitat for animals, which include deer, crocodiles, and wild elephants. During the dry season from June to September, this tank attracts herds of elephants to graze and bathe. In more recent times it has been discovered that the park witnesses the largest elephant gathering in the world during these months. You can also see huge flocks of birds, including cormorants and painted storks that come to fish in the shallow waters.

Please note that depending on the elephant sightings on this day, your guide will liaise with our regional experts and will take you to one of the following parks in the area, which are situated adjoining each other and allows the Elephants to roam around any of them – Minneriya National Park, Hurulu National Park, or Kaudulla National Park.

After an exhilarating game drive, return to Water Garden for the evening.

Check out after breakfast and begin the journey towards Kandy. En route, stop by the World Heritage Site of Dambulla, known for its richly painted cave temples. Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass, and it was here that King Valagam Bahu took refuge from invasions in the 1st century BC, later turning the caves into a rock temple. Some of its frescoes are over 2,000 years old. Another highlight is a colossal figure of the recumbent Buddha carved out of the living rock, some 15 meters long. The caves have a mixture of religious and secular paintings and sculptures with ceiling frescoes depicting scenes from Buddha’s life and Sinhalese history.

Please note that to reach Dambulla Caves, there is a short, but steep incline with over 300 steps. We will use a special entrance in the back to alleviate the upward climb, but you will make the walk down the nearly 300 steps to the main entrance and exit of Dambulla. Anybody in reasonably good fitness condition will be able to visit this site without issue.

Sri Lanka is the capital of a rich variety of spices that determined its history, being the cause of many an invasion. Fragrant Clove, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Mace, Pepper, Cocoa, and Vanilla amongst others account for a diversity of cooking styles and applications. You will learn how different spices are grown during your visit to a Private Spice Garden during today’s lunch.

After lunch, continue to Kandy, the last bastion of Buddhist political power against colonial invasion. This hill station is remarkable for the natural beauty of its setting in a peaceful wooded valley overlooking a vast artificial lake. The palace, shrines and British period buildings give it a special character, while Buddha’s Tooth Relic lends a religious importance to the historic highland capital.

Arrive in Kandy and visit the sacred Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic, also known as the “Dalada Maligawa” in Kandy is one of the most venerated places of worship for Buddhists, during the evening pooja time for a private viewing. Built in the 16th century, this temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka during the reign of King Meghavarna (301-328). The relic is encased in seven caskets, one kept inside the other, the outermost of which has a shape of a stupa, adorned with many gold ornaments. Several buildings have been added to the temple complex by successive rulers, the latest being the Golden Canopy over the inner shrine where the Tooth Relic is placed. Originally the Temple was within the King’s palace complex as it was the symbol of Royal Authority.

Following the temple visit, check in at the Kings Pavilion for the evening.

This morning after breakfast, proceed to the outskirts of Kandy and visit Chandani, a local artist in the area, in her humble home which is accessed by walking through a working Tea Plantation. She is a mother who supports her family with her creative gift of artistry. She is involved in painting on fabrics, Batik art and creating a range of uncommon but innovative handicrafts, using natural resources and day-to-day waste to ensure environmentally friendly products. Here, you can learn about the handicraft and batik trades in Sri Lanka, and how the olden methods of artistry are threatened due to urbanization, free market movements and lifestyles, and what some of them are doing to keep the trade alive and carry forward the traditions.

Afterwards, meet your host Chami at his humble home nestled in the hills of the Kandy. This young and energetic individual lives in the quieter and hilly side of Kandy with his wife and young daughter. Chami’s wife prepares delicious Sri Lankan meals, and you get the unique opportunity to have hands-on cooking experience. It begins with a visit to a local market, where you will learn how to select the best fresh produce. You will then proceed to the mud hut kitchen and learn how to prepare mouth-watering Sri Lankan dishes, and once the class is complete, you will have the opportunity to taste the prepared food.

After lunch, we visit Master Ruwan, who is a guru of the ancient Kandyan art of dancing and drumming. Traditional Kandyan dances include the cobra dance, mask dance and the Ginisila (showing power over fire). The entire frenetic and colourful spectacle climaxes with an amazing fire-walking act. The dancers wear elaborate costumes including a headdress, their chests only covered by a decorative beaded net. The Kandyan Dance is traditionally performed to percussion only, and to assist the dancer to keep rhythm a small pair of cymbals is also used as well as a conch shell to announce the arrival of the dancers and the climax of the dance. This experience is very engaging as our local dancing master will teach you the basics of dancing and drumming if you are interested.

Following a rewarding day, return to the Kings Pavilion for the evening.

