Sri Lanka by Rail

Breakfast is open until 10.30am, so you can enjoy a well earned sleep in and leisurely start to the day before meeting your fellow travellers in the hotel foyer at 2pm for a welcome briefing accompanied by some tea and coffee.

After the briefing we’ll venture outside for a visit to the famous Galle Face Green, located right next to the hotel. This urban park, stretching along the seafront, is a popular gathering spot for locals in the late afternoon, often to play cricket or participate in other daily rituals. We’ll take you on a wander along the Green and head into town to visit the historic Chatham Street where you’ll see many Dutch buildings including Chatham Street’s Clock Tower and the Old Colombo Lighthouse before a visit to number 103 on Chatham Street, the iconic Pagoda Tea Rooms. Opened in 1884, its old-fashioned grandeur was immortalised by Duran Duran in their 1982 Indiana Jones styled music video, ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ – complete with a snake charmer and a local boy with a monkey in the Tea Room, seemingly essential ingredients for an exotic video!

Next, we’ll stop in at t-Lounge by Dilmah to enjoy the best of Dilmah Ceylon Tea with a range of local sweets in the grandeur of  a lovely old colonial building. Later, we’ll stop at the eatery at the Pillawoos Hotel where Anthony Bourdain had his first taste of Chicken Kottu Roti in the Sri Lankan episode of his TV series ‘No Reservations’.

Later, visit the Old Colombo Dutch Hospital, the oldest building in the Colombo Fort area dating back to 1681, and the oldest in the Dutch colonial era in Sri Lanka, it’s now a heritage-protected building hosting a shopping and dining precinct.

It’s here we’ll  enjoy dinner together at the sublime Ministry of Crab restaurant, the ‘food child’ of celebrity Sri Lankan chef, Dharshan Munidasa, and his close friends, Sri Lankan cricketing legends Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara. For those of you who are into food, the Ministry of Crab is the only Sri Lankan restaurant on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List.

After dinner, we’ll return to the hotel and perhaps retreat to the hotel’s Travellers Bar for more fun and merriment.

Overnight: Galle Face Hotel, Colombo (B, D)

This morning after breakfast, your tour leader will guide you through the buzzing streets of the Colombo Fort on a walking tour. Fully immerse yourselves in the sights, sounds and smells of Colombo when we make a stop at the Pettah fruit and vegetable market as well as their floating market. Here you’ll be able to watch vendors and shoppers go about their business up close and marvel at the striking candy cane coloured Jumi Ul Alfar Jumma Mosque and its soaring minarets visible from across the city. Further explorations this morning will reveal Dutch and British influenced architecture, including the Wolfendhal Dutch Church, Hulftsdorp Law Courts and the Old City Hall, a hangover from the city’s colonial past. Later, you’ll make your way to Seema Malaka Temple of Beira Lake, one of Colombo’s most iconic cultural sites and which was redesigned by Geoffrey Bawa in 1976 for a short visit.

Enjoy a private tour, just for the Railway Adventures group at the National Railway Museum in Colombo. Learn about the superb restoration work that has been done on the two narrow gauge carriages which had to be built from scratch as the last examples of these railcars have long ago disappeared. Many of the locomotives are now in place, including a Garratt.

The Sri Lankan railways are such a big part of Sri Lanka’s culture, this is a must see for anyone interested in the history of railways in the country and also how they have contributed to both the social and economic success of Sri Lanka.

During British colonisation in the early to mid 19th Century, Sri Lanka was the third-largest coffee exporter in the world. As demand rose, it became expensive to ferry coffee on bullock carts from the central mountains to Colombo for shipment, especially with road conditions deteriorating during the monsoon months. Estates had to therefore store their coffee for long periods of time, causing the quality and value to deteriorate. So British estate owners pushed the government for a rail system to transport coffee. In 1867, the British completed a railway from Kandy in central Sri Lanka to the coastal city of Colombo. As one Sri Lankan historian put it: “The British didn’t build railways to help locals travel, they designed railways to transport estate produce!” Soon after the Kandy to Colombo railway opened, coffee plantations were mostly destroyed by fungus and by 1901 was entirely replaced by tea.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we’ll transfer to the Colombo Fort Train Station for the Galu Kumari Express train to Galle. Fort Station is significant for its Victorian-era architecture and you’ll get the chance to tour what is reminiscent of Manchester Victoria Station in England before taking your first class seats on the train  in air conditioned compartments. Then it’s time to sit back and enjoy the fantastic scenery from your window on what is one of Sri Lanka’s most scenic train journeys, travelling along the palm-fringed coast for much of it, arriving in Galle in the late afternoon and transferring to our hotel.

