Galle

Follow the footsteps of Lord Rama, Sita and Hanuman to the sites linked with the Ramayana epic in Sri Lanka. Visit Munneswaram, the Seetha Amman Temple at Ashok Vatika, Divurumpola, the Ravana caves and falls of Ella, and Hanuman's herbal mountain at Rumassala.

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.

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.

Escape Colombo for a day on the south coast: Madu River boat safari, turtle hatchery, the UNESCO-listed Galle Fort and a swim in Unawatuna.

Ten days is the most popular length for a first trip to Sri Lanka, and this route shows why. You will see the ancient rock fortress of Sigiriya, the royal city of Kandy, the tea country, the leopards of Yala and the colonial charm of Galle – the five experiences almost every traveller comes for.

A deeper journey for travellers who want more than the headline sights. Spend four nights in the Cultural Triangle with time for Anuradhapura, Ritigala's forgotten forest monastery and a village day, then move into the hill country for tea estates, cloud-forest hikes and the famous train.

A short break that combines the best of the south: a leopard safari in Yala, whale watching in Mirissa and a sunset walk in Galle Fort. Perfect before or after a Maldives holiday or a business trip to Colombo.

Sri Lanka's railways were built by the British to carry tea, and they remain the best way to see the island. This itinerary puts the train at its heart: the full Kandy–Ella journey, a sunrise at Lipton's Seat, and a final coastal ride south to Galle.

The two giants of Sri Lankan wildlife in one trip: the leopards of Yala and the blue whales of Mirissa – the largest animal ever to live. Add flamingos in Bundala and a beach afternoon, and you have a perfect nature break on the south coast.