Safaris & Spices of Sri Lanka

Beginning in Colombo, we discover the timeless grandeur of the Galle Face Hotel, waiting to welcome us for a two-night stay.. Local expert Mark Forbes guides us through the city before a much-anticipated dinner at the Ministry of Crab. The next day, we make our way to the Colombo Air Force base where a helicopter is waiting to whisk us away to Dambulla. Once on the ground, our exploration of the World Heritage-listed Dambulla Cave Temple complex culminates with a candle-lit dinner inside one of the caves.

From our next residence, which overlooks the rock fortress of Sigiriya, Your World experiences offer the chance to hike up the rock on which our hotel is built, trek through the village of Hiriwadunna or enjoy a spa treatment. In the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, we join a Jeep safari with a conservationist and see hundreds of elephants descend on Minneriya National Park in a spectacle known as The Gathering.

Immersed in the heady aromas of the spice garden in Matale, we learn to identify the flavours of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. In Kandy, we accept an invitation to the home of a batik artist for lunch, then visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic for a Hindu pooja ceremony. After a free morning, we arrive at Peradeniya Botanical Gardens by tuk tuk and join a professor of botany for a walk.

Aboard the Viceroy II, a private vintage carriage attached to the public train, we roll into Nanu Oya in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country. From our hotel, the Heritance Tea Factory, we step out to admire the city’s architecture that spans Georgian and Queen Anne eras, before dinner at the intimate Carriage Restaurant.

We arrive at Yala National Park by seaplane and check into Wild Coast Tented Lodge. During our time here, safaris take us into the national park, where, among many species, we hope to spot the leopard. We also have the chance to hone our cooking skills or take a guided nature walk thanks to the Your World experiences on offer. On our way to Galle, we stop for lunch by Weligama Bay.

We explore the city of Galle with a local storyteller, who paints his tales of history and colonial life with a thought-provoking stroke. On our way back to Colombo, where we have a private room at the Galle Face Hotel for the day, we pause in Bentota, enjoying lunch in the Lunuganga Gardens. Before dinner there’s time to meet with renowned former Sri Lankan cricketer on a Your World experience. As we enjoy a special Farewell Dinner at The 1864 Restaurant, we contemplate all of the wonderful places we’ve encountered. Our journey has now drawn to a close.