Beach Holidays · 22 days
Three weeks, the whole island: the south coast and its whales, Yala’s leopards, Ella and the high tea country, Horton Plains, Kandy, the ancient cities and the Minneriya elephants — ending with six slow nights on the white sands of Nilaveli and snorkelling at Pigeon Island.
The 22-day, 21-night Ultimate Island Experience is Sri Lanka without compromise. Rather than rushing a loop, it travels the island in one graceful arc — south coast, hills, ancient heartland, east coast — and builds in the time to linger: two nights in Bentota, Ella and Kandy, three in Nuwara Eliya’s high country, four in the Cultural Triangle and a long, restorative beach finale at Nilaveli near Trincomalee.
Along the way you will see Galle Fort and the whales off Mirissa, track leopards in Yala, hike Little Adam’s Peak, learn to cook a Sri Lankan curry in Ella, ride the train through tea country, walk to World’s End on Horton Plains, explore Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa, watch elephants gather at Minneriya and swim with reef sharks and turtles off Pigeon Island.
Whale watching off Mirissa runs from November to April; outside the season we replace it with another experience of your choice.
Customize your itinerary according to your preferences. Choose the destinations, activities, accommodation and duration that suit you best — add a safari, swap a beach, extend your stay or upgrade your hotels, and we will re-plan the route around you. Plan your perfect Sri Lankan holiday or send us an enquiry for a free quote.
Price on request
Private · departs any day
16 places on this journey, in the order you'll see them.
Our representative welcomes you at Bandaranaike International Airport and your chauffeur guide drives you south to Bentota. Check in, relax on the beach and enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Take a mangrove boat ride on the Bentota river, then visit Kande Viharaya, a temple famous for its towering seated Buddha. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the beach.
Visit a turtle conservation farm, then explore Galle on a city tour of its colonial architecture, ramparts and ocean views. Continue to Mirissa for the night.
Set out early on a whale-watching trip into the Indian Ocean (November to April), then drive east along the coast to Yala. Check in and relax.
Head out on a dawn safari in Yala National Park in search of leopards, elephants and sloth bears. Afterwards, climb into the hills to Ella, stopping at Ravana Falls and the Nine Arch Bridge.
Hike Little Adam’s Peak in the cool of the morning for views across the Ella Gap. In the afternoon, learn the secrets of rice and curry at a Sri Lankan cooking class — and eat the results for dinner.
Drive up to Lipton’s Seat for its sweeping view over the tea estates, then explore Adisham Bungalow, a Tudor-style planter’s house that is now a Benedictine monastery. Check in at Haputale.
Ride the scenic train from Haputale to Nanu Oya through tea estates and misty forest, then take a walk through Nuwara Eliya’s colonial town centre before checking in.
Make an early start for Horton Plains National Park and walk the plateau to World’s End, where the escarpment drops nearly 900 metres, and on to Baker’s Falls. Spend the afternoon at leisure in Nuwara Eliya.
Visit a tea factory and walk the tea fields, stop at Ramboda Falls and climb Ambuluwawa Tower on the way down to Kandy. Check in and relax.
Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, and spend the evening at a Kandyan cultural dance performance.
Visit the golden cave temples of Dambulla, check in at Sigiriya and climb Pidurangala Rock for sunset over the Lion Rock.
Explore Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s first great capital — its giant stupas, the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi tree and monastery ruins — then return to Sigiriya.
Explore the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa in the morning, then head out on an afternoon jeep safari in Minneriya National Park to see wild elephants gathering by the ancient reservoir.
Climb Sigiriya Lion Rock at sunrise, then visit a traditional village for a taste of rural life. The rest of the day is free to relax.
Drive to the east coast, stopping at the Kanniya hot springs and the clifftop Koneswaram Kovil above Trincomalee’s harbour. Check in at Nilaveli and relax on the beach.
Take a boat to Pigeon Island National Park to snorkel over coral gardens with reef fish, turtles and, often, blacktip reef sharks. Spend the afternoon on the beach.
A free day on Nilaveli’s long white-sand beach. Optional: a dive at Pigeon Island or a PADI course with a local dive centre.
Relax by the sea, or join an optional whale- and dolphin-watching trip from Trincomalee (in season, around March to August) or a kayak trip on the lagoon.
A final day to enjoy the east coast at your own pace — swim, snorkel, try more water activities or simply relax with a book in the shade of the palms.
Drive back across the island to Negombo on the west coast, check in and relax on your final evening.
After breakfast, take the short transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport for your onward flight.
Every journey is private and built around you, so the price depends on your travel dates, group size, the hotel class you choose (from comfortable 2-star to luxury 5-star) and any experiences you add. Send us an enquiry and we will reply with a detailed, no-obligation quote — usually within 24 hours.
Choose a package (or ask us to design one), and we will send a quote and a draft itinerary. Once you are happy, we confirm your hotels and ask for a deposit to secure them; the balance is due before or on arrival, as stated on your confirmation.
Yes — every package is a starting point. Add or drop destinations, swap a safari park, extend your beach days, upgrade hotels or change the overall length; we re-plan the route and travel times so the journey still flows.
Our packages include accommodation, breakfast and dinner daily, a private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking chauffeur guide, airport transfers, fuel, tolls and parking, plus the experiences listed under “What’s included” on each tour. Flights, visas, entrance tickets unless listed, lunches, drinks and tips are not included.
Cancellation terms depend on how close to travel you cancel and on the hotels booked; they are set out clearly in your quote before you pay anything. We always recommend travel insurance that covers cancellation.
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