Your hotel for the next two nights is The Heritage Galle Fort. Situated in the heart of the city of Galle inside the World Heritage-listed historic Dutch Fort, The Heritage, is over 300 years ago and was originally a shop, named ‘Kotuwa Kade’, and was converted into the ‘Castle in the Dutch Fort’ by well-known Sri Lankan architect Vidyajothy Ashley De Vos.

After check in, we’ll wander down to the atmospheric old town for an unforgettable dinner together at the Church Street Social. Located  in a beautifully-decorated, modern former merchant’s home in a quiet corner of Galle Fort, the restaurant serves excellent local and international cuisine, so there will be something for everyone.

Overnight: The Heritage Galle Fort, Galle (B, L, D)

This morning after breakfast, we’ll embark on a walking tour of the colonial gem of Galle, the best example of a fortified city built by the Portuguese in Asia and the largest remaining fortress in Asia that was built by European occupiers.

Galle had been a prominent seaport long before western rule in the country: Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays, Indians, and Chinese were doing business through Galle’s port for almost 3,000 years. Some say Galle was the ancient seaport of Tarshish, from which King Solomon drew ivory, peacocks and other valuables. In 1502, the Portuguese ships arrived and Portuguese rule flourished until 1640, when they were forced to surrender to the Dutch East India Company. In 1796, the British took over and preserved the fort unchanged, using it as the administrative centre of the district.

During your tour of this fascinating city, you’ll visit a centuries-old Buddhist temple to witness some traditional woodcarving,  and a colourful farmers market to learn about all the fresh ingredients that make up Sri Lanka’s flavoursome and fragrant recipes. Afterwards, head back to your host’s Dutch style home and take part in a Sri Lankan cooking demonstration and get a behind the scenes look at Sri Lankan cuisine, the fascinating ingredients, and how these wonderful dishes are prepared. Some of the dishes prepared for your lunch today will  include Ambulthiyal fish curry, lentil dhal, eggplant curry and, of course, something sweet for dessert.

The afternoon and evening is yours to spend at leisure. You can either wander back to the hotel to rest or go exploring the old town.  Galle has a strong arts vibe, with foreign and local artists, writers, photographers, designers and poets drawing inspiration from their surroundings with boutique shops and cafes around the town showcasing their work. There is a lot to explore in the town and simply wandering its streets soaking up its unique atmosphere is a great way to spend an afternoon and evening.

Tonight, why not head out in search of some Egg Hopper – Sri Lanka’s crispy, bowl-shaped pancake comes with an egg at the bottom, Sri Lankan Chicken Kottu Roti, Parippu Sri Lankan Red lentil curry or enjoy a nip of Ceylon Arrak which is distilled from the sap of the coconut flower and aged in Halmilla Wood.

Overnight: The Heritage Galle Fort, Galle (B, L)

After breakfast and checking out of the hotel, it’s off to visit a cinnamon plantation just outside of Galle to learn about the process of farming this world famous spice. Galle District is known as ‘Cinnamon Country’ with its ideal fertile land for Ceylon Cinnamon growing on the steep slopes of hilly highlands, surrounded by lush jungles. Cinnamomum verum, also called true cinnamon tree, is native to Sri Lanka and the country still produces 85% of the world’s finest cinnamon.

