Immersion in Sri Lanka by Train

Flight to Colombo on request.

Airport pickup by your guide and driver at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

Discover the city of Colombo.
As you stroll through its small historic lanes, we offer you an immersion in the city to discover Colombo through its people and its traditions. You will pass by the picturesque Galle Face Green, the former Parliament, Colombo’s lighthouse, the Dutch hospital, the Cargills building and the Grand Oriental Hotel.

At the end of the afternoon, you enjoy sunset from the terrace.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

First thing in the morning, head to Fort Central Station, the main railway station in Sri Lanka: your train journey in Sri Lanka begins. (Your luggage is taken care of.)

With your guide, you board the train to Kandy (3h30). This mountain station, Sri Lanka’s cultural capital, is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

From the window, you take in rolling hills, rice fields and lush tropical rainforest. In Kandy, your driver (and your luggage) will be waiting for you.

You check in at your hotel. Later, if time allows, you’ll first meet at the city’s cultural centre to enjoy a wonderful dance show.

You’ll then meet your guide to visit the Temple of the Tooth. This sacred 16th-century temple is the country’s most revered site as it houses the tooth of the Buddha. Stroll through the lively streets of this city, which still plays an important political role today as the spiritual capital of the country. Tasting of local culinary specialties.

In the morning, depart to visit the Kuragala surroundings. You’ll then discover three temples near the village: Gadaladeniya, built on top of a rock in the 14th century, Lankathileke, one of the region’s finest architectural achievements, and Embekke, known for its beautiful wooden structures.

After lunch, you head to Peradeniya to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Depart from Peradeniya station for one of the most picturesque stages of your train journey in Sri Lanka.
You pass through tea plantations, admire beautiful waterfalls and take in magnificent mountain scenery: you climb in altitude until you reach Nanu Oya station.

Here, you meet your driver, who takes you to the mountain resort of “Little England”. Along the way, you visit a Ceylon tea factory and continue on to Nuwara Eliya.
Check-in and rest at the iconic Grand Hotel.
At the end of the afternoon, head out for a traditional High Tea.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Excursion day in the Horton Plains National Park (packed lunch).
Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the highest park in Sri Lanka is famous for its cloud forests, rare orchids and water springs.
On the return journey, you admire the impressive Baker’s Falls and you may also meet the sambar, Sri Lanka’s largest deer, or bear-faced monkeys. The park is also one of the best places on the island for observing endemic birds, as well as the rhinoceros horned lizard.

After exploring this wild highlands region, you descend again towards Nuwara Eliya.
Free time or visit local markets.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Back at Nanu Oya station, you board for another stage of your train journey in Sri Lanka: Badulla. This is another particularly scenic and picturesque segment of the itinerary: you travel through the eastern slopes of the central hills, passing through Haputale, Bandarawela and Ella to reach Badulla.

Your driver will be waiting at the arrival station to take you to the hotel.
Once you’ve settled in, you head out to explore the area, famed for breathtaking landscapes and waterfalls. The view over Ella Gap is spectacular: you’re looking out onto a magnificent mountain range. You’ll also admire the nine-arched bridge (Nine Arches Bridge), a fine example of English engineering and design from 1921.

If you feel like it, a hike through incredible scenery takes you past rice fields, tea plantations and waterfalls to Little Adams Peak, which reaches an altitude of 1,141 metres.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Rest day or exploration.
Depending on your mood and energy, enjoy a rest day or deepen your discovery of Ella and its sights. You set off to discover the Ravana Falls, the famous three-tier terrace waterfall, or the underwater pond of Nil Diya Pokuna,

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Depart for the wild area of Yala.

On the way, you stop at the archaeological site of Buduruwagala, home to seven large rock carvings carved into a 20-metre-high granite wall.
Once you arrive in Yala, you check in to the hotel.
Around 3 pm, you board a jeep for a safari in the Yala National Park, known for its dense leopard population. You can also spot the sloth bear with its shaggy coat, Asian elephants and many other mammals.

Return to your lodge in the evening.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Continue the safari, the safaris you may have started the day before. This morning walk allows you to multiply your encounters with wildlife.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

Today, you leave Yala’s wild landscapes for the coast, considered one of the most beautiful in the island.

You stop at the Dutch fort in Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, for a discovery with a resident archaeologist.

Your guide welcomes you near the Amangalla hotel, inside the fort, and presents this town strongly shaped by colonial history and Dutch influence, followed by British.

Then continue on to Beruwala, where you’ll check in to the hotel for the night.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and D&I)

In the morning, head to Hikkaduwa for a guided visit and an experience centered around one of Sri Lanka’s most important spices: Ceylon cinnamon

You begin with a boat ride over the Baddegama lagoon. Along the way, you’ll pass by lush cinnamon plantations and learn about the history of the canals built by the Dutch to transport the harvests. Next, you’ll discover the art of the plantation with a family of growers: you’ll plant your own young tree, learn how to harvest the bark and dry it… all to finish with a foot massage with cinnamon oil!

At the end of the experience, you’ll enjoy a delicious cup of cinnamon tea, prepared by a certified Ayurvedic doctor.

In the evening, you make the most of your final day by the Indian Ocean.

Overnight at the hotel (B&B and DI)

After breakfast, your driver takes you to the airport for your return flight.

Flight or train to Colombo and transfer on request.