Sri Lanka Heritage & Beach Tour

Sri Lanka is an island that punches far above its weight. In a land smaller than Ireland, you find seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites,Elephant orphanages, world-class surf breaks, and some of the most beautiful train journeys on the planet.

Your journey begins in Colombo, the capital, where colonial Dutch architecture sits beside glittering Buddhist temples and bustling bazaars.

A day trip to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage lets you watch over a hundred elephants bathe in the river — a sight that stays with you forever.

From Colombo you travel to the Cultural Triangle, the heartland of Sri Lanka's ancient kingdoms.

At Sigiriya, you climb the legendary Lion Rock — a 200-metre fortress rising from the jungle floor, adorned with 1,500-year-old frescoes and the Mirror Wall.

In Kandy, the last royal capital, you visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth, where a relic of the Buddha is enshrined in a golden casket.

The scenic train ride from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya is one of the most beautiful railway journeys in the world — the train winds through misty mountains, past endless carpets of tea bushes, waterfalls, and hill-country villages.

In Nuwara Eliya, you visit a working tea factory, taste fresh Ceylon tea, and stroll through the botanical gardens.

A safari at Yala National Park gives you the chance to see leopards, elephants, crocodiles, and exotic birds in the wild.

Finally, you descend to the southern coast, where the beaches of Bentota and Mirissa offer golden sand, warm water, and spectacular sunsets.

Whale watching excursions from Mirissa (seasonal) can reveal blue whales and dolphins.