Sri Lanka is one of the world’s great gemstone sources, producing sapphires, rubies, cat’s eye, alexandrite, and over 40 other varieties from the alluvial deposits around Ratnapura. Venture Ceylon’s gem experiences take you into the actual story: visits to working gem pits where traditional rattan basket mining has continued for centuries, demonstrations of cutting and polishing by skilled lapidaries, and expert-led museum visits tracing the history of Ceylon sapphires from their geological origin to international collections. It is a dimension of Sri Lanka that almost no standard itinerary includes.