The day has finally come! Today you’ll be flying to Sri Lanka with connecting flight(s) on the way.

You land at Sri Lanka’s international airport in the outskirts of Colombo. On your arrival, you pick up your luggage, go through immigration, and head out into the arrivals hall, where your guide/driver will be waiting for you, holding up a TourCompass sign. You’ll then be driven to your beach hotel in Negombo, just a short drive away.

There are no excursions scheduled for today, so you have the day to yourself. You can relax in the sun with a good book or a podcast. Or how about a nice walk along Negombo’s wide beach, where the palm trees gently sway in the light breeze and colourful fishing boats with batik-coloured sails are parked on the golden sand? The sea can be a bit rough at times, but luckily the hotel has a lovely swimming pool which invites you to take a refreshing dip.

If you fancy seeing a little, you can visit the lagoon south of the city, which is a unique wetland where you can experience the abundant wildlife or the 100-km-long Dutch canals that run through the city and which were originally a supply route for the Dutch administration.

In the evening, you can go for a walk along the beach and enjoy the last rays of the sun going down over the sea.

Negombo was originally a traditional fishing village, which you will be reminded of on the morning excursion. You’ll be picked up from the hotel and driven to the city’s renowned fish market, Llelama. At the crack of dawn, the fishermen land the catch of the day, which is sold both at the market and to the rest of the island. It’s fun to watch the locals shopping for dinner – perhaps you can learn some negotiation techniques.

After the visit, you’ll be driven back to the hotel, where breakfast awaits.

You’ll then check out before being driven to Kandy, which takes roughly 3 hours. Lean back, make yourself comfortable, and soak in all the new sights as they zip past the window.

On your arrival in Kandy, you check in at the hotel, and then the rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

Kandy is scenically located in a valley encircled by green mountains, tea plantations, rivers and waterfalls. The city has many wonderful, old colonial buildings, and at its heart sits Kandy Lake. We warmly recommend a stroll around the lake. On your way round, you can sit down on a bench and enjoy the view. At the northern end of the lake is Sri Lanka’s most sacred Buddhist temple, the Temple of the Tooth, which helped put Kandy on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1998.

Kandy is also known as the city that clung to its freedom long after the rest of the island came under colonial rule, and because Kandy managed to preserve its unique traditions and culture, which are alive and kicking to this day through music and dance.

An eventful day awaits, starting first thing, when you have a rare opportunity to take part in the preparation of your own breakfast together with the hotel’s chef, if you so wish.

Later in the morning, you check out, and your guide/driver picks you up from the hotel and drives you to Nanu Oya, where you’ll take the train to Ella. All you have to do is bring your hand luggage, as your guide/driver will drive your luggage all the way to Ella by car.

We recommend that on the day before your departure, you ask the hotel in Kandy to make a packed lunch for you (extra charge). However, it is possible to buy fruit, snacks and beverages from the local vendors walking around outside the train at the various stations.

Travelling by train in Sri Lanka is a wonderful experience. These are not modern trains like those we’re used to at home, but we can guarantee you the experience of a lifetime. Not only do you get close to the local people, but you also get to experience the enchanting nature, so make sure you have your camera at the ready. Through the large windows or from the open train carriage, you’ll see sleepy little villages and green-clad mountains, scenic tea plantations and cascading waterfalls as the train winds its way through the landscape.

After around 3 hours, you arrive at Ella train station. Your guide/driver is there to meet you, and he’ll drive you the last stretch of the way to the hotel in Ella, which is absolutely fabulous.

After check-in, you can enjoy the rest of the day on your own.

In the evening, you can head down to the town and enjoy dinner at one of the cosy little cafés or restaurants along the main street, with its lovely, relaxed atmosphere.

Today, you are heading out to experience what makes Ella so amazing! After breakfast, a scenic hike to “Little Adam’s Peak” awaits you. The mountain is named after its big brother, Adam’s Peak, which stands twice as tall at 2,243 metres.

You are picked up at the hotel and driven to the starting point of the hike. The climb to the top of Little Adam’s Peak is doable. Walking at a relaxed pace, you can reach the top in about 1–1½ hours. The route is relatively flat and takes you along narrow paths and through green tea plantations. You might even be lucky enough to meet tea pickers on their way to and from work. Take your time so that you can enjoy the view from the many lookout points. On the last part of the route, you ascend a staircase of 350 steps. This might sound like a lot, but it is doable for most people. At the top, you are rewarded with a fantastic view of Sri Lanka’s enchanting highlands and rolling peaks.

Back in the car, you drive on to the Nine Arch Bridge, which was built during the British colonial era. You have almost certainly seen pictures of the bridge if you have ever searched for pictures of Sri Lanka, as it is one of the country’s most iconic and most photographed landmarks. The bridge is 30 metres tall and built exclusively of brick, stone, and cement – completely without the use of steel!