Checkout after breakfast this morning and visit the Royal Botanic Gardens in Peradeniya with Mr. Bandara Palipana, an expert in Botany. These gardens are the finest of its kind in Asia. In the Mediterranean climate of Kandy, the gateway to the central highlands, the gardens lie at an elevation of 460 meters above sea-level, tightly bounded on three sides by the loop of the river Mahaweli (Great Sandy River), Sri Lanka’s largest river. Before it was decreed as a Botanic Gardens it used to be a pleasure garden in the days of the kings of Kandy, and during WWII the gardens were the headquarters of the allied command for the Pacific.

Proceed to the quaint Peradeniya Railway Station to board a local train for the 2-hour ride to the “tea-side” town of Hatton. An engineering marvel, this route is spoken of as the most picturesque of rail journeys. The train ascends along winding tracks into the home of the famed Ceylon Tea, with its rolling hills turning into a carpet of velvety green plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls.

11:20 AM → Depart Peradeniya Train Station
01:30 PM → Arrive in Hatton
*First class reserved seats included in the program. On board the train we will arrange light snacks & toiletries. Your luggage will go up ahead with your chauffeur guide.

Upon arriving in Hatton, check in to your bungalow at the Ceylon Tea Trails, perched at an altitude of 4,000 feet in Sri Lanka’s panoramic Ceylon tea region, bordering the World Heritage Central Highlands. This is the ideal setting to unwind and observe life on a working tea estate against the breathtaking backdrop of mountains, lakes, winding roads, and waterfalls. The bungalows that now comprise this exclusive resort were some of the first constructed in Ceylon’s tea country and named after the Chinese village from which the area’s first tea seedlings originated. They were originally built for the British tea estate managers and their families in the days of the Raj. Here, guests are absorbed into life on a working tea estate whilst revelling in five-star luxury. You will have the chance to explore the lush tea fields & visit a century old factory for a gentle education in the art of Ceylon Tea. There are also many hikes throughout the area.

At 10:00AM this morning, visit a working tea factory with one of the Tea Trails resident planters for a private tour. You will learn about how different types of teas are created. You will be taken through the entire process – from the drying of the green leaf to the process of dehumidifying and provoking the chemical reaction that turns green leaf into tea, to the segmenting of the different particles which result in the different grades, to finally the packing and distribution.

In the early days of the tea industry, before motorized travel came to its assistance, tea planters conducted field inspections across a vast area of tea fields and forest, either on foot or horseback. At midday, they would take a break under the shade of a tree or the shelter of a makeshift hut for lunch and a rest. You will experience this and then some. Your special “Planters’ Lunch” is a plusher, four-course version (to Relais and Chateaux standards no less!) served in tiffin boxes (just like the old days) at a secret location up on the hillside overlooking Castlereagh Reservoir.

Later this afternoon, participate in an exclusive tea tasting session with resident planter, Bernhard Holsinger, followed by a colonial ‘high tea’. This guided experience allows you to taste, learn & appreciate the unique flavour profiles that give different teas their distinction. Bernhard brings with him a wealth of experience, complemented with a healthy dose of tongue-in-cheek wit.

Tonight, enjoy a signature culinary experience unique to Tea Trails, the Tea-infused Dinner, which brings together the subtle influences of the flavours of tea (not to mention the health benefits). Teas grown in various regions of Sri Lanka have distinctly different flavour profiles, and each lends a different effect to types of ingredients and methods of preparation. Earl Grey cured fresh salmon, Moroccan Mint tea crusted lamb cutlet, and Vanilla panna cotta with minted fresh fruits and Hibiscus tea sauce are some examples of a menu that appeals to both the intellectual curiosity as well as the palate of any gourmet.

This morning bid a sad farewell to your hosts at Tea Trails and proceed to the Castlereagh Reservoir and take a scenic seaplane ride on a scheduled Cinnamon Air flight to Weerawila, gateway to Yala National Park.

● ETD from Hatton → 11:45 AM
● ETA at Weerawila → 01:00 AM

Upon landing in Weerawila, reconvene with your guide and vehicle and depart on an hour’s drive to Yala and check in at the stylish Wild Coast Tented Lodge.

Wild Coast Tented Lodge’s unique design, masterminded by Nomadic Resorts, a consortium of Dutch, English, and Sri Lankan designers, sees the man-made structures blending seamlessly into the surrounding landscape thanks to the use of carefully selected natural materials. The use of arched fabric structures allows each of the 28 tents to take on the shape and colour of the rocks and boulders that lay scattered nearby, whilst a clever layout in the shape of a leopard’s paw print alludes to the area’s most famous resident. While our main buildings, made of bamboo, blend in with the distinctive rock formations of Yala, our uniquely shaped tents, called Cocoons & Urchins, truly represent a luxury five-star resort room under canvas, offering state-of-the art amenities including air-conditioning. The open-air bamboo-clad Ten Tuskers bar and Dining Pavilion – designed to mirror the boulders scattered across the golden beach beyond – wrap around the resort’s enormous free-form swimming pool. Guests can enjoy creative daily-changing menus of authentic Sri Lankan cuisine in the restaurant, as well as sundowner cocktails and picnics al fresco on the sand dunes, watching dusk settle over the Indian Ocean.

