Itinerary in brief:
- 3 nights Talpe
- 3 nights Yala National Park
- 3 nights Ella
- 2 nights Elephants Hills
- 5 nights Phuket
Day 1: Depart UK
Depart the UK from your chosen airport.
Included: International flight
Day 2: Arrive Sri Lanka
On arrival in Sri Lanka, you’ll be met at the airport and driven down the south coast to Talpe. When you arrive, you can check into your hotel and begin to unwind.
Included: Transfer, The Owl and the Pussycat Hotel
Days 3 and 4: Talpe
You’ll start your honeymoon with a few days on a beautiful beach, with crashing waves, great cocktails and gorgeous ocean views. You’ll be staying at The Owl and the Pussycat, a luxurious boutique hotel which oozes romance and fun. The décor is quirky, colourful and classy. Your bright and sunny room boasts a private terrace overlooking the water.
The food here is vibrant and full of flavour – think spicy curries and fresh seafood. The traditional thalis are legendary, so be sure to try one. Lounge by the pool before grabbing a cocktail for a sundowner by the beach – it’s the perfect place to take a break at the beginning of your honeymoon.
Included: The Owl and the Pussycat Hotel, breakfast
Day 5: Travel to Yala National Park
After breakfast, you’ll be driven further along the coast to Yala National Park. Stop in at Dondra Head for heavenly views of the famous lighthouse. When you arrive, you’ll check into your lodge for 3 nights.
Included: Transfers, Wild Coast Tented Lodge, daily shared jeep safari, full board basis
Days 6 and 7: Yala National Park
Now it’s time for a little exploration whilst still enjoying some of the finer things in life – this is your honeymoon after all! You’ll be staying at Wild Coast Tented Lodge in a Cocoon Pool Suite. The lodge is a Relais & Chateaux property and the unique rooms boast vaulted ceilings that offer jungle views from the double-height double glazed facades. The décor is a combination of colonial expedition-style and contemporary design, perfect for honeymooners on safari. On top of that, your suite as a romantic four-poster bed and a free-standing handmade copper bathtub.
During your stay, you’ll set off on one game drive each day, although if you want to book more, just ask. The passionate guides will help you track elephants, sloth bears and the famous leopards of Yala National Park. At the same time, they’ll keep an eye out for some of the smaller residents, such as mongooses, cobras and bright blue bee-eaters.
There are also lots of extra activities you can book directly with the lodge, from guided bush walks to cycling trips through the local rice fields. In the evenings, sit back and relax with a drink at the Ten Tuskers Bar, or, for something unforgettable, we can arrange a private dinner on the beach under the stars.
Included: Wild Coast Tented Lodge, daily shared jeep safari, full board basis
Day 8: Travel to Ella
After breakfast, you’ll be driven north towards Ella, a little village surrounded by high mountains and breath-taking vistas in the central hills of Sri Lanka. During the journey, you’ll ascend from the coast into the mountains, passing chilli fields and pepper plantations where kingfishers and bee-eaters flit through the warm air. You’ll arrive in Ella in the early afternoon and check into your hotel for three nights.
Included: Transfers, 98 Acres Resort & Spa, breakfast
Days 9 and 10: Ella
You’ll experience the beauty and serenity of Sri Lanka’s scenic hill country from the luxurious comfort of 98 Acres Resort and Spa. It’s an elegant boutique hotel made up of charming chalets surrounded by a lush and verdant landscape. The chalets are mostly made of recycled materials.
Your spacious room has its own private living area and offers breath-taking views of the Ella Gap and Adam’s Peak Mountain. The balcony is ideal for lingering over breakfast, watching the sunrise or simply gazing out at the mountains and tea plantations.
Your time here can be spent however you wish. We recommend head out with a guide to drive you around the local area, discovering the pretty walks, cascading waterfalls and the shuddering blue train that trundles through Ella each afternoon.
There are also plenty of adventures to get stuck into, such as ziplining, mountain biking and archery. For a slightly more sedate escapade, take a cooking class and learn how to whip up some local favourites. Alternatively, just chill out by the pool and enjoy the views.
Included: 98 Acres Resort & Spa, breakfast, driver-guide at your disposal
Day 11: Fly to Thailand
After breakfast, you’ll be driven back to Colombo. It’s a long drive but you can sit back and relax as your private driver takes you back to the city. When you arrive in Colombo, you’ll be taken somewhere delicious to enjoy dinner before heading to the airport for your overnight flight to Thailand.
Included: Breakfast, transfers, international flight
Day 12: Arrive Phuket, travel to Elephant Hills Camp
When you arrive at Phuket airport, you’ll be picked up and driven to Elephant Hills Camp in Khao Sok National Park. During the journey, you’ll get glimpses of tropical rural life in southern Thailand.