Continuing along the coast you’ll travel along a glorious shoreline of dazzling white curves of sand set against emerald-forested hills. On the drive between the coastal towns of Koggala and Ahangama, you’ll pause to encounter the famous stilt fisherman, one of the enduring  images of Sri Lanka. Though stilt fishermen make the activity seem easy and comfortable, stilt fishing requires much skill and balance. A vertical pole with an attached crossbar is embedded into the sea floor among the shallows, or on a riverbed. The crossbar allows the fishermen to be seated a couple of meters above the water causing minimal shadows on the water and hence little to no disturbance amongst the sea life. The  fishermen then use a rod from this precarious position to bring in a good catch of spotted herrings and small mackerels from the comparative shallows of the sea.

After a morning of cinnamon sticks and stilt fisherman, we’ll arrive in the beautiful crescent beach town of Mirissa for lunch, after which you’ll check into your hotel to unwind, or perhaps crack open a coconut, slip into a hammock and rock gently in the breeze, to unwind for a couple of hours. Your hotel is the Mandara Boutique Resort, offering comfortable spacious rooms with private balconies, sea views, an outdoor pool and beach access.

In the late afternoon we’ll drive the short distance to the main beach in Mirissa. We’ll be there at low tide, so you can walk across the much-photographed sandbar that connects to a tiny island which you can walk to as our arrival will coincide with a low tide. Then stroll along the beach at sunset and enjoy a spectacular seafood dinner right on the beach.

Overnight: Mandara Resort, Mirissa (B, L, D)

Your morning is free to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and unwind by the pool at the hotel, where you can also grab a quick snack for lunch at your leisure.  Alternatively, enjoy an authentic Ayurvedic spa treatment at the hotels Day Spa but we encourage you to book ahead for this.

At 1pm, after checking out of the hotel, we’ll drive by coach to the impressive Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s premier wildlife reserve located about three hours from Mirissa.

Your two nights here will be spent at the Cinnamon Wild Resort. The rustic resort sits just a few kilometres away from the Yala National Park and the road leading to the hotel borders a massive lake with crocodile, pelican and deer that live in perfect harmony with the hotel. There’s even a tribe of resident grey langur monkeys who might just think it fun to jump on your roof in the wee hours of the morning, and wake you up! The hotel’s strategic location also means that an elephant, wild boar and other feral furry friends may visit from the park next door – and if you’re really lucky, a leopard may pass you by.

After checking into your hotel, you’ll have time to explore and relax before we enjoy dinner together in the grounds of your resort.

Overnight: Cinnamon Wild Resort, Yala National Park (B, D)

This morning, you’ll board a 4WD and embark on a safari through open grasslands, lush forest and tranquil lagoons. Your guide will carefully listen out for the rustling of concealed animals that would go unnoticed by those not in the know. There’s a good chance of spotting crocodiles, elephants, monkeys and buffaloes and if you are lucky, you may even spot a leopard – the park is considered one of the best places in the world to see these ever-elusive beauties and the park has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.

Return to your hotel for lunch and a chance to unwind or explore the lake area on foot.

In the late afternoon, you’ll enjoy another safari, this time a shorter tour to enjoy some birdwatching. Yala is home to some 215 bird species, including the Sri Lanka Wood Pigeon, Painted Stork and Crimson-fronted Barbet. Also, keep an eye out for prideful peacocks strutting their way through the park.

Return to your hotel after the safari for a buffet dinner.

Overnight: Cinnamon Wild Resort, Yala National Park (B, L, D)

This morning, after breakfast and checking out of our hotel, we head north to Kataragama to visit Kataragama Temple to see the shrine dedicated to Kataragama Deviyo, the town’s resident god, on our way to our final destination today – Ella, a beautiful small town in the highlands. The views through Ella Gap are stunning, and on a clear night you can even spy the subtle glow of the Great Basses lighthouse on Sri Lanka’s south coast.

We’ll arrive in Ella in time for lunch at a local restaurant, the unique Cafe Chill. After lunch we’ll take you for a wander through this colourful town and visit the Demodara Nine Arch Bridge, one of the best examples of colonial-era railway construction in the nation, where you’ll get the opportunity to walk along the bridge. This iconic bridge, made of stone and cement is a viaduct connecting Ella and Demodara train stations. The rail line passes under itself, going around the loop and emerging from a tunnel, which runs directly beneath the Demodara railway station. The rail loop is approximately 900 metres long and the tunnel is 320 m in length. It is considered the only loop in the world with a railway station situated exactly over a tunnel at a spiral loop.