You’ll have a little time to relax and get settled and have a quick lunch at the resort, before your first shared wildlife safari with a naturalist guide in the park later this afternoon. Yala National Park consists of dry-mixed evergreen forests and shrublands along with open grasslands, water holes, brackish water lagoons and riverine forests. This park’s diverse habitat supports large numbers of mammals, such as spotted, barking and mouse deer, sambar, wild boar, water buffalo and the endangered sloth bear. This is also one of the best places in the country to see wild elephants and the rare leopard. Large water holes and lagoons support the high density of endangered crocodiles. You can also see large flocks of migratory and resident birds—142 species of birds have been recorded in the park. Of note is the rare, black-necked stork, the largest bird in the country.

Return to the hotel as dusk falls and enjoy sundowners on the dunes followed by dinner.

You will have a wake-up call at 05:00AM this morning, as you will embark on your second shared game drive in the park. You will be served tea/coffee and some light snacks before you depart for the safari. Happy sightings!

Return to the resort around 09:00AM for a full breakfast. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to enjoy the many experiences offered at the resort. These include the following which can be booked via the resort and any applicable charges will be billed to your room to be settled upon checkout:

● Guided Nature Walk
● Rural Bike Exploration
● Discover Sri Lanka Cuisine
● Additional Game Drive in the Yala National Park

After breakfast this morning, check out at 08:00AM and depart on a 2.5-hour drive to Weligama and visit Top House, a working cinnamon estate that will provide a unique experience and insight into the industry and history of cinnamon cultivation on the island. The resident owners, a British couple who fell in love with Sri Lanka on a visit, chose to move here permanently, have restored the plantation to its former glory and now produce true Ceylon cinnamon, which grows on the steep slopes of a high hill. The plantation house is perched on the hilltop with spectacular views over the jungle to the north and the Indian Ocean to the south.

The owners have also built an artisan distillery where they extract pure cinnamon leaf oil according to age-old techniques fine-tuned with modern technology. You will take a tour of the estate with the owner, which involves a brief journey by tractor/trailer and covers the nursery, the plantation, the peeling hut, and the oil distillery. Here you will learn the history and health benefits of Ceylon cinnamon, and see the harvest, peeling and preparation of quills. There will also be a demonstration on cinnamon leaf bundling and the entire process of cinnamon oil extraction, as well as the surprising uses of this very special essential oil. The tour shows the eco-friendly and perfectly self-sustaining farming process, with every part of the plant used or recycled, and a completely natural and health-giving result. Upon completion of the tour, you will join the owners for a delicious home-cooked lunch at their stunning plantation house, where you can learn more about the life of a cinnamon farmer in Sri Lanka.

After lunch, continue towards Galle, en route stopping in Koggala for a unique opportunity to learn Stilt Fishing from the local fishermen in the area. Stilt fishing, termed as ‘Ritipanna’, is a traditional fishing method practiced by fishermen along the Southern coast. These are the fisher folk who engage in fishing from a narrow pole tied to a stick installed on the seabed.

Arrive in Galle afterwards and check in at the Galle Fort Hotel for some downtime.

Later this afternoon at 05:00PM, embark on a hosted walk of the 17th Century Fort with a resident host. In your private 90-minute tour, learn about the historical significance of Galle along with the interesting stories and legends of this unique area. The Galle Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site originally built by the Portuguese and later extended by the Dutch in 1663. The ancient seaport of Galle was once called Tarshish, from which King Solomon drew ivory, peacocks, and other valuables. Certainly, cinnamon was exported from Sri Lanka as early as 1400 BC and the root of the word itself is Hebrew, so Galle may have been a main port for the spice. The “modern” history of Galle starts in 1505, when the first Portuguese ship under Lourenço de Almeida was driven there by a storm. In 1640, the Portuguese had to surrender to the Dutch East India Company. The Dutch built the present Fort in the year 1668. They built a fortified wall using coral & stone, and built three bastions known as “Sun,” “Moon” and “Star”.

As the walk concludes, return to Galle Fort Hotel for an Arrack Mixology Masterclass a.k.a their Rope Walk. Arrack is a quintessential Sri Lankan drink with over 100 varieties of the spirit being produced locally. This local favourite is distilled and aged in wooden casks, which adds to its unique flavour profile. Venture through five speciality arracks that will be paired with carefully chosen nibbles known as ‘bites’ in Sri Lanka. So, delve into the world of arrack one sip at a time!

Afterwards enjoy a Feast of Ceylon dinner at the hotel.

Check out after breakfast this morning and depart on a 2-hour drive to the Bandaranaike International Airport in time for your onward flight

We hope that you’ve had a wonderful stay in Sri Lanka!