17-Day Sri Lanka Tour: Jaffna, Trincomalee, Ella, Yala and Mirissa

After breakfast, take a short drive around Negombo before heading north. The town is known for its fishing trade, its lagoon, its churches and a canal dug in the Dutch period; what you stop for depends on what is happening locally and on the time. Then continue to Wilpattu National Park for a jeep safari. The tracks run through forest and past natural lakes called villus. Look out for deer, crocodiles and birds, and possibly a leopard or a sloth bear. After the safari, drive on to Anuradhapura for the night.

Overnight: Anuradhapura

Today starts early. After breakfast, visit the eight sacred places of Anuradhapura, known together as the Atamasthana: the Sri Maha Bodhi tree, the white Ruwanwelisaya stupa, Thuparamaya (one of the oldest stupas on the island), the stone pillars of Lovamahapaya, Abhayagiriya with its stupa and old monastery, the brick tower of Jetavanaramaya, Mirisawetiya, linked to King Dutugemunu, and the small Lankaramaya ringed by stone pillars. Stops are kept short, because after the last visit you drive north to Jaffna. It is a full day.

Overnight: Jaffna

After breakfast, drive to the jetty and take the boat across to Nainativu Island. Its temple, Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya, is a Buddhist shrine that tradition links to a visit by the Buddha, and the crossing shows you the low northern coast. Back on the mainland, tour Jaffna, a city with a long Tamil heritage. As time allows, see Nallur Kandaswamy Temple, Jaffna Fort and the outside of the Jaffna Public Library. Men take off their shirts before going into Nallur temple. Return to your hotel afterwards.

Overnight: Jaffna

After breakfast, leave the north and drive down to Trincomalee on the east coast. This is mainly a travel day, with stops on the way and no sightseeing planned. Once you have checked in, the evening is for the beach. After three busy days, Trincomalee is a good place to slow down: soft sand, the Indian Ocean in front of you and nothing that has to be done before tomorrow morning.

Overnight: Trincomalee

If the sea allows, the morning starts with a boat to Pigeon Island, a marine national park near Nilaveli. The island is known for its coral and tropical fish; snorkelling depends on conditions and on what the park staff advise. Later, drive up to Thirukoneswaram, the Hindu temple on Swami Rock high above the sea. The road there passes through Fort Frederick, the old fort area from Trincomalee's colonial past. Finish with a look around the harbour town's streets and markets.

Overnight: Trincomalee

Leave the coast after breakfast and drive inland towards Sigiriya. Near Habarana, stop for a village tour: walk the paths between paddy fields and small farms and see how people live and work in the countryside. Depending on the programme you choose, it can include a cooking demonstration, a village meal or a canoe ride on the lake. Then carry on to your hotel in Sigiriya, your base for the next two nights.

Overnight: Sigiriya

After breakfast, climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Walk through the water gardens at the base, then up past the old frescoes and between the Lion's Paws to the ruins on the summit, where the view takes in the countryside on every side. There are a lot of steps, so carry water. In the afternoon, go out by jeep into Minneriya National Park to look for wild elephants, birds and other animals around the reservoir and the woodland. How many elephants you see depends on the season and the water level.

Overnight: Sigiriya

After breakfast, set off for Kandy with two temple stops on the way. The Dambulla Cave Temple is a set of caves in a great rock, full of Buddha statues, with painted walls and ceilings. Further south, in Matale, Aluvihara is the rock monastery where, by tradition, the Buddhist Pali Canon was first written down. In the evening in Kandy, watch a show of Kandyan dancing and drumming in bright traditional costume. Wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees for both temples.

Overnight: Kandy

Start the morning at the Tooth Relic Temple (Sri Dalada Maligawa), which holds a relic of the Buddha and is among the holiest Buddhist shrines on the island. Take a short drive past Kandy's lake and through the busy streets of the old royal capital, then head up into the hills. On the way, visit a tea factory to see how Ceylon tea is made, and look out over the estates around it. Stop at waterfall viewpoints along the mountain road before you reach Nuwara Eliya, where the air turns cool.

Overnight: Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast, take a short tour of Nuwara Eliya, a cool hill town with colonial-era buildings, gardens and, if there is time, the views around Gregory Lake. Your chauffeur then drops you at Nanu Oya station for the train to Ella. The line winds through tea estates, misty hills and small mountain villages. Your chauffeur drives round by road and meets you at Ella station to take you to the hotel. The train ride depends on the timetable and on tickets being available.

Overnight: Ella

Spend the day around Ella. Walk up Little Adam's Peak, a ridge with wide views over the tea estates and the mountains. Later, visit Ravana Cave, a hillside cave linked to local Ramayana stories; getting there means a steep climb with steps. Ravana Falls tumbles down right beside the mountain road, so it is an easy stop. Finish in Ella town, which is small and easy-going, with cafes and little shops along the main street.

Overnight: Ella

After breakfast, come down from the hills to the Yala area and check in to your hotel. In the afternoon, head into Yala National Park by jeep. The park is a mix of scrub, open grassland and waterholes, and you look for elephants, spotted deer, crocodiles and birds. Yala is also known for its leopards, but no one can promise a sighting. Return to your hotel after the safari.

Overnight: Yala area

After breakfast, drive west along the south coast to Mirissa and settle into your hotel. The rest of the day is free. Mirissa has a curved sandy bay backed by palm trees, and after two weeks on the road an evening on the beach is well earned. Try to get to bed early, because tomorrow's whale-watching boat leaves in the early morning.

Overnight: Mirissa

Head to Mirissa harbour early in the morning for the whale-watching trip. Ask your hotel the night before for an early or packed breakfast, where they offer one. The boat crew take you offshore to look for whales and dolphins in the open sea. Whether the boats go out depends on the weather and the sea, and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Back on land, the afternoon and evening are free for the beach.

Overnight: Mirissa

After breakfast, drive up the coast towards Colombo with several stops. First, the stilt fishermen, who fish from poles set in the shallows; some photo stops are staged and may come with a local charge. In Galle, walk through the old fort past its ramparts and colonial buildings, with the ocean beside you. Then visit a tsunami museum about what the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami did to coastal communities, and a turtle hatchery that explains its conservation work. Carry on to Colombo for the night.

Overnight: Colombo

After breakfast, see some of Colombo before your flight; how much depends on your departure time. Possible stops are Independence Square, the seafront at Galle Face Green, the Fort district and the crowded market streets of Pettah. When it is time to go, you are driven to Bandaranaike International Airport, and your 17 days with Lanka Tour Host end there.