Tea, sea and OMG ... spice up your life touring simply stunning Sri Lanka

It consistently combines culture, character, colour and contrast across a country as rich with attractions as the precious blue sapphires mined in abundance. This "Teardrop of India" exudes only Sinhalese cordial congeniality, consistently friendly countrymen and women’s welcoming smiles wider than the Mahaweli Ganga River.

Eclectic as they are engaging, Sri Lankan highlights are best experienced on exploration steered by Travelsphere, a company that has been the leader in their sphere since 1962, spearheading escorted group travel "led by the heart, guided by experts".

We certainly felt this as we were led by ‘host with the most’ Udi - who was professional and personable in equally impressive measure. He was as enlightening as the Sigiriya Rock’s spectacular sunrise - superbly supervising days packed with discoveries and evenings, unpacked and unwinding, enjoying comfort and cuisine of quality bolthole hotels. Each accommodation exuded an individual vibe.From the Cultural Triangle to tea plantations, Buddhist temples to baby turtles, and adventurous safaris to aromatic spices, our paradise island tour had it all. We experienced basking crocodiles, bamboo catamarans, majestic mountains, mischievous monkeys, windswept coasts, waterfall cascades, exquisite orchids and elephant orphans. And then some!

Not least, this great gregarious group of fellow globe-trotters produced a sociable companionship which brought back fond memories of my dear departed dad, whose national service saw a Ceylonese posting before I was born.

From the moment the flag-bearing SriLankan Airlines’ flight from Heathrow approached Bandaranaike International Airport, it became clear that the dream trip of a lifetime would become memorable reality.

From Colombo - invitingly warm as Kottu Roti street food - there was a seamless transfer to Cinnamon Lakeside, where overnight rest offered our first gentle immersion into the island’s rich hospitality A dinner at its sister hotel set the culinary tone with a traditional spread of rice surrounded by a cornucopia of curries containing fish, meat, vegetables and lentils, accompanied by tangy pickles and crisp salads.

The morning saw the capital reveal itself as a metropolis where old and new share an architectural truce, colonial facades and serene temples shoulder-to-shoulder among reflective skyscrapers and upscale boutiques. But the heart of this nation beats further inland, with the long and winding road unfurling toward the cultural epicentre of Sigiriya.

A two-night stay at Habarana Village by Cinnamon offered an ideal base to appreciate the archaeology and authentic village life. Minneriya National Park then showcased packs of pachyderms grazing grasslands, framed by shimmering reservoirs, soundtracked by the low rumble of wilderness wildlife.

Nothing quite prepares we tourists - especially arthritic asthmatics among us! - for the exhilarating climb challenge to the towering UNESCO-listed Sigiriya rock fortress. From there we saw rolling plains and enjoyed its ancient water gardens, moats and the imposing Lion Gate whispering tales of lost kingdoms. Its famous frescoes of ethereal maidens glowed softly against stone, the Mirror Wall was inscribed with centuries-old (and more recent) graffiti.

Daily life takes centre stage in the nearby village of Hiriwadunna, with TucTuc and tractor trailer rides weaving past the tank reservoir bund and forest fringes to humble wattle-and-daub abodes. Tree-hugging macaques keep us company before we crossed a jungle rivulet by catamaran, completing this bucolic picture.

As the road arced onward toward Kandy and the riverside setting of our scenic new base Cinnamon Citadel, Dambulla temples astonished us with 150-plus Buddhist paintings and carvings across cavernous chambers while nearby Matale National Spice Garden introduced fragrant building blocks of the country's kitchen. We were offered various samples and valuable insights to take back to Blighty.

The perfectly landscaped Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, established in 1821, boast 5,000 plant and tree species in meticulously manicured verdant grounds. Lunch provided us with food for thought at Sthree Craft Shop and Café, which supports women within the community with fair wages, training skills set and a safe environment to thrive, serving seasonal locally sourced dishes steeped in purpose.

Kandy itself delights with a bustling Market Square and, most impressively, Temple of Sacred Tooth Relic. It is among the most revered sites in Buddhism, an artefact believed to have arrived from ancient India in the fourth century AD. Centuries since have seen rulers add to the complex, most magnificently in the gleaming shape of the Golden Canopy which shelters the inner shrine, symbolic of spiritual devotion.

We went onward and upward into elevated areas, bound for Nuwara Eliya and Araliya Green Hills base camp, with the landscape softening into undulating emerald slopes along the way. At the Rothschild plantation delicate leaves of the famed Ceylon tea which are picked by hand exclusively with expert female precision to produce Brits' beloved brew. We then enjoyed some literally high dining at Glenloch, and as the Celtic name suggests, it mirrored the mountainous Scotch mist.

An unexpected delight was a meeting with the blooming brilliant "Flower Prince" Dilip Madushanka who is king of this hill. An ever-smiling social media teen sensation, he regularly sprints several kilometres up the steep leech-infested trails to repeatedly intercept Kondagala coachloads of tourists - us included - selling flowers to support the now famous fell runner's impoverished family.

Our circuitous route then had us calling at the Udawalawe’s Elephant Transit Home, where injured and orphaned Dumbos are rehabilitated before release into the adjacent national park. The region’s rich mosaic of open plains, Monsoon-swollen lagoons and lakes nurture creatures many and varied, some cleverly cloaked by camouflage, best experienced with a Yala National Park breakfast.

During a safari at sunrise - and because of a fortunate stroke of serendipity - appropriate in a nation named Serendip by Persian and Arab settlers - we spotted a leopard. Full disclosure, many Lions & Tigers (both 4.8 & 8.8 % ABV ales) were also discovered during every evening's entertainment!

Our finale unfolded around the Cinnamon Bey coast, home to some of the longest beaches in the country, awash with sea, sand and slow time. Nearby Galle's layered history abounds around an atmospheric port, discovered by the Portuguese then shaped by Dutch, with its churches, ramparts and alleys still defining its old town heritage.

At the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Research Centre hatchery there was a poignant reminder of conservation efforts, protecting endangered hatchlings before release into their oceanic natural habitat, while Beruwala itself remains a characterful town, busy, bright and brimming with unaffected charm.

Book now for next year to follow in our cross-country unforgettable footsteps - supporting tourism across this fascinating nation, reeling from recent Cyclone Ditwah, which claimed 600-plus lives. For us, discovering simply stunning Sri Lanka was music to our collective ears. "Pearl" jam greatest hits, if you will.

Fact file

The 13-day ‘Highlights of Sri Lanka’ tour with Travelsphere departs on November 23, 2026 and costs from £2,999pp. This includes London return flights, overseas transfers, 11 nights in four and five-star hotels, select meals, welcome drink and a holiday director.

It departs from Colombo and visits Sigiriya, Minneriya National Park, Hiriwadunna, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala and Beruwala.

Highlights: Minneriya National Park, village walk including catamaran ride, Dambulla cave temples, UNESCO-listed Sigiriya rock fortress, spice garden, Royal Botanical Gardens, Temple of the Tooth, tea plantation, Nuwara Eliya sightseeing, Yala National Park safari, Galle Dutch colonial rule reminders, turtle hatchery.

More information from www.travelsphere.co.uk / 01858 415074.