10 Days
ITINERARY
DAY 01 -NEGOMBO
Warmly welcomed by our airport representative, you will be introduced to your dedicated chauffeur for the tour, to be transferred to your first stay in the fishing village of Negombo.
If the time permits and if you would like to explore the history of the dynamic city, you will be taken on a brief tour to see Dutch churches or for a boat ride along Dutch canals.
Overnight Stay in Negombo.
DAY 02 – DAMBULLA
Dambulla.
The tour begins by leaving for Dambulla to explore the famous Golden Rock cave temple which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Recognized as a sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, a vast isolated rock mass with its five caverns is the largest best-preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka.
The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 sq. meters) are of particular importance as are the 157 statues including a 47 foot long statue of the recumbent Buddha.
Afterward leave for Sigiriya. Climb the rock fortress of Sigiriya – a 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky”. Built by King Kassapa the fortress was a Royal Citadel for more than 18 years. The lion rock (A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) is a citadel of unusual beauty, rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The base of the rock is ringed by a moat and rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens. The majestic Lion’s Paw picturesquely guards the stairway of the palace on the summit. See the famous frescoes of the “Heavenly maidens” of Sigiriya in a sheltered pocket of the rock and the 10-foot-high Mirror Wall.
After the climb, head for Habarana, a silent peaceful village with fine accommodation options which are located facing green topographies of the village. Check in at your hotel on arrival and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.
Overnight Stay in Habarana.
DAY 03 – HIRIWADUNNA
After breakfast leave for the Hiriwadunna Village. Hiriwaduna situated in Habarana is a small farming village where you will experience the simple lifestyle of our native culture. A morning bullock cart ride will take you through the village. Then stop for lunch and be treated to a delicious local cuisine served on lotus leaves by a village family. End your local adventure with a catamaran ride on the lake.
Polonnaruwa.
Later continue to one of the ruins of ancient Ceylon – the UNESCO World Heritage City of Polonnaruwa, which was the Capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13th century. Polonnaruwa was a well-planned medieval city defended by enclosing walls (around 5 km. which remain), graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes. Polonnaruwa is strewn with ruins in a resplendent state of preservation.
The ‘Gal Vihara’ which consists of statues of the recumbent, standing and seated Buddha have been cut from a single granite wall and rank among few of the true masterpieces of Sri Lankan Art.
Overnight Stay in Habarana.
DAY 04 – KANDY
After Breakfast head to Kandy. En route you will visit a spice garden in Matale. You will check in at your hotel on arrival and once you are rested, continue to your tour of Kandy!, the beautiful hill country capital is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is famous for the Temple of the Tooth which houses the most sacred religious relic, the tooth of the Buddha. The Kandy Lake built in 1807 and the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, are some of the key jewels of the town that elevate its magnificence. In the Evening you will visit the sacred Temple of the Tooth Relic. Thereafter enjoy the Kandyan Cultural show at the Kandyan Arts & Cultural Centre. The show features the graceful and rhythmic dancers and drummers culminating in an impressive fire walking display.
Overnight Stay in Kandy.
DAY 05 – KANDY
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.
After breakfast leave for Pinnawala to visit the Elephant orphanage. This orphanage was set up by the government to take care of baby elephants lost or abandoned in the wild. Witness the feeding of the elephants. Thereafter observe them as they take their daily bath in the river nearby, which offer marvellous photo opportunities. Bath time is enjoyed by all elephants, young and old alike and it is a good time to closely observe their tightly knit family structure. Daily feeding times – 9.15 am, 1.15 pm, and 5.00 pm. bathing times – 10.00 am, 2.00 pm, and 4.00 pm.
Peradeniya Botanical Gardens
visit the ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDEN of Peradeniya which was a pleasure garden of a Kandyan King of the 16th Century, later made it into a Botanical Garden during the British regime. This garden: one of the best in Asia, is a place of beauty and a popular haunt for bird watchers. It is bounded on three sides by the Mahaweli River, which snakes around the 60-hectare gardens. Peradeniya is the second largest botanical garden in Asia. It has an orchid house which botanists should visit. In 1905 an avenue of palms was planted and now is one of the most photographed places in the garden. The oldest tree here is a 150-year-old double coconut tree. The Giant Fig tree on the Great Lawn is another notable tree. During World War II, it served as a base for Lord Mountebatten. Today it is a popular haunt for day trippers, botanists, and birdwatchers.
