Meet your private driver guide at the airport and head straight to Negombo. Then, all you need to do is stretch out on a lounger and hit reset under the leafy canopy. If you’re feeling restless, a tour of Negombo’s colonial old fort or fishing port can be arranged with a local guide. Otherwise, stroll through the grounds, take a dip in the pool, get acquainted with some of the tropical birds and have your first Sri Lankan meal at the hotel.

Your Anuradhapura stay is one of our favourites in Sri Lanka. Surrounded by paddy fields and jungle, it feels pleasantly removed from the outside world, but there’s plenty to do on its 58-acre grounds. Walk through the rice paddies at sunset, borrow a bike to circle the lake, or join a cookery lesson using produce from the hotel’s organic garden.

Families are well catered for here, with kayaking, archery, horse riding and a junior ranger programme. Every room also has its own private pool, too.

Spend a day exploring Anuradhapura’s vast complex of stupas, monasteries and sacred Buddhist sites by bike or tuk-tuk with a local guide. You can also visit Sigiriya, where the remains of a fifth-century fortress sit on top of a 200m-high rock.

For wildlife sightings, we can arrange a private safari in Wilpattu National Park. Leopards are the headline attraction, alongside elephants, sloth bears, deer and crocodiles. Wilpattu also tends to see fewer visitors than Yala, making for a quieter safari experience.

Once a stronghold for the Sinhalese monarchy, Kandy is home to some of Sri Lanka’s oldest cultural relics, including the Temple of the Tooth. But the city’s streets and markets tell the story of Kandy today. Your local guide will take you through the small streets, past old-style shop façades, limes and spices piled high on stalls and rows of samosas and sweet treats for sale. If you’re feeling hungry, your guide can take you to their favourite snack stops along the way. Later, we recommend a whisky or glass of local arrack at Royal Bar – the city’s oldest bar, with dark wood, old maps and curios lining the walls.

If you want a bit of fresh air outside of the city, there’s the Royal Botanical Gardens. Here, you can learn about the indigenous flora from a true expert: local university professor, Professor Palipana.

At the end of the day, you’ll return to your home-from-home a little outside the city – a colonial estate with its own gardens to explore, private pools and terraces. Kick back with a cup of tea and take in the views.

Leaving the city behind, you’ll climb into Sri Lanka’s Hill Country by private car or aboard the classic blue heritage train. Tell us how you’d prefer to travel and we’ll arrange it. We can even organise a seaplane transfer if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

Your base is a spacious private bungalow overlooking tea fields and Castlereagh Reservoir. It has the feel of a classic colonial estate, with roll-top baths, morning "bed tea", an infinity pool and fires lit on cooler evenings.

From here, you can make your days as active or as lazy as you like. Hike sections of the Pekoe Trail, climb Adam’s Peak for sunrise, kayak across the reservoir or cycle between rows of tea bushes with a guide. Or stay put, order a pot of tea and watch the light move across the hills.

Swap the cooler hills for Sri Lanka’s south coast, where you’ll stay at an upscale cliffside retreat overlooking the sea. Weligama is a good base for a few easy days by the water, with surf breaks nearby and Mirissa within reach for whale-watching trips. You’ll be staying outside of the main tourist centre in a 5* retreat, but with direct beach access and nearby bays it’s easy to explore when you feel like heading out.

Spend your days swimming, trying out a surf lesson or joining a yoga session. Of course, you may choose to do very little at all – find a spot by the water and stay there for the afternoon.

As your trip draws to a close, spend your final days inside the walls of Galle Fort. Once an important trading port for spices and gemstones, Galle passed between Portuguese, Dutch and British control before Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948.

You’ll stay right in the centre of Galle Fort itself, in one of its oldest buildings, now home to a polished hotel with a pool, spa and tuk-tuks for getting around. There are temple visits, yoga and afternoon tea, while families can make use of the tennis court and junior treasure hunt.

Head out in the morning with a local guide to learn more of the fort’s history through its old houses, courtyards and narrow streets. Later, make your way up to the ramparts for sunset, with terracotta rooftops on one side and the Indian Ocean on the other.