SAFARIS & SPICES OF SRI LANKA

2 November: As Your Tour Manager, Denise Van Sever Welcomes You On This Journey

2 November: Your Accompanying Tour Doctor For This Journey is Dr Alison Burke

16 November: As Your Tour Manager, Antony Philip Welcomes You On This Journey

Check into your Premium Ocean View Room at Colombo’s Galle Face Hotel. Admire the timeless grandeur of this Sri Lankan landmark on the shores of the Indian Ocean. 

Embark on a guided walk of Sri Lanka’s capital this morning with local expert Mark Forbes. For lunch, we dine at the culinary hotspot, the Ministry of Crab. Owned by former Sri Lankan cricketers, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara, this restaurant celebrates the country’s prized crustaceans, the giant lagoon crabs. After lunch, we make our way to the Bandaranayake International Airport where a light aircraft waits to whisk us away to Dambulla. Our home for the next two nights is the nearby Heritance Kandalama Resort. Vistas of lush forest, as well as Sigiriya itself, are to be enjoyed from our Luxury Rooms. This evening’s gourmet affair takes place inside one of the region’s famous caves, whose interior is illuminated by the flickering of candles. The atmosphere is further enhanced by the strains of woodwind instruments as we dine.

An early morning Your World experience presents a unique opportunity:
— Our hotel overlooks what is often described as the eighth wonder of the world – the rock fortress of Sigiriya. Rise early and set out to climb to its peak.
— You may prefer to relax at the Heritance Kandalama Resort. Perhaps indulge in a spa treatment or simply admire the extraordinary views from our hillside resort.

We then proceed to the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa and enjoy lunch at EKHO Lake House, once the holiday destination of choice for Queen Elizabeth. Explore the area’s various archaeological monuments aboard bicycles, and follow the trail of Maya, star of Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom. Look out for the rock temple Gal Viharaya, comprising four colossal statues of the Buddha. The figures have been cut into the surrounding stone and symbolise peace, serenity and strength. Polonnaruwa also features ancient palace ruins, intricately carved moon stones and royal baths. 

We reconvene for a seven-course dinner at our hotel. Savour an evening of fusion fare, served at the exact site where our hotel’s architect drew his plans.

This morning we depart for the World Heritage-listed Dambulla Cave Temple complex, which has drawn pilgrims and preachers for more than two centuries. We continue to a spice garden in Matale, where we learn to identify the flavours of cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Crossing the hills into Kandy, we check into Jetwing Kandy Gallery. A walking tour is available this afternoon, should you choose to join. This evening we have dinner at our hotel and are treated to a cultural show.

Following breakfast this morning, we visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Here, we witness a Hindu pooja ceremony, which involves prayer offerings through song. Adjourn to the sacred inner shrine and receive a blessing from one of the resident Buddhist monks. You will also receive a blessed cord, tied around your hand. This afternoon, arrive at Peradeniya Botanical Garden and join an enlightening walk with a professor of botany. Gaze skyward as you stroll along the grand Avenue of Royal Palms and absorb the myriad colours of some of the many thousands of plant species here. Before returning to our hotel, we take the opportunity to learn the delicate art of gem identification and cutting. Under the guidance of an expert gemologist, design and cut your own unique keepsake from the island’s precious gems.

We travel to Nanu Oya in style aboard the Viceroy II, a private vintage carriage attached to the public train. Roll along tracks cut through flourishing jungle, passing terraced tea plantations and skirting precipitous hillsides. Arriving in Nuwara Eliya, in the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country, we head for the Heritance Tea Factory. Here, our Superior rooms look out over the area’s lush mountains.

This morning after breakfast, enjoy a guided walking tour of Nuwara Eliya. Dubbed ‘Little England’, owing to its profusion of 19th-century English colonial houses, the town occupies a position in Sri Lanka’s pleasant hill country. Our travels today take us to the Holy Trinity Church; The Hill Club, which formerly served as a club house for English and Scottish tea and coffee planters; the Post Office building; and many of the region’s charming manor houses. We end our walk at the Grand Hotel, former home of the governor Sir Edward Barnes. Afterwards, enjoy browsing the wares at the Bale Bazaar, where you’ll find a diverse range of clothing. We return to the Heritance Tea Factory this afternoon and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

We take to the skies on board a seaplane this morning, bound for Yala National Park. At its boundary, we find the Wild Coast Tented Lodge. From within our Cocoon Suites, we feel the subtle breeze coming off the Indian Ocean, just metres away. An afternoon safari takes us into Yala’s vast woodland, where many species of reptile, bird, and other animals, roam. As the sun sets, enjoy a cocktail in the beach garden, anticipating tomorrow’s next safari adventure.