Here's the itinerary I've worked out for an upcoming trip, focusing on the cultural triangle. It's easy then to add a couple days at a coastal resort at the beginning or end.

Day 1
Pick up from Colombo Hilton and proceed to Anuradapura for sight seeing
*Anuradhapura - the capital of Sri Lanka from the 05th Century B.C. to the end of the 10th Century A.D. was the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined cities. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagobas constructed of bricks and hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagobas are the Ruvanveliseya which dates back to the 2nd Century B.C. and is 300 feet in diameter, the Jetawanarama is 370 feet and the Thuparama Dagoba enshrines the collarbone of the Buddha. The city’s most renowned relic is the sacred Bo Tree, which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained Enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historically authenticated tree in the world.

Thereafter visit Mihintale
* Mihintale – is 140 miles from Colombo, 8 miles from Anuradhapura. Mihintale is called the “Cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka”- it was here that the Buddhist doctrine was first preached in here by the monk ‘Mahinda’, son of Asoka, Emperor of India, to King Devanampiyatissa more than 2000 years ago. Mihintale - ‘the hill of Mahinda’ is approached by a magnificent, wide, ancient stone stairway of 1,840 steps.
This is the World’s first declared sanctuary from 247 B.C. and continues to be one up to this day.
Some of the monuments found here are the oldest in the country and the large number of Brahmi inscriptions dates from the 3rd century B.C.
Kantaka Cetiya, Ambastala Dagoba, Maha Thupa, At Vehera, Alms Hall, Girihandu Seya, Indikatu Seya, Old Hospital and Kaludiya Pokuna are some of the interesting sites at Mihintale

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel Sigiriya Village 4*, Sigiriya www.sigiriyavillage.lk


Day 2
After breakfast visit and climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress

*Sigiriya - is home to the 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as The Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress. Within its triple-moated defense the huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 500ft. On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of life sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original color. Sigiriya was never conquered by any of the invading forces that had such an affect on the Island of Sri Lanka. It was however ceded to the British during the colonial rule without force.

Afternoon proceed to Polonnaruwa for sight seeing
* Polonnaruwa - another “World Heritage Site” was the Capital of Sri Lanka from 11th - 13th Centuries, contains some splendid and spectacular statues. Lankatilake, Tivanka and Thuparama are the most beautiful and largest Image Houses and Tivanka has the best example of frescoes of the Polonnaruwa period. Rankoth Vehera and Kirivehera are well preserved large stupas, and Gal Vihare - a rock shrine, has four Buddha statues, two seated, one standing and one reclining and Parakrama Bahu statue are examples of Sinhalese stone carver. The Vata-da-ge is a unique creation of the Sri Lankan artists.

Dinner & overnight stay at Hotel Sigiriya Village 4*, Sigiriya www.sigiriyavillage.lk


Day 3
After breakfast visit Dambulla Cave Temples
Dambulla - This is the most impressive cave temple in Sri Lanka, with five caves under a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. Inside the caves, the ceilings are painted with intricate patterns of religious images following the contours of the rock. There are images of Lord Buddha, bodhisattvas, gods and goddesses.

It is a vast isolated rock mass 500 feet high and a mile around the base. The caves of Dambulla sheltered King Walagamba during his 14 years of exile from Anuradhapura. When he regained the throne he built the most magnificent of Rock Temples to be found in the Island

Thereafter proceed to Kandy en route visit Spice Garden in Matale
* Spice Gardens at Matale – You will see many spice gardens at Matale and in Mawanella on the Colombo-Kandy road where Cinnamon, Cardamom, Pepper Creepers and all other spice trees, plants and creepers are planted for visitors to see them. Spice products are also available for those who would like to buy them. At all Spice Gardens visitors are taken round explaining each tree and plant and at the end explaining the use of them food preparations.
Afterwards visit a Batik Factory where you can see the manufacture of beautiful Batik prints. These shops contain a wide variety of Batik items.

Late afternoon commence a brief city tour of Kandy with a visit to the Temple of the Tooth Relic

Dinner & overnight stay at Mahaweli Reach 5*, Kandy www.mahaweli.com

Day 4
After breakfast proceed to Nuwera Eliya en route visit the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage and also a Tea Plantation and a Tea Factory

* Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - App. 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo - Kandy road is Pinnawela. Started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants, the orphanage has grown to be a big family today. It is a unique experience never to be missed. The number of elephants has increased to more than 40, including baby elephants brought from various parts, as well as the babies born, as a result of the captive breeding programme.
The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0930-1000 hrs and 1330-1400 hrs and the bathing time from 1000-1030 hrs and 1400-1430 hrs when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.

*Nuwara Eliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coldest places on the island, but it is really just like an English spring day, although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence. Houses are like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions.

The Victoria Park, in the middle of town, is a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in the spring (march to May) and the fall (August and September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eliya to escape the sea level heat and humidity.

Evening enjoy a walk at the Nuwara Eliya town with a visit to the local market.

Dinner & overnight stay at St. Andrew’s Hotel 4*, Nuwera Eliya www.jetwing.net

Day 5
After breakfast proceed to Hortan Plains National Park where you can walk on your own designated tracks.

* Horton Plains National Park – 20 miles (32 km) from Nuwara Eliya via Ambewela and Pattipola, is the Horton Plains only 3160 hectares in extent. Known to Sri Lankans as Mahaeliya, it became Horton Plains after Sir Robert Horton, British Governor from 1831- 1837.
Horton Plains became a Nature Reserve in 1969 and upgraded as a National Park in 1988 due to its unique watershed and bio-diversity values.
Its flora has high level of endemism. The hills are covered with diverse wet low evergreen forest with even large trees grown flattened to the ground on the higher windswept slopes.
Horton Plains harbours 52 species of resident birds and 11 species of migrant birds.
More then 2,000 to 3,000 Sambhur, Bear Monkey, Leopard, Barking Deer, Giant Squirrel, Fishing Cat, Wild Boar and Hares roam in the forests and grasslands but only seldom they could be seen other than the Sambhur in the evening and morning.
For accommodation Ginihiriya Bungalow (Anderson Lodge) with 4 DBL rooms and 2 separate dormitories (Vana Nivahana) serve for groups.
Two escarpments- “World’s End” and “Little World’s End” falling from the Horton Plains 1000 feet and 3000 feet respectively, to the land below and the Baker’s Falls are places you should visit.
This is the only Park where visitors could walk on their own on the designated tracks.

Afternoon proceed to Colombo