Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival
You'll get picked up from Katunayake Airport or your hotel and head to your accommodation. There's no scheduled activities, so you're free to wander around shops or hang out by the pool if your hotel has one. It's a good chance to settle in and get oriented.
- Start point
- Katunayake, Gampaha, Sri Lanka (Airport or Hotel, 08:00 - 23:55)
- Day 2
Hotel to Hunasgiriya
After breakfast, the drive takes you through Sri Lanka's forests toward Hunasgiriya, and you'll pass through paddy fields and tea plantations along the way. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and Kandy are along the route if you want to check them out, though they're not included in the itinerary. You'll end up at a tea estate property on Ashburnham where you're staying, surrounded by rolling green hills.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
- Stop in Kandy city
Landmarks Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Kandy 
- Day 3
Kandy
Starting after breakfast, you'll head into Kandy, the religious center of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. First you'll walk through the local market where people shop for fresh produce and everyday items. Then you'll go to the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which holds Sri Lanka's most sacred Buddhist object. The temple itself dates back to the 16th century and has two ornate doors decorated with mythical creatures.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Kandy city tour
- Visit market (pollah)
- Temple of the Tooth Relic visit
Landmarks Temple of the Tooth Relic Kandy Market - Day 4
Hunasgiriya Trek Preparation
A naturalist guide meets you today and will be with you for the next three days. This day kicks off the Hunasgiriya trek, which lets you see different ecosystems, geological features, and local culture. You'll need moderate fitness and proper hiking gear. The trek gives you panoramic views of the Knuckles mountain range, which stays mostly off the typical tourist radar.
Included Activities
- Hunasgiriya trek orientation and preparation
Landmarks Knuckles Mountain Range - Day 5
Hunasgiriya Trek
After breakfast, you're trekking through the Hunasgiriya region, walking through ten villages that mix traditional and newer settlements. The route crosses tea estates, paddy fields, and pine plantations over hilly terrain. Trails alternate between estate roads, footpaths, and paddy fields with some steep sections. You'll stay in simple village houses with basic amenities for an authentic experience.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hunasgiriya trek through ten villages
- Day 6
Rest and Recovery
Your naturalist guide brings you back to the hotel, and this day is yours to rest and recover. Plan it however you want and take time to relax after the trekking.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 7
Tea Plantations to Belihul Oya
After breakfast, you'll drive through the tea growing region with views of Nuwara Eliya and endless tea valleys, processing facilities, and workers in colorful saris picking tea. You'll stop at a tea factory to see how tea gets processed and graded, plus you'll get to taste pure Ceylon tea. Later you'll head down to the jungles of Belihul Oya and settle into your lodge there.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Tea factory visit with production and grading explanation
- Ceylon tea tasting at factory
Landmarks Nuwara Eliya 
- Day 8
Hulan Ella Waterfall Expedition
After breakfast, you're setting out on a jungle expedition hunting for Hulan Ella waterfall. You'll go through small villages and temples on gravel roads and have chances to meet locals and school kids. There's a Buddhist temple with a 350-year-old wooden artifact to see, then you'll reach the waterfall where you can jump in for a cooling swim.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Jungle expedition to Hulan Ella waterfall
- Buddhist temple visit
Landmarks Hulan Ella Waterfall - Day 9
Duwili Ella Waterfall Trek
After breakfast, you're trekking to Duwili Ella, an even more dramatic waterfall that drops 80 feet into a deep pool. The name comes from the spray that looks like a dust cloud. You'll cross rivers and walk through riverine forest before reaching the waterfall for lunch, then your guide drives you back to your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Hearty lunch at Duwili Ella waterfall)
Included Activities
- Trek to Duwili Ella waterfall
- Jungle exploration and river crossing
Landmarks Duwili Ella Waterfall - Day 10
Yala National Park Safari
After breakfast, you'll get to Yala National Park, known for its elusive leopards and having one of the world's highest leopard concentrations. You could also see sloth bears and Asian elephants as part of the Big Five, plus wild boars, peacocks, buffalo, and deer roaming around. Up to 130 bird species show up here. An evening jeep safari with a naturalist guide gets you out into the park.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Evening jeep safari at Yala National Park with naturalist guide
Landmarks Yala National Park - Day 11
Yala Morning Safari
You'll do a morning game drive at Yala National Park with packed breakfast provided by the hotel, giving you a good chance to spot wildlife in the early hours when animals are most active.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Packed breakfast from hotel)
Included Activities
- Morning game drive at Yala National Park
Landmarks Yala National Park - Day 12
Weligama Stilt Fishermen
You're heading to Weligama to see the traditional stilt fishermen doing their daily work. Just a few meters offshore in chest-deep water, fishermen balance on crossbars attached to single poles stuck in the seabed. It's a traditional fishing technique that's been used in this region of Sri Lanka for generations.
Included Activities
- Weligama stilt fishermen visit
Landmarks Weligama - Day 13
Galle Cooking Class and Bicycle Tour
After breakfast, you'll take part in an authentic cooking class in Galle where a chef takes you to the Galle Market to pick out ingredients for 5 or 6 traditional Sri Lankan dishes. You'll learn about local spices and cooking techniques, then eat what you've made. Afterward, you'll cycle around Galle to see the UNESCO World Heritage Fort Santa Cruz, originally built by the Portuguese in 1619 and later modified by the Dutch and British. You'll check out landmarks inside and outside the fort.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Sri Lankan dishes prepared during cooking class)
Included Activities
- Authentic Sri Lankan cooking class
- Visit to Galle Market
- Preparation of 5-6 traditional Sri Lankan dishes
- Bicycle ride around Galle city
- Galle Fort (Santa Cruz) tour
Landmarks Galle Fort (Santa Cruz) Galle Market Dutch Reformed Church, Galle National Maritime Museum, Galle Galle Lighthouse Meera Mosque, Galle All Saints Anglican Church, Galle Murugan Hindu Temple, Galle 
- Day 14
Madu River
After breakfast, you're heading to Balapitiya for a boat trip on the Madu River, which is a complex coastal ecosystem full of mangroves and islands. You'll see hundreds of plant and animal species in their natural surroundings. Around 64 islands are scattered throughout the river and lagoon, ranging from tiny shrines to inhabited areas with about 250 families living there. You can visit an island with a Buddhist monastery where monks will show you centuries-old palm leaf books and cook on traditional cinnamon wood fires. Later you'll spend about 2 hours kayaking on the river.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Madu River boat tour
- Buddhist monastery visit on island
- Kayaking at Madu River (2 hours)
Landmarks Madu River - Day 15
Leisure Day
After breakfast, spend the day however you'd like and at your own pace.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 16
Departure
You'll get a transfer to the airport to catch your departure flight.
- End point
- Katunayake, Gampaha, Sri Lanka (Airport or Hotel, 10:00 - 23:55)
