Hidden Sri Lanka

Take the afternoon train to Rambukkana and transfer to the Rosyth Estate House, a colonial planter's bungalow for a 2-night stay. The beautiful estate is set in 25-hectares of private tea and rubber plantations, 1,100ft above sea level. (D)

Day at leisure to enjoy the facilities of the Rosyth Estate House. Guests can explore the estate, visit the local tea factory, enjoy a cookery lesson, relax by the pool or simply take in the stunning views. (B, D)

Transfer to Bougainvillea Retreat for 3 nights. (B)

Explore the delights of Kandy including the Temple of the Tooth dating from the 16th century, Royal Botanical Gardens - the largest in Sri Lanla, local markets and artisan workshops. (B)

Travel to Gal Oya National Park for 2 nights at the Gal Oya Lodge. Gal Oya is an area of outstanding beauty with evergreen forests; mountainous grasslands; and one of the Sri Lanka's largest lakes, dotted with small picturesque islands. (B)

Take a boat safari on Senanayake Samudraya lake in search of elephants who swim from island to island. Jeep safaris, nature walks and opportunities to meet the indigenous Vedda tribes are also available. (B)

Travel to Ella for 2 nights at 98 Acres Resort & Spa, which as its name indicates, is set in 98 acres of lush green mountains (B)

Day at leisure to relax and enjoy the resort's facilities or to take part in a range of optional activities. Activities include tea plantation visits, guided hiking, birdwatching and cookery lessons. (B)

Travel to Uda Walawe National Park for 2 nights at Kalu's Hideway. The National Park covers an area of 30,821 hectares, and includes a large reservoir, the Uda Walawe Tank, which is fed by the Walawe Ganga. The park is home to an estimated 500 elephants. (B)

Morning safari in the national park. In addition to elephant, deer species such as spotted deer, sambar and barking deer together with langur, water buffalo and jackal can also be found. Exotic birds that may be seen include hawk eagles, black capped bulbuls, kingfishers and peacocks. (B)

Visit the Elephant Transit home en route to Thalpe for 3-nights at Apa Villa. Established by the Born Free Foundation, the Elephant Transit Home rescues orphaned elephants and assists in their rehabilitation back into the wild. (B)

Days at leisure or take a tour of Galle. (B)