Discover one of the true treasures of Sri Lanka with a full-day tour of the sacred city of Kandy in the lush central highlands. This is an adventure into a world that many thought lost forever; see elephants frolicking in the water, wander through a fragrant spice garden and visit a tea estate before exploring the last ancient citadel of the Kingdom of Kandy. This tour has it all: wildlife, nature, scenery, history, culture, architecture and spirituality – the essence of Sri Lanka.

As you head inland, the climes become cooler, the landscapes more verdant and the countryside hillier. Visit an elephant orphanage, which has grown in size over the decades. When it opened there were just a handful of calves and today there are almost 100 of these gentle giants living in the refuge. After their breakfast, they are taken each morning for a bath –one of the most beautiful sights in nature.

Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens, which includes the 200-year-old National Herbarium. Admire fields of orchids, be dwarfed by gigantic trees and inhale the aromas of the thousands of varieties of flowers, plants and spices. Explore a genuine tea plantation and learn about the production process of the world’s favourite leaf, which despite the fame of Ceylon tea was introduced to Sri Lanka only in 1847.

Then bow before the majesty of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the jewel in the crown of the charming city of Kandy, which is located in a small wooded valley deep in the hills around a lake. Lunch will be in Kandy.