The island has a rich cultural heritage that dates back over 2,000 years which is linked to the origins of Buddhism in the country with magnificently constructed stupas and the ruins of ancient kingdoms.

Sri Lanka is recognised as a global biodiversity hotspot with a rich variety of endemic flora and fauna, and incredibly for a small island, can boast of large iconic animals such as the Asian elephant, leopard and the largest animal to have inhabited our planet, the blue whale. From palm fringed beaches to scrub jungles and numerous man-made lakes in the lowlands to tropical rainforests, cloud forests and highlands laden with waterfalls at its centre, this resplendent isle is abundant in natural beauty.

There were too many highlights on Sandra’s trip, but we have listed a few below:

• Sigiriya: Sigiriya is famous for its palace ruins on top of a massive 200-meter-high rock surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs and other structures. It was amazing to climb the Sigiriya Fort Rock and take it the incredible surroundings.
• Ulagalla Resort Traditional Sri Lankan Dinner prepared by two local ladies form the village, experienced in an outdoor restaurant in the middle of a rice patty field. The food was delicious and the setting just stunning.
• No visit to Sri Lanka is complete without visiting the Ceylon Tea Trail. The group stayed in the English manor house and were treated like English aristocracy. Incredible location and the tea factory tour was very informative, and Sandra was blown away by how many types of tea there are.
• Yalla National Park: they stayed in a beautiful 5 star delux Cocoon tent, and during the game drive the group saw a leopard pair – just incredible.
• Experiencing Colombo on a Tuk Tuk Tour, a great way of seeing how the Sri Lankan people live in the big city and experience city culture.

&Beyond is a pioneering, experiential travel company that offers forward-thinking, global travellers an exclusive experience of the world as it should be; a world that is in balance with itself. We go beyond mere luxury to enrich guests’ experience through their core ethos of Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, and Care of the People. &Beyond has 29 exquisite safari lodges and camps across Africa and South America, and also design personalised, high-end tours in 15 African countries, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador and Peru.