Stay : Sri Lanka immersion tour

You land at Colombo airport and feel immediately immersed as your driver takes you to Negombo. Settle into your beachfront hotel and enjoy some free time to visit this beautiful fishing village with its authentic atmosphere.

After breakfast, you're off to Pasyala, where Richard and his wife welcome you to their home with a tasty hot drink made from tropical flowers. Continue this magical encounter by discovering how the local chewing tobacco is prepared, followed by a visit to a rubber plantation. Again in Richard's company, you'll learn about the various stages of rubber processing, then visit a nearby blacksmith's workshop, where a century-old anvil is still used to make his orders.

After a tasty lunch with ancestral flavours, it's time to say goodbye to Richard and set off for new horizons. In Badagamuwa, you'll stroll through an authentic village and meet the locals in the rice fields. Further afield, nestled in beautiful rolling countryside, a hamlet called Ridigama, hides a

Monastery: the rock temple of Ridi Vihara, where a 100% Zen night awaits you.

As soon as you wake up, you can feel the peaceful atmosphere pervading your whole being. This is the perfect time to treat yourself to a meditation session with one of the monastery's disciples. To complete this calm moment, the head monk invites you to an initiation into the practices of the Buddhist religion. Then, at the end of the morning, a unique moment awaits you, as you are granted special permission to attend the prayer, usually reserved for practicing monks. A moment out of time, charged with spirituality.

After lunch, it's time to continue your epic journey to Dambulla. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Dambulla is home to five cave sanctuaries entirely adorned with magnificent Buddhist murals. In a lush natural setting, you'll roam the grounds, accompanied by a multitude of monkeys.

At the end of the day, you settle in for two nights in an old country house transformed into a charming hotel with a rustic Sri Lankan decor.

The setting is ideal for relaxing in the outdoor swimming pool and strolling through the hotel's peaceful garden.

The morning is devoted to a visit to the archaeological site of Polonnaruwa. Here you'll travel to the ancient medieval capital of Ceylon, where the kings settled in the 11th century after abandoning Anuradhapura. This city, whose remains have been cleared from the rainforest, covers an area of 15 km2 and has been a Unesco World Heritage Site since 1982. On foot or by bike, amidst orchids, lianas and frangipani trees, you'll discover magnificent monuments with old carved stones that bear witness to the grandeur of this era.

Then you're off to Hinguraggoda for an agricultural escapade. In the heart of nature, you'll explore the CIC farm through banana and mango plantations, rice paddies, cattle, composting... After lunch, it's time to head off to Minneriya National Park. This 89 km2 park contains a water reservoir built in the 3rd century by King Mahasen. This water reserve attracts large numbers of elephants, up to 200 strong, who come here to feed and bathe. They are easy to spot and approach. Hinds, leopards and hundreds of birds and butterflies can also be seen.

After breakfast, you continue your explorations by discovering the Lion Rock. This ochre-red monolith towers 370 metres above the jungle. Climb 1,300 steps (30-40 min) to reach the top and the remains of a fortress listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you can see the famous frescoes of "The Damsels of Sigiriya", the king's courtesans during his reign. The panoramic view of the Adam's Peak massif, the jungle, the villages... is breathtaking!

The tour continues with a moment of pure poetry, as you embark on a local pirogue to navigate a remote lake. All around you, a lush tropical jungle awakens your senses.

After a relaxing picnic, your driver takes you to Matale, the kingdom of spices. Away from mass tourism and controversial gardens, head deep into the Matale jungle to discover a nurturing garden rich in biodiversity, where spices go hand in hand with the vegetables grown here. The owner, who welcomes you for the next two nights, will share his passion for growing peppers, nutmeg, turmeric, ginger, curry leaves, chillies and more. No sales here, just the pleasure of sharing the story of a man whose family has been growing these crops for generations.

After a hearty breakfast, you're off for a three-hour hike through a forest of rubber and kapok trees, amidst rice paddies and spice gardens. Along the way, several Hindu temples tell you about the region's unique history. All around you, scenes of local life slowly unfold: women washing clothes in the river, peasants working in the rice fields. Don't hesitate to take a refreshing dip in the river along the way! After a relaxing picnic by a superb waterfall, you hop on an automatic scooter to explore the village, still in the company of your host. Along the way, a few stops with the street vendors allow you to do your shopping for dinner. On your return, you're welcomed by a local coconut-based aperitif: arack; then you help prepare dinner.