We’ll check into our hotel, EKHO Ella, in the mid afternoon where the rest of your day and evening is free.

Perched above the picturesque Ella valley and with stunning views of “Ella Gap”, EKHO Ella offers an excellent a la carte restaurant on site, if you wish to stay in for dinner.

Overnight: EKHO Ella (B, L)

After an early breakfast and checkout, we’ll travel via road to the town of Badulla in time to board the 9.00am Ella Odyssey First Class train to Nuwara Eliya. This train journey is one of the most scenic train journeys in South Asia travelling through lush green tea estates, past waterfalls, and through many tunnels – it is so enchantingly beautiful that it’s become a bucket list adventure and an Instragam favourite for many visitors.

Boarding at Badulla you’ll travel through the Demodara Circular Loop over the Nine Arch Bridge you walked on yesterday, past Ella to Nuwara Eliya, our final destination for the day. Nestled deeper in real tea plantation country, Nuwara Eliya sits at an elevation of 1800 metres, making it one of the coolest regions in Sri Lanka. Known as ‘Little England’, because it sometimes feels like you’re in an English village, this charming town is dotted with red telephone boxes, Victorian colonial architecture and pretty rose gardens, all  legacies from its era as a hill country retreat for any homesick English and Scottish pioneers of Sri Lanka’s tea industry. The cool climate provided a sanctuary in which to immerse themselves in familiar pastimes, such as golf, cricket, polo and fox hunting.

Our hotel, the Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya, is a unique accommodation experience – a luxury country hotel first established in 1891 and built in the style of an Elizabethan-era manor house and set amidst tea plantations and scenic hill views. The original building, a single-storey bungalow, called ‘Barnes Hall’, was constructed as the holiday residence of Sir Edward Barnes, the fifth Governor of Ceylon in 1828. Now registered as a National Heritage building, the Grand Hotel is a nod to the colonial history of the region.

After a long lunch and an indulgent High Tea, the rest of the day and evening is free. Take the time to explore the hotel’s palatial gardens, have a swim in the stunning indoor pool, or go for a walk to explore the lovely nearby Queen Victoria Park. In the evening, settle in for a first-class dining experience at one of the excellent on-site restaurants or take a short walk to a number of other options nearby.

Overnight: The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya (B, L)

Today, we’ll start with a visit to a Sri Lankan specialty coffee house in the grounds of our hotel- the Grand Café at The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya processes, roasts and exports coffee. After enjoying a  smooth, chocolaty and rich gourmet coffee in a delightful heritage building, we’ll head off for the day’s activities.

First up is a visit to the Pedro Tea Estate and Tea Factory where you’ll be guided through the entire manufacturing process from grading to packaging, meet tea pickers on a walk through the tea plantations, and finish by sampling some of the final product yourself. Established in 1885, the  factory is located on the spot where the first tea bushes were planted by James Taylor, the origin of the line of genuine Ceylon black tea that followed. While Assam Tea from India had first been planted in the countryside around Nuwara Eliya in 1840, it was James Taylor who commercialised the industry in the 1860s. Sri Lanka is now the 4th largest producer in the world, behind China, India and surprisingly, Kenya.

After your tour, we’ll move on to the prestigious Nuwara Eliya Golf Club for a sumptuous sit-down lunch. The golf course, one of the oldest continually operating golf clubs in Asia,  was constructed in 1889 by Scottish soldiers of the Gordon Highlanders for the British servicemen and officials who were posted at Nuwara Eliya.

After lunch we’ll visit several more colonial buildings, including The Hill Club, Jetwing St. Andrews and the Nuwara Eliya Post Office. You’ll also have a chance to wander the Victoria Gardens if you didn’t get there in your free time yesterday.

Return to your hotel where the rest of the evening is free.

