About this experience
This eight-day private tour runs from Colombo through the Cultural Triangle, the hill country and the southern coast, combining ancient sites, hill-country scenery and two national park safaris in a single loop. A chauffeur guide drives throughout, so the stops at temples, ruins, tea estates and parks follow one continuous route rather than separate excursions.
The first half of the tour covers the Cultural Triangle: the cave temples of Dambulla, the ruined medieval capital of Polonnaruwa, and the rock fortress of Sigiriya, along with a stop at the Hindu temple complex of Munneswaram and a safari in Minneriya National Park, known for its seasonal elephant gatherings. From there the route climbs into the hills, taking in Kandy's Temple of the Tooth Relic and a Kandyan cultural show, a spice garden near Matale, a tea factory and waterfall near Ramboda, and the cooler town of Nuwara Eliya.
The second half moves south through Ella, with its viewpoints and the Nine Arches Bridge, to Yala National Park for a further safari, then along the coast via Galle Fort and the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery before finishing in Colombo with a tour of the capital's landmarks.
Travellers get a wide cross-section of Sri Lanka in one trip: Buddhist and Hindu heritage sites, hill-country tea country, two wildlife safaris, and a coastal finish, all arranged as a single continuous drive with a dedicated guide.
