Honeymoon
Romantic Sri Lanka
Tea country, the train, a safari and the coast, for two
Boutique hill-country hotels, a sunrise with mountain views, a spa afternoon, one safari and four days that end with the sea.
10 days · Luxury Escapes
Essence of Sri Lanka
From elephants to oceans, in ten days
Luxury EscapesCulture & HeritageWildlifeBeach & Coastal
- Duration
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Route
- 10 destinations
- Accommodation
- 9 nights
- Transport
- Private, with guide
Overview
The same island as the classic loop, arranged for people who would rather arrive somewhere and stay there. Three of the ten nights are on a beach of your choosing, with nothing scheduled at all.
The route leans on the smaller experiences — a catamaran across a tank, a bullock cart through paddy fields, a home-cooked village meal, a tower with a 360-degree view — rather than only the headline sites.
It finishes in Colombo rather than at a beach hotel, which gives the trip a city day before the flight instead of a long transfer.
Highlights
- Elephants bathing in the river below breakfast at Pinnawala
- Catamaran safari, bullock cart and a village meal at Sigiriya
- Peradeniya gardens and the Ambuluwawa tower
- Diyaluma Falls and the Nine Arch Bridge
- A Yala jeep safari, then three free nights on the coast
Day by day
Day 01
Pinnawala
A riverside welcome
Met at Colombo airport by your chauffeur guide and driven to Pinnawala. Tea on the terrace, with elephants bathing in the river below.
Riverside hotel, Pinnawala
Day 02
Sigiriya
Caves, village, and the rock
The Dambulla Cave Temple, then a village afternoon: a catamaran across the lake, a bullock cart through the paddy fields and a home-cooked meal. Sigiriya Rock Fortress at the end of the day.
Hotel, Sigiriya
Day 03
Ramboda
Heritage and highlands
Kandy and the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, and the Ambuluwawa tower for 360-degree views on the way up.
Hotel, Ramboda
Day 04
Ella
Tea trails
A tea plantation and factory, then colonial Nuwara Eliya — the old post office and the Seetha Amman kovil — before the drive down to Ella.
Hotel, Ella
Day 05
Yala
Bridges and waterfalls
The Ella train ride if you want it, the Nine Arch Bridge, and Diyaluma Falls — the island’s second tallest — on the way to Yala.
Hotel, Yala
Day 06
South coast
Safari, then the sea
An early jeep safari in Yala for leopard, elephant and crocodile. Then the Hambantota bird park, the Dondra lighthouse at the island’s southern tip, and on to the beach you have chosen.
Beach hotel, Mirissa, Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa
Day 07
South coast
Beach
Nothing scheduled. Surf lessons, whale watching in season or a Galle Fort afternoon are all there if you want them.
Beach hotel, south coast
Day 08
South coast
Beach
A second free day in the same place, which is the point of it.
Beach hotel, south coast
Day 09
Colombo
The capital
North to Colombo and a guided city tour: Independence Square, Gangaramaya Temple, the Lotus Tower viewpoint and Galle Face Green, with time for Pettah if you want it.
Hotel, Colombo
Day 10
Colombo
Farewell
Breakfast, then the transfer to Colombo airport.
What is included
Included
- Private air-conditioned vehicle with a personal chauffeur guide
- Nine nights accommodation with breakfast
- Airport meet and greet and both transfers
- Village experience at Sigiriya, including the catamaran and bullock cart
- All sightseeing and entrance coordination as listed
Not included
- International flights and visa
- Yala jeep hire and park fees unless agreed at booking
- Surfing, whale watching and other optional activities
- Most lunches and dinners, insurance and gratuities
Accommodation
Character properties rather than chains, including the riverside hotel at Pinnawala. The three beach nights are at a hotel on whichever stretch of coast you pick.
Transport
Private air-conditioned vehicle with your own chauffeur guide throughout, plus an optional rail leg at Ella.
The route
- 01Pinnawala
- 02Dambulla
- 03Sigiriya
- 04Kandy
- 05Ramboda
- 06Nuwara Eliya
- 07Ella
- 08Yala
- 09South coast
- 10Colombo
Gallery
See more in the full gallery.
Important information
- You choose the beach — Mirissa, Unawatuna or Hikkaduwa — and we book all three nights there.
- Diyaluma Falls involves a short walk on uneven rock, and the pools are not always safe to swim.
- We will talk you through what the Pinnawala stop does and does not involve before you commit.
Request this tour
You may also like