Overnight: The Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya (B, L)

This morning after breakfast and checkout, you’ll transfer to the Nanuoya train station for the first class Udarata Menike Express train to Kandy. Enjoy lunch on board the train while enjoying the fantastic mountain scenery en route. Arrive in Kandy and check into our hotel.

Kandy served as the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom until falling to the British in 1815, and is a place of cultural and spiritual importance for all Sri Lankans as it is home of the Temple of the Tooth Relic, one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. Historically the Buddhist rulers of Kandy had resisted Portuguese, Dutch, and British colonial expansion and occupation. Soon after the acquisition the British guaranteed Kandyans their privileges and rights, as well as the preservation of customary laws, institutions, and religion.

Today you will enjoy a guided tour of the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden, the home to more than 4000 species of plants, including a huge array of orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees. Moving on, you’ll walk around the scenic and very pleasant Kandy Lake which dominates the town.

In the late afternoon, you’ll visit the Kandy Lake Club to witness the Kandyan Cultural Dance, admiring their impressive costumes and graceful dances, accompanied by a thundering drum beat, and swept away by an entertaining performance that will provide insight into the local culture in Kandy.

Afterwards, we’ll enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant before returning to our hotel.

Overnight: Mahaweli Reach, Kandy (B, L, D)

This morning after breakfast and checkout, you’ll visit the famous Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) in Kandy. Located in the heart of town, this is the most important shrine in the country, housing a relic of a tooth of Buddha taken from his funeral pyre. You may even be lucky enough to witness a pooja worship ritual, a small religious ceremony of reverence involving drummers and dancers.

For lunch, as part of the commitment Railway Adventures has of supporting local social initiatives in the countries we visit, we’ll dine at Hela Bojan, a social enterprise that empowers women through Sri Lankan food. In 2012, the project started and employed local village women to sell their own Sri Lankan food daily. It was a roaring success, with new Hela Bojun food courts opening up all over the country in the years to come.

After lunch, we’ll set off to our next destination on our journey – Sigiriya. On the way, we’ll stop at a unique spice garden in Matale to see many different types of spices that Sri Lanka is famous for. You’ll learn how some of these spices are grown and processed. Apart from the

educational aspect, the evocative smells make the garden a delightful place in which to stroll and soak up the fragrant greenery, while being transported by the smells of  nutmeg, coffee, pepper vines, clove trees,  curry plants, cinnamon, and the precious cardamom. 

Later, we travel to Dambulla to explore the best preserved cave temple complex of Sri Lanka at Dambulla Cave Temples. The five caves making up this incredible complex are located high on a stone cliff face with numerous steps to enter but the walk is worth every minute – some 150 Buddha images adorn the five caves, with fascinating frescoes and paintings on the walls and roofs.

In the late afternoon, arrive in Sigiriya – one of the highlights of any visit to Sri Lanka. The town is home to the magnificent palace of Sigiriya otherwise known as Lion Rock. This dramatic rocky outcrop, rising from the surrounding plains, is topped by a ruined palace, which those of you who are happy to do the climb can experience first hand tomorrow.

Dinner and the evening are at leisure for you to enjoy the facilities of the resort.

Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge, Sigiriya (B, L)

Early this morning, before the heat is too intense, we’ll head out to Sigiriya to visit Lion Rock, a site of historical and archaeological significance dominated by a massive column of granite approximately 200 metres high.

This area was selected by King Kashyapa (AD 477–495) the second king of the royal Moriya dynasty of Sri Lanka for his new capital. He built his palace on top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king’s death and was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Please note – only the very fit and agile can climb to the colossal Lion’s Paws to the top of the Rock via a steep and winding 1,200 step, 200 metre high staircase.

After lunch we’ll travel on to Polonnaruwa, the second oldest of all Sri Lanka’s kingdoms and a World Heritage Site. Polonnaruwa was first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom and was renamed Jananathamangalam by the Chola dynasty after their successful invasion of the country’s then capital, Anuradhapura, in the 10th century. You’ll have the privilege of touring the site visiting palace’s, temples, and stupas, with the highlight undoubtedly being the massive stone Buddhas – 14-metre-high granite carvings of the iconic reclining Buddha which represent the zenith of Sinhalese rock carving.