Tea Museum
The Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane, three kilometres from Kandy city is served by a motorable road that circles the museum, provides easy access and adequate parking facilities for cars and tourist coaches. The museum consists of four floors. The ground floor and the second-floor exhibit very old items of machinery and the first floor consist of a library and an auditorium with facilities for audio visual presentations. The third floor is allocated to tea sales outlets, where a selection of Sri Lanka’s fine tea is available. The entire top floor is a tea cafe. A panoramic view of the Kandy town surrounded by the beautiful Hunasgiriya, Knuckles Range and the Matale range of hills can be viewed through a telescope mounted on the fourth floor. The grounds surrounding the Tea Museum are landscaped with different varieties of teas. Kandy is a mandatory stop virtually on every tourist’s itinerary and the location of the Ceylon Tea Museum at Hantane enhances the attraction of the hill country to visitors. Additionally, its proximity to the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and Loolecondera estate, where tea was first grown commercially in Sri Lanka makes Hantane the perfect location.
Overnight Stay in Kandy
DAY 06 – ELLA VIA NUWARAELIYA
After breakfast leave for Ella via Nuwara Eliya. A little village surrounded by high mountains and breath-taking vistas in the central hills of the country. It is famous for the Ella Gap – a gap in the mountains where you can see all the way up to the ocean. It is also a base for plenty of trekking expeditions to the surrounding countryside and offers plenty of beautiful scenery and waterfalls.
On completion of visiting Radboda water fall & Damro Tea factory heading towards Nuwara Eliya.The beautiful town of Nuwara Eliya, set in the heart of Tea country and situated 1890 meters above sea level, is where the British succeeded in creating an English countryside with homes in styles from Georgian to Queen Anne.
Overnight Stay in Ella
DAY 07 – ELLA
On completion of visiting most famous tourist attractions in Ella, leave for Yala. The Nine Arches Bridge also called The Bridge in the sky) one of the most iconic bridges in Sri Lanka and is one of the best examples of British railway constructions when Ceylon was yet a colony of the British Empire. It is located in Demodara, between Ella and Demodara railway stations. As of the past decade the surrounding area has seen a steady increase of tourism due to the bridge’s architectural ingenuity and the profuse greenery in the nearby hillsides. It is often likened to the countryside through which the fictional Hogwarts express passes through in the Harry Potter world.
En route visit Rawana Waterfalls, a sight to behold with a scenic backdrop of mountains and valleys. It is featured in the Rawana mythology, where Sita is said to have bathed from this waterfall while she was in captivity,
Overnight Stay in Yala.
DAY 08 – GALLE
Yala National Park.
After an early breakfast, commence a jeep safari in the Yala National Park by private jeep accompanied by a tracker. Yala National Park is one of Sri Lanka’s premier eco tourist destinations and is renowned for its variety of wildlife notably for Elephants and Sri Lankan Leopards. It is also home to the Spotted Deer, Sambar, Wild Buffalo, Sloth Bear, Jackal, Mongoose and Crocodiles. The Peacock is easily the most famous of the birds in this park. Yala has a high concentration of Leopards although seeing these nocturnal carnivores still requires some luck.
Galle.
Afterwards leave for Galle, the capital of the southern province is a city with a colorful history. Being a UNESCO declared World Heritage Site; the magnificent Dutch Fort is the most popular attraction of the town. 300-year-old Dutch atmosphere is still very much alive around the Fort, undisturbed by the modern skyscrapers. The southern coastal belt is the most popular among the tourists and comes to life mainly from October through April when the monsoon moves northeast, and the sea becomes calm with blue skies. The City of Galle had been the earliest European administrative center of Sri Lanka until the British shifted the port to Colombo.
Overnight Stay in Unawatuna – Galle
DAY 09 – UNAWATUNA
Unawatuna delightfully located along one of the finest beaches on the South coast. Spend the day at leisure watching the waves as they bounce off the sun-kissed sands & relax.
Overnight Stay in Unawatuna – Galle.
DAY 10 – AIRPORT
Airport.
Now that you are at the end of your journey with us, after breakfast, your chauffeur will comfortably take you to the international airport in time for your departure flight.
We hope your adventure with us was enjoyable and wish you a safe and pleasant flight home!
