Sri Lanka: Safari & Shorelines

Poolside pause: arrive, get your bearings and slip into your swimmers to lounge under the sun at this hotel created with social travellers in mind. The day is yours until you meet your trip mates at 5pm!

First taste of Sri Lanka: after meeting everyone (ahhh!), get ready for your first group dinner. Outdoor lights, a blanket of dusk, plus burst-in-your-mouth Sri Lankan flavours? It feels like the beginning of a rom com about friendship.

Village tea: during your drive to Sigiriya, you'll stop at a village for a taste of Sri Lankan tea, known as Ceylon tea. Sip the bold, blended flavours and settle into the moment as local life thrives around you.

Sunset views: cue your inner awakening during a group climb to the summit of Pidurangala. Views of the iconic Sigiriya Rock (Lion Rock) are so breathtaking, you'll want to capture it forever. Unfortunately, phones could never do it justice.

Rise and shine: a super early start, but we promise this morning's included activity is 100% worth it. Sweeping oranges, pastel blues and a 360-degree view of dense jungles are your reward after climbing Lion Rock.

Family dinner: join a local Sri Lankan family for a cooking lesson of traditional dishes, spicy flavours and aromatic tastes. The food you create is a surprise made from seasonal ingredients – and tonight's dinner!

Garden remedies: meet with locals whose green fingers nourish Sri Lankas's world-famous spices like sweet cinnamon and zesty cardamom. They'll share generational secrets during a relaxing wander around a vibrant spice garden.

Sacred relics and folklore dance: step inside the golden Temple of the Tooth, home to one of four teeth relics belonging to Buddha. If you're lucky, the main attraction might be brought out from its resting place to the sound of drums. Tonight, you'll witness a traditional dance show filled with vivid colours, lively music and entrancing movement.

New train status unlocked: saved videos of the famous train journey during research mode? Today you'll feel the warm breeze flutter between your fingers as the legendary Kandy to Ella train rumbles beneath your feet.

More traditional tea: don't just taste it, experience it. Tea pickers will share a typical day in the life between affectionate grins and excited hand movements. Then, taste the goods for yourself! Most people only get a glimpse of this part of Sri Lanka; you'll experience it.

A little hike up Little Adam's Peak: stretch your legs on a group hike where panoramic views leave your jaw on the summit. This is a moment to have those spontaneously deep conversations with your trip mates and learn their story as well as a little piece more of Sri Lanka's.

Bridge in the Sky: like a fantasy book setting, the curving Nine Arch Bridge looks like it's been dropped onto a bed of lush green trees from the clouds above. Take in its history and cultural significance as you capture it for your socials. There may even be a train to wave at whilst you're there.

Your day, your way: shape your Sri Lankan adventure to the travel movie in your head. Or go unscripted, letting your feet direct you. Our ideas? Bond with your trip mates through sheer adrenaline on the Flying Ravana zip line. Weave in and out of stalls filled with tropical fruits, complex wood carvings and fresh juice. Or wander down the main street where music will show you how locals are entertained.

Swishing tails and flapping ears: after travelling for a couple of hours, jump onto a 4x4 steered by a local expert who could navigate these dusty roads with their eyes closed. Your view? The animal kingdom's favourite gentle giants and other curious wildlife.

Group glamping: we've arranged something special to complete today: a glamping experience just outside the national park. Large tents, cosy beds and a swimming pool to float, dive and play mermaids in until after dark... magic!

Swing into beach life: this is where the pace slows into chill mode. Your setting? A horseshoe of golden sand settled between a copse of palm trees and the lapping ocean.

Surfs up: that water's just too tempting, so you're diving straight in with a surf lesson led by village instructors. Never attempted to stand on a surfboard before? No problem: every level is welcome.

Later, your way: salt in your hair and a smile on your face, whatever you do next can only make this day even better. We suggest finding a leisurely meal with your trip mates followed by sunset on the beach.

A lovely day for a snorkel: this morning, straddle across water onto a local fishing boat to seek cool dude turtles and colourful reef fish. After popping on your goggles and chuckling at each other's suctioned eyes, dip into the water and see what lies beneath.

Afternoon without plans: the time is yours to completely switch off, like your laptop at the end of the workday. Bask (with SPF!) under the sun, saunter to one of the surrounding beach towns or park yourself at a cocktail bar (with Asian-fusion dishes) for a front row seat to tonight's sunset.

Today's job is: just beach. After arriving at Unawatuna, the day is yours. Buy an inflatable ball for a friendly game of volleyball. Competitiveness, optional. Walk 20 minutes to Dalawella Beach, home to a protected lagoon where sea turtles live in the surf. Or laze beside the hotel pool until your skin begs for a break.

Foodie heaven: there are tonnes of places to find tonight's dinner. Seafood, burgers, local street food... the list is as wide as the selection of beachfront restaurants. Some places have live music while others are more casual, so there'll be somewhere to suit your food mood.

Go to Galle: the UNESCO-listed fort is first on the agenda. Skim fingers across pastel buildings as you hear how the past shaped its present. Then, tumble into some tuk tuks to see what most people won't, with a local driver who knows all Galle's secret spots.

Farewell from Sri Lankan sands: your last dinner together will be etched into your heart. Soppy, but true. Swap best bits and side-eye moments with the people who you've eaten, stargazed and gotten lost with – plus all the other moments you've shared (the ones you won't see written on any itinerary).

One last ride: stock up on breakfast food this morning, you've got a three-hour minicoach drive – if you want to leave that is! Beach life can be very persuasive. We've organised two drop off points for you: the airport if you're waving Sri Lanka goodbye *cue tears* or the city centre if you're continuing your adventure *cue grins*.