A VILLAGE IN THE FOREST

Cradled between the central highlands and the western coast, you’ll start this Sri Lankan vacation with two nights at the tea plantation, Rosyth Estate, located on the outskirts of Kegalle. Raised high above the rolling hills and lush countryside, this 1920s boutique estate offers some truly incredible views. With mist rising from the valley, mornings sipping on freshly ground coffee on your expansive veranda don’t get much better than this.

Take your time to explore the rubber plantation and rows of tea – you can go on a guided tour to meet local tea pickers or borrow a bike and cycle through the paddy fields for a faster-paced adventure. The River Kelani offers grade 3 and 4 rapids, which will have you pulsing with adrenaline, while the yoga classes and spa treatments at the hotel offer the perfect balance to bring your heart rate right back down.

Next, you’ll head into Sri Lanka’s hilly heartland and spend four nights sleeping high in the Knuckles mountain range. A collection of luxury tents perched on the side of a mountain, the Madulkelle Tea & Eco Lodge will be your catalyst for total relaxation and serenity. Designed to allow you to completely switch off, you can spend your days catching up on your reading, admiring the superb views or enjoying a dip in the pool in between refreshing cocktails.

The surrounding area is dominated by tea plantations, which you can walk around and meet the local tea pickers, and pass through lovely little villages, or you can make the journey to Kandy and see its highlights, such as the famed Temple of the Tooth. On your last night, you will go on an overnight trek through a secret valley, formed by the Knuckles mountains.

Moving further along Sri Lanka’s central belt, you will be taken to Gal Oya National Park, one of the least visited parks in the country, for three nights of incredible wildlife. Here you’ll venture into the park via jeep, to watch the wild elephants swim in Sri Lanka’s largest lake. You’ll be staying in the high-end safari lodge, Gal Oya Lodge, which sits on the western fringes of the park and offers jungle views out of the floor-to-ceiling glass doors and private verandas.

As well as elephants, the park is home to leopards, star tortoises, mugger crocodiles and monkeys. After your safari, you can stretch your legs with a walk through the surrounding countryside. The aboriginal Vedda people of Sri Lanka live in this area and you’ll be taken on a private walk with the Veddas to learn about their fascinating culture.

The last part of this exceptional vacation sees you travelling to the western coast and staying in the very remote River House. Located in Balapitiya, a small picturesque village along the coast, you can use your jungle bolthole to trail through the waterways along the Madhu Ganga. Kayak to see the resident birdlife and reptiles in the riverbeds, visit the nearby town of Ambalangoda to buy an elaborate mask souvenir or spend the day on the lovely beaches at Bentota.

During your stay here, you’ll be taken on a boat ride along the Madhu Ganga to visit a working Buddhist temple and a small cinnamon garden. On the way back, keep an eye out for beautiful kingfishers, eagles, monkeys and water monitors.