Sri Lanka, Cultural Triangle & Hill Country

Arrive at Bandaranaike International, about an hour by road or 40 minutes by expressway and transfer privately to your base. Time today to walk Galle Face Green at dusk with the street food carts.

• Private transfer via Bandaranaike International
• Walk Galle Face Green at dusk with the street food carts
• Time to settle in before dinner

The Dutch and British buildings of the Fort, the market lanes of Pettah, the Gangaramaya temple and the red-and-white striped Jami Ul-Alfar mosque.

• Fort and Pettah walking tour
• Gangaramaya Temple
• Galle Face Green at sunset

Drive north into the dry zone and the Cultural Triangle. On arrival, settle in the Cultural Triangle with the rock in view.

• Drive north into the dry zone and the Cultural Triangle
• Settle in the Cultural Triangle with the rock in view
• Timings reconfirmed locally the day before

The 5th-century palace on a 200-metre granite plug, climbed by 1,200 steps past the mirror wall and frescoes, best started at opening time before the heat.

• Sigiriya rock climb at opening
• Frescoes and mirror wall
• Water gardens at the base

Climb into the hill country by road or on the Colombo-Kandy railway. On arrival, walk around the lake to the temple as the evening drumming starts.

• Climb into the hill country by road or on the Colombo-Kandy railway
• Walk around the lake to the temple as the evening drumming starts
• Timings reconfirmed locally the day before

The Sri Dalada Maligawa, which holds a relic of the Buddha, timed for one of the three daily puja ceremonies, plus the lake and a Kandyan dance performance.

• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic during puja
• Kandy lake walk
• Kandyan dance and fire-walking show

Arrive on the hill-country railway, one of the world's great train journeys. On arrival, walk out to Little Adam's Peak for the view down Ella Gap.

• Arrive on the hill-country railway, one of the world's great train journeys
• Walk out to Little Adam's Peak for the view down Ella Gap
• Timings reconfirmed locally the day before

The colonial-era stone viaduct in the jungle with the train crossing a few times a day, and the easy climb to Little Adam's Peak for the gap view.

• Nine Arch Bridge at train times
• Little Adam's Peak walk
• Ravana Falls

An early misty morning before the road or rail out. Private transfer to Colombo in good time for your onward flight.

• An early misty morning before the road or rail out
• Late check-out arranged where the hotel allows it
• Private departure transfer