After lunch, you’ll set off on a relaxing jungle canoe trip down the Sok River, passing limestone mountains and cliffs covered with exotic tropical vegetation. Sometimes, you can see hornbill birds flying high overhead or reptiles basking in the sun on the riverbanks, so keep your eyes peeled. You’ll be floating through one of the last areas of primary rainforest in Thailand, a world that has changed little in thousands of years.
Next, you’ll get out of the canoe and head over to the elephant park, where you can learn about Thai elephants and the Elephant Hills elephant conservation project. During this amazing Elephant Experience, you’ll have the chance to interact with the elephants and learn the secrets of their mahouts. You will prepare and feed them one of their daily meals and then watch them bathe, before helping to scrub and wash them clean. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to really experience the Asian Elephant, this part of the world’s largest land animal!
Next, you’ll head back for a hot shower in the unique bathroom of your luxury safari tent. Relax and enjoy the panoramic views of the surrounding jungle-covered mountains. You’ll be 100% immersed in nature. Your luxury safari tent has a comfortable bed, reading lights, hot water and a western-style toilet. All the doors and windows are covered with mosquito netting as well as canvas flaps, so insects and reptiles can get to you in the night. It’s real luxury in the heart of the rainforest!
Included: Full board meal plan, all activities, luxury tent
Day 13: Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp
This morning, you’ll wake up to the sounds of nature. By the time the sun comes up and the mist over the rainforest-covered mountains clears, you’ll hear the territorial morning calls of gibbons echoing down the valley.
Today, you’ll explore Cheow-Larn-Lake by long-tail boat, cruising through emerald waters past towering limestone mountains. It’s no wonder that this region is called the “Guilin” of Southern Thailand. Cheow-Larn-Lake is a little-known wonder and natural habitat for wild elephants, rare Asian ox, various monkey species, amphibians, reptiles and even tigers and leopards. It’s also home to hornbills and hundreds of other tropical birds, making it one of the most important areas of rainforest in South East Asia.
Next, you’ll head to the floating Elephant Hills Rainforest Camp. Situated deep within the national park it’s second Elephant Hills property in the area. When you arrive, you’ll settle into your luxury tent, with a private en-suite bathroom, solar and wind-powered electricity and hot showers. You’ll find all the conveniences of a modern hotel room, with totally unspoilt nature right on your doorstep. You can sit back and enjoy the surrounding views of Cheow-Larn-Lake whilst enjoying a fabulous Thai buffet lunch.
After lunch, you’ll set out to explore the on foot. It’s an excellent opportunity to explore the ecology of one of the world’s oldest rainforests and learn about a huge variety of exotic plants and animals. You can spot birds such as the hornbill in the canopy high up above, hear gibbons calling to their mates, see macaque or a leaf monkey swinging through the branches and watch beautiful butterflies flutter around. Every day is different in the rainforest.
When you return to the rainforest camp, you can watch the sunset over the limestone mountains from the deckchair in front of your tent. Dinner will be served shortly after dark. After that, you’ll be alone with the intriguing sounds of nature under a starlit sky.
Included: Full board meal plan, all activities, luxury tent
Day 14: Travel to Phuket
After breakfast, you can join a guided canoe safari into the little channels and side arms of Cheow-Larn-Lake. As you paddle along in a kayak, keep scanning the treetops for lazy hornbill birds or energetic primates. Before long, you’ll find yourself in the heart of the rainforest on a silent adventure – words cannot do this experience justice.
Before leaving Elephant Hills, you’ll enjoy a final at the floating tented camp. Afterwards, you’ll be transferred back to Phuket to indulge in some serious relaxation. The drive to Phuket takes around 3.5 hours and when you arrive, you’ll check into your hotel for 5 nights.
Included: Breakfast, transfers, Keemala Phuket
Days 15 - 18: Phuket
For this final stop on you’ll luxury honeymoon, you’ll sleep high in the treetops at Keemala Resort & Spa. Tucked away in their most exclusive room, the Birds Nest Pool Villa has all the makings of an unforgettable honeymoon stay. Get cosy in a huge canopy bed, take a dip in your private clay pool, take a long luxurious bath in your standalone tub – this really is the way to end your honeymoon.
The Keemala Resort is nestled in the rainforest, but it offers a free shuttle to the beach several times a day – only a 10-minute drive. This way, you get the best of both worlds. If you would rather stay in a beachside resort, we can offer you an alternative. However, for genuine privacy, you can’t do better than this high-end heaven.
Included: Keemala Phuket, breakfast
Day 19: Depart Phuket
Today, you’ll be driven back to Phuket Airport in time to catch your international flight home.
Included: Transfers, international flight
Day 20: Arrive UK
