Trail Around The Pearl (21 Days)

Negombo is known for its golden sandy beaches and a centuries-old fishing industry still active along the coast. Visitors can try water sports, go diving to see the coral and underwater life, or view a 50-year-old shipwreck just offshore that has become home to many species of fish.

This is a home for young elephants displaced or lost from their natural habitat, located in Pinnawala village in Sabaragamuwa province. With around 70 elephants, it holds the largest captive group of elephants in the world and offers a close encounter with the animals.

The Golden Temple of Dambulla dates back to the 1st century BC and holds ancient murals depicting the life of Lord Gautama Buddha alongside hundreds of Buddha figurines and other deities across five main caves, including the Cave of the Divine King and the Cave of the Great King. A giant golden Buddha statue stands a short distance outside the cave complex.

This 5th-century AD rock fortress, once ruled by King Kashyapa, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Lion Rock for the lion's-paw entrance at its base. Visitors climb a steep staircase past well-preserved murals to reach terraced gardens and still-working cisterns that demonstrate ancient Sri Lankan hydraulic engineering.

The village experience includes an ox-cart ride, a catamaran safari on a calm lake, and a walk through golden paddy fields. It also features a traditional cooking demonstration and a home-cooked lunch made over a wood fire and served on lotus leaves.

A safari through Minneriya National Park offers the chance to see elephants gathering in large numbers, including over 150 during the Great Elephant Gathering between May and October. The park also holds other mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians across its scrubland and forest.

Polonnaruwa was the second major capital of Sri Lanka, flourishing between the 10th and 13th centuries AD. Highlights among its ruins include Gal Vihara, the Vatadage, the lotus bath, Lankathilaka Temple and the statue associated with King Parakramabahu, whose reign is considered the kingdom's golden age.

The Euphoria Spice and Herbal garden lies near Matale, the spice capital of Sri Lanka, and grows spices and herbs in a tropical climate that preserves their natural qualities. A guided spice tour explains the uses of these plants and the principles of Ayurveda.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site was built in the 16th century to house and protect Lord Buddha's sacred tooth. Its passageways and halls are decorated in red, cream and black, with carved pillars and golden statues throughout.

The Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya were formed in the early 19th century and hold over 4,000 species of plants, including orchids, spices and medicinal plants. Features include a cannonball tree, a suspension bridge, hedge mazes and avenues of large, rare trees.

Ramboda Falls is the 11th tallest waterfall in the country. The day also includes the shaded avenues of Hakgala Botanical Gardens and a walk along the shores of Lake Gregory.

Set in the heart of tea country at around 6,200 feet above sea level, Nuwara Eliya is a town built in the style of the English countryside, with Georgian and Queen Anne-style homes, well-kept lawns, an Anglican church and a golf course. The elevation keeps the air cool and fresh.

Horton Plains National Park, near Ohiya, is an area of montane grassland and cloud forest. Its features include the precipice known as World's End, the cooling spray of Baker's Falls, and a number of endemic species found within the plains.

The train journey from Nanu Oya to Ella passes through highland countryside, with tea plantations, misty mountain backdrops and the landscapes of Haputale visible along the way. The ride also takes in mountains, woodland and waterfalls as the train descends.

This three-hour safari explores Yala National Park, the second largest in the country, on the southeastern coast. The park holds a population of Sri Lankan leopards, wild water buffalo, Sri Lankan sloth bears and large herds of elephants, along with many other mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates.

Ussangoda is a coastal area notable for its lack of trees, a result of its serpentine rock containing toxic heavy metals that only certain smaller plants can tolerate. Local legend links the site to the Ramayana, associating its bare landscape with Hanuman's burning tail and with King Ravana's use of the plateau as a landing site for his chariot.

Rumassala hill, a few kilometres east of Galle, is marked by a white Buddhist dagoba at its summit and is a landmark of Unuwatuna beach. It is said in legend to be a fragment of Mount Dronagiri dropped by Hanuman, and is also associated with Sita's stay in Lanka.

Galle Fort was a headquarters for both the Portuguese and Dutch and remains one of the best-preserved fortifications in Asia. The town has museums, a lighthouse and cobblestoned streets with Dutch names to explore.