Hiking

One of the finest short walks in Sri Lanka, and one that has to be done at dawn – by 9:30 am the mist usually closes in and World's End shows you nothing but cloud.

Horton Plains from Ella means a 3:30 am start, but it is the only way to reach World's End before the mist if Ella is your base – and it is worth the alarm clock.

Travelling alone doesn't mean being alone. This tour is designed for solo travellers, with a trusted chauffeur-guide, safe and social hotels, and experiences where you meet local people – a cooking class, a village lunch and café evenings in Ella.

For travellers who want to earn their views. Cycle to Polonnaruwa, trek the wild Knuckles Range, raft Kitulgala's rapids, climb Adam's Peak by night with the pilgrims, hike Ella Rock and finish with a leopard safari in Yala.

A curriculum-linked tour for school and university groups, covering history, geography, ecology and global citizenship. Students study ancient water engineering in Polonnaruwa, tea economics in the hill country and elephant conservation in Udawalawe, and spend a day with a partner rural school.

The classic backpacker route with the hassle taken out: we book your hostels and guesthouses, reserve train seats, arrange key transfers and a safari, and give you a local SIM and 24/7 WhatsApp support – you travel independently by train, bus and tuk-tuk at backpacker prices.

Climb the Lion Rock and see 2,000-year-old cave temples in one unforgettable day, with hotel pick-up from Kandy, Negombo or Colombo.

Hike Ella's best viewpoints with a local guide: Little Adam's Peak, the Nine Arch Bridge and a family tea garden.

Four days, two UNESCO sites and one great price. Hike Pidurangala for sunset, climb Sigiriya, explore the Dambulla caves and experience Kandy – all with a private driver and simple but comfortable guesthouse stays.

The hill country is Sri Lanka at its most beautiful – green hills of tea, waterfalls, cool air and colonial bungalows. This tour follows the tea trail from Kandy to Ella with gentle hikes, a factory visit, the most scenic train ride on the island and sunrise at Lipton's Seat.