Day 01
Arrive in Sri Lanka & Clients will be met by our representative on arrival.
Proceed to Kandy to check in to the Hotel
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Kandy
Day 02
After breakfast visit Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya
The Royal Botanical Gardens
147 acres in extent; Started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Kandy. There are more than 5000 species of trees and plants. Some rare and endemic as well as flora from the tropical world. Spice Garden and Orchid House are popular with tourists.
Proceed to Pinnawala
Pinnawala – App. 90Kms from Colombo, off Colombo-Kandy road, is Pinnawala, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased now, including baby elephants brought from various parts, as well as the babies born, as a result of the captive breeding program. The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0930-1000 hrs and 1330-1400 hrs and the bathing time from 1000-1030hrs and 1400-1430 hrs when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.
Spend time by seeing the elephants till evening & come back to Kandy
Dinner & overnight stay in the same Hotel
Day 03
After breakfast visit The Tea Museum in Hantana – Kandy
On the way back, visit 3 old Temples – Lankathilake (This is a religious devotion of Senalankadhikara, a minister of Bhuvanaikabahu IV of Gampola in 1344 CE. Further establishments carried out by the King, Parakramabahu VI of Kotte (1412-1467 CE).The monastery structure originally had four storeys but has collapsed, and today only the ground floor is used, although a part of the second storey remains)
Gadaladeniya (Gadaladeniya Temple in Kandy was constructed in the year 1344 by King Buwanekabahu IV in accordance to an inscription written here in this temple)
& Embekke (Embekke Devalaya was built in around year the 1370s. This period is belonging to Gampola regime time the king Wickramabahu 11 was ruling Sri Lanka. According to the historical information, this temple was done by Queen Henakanda Bisobandara. The drummer from the nearby village call Rangama was also involved) in Pilimathalawa area.
After Lunch, commence a City Tour, by visiting;
The Old Suspension Bridge, Garrison War Cemetery, The Gem Studio, Upper Lake Drive, Trinity College Chapel, Batik Factory, & in the evening view the cultural dance festival & visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa)
In the evening have a relaxed walk around the Lake in Kandy
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Kandy
Day 04
After early breakfast proceed to Kithulgala via Gampola, Ginigathhena – Hatton road
Kitulgala is a small town in the west of Sri Lanka. A rain forestry area, which gets two monsoons each year, and is one of the wettest places in Sri Lanka. Nevertheless, Kitulgala comes alive in the first three months of the year, especially in February, the driest month. The Academy Award-winning movie, The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge. Kitulgala is the base for white-water rafting in Sri Lanka.
Activities can be done in Kithulgala as follows;
White water rafting, Waterfall abseiling, Rain forest trails, Flatwater rafting, Waterfall trekking, Confidence jump & stream slides, River expeditions and many more.
Dinner & overnight stay in the same Hotel
Day 05
After breakfast leave to Matale
Visit a Spice Garden and see the luscious, Cinnamons, Cardamoms, Pepper plants etc. You can also purchase your requirements of spices & Herbal Medicine.
After lunch visit Dambulla Rock Temple
Dambulla is famous for the five cave Temples on a rock. The first 3 caves are better, older and larger than the other two. Some caves date to 1st C.B.C. All the 5 cave walls and ceilings are covered with Buddhist murals and three are more than 130 Buddha statues, statues of Gods and Kings are also found here.
Check in to the Hotel in Habarana
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Habarana
Day 06
After breakfast Proceed to Sigiriya
Sigiriya – King Kassapa (477-495 A.D) who shifted the Capital from Anuradhapura to Sigiriya made a fortress to surround his palace, which was constructed on the summit of a 500ft high rock, with necessary facilities.
The Palace was surrounded by an outer-moat and wall and Inner – moat and Wall, pleasure garden, Mirror-wall, light coloured and dark coloured damsel’s frescos, to cover the western wall and a beautiful staircase through the body of Crouching Lion are some of the attractions here.
The boulder garden consists of caves where Buddhist Bhikkus lived and meditated. After Kassapa Sigiriya was given back once again to the Bhikkus.