The trip here is incredibly scenic. Along the railway lines, you’ll see lizards nesting in the grass, as well as squirrels and different bird species hiding in the trees.

At the heart of this mountainous scenery, surrounded by lush tea plantations and tall, skinny trees, stands Nine Arch Bridge, known in Sinhalese as “Ahas Namaye Palama”, meaning Nine Heavens Bridge. This is because, when you stand under the bridge and look up, you can see “9 heavens” through its nine arches. Remember to keep your camera at the ready in case you happen to see a train go by.

Afterwards, there will be lunch at a local restaurant.

Sri Lanka is world famous for its tea production, so after lunch, you visit a tea factory, where you’re given a guided tour and experience the entire process from when the leaves are picked, until the tea sits steaming in your cup. Several of the machines used are more than 150 years old, and techniques have changed little since the 1800s – a deeply fascinating process! After the guided tour, you’ll have the opportunity to taste different types of tea, and to buy some to take home with you.

You’ll then be driven back to the hotel.

There are no excursions planned for today, so you can enjoy Ella at your own pace. You can choose to relax by the hotel pool and soak in the gorgeous view, or explore more of the area on your own.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven to Udawalawe. Along the way, there’s a stop at the 25-metre Ravana Falls, named after Sri Lanka’s former King Ravana, who is said to have kept Princess Sitha hidden in the caves behind the waterfall, which are also known as Ravana Cave.

From here, you continue to the Buduruwagala Temple, which is renowned for its impressive and well-preserved rock carvings that date back to the 9th or 10th centuries. At the middle of the rock face is a 16-metre-tall Buddha statue, surrounded by six smaller statues showing the Buddha in different meditative poses. The attention to detail and the artistic precision are simply incredible!

You’ll then be driven directly to the hotel, where the rest of the day is yours to do as you please, e.g. enjoy the pool and the hotel’s other facilities.

Today, you’re going on an exciting Jeep safari to Udawalawe National Park. There are not nearly as many visitors here as at Yala National Park, which has its advantages, and you enjoy a completely different experience.

Established in 1972, Udawalawe National Park covers an area of more than 300 km². The park is best known for its large population of elephants – in fact, Sri Lanka’s biggest concentration of elephants is to be found here in Udawalawe, and it is said that the park is home to no fewer than 500 elephants!

The landscape is open, and there are several large water reservoirs, which are a major draw for the elephants in particular.

In addition to elephants, you may also see water buffalo, sloth bears, wild boars, crocodiles, Sambar deer, macaques, monitor lizards and pangolins. There are also leopards living here, but you need to be beyond lucky to see them. If you’re a bird lover, you have a treat in store for you, as hornbills, bee-eaters, kingfishers, rollers, peacocks, owls, storks and eagles can be seen here.

You drive round with a ranger who knows the park inside and out. He knows where the animals go, and he’s an expert in finding their tracks in the open landscape.

So don’t forget your binoculars and camera!

After the safari, you’ll be driven back to your hotel, where you can enjoy the last evening in Udawalawe.

After breakfast and check-out, you’ll be picked up from the hotel and driven to the charming city of Galle, located on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Galle is home to many different cultures and traditions and is a colourful city of contrasts. The city is divided into a new part and an old part. In the bustling new part, you’ll find electronics shops and markets, while the old part, where Galle Fort is located, has narrow streets, colonial buildings and cosy restaurants inside the thick, old walls. Unlike in other cities in Sri Lanka, the two parts merge in the most marvellous way.

On your arrival, you check in at the hotel, and then the rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

You have the day to yourself to explore Galle at your own pace

An absolute must-see is the city’s ancient fort, which is one of the oldest in Asia. In the 14th century, Galle was an important port for seafarers sailing between Asia and Europe. When the Portuguese occupied Galle in 1588, they built the fort to protect the city against enemies. This apparently failed in 1649, when the Dutch managed to conquer Galle. The Dutch continued to expand the fort, which in 1988 became a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Galle Fort is today the city’s old town, and it buzzes with life inside the solid, old walls. As soon as you walk through the main gate of the fort, you’re hit by the special atmosphere and feel a real sense of history. Stroll past the classic colonial buildings and up to the iconic, white lighthouse which guided the merchant ships safely into Galle Harbour. Continue around the ramparts and experience the different bastions before venturing into the narrow cobbled streets with their nice speciality shops, museums, art galleries, restaurants and cafés.

In the evening, you can go for a walk on the old city walls and enjoy the view of the glistening sea before taking a seat at one of the cosy restaurants. Many of the restaurants serve delicious seafood dishes, but you’ll also find restaurants serving Italian and local dishes.

Today, your journey home begins. You’ll be picked up from the hotel and driven to the airport in Colombo. From here, you’ll fly back to Europe, with connecting flight(s) on the way.

You’ll land at the airport of your choice after a memorable, adventure-filled holiday.