Nuwara Eliya

See Sri Lanka the local way – from the back (or the driver's seat) of a tuk-tuk! Travel back roads from Kandy through tea country to the south coast, stopping in villages and at viewpoints most tourists never see. Choose a local tuk-tuk captain or drive yourself after a training session (local permit arranged).

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.

Our most affordable tour packs the royal city of Kandy and the cool tea country into three days. Stay in clean, friendly, well-reviewed guesthouses, travel with a private driver and see the essentials without paying for luxuries you don't need.

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.

The perfect balance: eight days of culture, tea country and wildlife followed by four nights on the beach to unwind. It suits couples and families who want to see the island but also come home rested.

Hand-picked romantic hotels, private experiences and plenty of time together. Enjoy a sunrise hot-air balloon flight option over the Cultural Triangle, a candlelit dinner in a tea bungalow, a private safari in Yala and three nights in a beach villa in Tangalle.

One week, the best of Sri Lanka. This compact itinerary covers the island's cultural and scenic highlights – Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, the tea country and the Ella train – and finishes in Colombo so your drive to the airport is short.

Short on time? In five days you can climb Sigiriya, explore the Dambulla caves, experience Kandy's Temple of the Tooth and taste fresh tea in the misty hills of Nuwara Eliya.

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.

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.