After coming back doing the hike, stay in leisure for the rest of the day in the Hotel;
Else, have a walkthrough typical dry zone villages and paddy (rice) fields & experience the traditional Sri Lankan lifestyles. Clients will be given fresh king coconuts straight away from the coconut tree. Ride on an Elephant as you wish (Elephant safari via jungle & Lake)
You may enjoy a Traditional Sri Lankan Lunch in a Village
Dinner & overnight stay in the same Hotel
Day 07
After breakfast leave for Anuradhapura & commence a City Tour
Anuradhapura is the first capital of Sri Lanka from 5th C.B.C to 10th C.A.D the remains of 15 centuries as capital is found in a vast area. From smaller monuments such as Thuparama and Lankarama to gigantic, 400-foot high Jetawana Dagaba, Abhayagiriya and Ruwanweliseya and the most sacred Bo-tree, (Ficus Religious) well guarded up to this day, are found here.
There are statues; remains of Palaces, Ponds, Temples, Shrines, Alms Halls, Meditation Centers, Old statues, Monasteries, Pleasure gardens and a large number of other monuments are found at Anuradhapura
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Habarana
Day 08 (1st August 2014 – Friday)
Have a relaxed half day after 8 days in the Hotel in Habarana
After Lunch – Do the Game Drive (Jeep Safari) at Minneriya National Park
Minneriya National Park is a National Park in North Central Province of Sri Lanka. The area was designed as a National Park on 12 August 1997, having been originally declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1938. The reason for declaring the area as protected is to protect the catchments of Minneriya tank and the wildlife of the surrounding area. The tank is of historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD. The park is a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests of Matale, Polonnaruwa, and Trincomalee districts.
Dinner & overnight stay in the same Hotel – Aliya Resort & Spas
Day 09
After breakfast leave to Polonnaruwa
Commence a City Tour;
Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th – 13th C.A.D Great revival was achieved in the country, politically, economically and socially during the period of Kings Vijayabahu Parakramabahu and Nissankamalla of the Polonnaruwa period
Dinner & overnight stay in the same Hotel in Habarana
Day 10
After breakfast leave for Nuwaraeliya
En-route stops at Hanuman Hindu Temple & visit a Tea plantation & factory (also you may observe some breath taking water falls)
Nuwaraeliya – 180Kms from Colombo, 6200ft. above sea level. In 1826 some British Officers 1828 a road constructed over the ridge at Ramboda Pass and a station for convalescent Soldiers was established was Sir Samuel Baker who fell under the spell of Nuwaraeliya, brought hounds, horses, cattle, sheep etc; and started a typical English farm here. Flowers and vegetable were brought from England and planted.
Visit a Tea Plantation & a Tea Factory. When in Sri Lanka, it is a must to see a tea plantation as it is the home of world renowned Ceylon Tea. Walk through the Tea Estate and experience what it is like to be in the middle of a tea plantation, enjoy a walk around the stepped tea valley, watch the tea – pluckers at work, and discover beautiful gardens and the smiles of the gentle folk of the hills.
Evening at leisure or entertainment at the Lake Gregory in Nuwaraeliya
Check in to the Hotel in Nuwaraeliya
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Nuwaraeliya
Day 11
After breakfast leave for Horton Plains
Visit Horton Plains & World’s End (3-4 hour walk in the plain)
World’s End – Sri Lanka’s highest plateau at an elevation of 7,000ft in the central mountains. A pre-dawn departure by jeep to visit the World’s End before 10am (mist obscure the view thereafter). This incredible view the aptly – named World’s End is considered to be the finest in Sri Lanka. The terrific escarpment drops vertically for about 1,000ft and falls away almost as steeply for another 4,000ft. In the morning a crescent of silver of the Indian Ocean, rims the horizon some 50 miles to the south.
Overnight stay in the same Hotel in Nuwaraeliya
Day 12 (5th August 2014 – Tuesday)
After breakfast Proceed to Ella via Bandarawela
En-route visit the Haggala Botanical Garden
After lunch have a hike to the Mini Adam’s peak, Lover’s leap etc; in Ella
Evening, stay in leisure by enjoying the breath taking view of Ravana Water Falls in Ella
Check in to the Hotel in Ella
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Ella
Day 13
After breakfast leave for Yala
In the afternoon have the 2nd Game drive in your tour – Jeep Safari to Yala National Park by a Jeep
Yala National Park – is an important National Park in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.
