It’s hard not to fall in love with Sri Lanka, from its tea estates to its coastal havens. It’s even harder when you’re exploring on an exclusive itinerary with Captain’s Choice.
Sri Lanka is intoxicating – on so many levels. The teardrop-shaped nation in the Indian Ocean is blessed with vast coconut plantations, sandalwood groves and mangroves full of scuttling crabs. Leopards and elephants roam in protected wildlife reserves alongside peacocks and sambar deer. Historic trains rattle through vast highland tea estates where women in colourful saris deftly pick leaves to be turned into the finest brews. Warm breezes catch the coast’s many beautiful palm-fringed beaches – some home to fishermen stilted precariously above the water, others looked over by historic forts. Oh, and then there’s the food. Heady crab curries, delicate egg hoppers, coconut-palm wine, sweets laced with cardamom and cinnamon. It’s like sensory overload – in the best possible way.
And in 2025, the ultimate way to take it all in is on a journey with Captain’s Choice.
Safaris & Spices of Sri Lanka
In 2025, the company’s 14-day ‘Safaris & Spices of Sri Lanka’ itinerary takes just 23 guests on a heady journey to the island nation, allowing access to its many and varied delights from all angles. And from many transportation perspectives, whether you’re enjoying life in the slow lane aboard the privately chartered Viceroy Special train, gaining a sky-high perspective in a helicopter, pedalling beside beaches on two wheels, or jetting in on light aircraft or sea plane. Whether from the water, the land or the air, Sri Lanka never looked so good.
The Captain’s Choice journey begins
Colombo is a city of wide-open spaces, tree-lined avenues, chaotic traffic and whitewashed villas. The charming Sri Lankan capital was one of the reasons why Lonely Planet named the island it calls home the number-one place to visit in 2019. It hasn’t lost its appeal. Like the rest of the country, Colombo is home to numerous storied hotels, not in the least the grand Galle Face overlooking the Indian Ocean and your base while in the city. It’s within easy reach of the legendary Ministry of Crab, a culinary hotspot where giant lagoon crabs are served in all manner of aromatic sauces. Things can get a little messy come dinnertime…
A helicopter awaits to transfer you to the World Heritage-listed Dambulla Cave Temple, a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries. If the Buddhist paintings, ancient statues and temples don’t blow you away, then your candle-lit dinner overlooking the site surely will. From your sublime hotel, Heritance Kandalama Resort, you’ll glimpse the rock fortress of Sigiriya in the distance – when you wake, get set to explore this wonder up close. Formed by magma from an extinct volcano and topped with ruins of an ancient civilisation, Sigiriya is adorned with remarkable frescoes and a pair of colossal lion’s paws, carved into the bedrock, even before you reach the 200 metre summit. The ruins at the pinnacle are like Sri Lanka’s answer to Machu Picchu: a somewhat inconceivable assemblage of structures, once the fortress of a palace.
Dambulla is also the gateway to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, the former capital of Sri Lanka and a fascinating union of temples, monuments and palaces. Not to mention Minneriya National Park, where large numbers of elephants roam grassy plains and create a ruckus in reservoirs. You’ll visit both, with expert guides at the helm.
Into the mists of Kandy
Sri Lanka’s famous spice gardens – laden with cinnamon, cloves and cardamom – are your entrée to Kandy, high in the central hills. A highlight of the region is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, within Kandy’s royal palace – here, a vaulted, heavily protected pavilion is said to enclose a relic of Buddha’s tooth. Pilgrims flock here, worshiping, humming, meditating.
Mist-shrouded tea fields and tangles of dense jungle are your backdrop en route to Nuwara Eliya aboard the Viceroy Special train, skirting precipitous hillsides offering staggering views over the impossibly green countryside. Arriving at the 19th century Heritance Tea Factory is like stepping into the golden era of hotels. Tea tastings will heighten your appreciation for the legendary brews that begin their life in these hills.
Where the wild things are
Yala National Park deserves its reputation as Sri Lanka’s most significant wildlife sanctuary, a beguiling patchwork of forest, grassland and lagoons that is a protected preserve for all manner of animals – more than 230 species, in fact. Think leopards – it’s home to one of the highest population densities of these big cats in the world – elephants, sloth bears and crocodiles, not to mention hundreds of bird species. Arrive here via seaplane or helicopter, and get set for a wildlife encounter like no other.
In true safari style, your base for exploring Yala is the luxe Wild Coast Tented Lodge, with the Indian Ocean on one side and the national park on the other. Jump in a 4WD with your eagle-eyed guides to explore at sunrise or sunset, when the residents are most active, visiting a wide variety of biomes – perhaps forests then wetlands, and even sandy beaches where the only footprints are those left behind by the animals.
Coastal bliss
Your final destination before returning to Colombo is the southern coastal city of Galle, a World Heritage-listed town that comes with charm to spare. The route here skirts postcard-perfect Weligama Bay, where local fishermen perch on stilts over the ocean to haul in their catch. Galle today radiates a romantic air, garlanded with picturesque frangipani trees and swaying palms. At the centre of the action is centuries-old Galle Fort, enclosed by ramparts and enveloped by an eclectic mix of structures that span Portuguese, Dutch and British occupation. End on a high with dinner inside this magnificent structure – it’s a memory that will linger long after your extraordinary Captain’s Choice journey ends.
The Captain’s Choice 14-day ‘Safaris & Spices of Sri Lanka’ journey enjoys two departures in 2025: 8 March 2025 and 8 November 2025, from Colombo return. $24,800 per person, twin share.
The Captain’s Choice difference
Captain’s Choice has long been a leader in exclusive, luxurious expeditions that stir the soul, taking guests to all corners of the globe in serious style. You skip the airport queues and fly private, have all travel logistics taken care of by a dedicated Tour Manager, are treated to life-changing activities, and indulge in a whirlwind of exceptional culinary experiences. Along the way you sleep in some of the finest hotels and resorts the destination has to offer – and you don’t have to think about a thing, other than enjoying the moment.
