Sri Lanka 9-Day Private Tour: Sigiriya, Kandy, Ella & Yala

This is Sri Lanka's classic circuit done privately and at a sensible pace: your own air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking driver-guide from the moment you land until your departure flight. You climb Sigiriya, walk through the painted caves of Dambulla, attend the evening ceremony at Kandy's Temple of the Tooth, ride one of the world's most scenic railway lines into the tea hills, look for leopards and elephants in Yala, then finish with three unhurried nights on the south coast. Nights in Colombo, the Cultural Triangle and Kandy are in 4-star or higher hotels, with 3-star or higher hotels in Ella and by the beach. Breakfasts and dinners are included on most days, along with bottled water, roadside king coconut, seasonal fruit and gratuities for your driver-guide, so there are few surprises on the road. The tour is run by Apple Vacations, a licensed Sri Lankan operator with its own vehicle fleet.