We’ll return to the hotel in the late afternoon, where dinner and the evening are at leisure for you to enjoy the facilities of the resort.

Overnight: Cinnamon Lodge, Sigiriya (B, L)

After breakfast and checking out, we’ll travel two hours by road to Anuradhapura, the northern point of Sri Lanka’s ‘Cultural Triangle’, which encompasses Polonnaruwa to the east, Sigiriya and Dambulla Caves to the south and Kandy to the south-west.

Upon arrival we’ll check into our hotel and enjoy lunch at the unique and highly regarded Palhena Restaurant before heading off on a tour of the town.

Now a World Heritage Site, Anuradhapura is famous for its well-preserved ruins of the ancient Sinhalese civilization. While the city was formally founded in 437 BC, human habitation dates back almost 3,000 years, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied cities in Asia. Your tour today will visit many temples and sites of cultural and religious importance including the famous Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya Buddhist monastery and the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, the oldest documented surviving tree in the world.

Your hotel tonight will be at the wonderful Sanctuary At Tissawewa. Built in 1907, in the time of the British Governor, Henry Arthur Blake, and formerly known as Grand Hotel Anuradhapura, the Sanctuary at Tissawewa, is a colonial style hotel that encapsulates the undeniable old-world charm of British Ceylon.

Over the years, its halls and rooms have been graced by royals, Prime Ministers and Presidents from around the globe, including Queen Elizabeth II, Lee Kuan Yew, and Moraji Desai.

Just evokes a sense of grandeur that makes one want to wake up here, day after day, feeling like royalty.

Your evening is at leisure for you to enjoy the relaxed ambience of the hotel – take a stroll along the veranda with its tall, white columns, overlooking the sprawling lawn, and admire antique colonial furniture and the period prints on the walls before settling in for a delicious dinner in the hotel restaurant serving Sri Lankan and international cuisine.

Overnight: The Sanctuary At Tissawewa, Anuradhapura (B, L)

This morning, after breakfast and check out, we’ll travel on a very special mode of transport – a privately chartered T1 Railcar for the 5 hour run back down to Colombo. This Deluxe Diesel T1 Railcar was manufactured by English Electric Company in the 1930s and is designed to offer railway travel of a different kind. The rustic railcar, which was in passenger service in Sri Lanka between 1947 and 1983, is now beautifully restored to its authentic appearance allowing guests to journey in comfort and style through the Sri Lankan railway network.

We’ll enjoy  lunch and refreshments on board and appreciate the opportunity to sit back and relax while enjoying the wonderful scenery, reading your book, or socialising with your fellow travellers.

Upon arrival in Colombo we’ll transfer directly to the charming courtyard restaurant in a former office of Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa to enjoy some light refreshments. Afterwards, you’ll tour the former residence of Bawa, the architectural wonder that is Colombo Residence No. 11. Over the course of nearly forty years from 1958, he renovated four bungalows in Colombo into a unique, spatially complex, and eclectically furnished personal residence. Discover his sophisticated sense of style and artistic flair as you wander through the home.

Moving on, you’ll travel via local tuk tuk to the Barefoot Fair Trade Store where you’ll find  a collection of handicrafts from around the country, including vibrant handwoven textiles, linens, clothes, fabric, toys and more. Housed in an evocative 1920s building with a tranquil café and shady courtyard garden, Barefoot was founded by artist Barbara Sansoni in the 1960s, as a way for local artisans to showcase their products and make a living.  This will be a fabulous opportunity to get a few last minute treasures and support the local cottage industry at the same time.

You will also visit Independence Square and see the most important Buddhist temple in the capital, Gangaramaya, an oasis of calm in an otherwise frenetic city.

Once you’ve had your fill here, we’ll  travel to our hotel, check in and have some time to relax before our farewell dinner at the excellent King of the Mambo at the Galle Face Hotel.

Overnight: Galle Face Hotel, Colombo

(B, L, D)

This morning after breakfast it’s time to say farewell to your fellow travellers and check out of your hotel for your departure.

Airport departure transfers are included in your tour package.