Central Highlands and South Coast - Sri Lanka private tour

Begin your Sri Lanka private tour in Colombo, where you’ll be met by your representative and transferred to The Wallawwa, an 18th-century manor house nestled in tropical gardens in Kotugoda. Once an ancestral home, it is now a stylish boutique retreat with peaceful, old-world charm, perfect for recovering from your flight.

Spend the afternoon by the pool, enjoying a massage, or tasting authentic Sri Lankan cuisine at the in-house restaurant for a gentle introduction to the island.

Accommodation: The Wallawwa, a beautiful 18th-century manor house tucked away in tropical gardens just outside the city.

Journey to Kandy, Sri Lanka’s last royal capital, a city rich in spiritual and artistic heritage. Stop in Matale to meet traditional artisans, including lacquerware makers and woodcarvers, and visit Ola leaf readers, who use ancient palm-leaf manuscripts to guide the future, preserving a centuries-old tradition.

In Kandy, visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth, home to a relic of the Buddha, and experience ceremonies with chanting, drums, and offerings of flowers and incense. Stay at Kings Pavilion, a peaceful retreat in forested hills.

The next day, explore hidden temples, visit a Kandyan dance school, and enjoy a home-cooked village lunch for a true taste of local hospitality.

Accommodation: Kings Pavilion, a first-class boutique resort nestled in forested hills.

Journey through Sri Lanka’s misty highlands, where rolling tea estates stretch across the hills. Visit the Kandapola Tamil community to sample fragrant rice dishes, spicy chutneys, and hearty lentil curries traditionally served on banana leaves, experiencing Indian Tamil heritage first-hand.

Explore scenic trails past tea pluckers, Hindu shrines, and wildlife-rich countryside, or enjoy birdwatching in gardens home to rare and migrant species. Tour a historic tea factory to see the craft behind Sri Lanka’s finest teas, finishing with a tasting. For the adventurous, hike Horton Plains National Park, a dramatic plateau of grasslands, waterfalls, and cloud forest, with highlights including the sheer cliff of World’s End, the cascade of Baker’s Falls, and sightings of rare highland birds.

Accommodation: Goatfell, a restored tea planter’s bungalow surrounded by working tea fields and forested hillsides.

This morning, board Sri Lanka’s iconic train from Nanu Oya to Ella, a slow, breathtaking journey through misty mountains, tea gardens, and forested valleys. Watch waterfalls glide past and cross the famous Nine Arches Bridge, one of the world’s most scenic railway sights.

Arrive in Ella, a laid-back hill town framed by dramatic scenery and tea-covered hills. Spend the day exploring its natural wonders: walk across the Nine Arches Bridge, hike Little Adam’s Peak for panoramic views, and visit the legendary Ravana Falls, famous for its connection to the Hindu epic Ramayana.

Accommodation: Nine Skies, a first-class restored tea planter’s bungalow offering sweeping views of Ella.

Travel south to the coast and arrive in Galle, where history meets ocean views. Wander the cobbled streets of UNESCO-listed Galle Fort, take a peaceful boat trip on Koggala Lake past spice islands and Buddhist temples, or head out to sea to spot blue whales, sperm whales, and pods of spinner dolphins (December to April is peak season).

Visit a cinnamon estate to see how Sri Lanka produces its world-famous spice, or join a hands-on cookery class to learn classic Sri Lankan dishes. Between adventures, relax with a spa treatment, stretch out on golden beaches where marine turtles nest, or swim leisurely in the 20-metre pool under gently swaying palms with views of the Indian Ocean.

Accommodation: KK Beach, a stylish beachfront boutique hotel offering relaxed coastal luxury on Sri Lanka’s south coast.

After a final slow morning, drive back to Colombo for your international flight. Depart with a deeper understanding of Sri Lanka’s soul: its stories, its serenity, and the warm, resilient people who bring it all to life.