A final breakfast and it's already time to say goodbye to your hosts, who have made you feel so welcome over the last two days. It's with a head full of beautiful memories that you set off for Kandy. Nestling at the gateway to the mountainous region, Kandy was the kingdom's last capital, housing the famous relic of the Tooth of Buddha in the 16th century in the soberly elegant Dalada Maligawa temple. During your visit to the temple of "Buddha's Tooth", you'll witness the ceremony that takes place every evening. Away from the hustle and bustle of Kandy, you settle into a peaceful two-night stay in a magnificent hotel overlooking the city and the verdant mountains. Swimming pool, bar, terrace, garden... a relaxing end to the day.

After breakfast, you leave the tourist trail to visit the Peradeniya university campus by tuk tuk. After this beautiful discovery, you continue your journey to Maussawa, where you'll discover a veritable natural paradise. You'll be surrounded by forests and rice paddies, admiring the incredible biodiversity of this mountainous region. Several excursions are possible: birdwatching, tree and plant watching, a stroll through the coffee, spice and tea plantations, a visit to the village of Pundaluoya, a walk to the top of the site overlooking lush tropical greenery... After a busy day, relax in the comfort of your ecolodge.

After breakfast, you continue your journey along the beautiful Tea Route. Perched at an altitude of 1,900 m, Nuwara Eliya was a favorite vacation spot for English settlers. The climate is much more pleasant than on the plains, with an average temperature of 15°C and cool nights. In summer, a persistent, cold fog contrasts with the heat of the rest of the island. This climate is ideal for growing vegetables.

After this moment of poetry and exotic flavors, you're off to Nanu Oya station, where a train to Ella awaits you. What a delight and a change of scenery to cross the Sri Lankan landscape, meet the locals and admire the stations from the colonial era... A real trip back in time!

On arrival, you settle in for two nights in a small haven of peace nestled among tea plantations and mountains. Just a stone's throw from this beautiful residence, natural swimming pools offer you a final refreshment.

The morning is devoted to discovering how tea is made. You climb into a tea garden where two women work tirelessly to pluck the leaves by hand. The tea produced here is then transported to the high factory.

Welcome to Halpewatte Tea Factory, one of Ella's legendary tea factories.

As you explore the factory, you'll learn about the various stages of tea production, from harvesting to sorting and drying.

Back in the village, you'll have free time to choose the restaurant that inspires you most. Then, in the afternoon, you embark on the ascent of mini Adam's Peak, an easy 1.5-hour walk accessible to all. Up to the summit, the trail winds through tea plantations and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. On your return to the guesthouse, where the natural pools offer a well-deserved final refreshment.

After a picturesque drive through the countryside, you've arrived in the world of ayurveda at Udawalawe. This is where this traditional medicine originated in Sri Lanka. A short stop at the ayurvedic apothecary allows you to witness the ancestral preparations still in use today. You then head for the Elephant Transit Home orphanage, a refuge for dozens of elephant calves aged between 1 and 5, cared for and then released back into the park. After a second journey, you arrive in Ahangama and are welcomed by a local family for a fishing session in a traditional outrigger canoe (oruwa).

At the end of the day, a visit to a turtle farm 20 minutes from your guesthouse gives you an insight into the project to save the turtles that come to Sri Lanka's beaches to breed. Depending on the time of day, you may even be lucky enough to witness the release of the babies on the beach! In the evening, a culinary voyage awaits you, with curries prepared by your hosts..

After a warm farewell with your hosts, the final leg of your journey takes you to Galle. This Unesco-listed city reveals the influences of the many Europeans who have passed through here. Stroll along its Dutch ramparts and you'll discover historic sites preserved to perfection.

It's the perfect conclusion to your adventure, especially as Galle also has a few tasty surprises in store!

Now it's time to say goodbye to this incredible country, with memories of encounters, hikes, activities and discoveries full in your mind. Your driver will take you to the airport, where your flight home awaits.