Today’s the day when you’ll be flying to Sri Lanka, a jewel of an island in the Indian Ocean. There will be connecting flight(s) along the way.

You land at Bandaranaike, Sri Lanka’s international airport. You go through immigration and collect your luggage. Your guide/driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall, holding up a TourCompass sign, and you will be driven to the beach resort of Negombo, a 30-minute drive from the airport.

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

Negombo is known for its wide, golden sandy beaches. Tall palms sway in the light breeze, and traditional fishing boats with their batik sails are parked on the sand.

If you’d like to see a little of the area in and around Negombo, you might like to visit Negombo Lagoon, a unique wetland where you can experience the abundant wildlife. Or how about the 100 km-long Dutch canals that flow through the city? They were originally a supply route for the Dutch administration during the colonial era. There are also lovely temples and churches dotted around the city.

Before dinner, you can go for a walk along the beach and enjoy the beautiful sunset.

The tour’s itinerary begins in earnest today. After a lovely breakfast, you check out, and your guide/driver will be waiting to drive you to the former capital Kandy in the heart of the country.

Along the way, you’ll make an exciting stop at a tea factory. Did you know that Sri Lanka is the world’s second largest exporter of tea? James Taylor from Scotland started tea production in Sri Lanka in 1867 together with Thomas Lipton, whom you likely know from “Lipton Tea”. Tea from Sri Lanka goes by the name “Ceylon Tea”, referring to Sri Lanka’s name during the British colonisation until 1972.

At the tea factory, you will be given a guided tour, showing you the entire production process from when the leaves are picked at the plantation to when the tea sits steaming in your mug. Several of the machines used are over 150 years old, and techniques have changed little since 1867. It’s really impressive! After the guided tour, you’ll have the opportunity to taste different types of, tea, including green tea, black tea and white tea, and to buy some to take home with you.

The visit over, you’ll be driven back to the hotel in Kandy where the rest of the day is yours to do as you please.

Kandy enjoys an incredibly scenic location in a valley encircled by green mountains, tea plantations and rivers. In the heart of the city is the picturesque Kandy Lake. We highly recommend a stroll around the lake, and along the way you can sit down on a bench and enjoy all the sights, and the view of the 26-metre-high Buddha statue above Bahirawakanda Temple. At the northern end of the lake is Sri Lanka’s most sacred Buddhist temple, the Temple of the Tooth, which is said to house one of the Buddha’s teeth. The beautiful temple is actually one of the reasons why Kandy was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998. A temple ceremony is held three times a day – a totally unique experience!

In the evening, you can explore the city’s restaurants. Be sure to try one of Sri Lanka’s most famous dishes here, “kottu roti”, which consists of flatbread cut into small pieces, eggs, vegetables, a lot of delicious spices and possibly meat. We also highly recommend “rice and curry” or “dhal curry”, which is made from lentils. Your guide knows all the good restaurants, so feel free to ask his advice.

You have most of the day to yourself, either to relax by the hotel pool or explore the city. Or perhaps a tuktuk ride to the historic forest reserve Udawatta Kele Sanctuary? The forest reserve is located about 2 km from the centre of Kandy on a ridge overlooking the city. In Kandy’s heyday, the reserve was known as “Uda Wasala Watta”, which in Sinhala means “the garden above the royal palace”. The reserve is home to an incredible number of plant species and birds, and you might even get to see small and medium-sized mammals and reptiles.

You also have the option to purchase a fantastic hike to the Knuckles Mountain Range, which you can read more about below.

In the evening, an exciting visit to the Temple of the Tooth awaits you, as the lighting is particularly beautiful at this time of day. Your guide will give you a fascinating insight into the temple’s history and meaning.

After breakfast, your guide/driver will be there to drive you to Sigiriya.

On the way, you’ll make a stop at the village of Weheragala Gama, situated at Wasgamuwa National Park. The village is part of Project Orange Elephant, which was started by Ravi Corea, the founder of Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS). The aim of the project is to resolve the bloody conflict that exists between elephants and humans in Sri Lanka.

The conflict has basically come about as a result of the villages growing and the elephants’ territories shrinking. It’s not unusual to see elephants in Sri Lankan villages, where they raid houses, gardens and farms in search of food. Some 1,400 elephants are said to have been killed by humans over the past 11 years, while 350 humans have been killed by elephants. Attempts have been made to find a solution to the conflict for many years. Among other things, a number of areas have been given over to the elephants, which humans are not allowed to exploit or build on. In several places, villages have also been razed to the ground to create “corridors” between the elephants’ habitats, allowing them to move around freely. And then there are villages such as Weheragala Gama, which are part of Project Orange Elephant.