This popular reserve has more than 400 wild Asian Elephants, which are relatively easy to see in this open habit. Yala also has a dozen or so Leopards, although seeing this largely nocturnal carnivore requires considerable luck. There are good numbers of Crocodiles, Golden Jackals, Water Buffalo and Grey langurs amongst other large animals. The open parkland attracts birds’ pf prey such as White-bellied Sea Eagle Crested Serpent Eagle, Fish Eagle Booted Eagle, Changeable Hawk Eagle and the wetlands have waders and Painted Storks. Land birds are in abundance, and include Indian Roller, Indian Peafowl, and Malabar Pied Hornbill.
Check in to the Hotel in Yala
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Yala
Day 14
After breakfast proceed to Mirissa
En-route you may observe the south coast of Sri Lanka; near by Weligama you can see the very famous “Stilt Fishing” (fisherman) on the shallow waters
Stay in leisure in the Hotel in Weligama in the evening
Check in to the Hotel in Mirissa
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Mirissa
Day 15
After having a packed breakfast Proceed to the Mirissa Fisheries Harbour early morning around 6.30am for the Whales & Dolphins watching
By having a Boat Ride in Mirissa Ocean, you can see Blue whales, Bryde´s whales, Sperm whales, Fin whales, sometimes Killer whales, and Common dolphins, Bottlenose dolphins, Spinner dolphins, Risso’s dolphins and Striped dolphins. Sometimes you can see turtles and various fish species, for example Bluefin tuna and flying fish
Relax in the afternoon in the Weligama sea shore after having the long journey to the deep ocean
Dinner & overnight stay in the same Hotel in Mirissa
Day 16
After lunch Proceed to Galle
Commence a City Tour by visiting the Dutch Fort in Galle
Check in to the Hotel in Galle
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Galle
Day 17
Full day leisure in Galle
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Galle
Day 18
Full day leisure in Galle or can do an excursion to Balapitiya & Kosgoda
In Balapitiya (Boat ride on the Madu River);
The estuary of the Madu Ganga River is a complex coastal ecosystem of mangroves and islands. It may be one of the last remaining tracts of pristine mangrove forests in Sri Lanka.
A boat trip is a wonderful way of seeing some of the hundreds of species of plants and animals – monkeys eat fruit in the trees, a water monitor lizard glides slowly through the water, and cormorants, egrets and kingfishers wait patiently on the banks, eyeing the water for prey.
There are around 64 islands in the river and lagoon, from a tiny speck housing a deserted shrine to one housing 250 families connected to the mainland with a very long footbridge.
You can visit an island with a Buddhist monastery, where the friendly young monks will show you a 150-year-old book made of palm leaves and how they cook on cinnamon wood on an open fire.
The main occupations of the local inhabitants are producing cinnamon and prawn fishing – if you take the trip in the early evening you will see the fishermen in their canoes lighting lanterns to attract the shellfish into their traps.
In Kosgoda;
Visit the Turtle Hatchery;
Turtle Hatchery – operated by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1981 to protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction. The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along the sandy beach. Visitors can see huge tanks filled with new born turtle hatchlings. After being fed, the baby turtles are taken to the sea and released when they are 2-4 days old, usually during the safer hours of darkness. Although October to April is the main laying season, some eggs can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year.
You can see; The Loggerhead Turtle, Hawksbill Turtle, Green Turtle, Olive Ridley Turtle & the Leatherback Turtle in here.
Dinner & overnight stay in a hotel in Galle
Day 19
Full day leisure in Galle or can do an excursion to Hikkaduwa to observe the living & natural Coral Reef & the Moonstone Valley
Dinner & overnight stay in the resort in Galle
Day 20
After breakfast proceed to Colombo via cost road
Commence a City tour by visiting;
The Old Parliament, the Galle Face, Gangarama Temple, Seema Malakaya, the Idipendent Square etc.
Lunch at the Dutch Hospital building
Shopping if necessary
Outside traditional dinner on last night
Check in to the Hotel
A quick nap before departure at the hotel in Mt. Lavinia
Day 21
Early morning around 3.15 am check out from the Hotel
Proceed to the Airport via Airport – Colombo HWY
Departure around 4.00 am (End of the Tour)
Entrance tickets to mention events ( Cost for 1Guest )