Why we love it
Sri Lanka pairs wildlife and tea-country hills with a beautiful, easy-going coast.
We shape the journey around the season, the right places to stay and the way you like to travel, pairing it beautifully with a beach finish in the south where it suits.
the plains at first light
Best for
Wildlife, tea country, coast
Best time
December to March
Style
Varied, warm, characterful
Pair with
a beach finish in the south
Atlas note
We tailor the routing, the stays and the pace entirely around you.
the plains at first light
Out where the maps run thin and the wild sets the pace.
Where to stay
The hotels we recommend in Sri Lanka.
A handful of stays we would book first, each arranged as part of a bespoke itinerary shaped around you.
Swipe to explore · the stays we would book first
The Cultural Triangle★★★★★
Water Garden Sigiriya
Ancient cities.
The places
Where to go in Sri Lanka.
The corners of Sri Lanka we know best, what to see in each, when to go and how we would shape the days. Swipe each card for more, and open the panels for the detail.
Swipe to explore · the regions worth knowing
The south coast · fort and beaches
Galle & the South
A Dutch-colonial fort above a warm, easy-going coast. Galle pairs ramparts and characterful old streets with the calm beaches, surf breaks and whale-rich waters that run east along the southern shore.
Don't miss
- Galle Fort ramparts
- The lighthouse
- Whale watching off Mirissa
- The southern beaches
- Stilt fishermen
- Sunset on the walls
The highlands · hill-country calm
The Tea Country
Misty hills, working tea estates and some of the loveliest train rides in Asia. The highlands around Nuwara Eliya and Hatton offer cool air, planters' bungalows and long walks through the green.
Don't miss
- The Kandy to Ella train
- A working tea estate
- Nine Arch Bridge
- Horton Plains
- Planters' bungalows
- Highland walks
The interior · ancient cities
The Cultural Triangle
Rock fortresses, cave temples and ruined royal capitals set among the jungle. The Cultural Triangle gathers Sri Lanka's great ancient sites, with elephant-rich national parks never far away.
Don't miss
- Sigiriya rock at dawn
- Dambulla cave temples
- Ancient Polonnaruwa
- Anuradhapura
- The Temple of the Tooth
- Minneriya elephants
The south-east · leopard country
Yala
The wildest corner of the island, and the best place in the world to see a leopard. Yala blends scrub jungle, lagoons and beaches into a park that holds leopard, elephant, sloth bear and hundreds of birds.
Don't miss
- A dawn leopard drive
- Elephant herds
- Sloth bears
- The lagoon birdlife
- The wild coastline
- A tented lodge stay
Signature experiences
Once in a lifetime.
The rare days we open up across Sri Lanka, from the famous to the few-ever-see. Each one arranged privately, as part of your journey.
Swipe to explore · rare days out
Yala · before the gates open
A private dawn leopard safari
Your own naturalist and vehicle into the park at first light, ahead of the crowds and on the trail of the leopard.
The highlands · on the rails
A privately chartered tea-country train
A carriage of your own through the highlands, winding past tea estates and waterfalls to the viaduct at Ella.
The Cultural Triangle · at first light
A private sunrise climb of Sigiriya
An early, privately guided ascent of the rock fortress, the frescoes and the lion's gate all but to yourselves.
The south coast · on the water
A private boat to the blue whales
Your own crewed boat off Mirissa in search of the blue whale, the largest creature ever to have lived.
Minneriya · the great gathering
A private jeep to the elephant gathering
A guided drive to the reservoir where hundreds of wild elephants gather, one of the great spectacles of Asia.
The highlands · among the bushes
A planter's day on a working estate
A private walk through the tea with the estate manager, then a tasting and lunch in the planter's bungalow.
Galle · behind closed doors
A chef's table of Sri Lankan cuisine
A private feast of island curries and hoppers, cooked and explained by a celebrated chef within the old fort.
Kandy · an evening blessing
A quiet hour at the Temple of the Tooth
A privately guided evening visit during the drumming ceremony, with the calm of the inner shrine explained to you.
Things to do
What to do in Sri Lanka.
The icons worth seeing, and the rare, one-off experiences we can quietly open up for you.
Not to be missed
- Climb Sigiriya at dawn
- The tea-country train ride
- Leopard safari in Yala
- Surf and beaches in the south
Rare & remarkable · by private arrangement
Beyond the obvious.
The experiences we quietly open up for travellers who want something few others will ever have.
- A privately chartered steam train
- A chef's table of Sri Lankan cuisine
- A private whale-watching boat off Mirissa
In frames
Sri Lanka, in frames.
A few moments to set the mood. Click any image to view it larger.
Good to know
Sri Lanka, answered.
When is the best time to visit Sri Lanka?
December to March. We will refine the timing around your dates, the weather and the wider journey.
Who is Sri Lanka best suited to?
Wildlife, tea country, coast. Tell us how you like to travel and we will tell you, honestly, whether it is the one.
Can Atlas&Co. arrange the full Sri Lanka itinerary?
Yes. We shape the whole journey, including the stays, transfers, guides and the details, and can pair it beautifully with a beach finish in the south.
shall we?
Every Sri Lanka journey we plan is private and made to measure.
Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we will shape the stays, the routing and the details around you.