Ravi Corea, the man behind Project Orange Elephant, has through several studies discovered that Sri Lankan elephants don’t like citrus trees, and that the scent of the citrus trees veils the scent of rice and other crops. In the village of Weheragala Gama, citrus trees are therefore planted to protect homes, gardens and farms from the ravages of the elephants. This has proved so effective that the conflict in Weheragala Gama is pretty much non-existent.

When you arrive in Weheragala Gama, you’ll be welcomed by a local host and served a glass of freshly squeezed juice. You’ll then be drive by jeep into the heart of the village, where you’ll discover how the families live, build houses, farm and make food. You’ll also meet some of the villagers who will tell you more about the conflict.

You will also have the possibility of participating in various activities such as watering and fertilising the citrus plantations, and if you’re here outside the dry season, July to September, you will actively participate in the planting of a citrus tree, which is donated to a selected family. This way, you’re doing your bit to reduce the risk of conflict between the villagers and the elephants in the area. The planting of the citrus trees also benefits the climate, biodiversity in the area and the local economy.

Finally, you’ll be invited to enjoy a delicious Sri Lankan lunch made from local produce before continuing to Sigiriya.

On your arrival in Sigiriya, the rest of the day is yours to do whatever you please, allowing you to enjoy the hotel pool and the tranquil surroundings. Or how about a stroll in the area? You will walk along red and dusty roads, a lovely contrast to the green fields, tropical plants and trees that shelter the colourful houses in the area.

After breakfast, you’ll be picked up by your guide/driver and driven to Sri Lanka’s famous landmark, the Lion Rock, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

From the year 455 to 473, King Dhatusena ruled over Sri Lanka from the then-capital of Anuradhapura. King Dhatusena’s son, Moggallana, was posed to succeed his father, but King Dhatusena’s eldest son, Kashyapa, was none too pleased with that. Both of Moggallana’s parents were royal, while Kashyapa’s mother was simply one of King Dhatusena’s concubines. This fact meant it was impossible for Kashyapa to take the throne as the written rules stood. In order to seize the throne, Kashyapa therefore decided to immure his father, which caused his half-brother, Moggallana, to flee to South India so he would not suffer the same fate.

The new regent, King Kashyapa, was not met with the biggest group of supporters and feared an attack by his half-brother Moggallana. He therefore chose to move the capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya due to its strategic location. On the flat top of the Sigiriya Rock, he constructed his lavish royal palace with a moat, gardens, large ornamental pools and fountains surrounding it.

Half-way up the rock, he built the entrance to the palace, which resembled a giant lion – hence the name Lion Rock. Today, however, only the enormous lion paws remain.

King Kashyapa lived here with his harem and servants until his half-brother Moggallana returned from Southern India with a whole army. King Kashyapa and his army lost the battle to Moggallana, and Kashyapa ended up taking his own life in 495. Moggallana decided to move the capital back to Anuradhapura and ruled the country from there, while Sigiriya was converted into a Buddhist monastery.

The rock, which juts 200 metres out the ground in the middle of Sigiriya’s lush surroundings, may appear unclimbable, but any able-bodied person in reasonably good health can absolutely make it to the top. But we’d be lying if we said it was an easy climb up the 1,200 steps, because it’s not! We recommend that you take it slow, with breaks to enjoy the gorgeous view, as it becomes ever more fantastic the higher up you go.

On the way to the top, you will see beautiful, well-preserved frescoes of women, as well as the remains of a polished rock wall. A little over halfway up, you’ll encounter the giant lion paws that served as an entrance to Kong Kashyapa’s palace. If the climb is too strenuous, you can choose to stop here.

If you choose to proceed all the way, we guarantee it will be worth it. At the top, you are met by the ruins of the ancient royal palace and stunning views of the lush landscape with lakes, verdant mountains, as well as the nearby Pidurangala Rock. Take your time and enjoy the surroundings before starting your descent.

It takes around 2 hours to climb and descend the rock, plus the time you spend at the top.

Remember good shoes and water for the trip.

You will then be driven back to the hotel, where you can enjoy the rest of the day doing exactly as you please.

Today, you’ll also be giving your legs a good workout. First, you’ll be going on an exciting 12 km bike ride in Polonnaruwa, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest capitals and deservedly a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Your guide/driver will pick you up from the hotel and drive you to the ancient royal city, located on the shores of the man-made Parakrama Samudraya Lake. On your arrival, you’ll be kitted out with a bicycle and helmet, and for the next few hours, you’ll cycle around and see the city’s archaeological treasures, which give you a great picture of what the city looked like in its heyday, which started in 1017 and ended in 1232. Fortunately, the city’s major attractions are all found within a smallish area, so it’s easy to visit them all.

Polonnaruwa was of great strategic importance and thus surrounded by three thick walls. Inside the walls were fine gardens, and deep within was the royal palace itself.

On the bike ride, you’ll see sights such as the ruins of the royal palace, the royal baths, Gal Vihara temple with its many Buddha statues, giant stupas such as Rankot Vihara, Pabalu Vehera and Kiri Vihara Dagoba as well as the Satmahal Prasada monument, which resembles a Mayan pyramid.

You’ll also cycle past Parakrama Samudraya Lake, which was established by King Parakramabahu, who is without a doubt the king who left the biggest mark on the city. He is known, among other things, to have said “Not even a little rainwater must run out into the sea without having done any good”. He therefore embarked on the construction of an extensive irrigation system to ensure that land and fields could get water. Parakrama Samudraya Lake consists of as many as five reservoirs, all connected to Polonnaruwa via small channels – deeply fascinating!

After the fall of Polonnaruwa, the city’s mighty buildings were engulfed by the jungle and remained hidden for more than 700 years. It was not until the 20th century that the old royal city was rediscovered and the extensive excavations began.

After an interesting and educational bike ride, you’ll be driven back to the hotel.

Today, you’ll be going on safari in Minneriya National Park, where you’ll experience the park’s exotic wildlife from an open jeep. You’ll drive with an experienced ranger who knows the park inside out. He knows where the animals are normally to be found, and he’s an expert in finding their tracks.

Minneriya consists of verdant woodland, dense thickets, grassy plains and wetlands. Make sure you have your binoculars and camera ready for the park, as it is home to no fewer than 160 bird species, crocodiles, sambar deer, macaques, wild boar, buffalo and sloth bears. You might also be lucky enough to spot a leopard, but there is no guarantee of seeing them. They often hide in the bushes and are hard to spot. The park is also known for its large herds of elephants.

During the dry season from June to September, it’s possible to see herds of 300 elephants congregating around the Minneriya water reservoir, built in the 3rd century AD. The water reservoir dries up at this time of the year, but leaves the soil moist, which soon turns green, and the elephants know that. They therefore migrate here to eat, have mud baths and mate.

If you come here outside the dry season, there will still be elephants to see, but perhaps “only” up to 100, and they’re more spread out in the 89 km2 national park.

After an exciting safari, you’ll be driven back to the hotel, where you can lie on a sun lounger and relax or go for a swim in the pool.

Today sees the start of your beach holiday adventure, when you have time to digest all that you have seen and done over the past week.

After breakfast and check-out, your guide/driver will drive you to Sri Lanka’s scenic north coast and Trincomalee. Sit back in your seat and enjoy the impressive drive that takes you past towns of various sizes.

Safely arrived at the hotel in Trincomalee, you check in, and the day is then yours to relax and enjoy this wonderful place.

The days are yours to set your own pace and choose what you’d like to do.

Trincomalee is one of the most amazing and picturesque coastal areas in Sri Lanka, known for its light sandy beaches Uppuveli and Nilaveli as well as the small Pigeon Island, which is one of the best places in Sri Lanka to snorkel and dive.

A little way off the coast, some of the biggest giants of the ocean are to be found, namely sperm whales, blue whales and pilot whales, which you can experience on an unforgettable whale watching excursion from May to the end of October. Pods of spinner dolphins can also be seen frolicking in the warm water. If you’re not much of a sailor, you can head to Swami Rock, which is one of the best places to see whales from the shore.

The town of Trincomalee itself has a long and exciting history going back more than 2,500 years. Stroll down the charming streets with their beautiful colonial villas or visit the old Fort Fredrick, which is on the way to Swami Rock. Out on the tip of Swami Rock, you will find the scenically situated Hindu temple, Konewaram, which overlooks the Indian Ocean.

Trincomalee also offers shopping and good local restaurants, known especially for their delicious seafood dishes.

In the evening, you can go for a stroll along the beach to the sound of the lapping waves – pure therapy for the soul.

Today, your holiday comes to an end.

After check-out, you will be picked up and driven to the airport, from which you fly to Europe with connecting flight(s) along the way.

You land at the airport of your choice after an adventure-packed and relaxing holiday.