Highlights of Sri Lanka
15 Nights 16 Days Tour in Sri Lanka
Day 01- Arrival / Negombo
Meet and assist at the airport by company representatives and transfer you to Negombo, which is close to the International Airport.
Negombo
A famous fishing village North of Colombo, with a Dutch built Canal. The canal itself is a hive of activity with all the fishermen traveling up and down in their gaily-painted boats. On the shores of the canal you will find many homes and churches and many species of birds including spectacular Kingfishers and also Parrots. Catamaran trips in the sea. From November to April, diving facilities are available in this quaint
Check in to a hotel in Negombo. And evenings relax at the hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Negombo.
Day 02- Negombo / Pinnawala / Dambulla
After breakfast leave for Dambulla. We will make our first stop of the day at Pinnawala Elephant orphanage.
Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
The Elephant Orphanage is a sanctuary for over 100 retired, abused or orphaned elephants. Visitors from all over the world come to see these magnificent animals. At times, there are also some small babies who have been born into the herd. The daily highlight is the walk from the Orphanage to take the herd down to the river to bathe the elephants. It's amazing to watch an entire herd splashing around and rolling in the river, just a few feet in front of you!
After the visit to the orphanage continue your journey to Dambulla.
Check in to a hotel in Dambulla. Relax at hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Dambulla.
Day 03 – Dambulla / Sigiriya / Dambulla
After breakfast leave to Sigiriya to climb the Sigiriya Rock.
Sigiriya
Sigiriya is a massive rock which was transformed into a citadel during the reign of King Kasyapa, according to history. The capital and the royal palace were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. The rock fortress is famous for its frescoes and the mirror wall. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. It is the most visited historic site in Sri Lanka.
After decent you can enjoy a cool drink of king coconut thambili.
Back to the hotel in Dambulla. Relax at hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Dambulla.
Day 04- Dambulla / Polonnaruwa / Minneriya / Dambulla
After breakfast leave to Polonnaruwa.
Polonnnaruwa
Polonnaruwa , the capital from 11th -13th century A.D. Here the monuments are better preserved. The circular relic house (Vata-da-ge) Lankathilaka, Thuparama, Royal Palace, Rankoth vihara and Galvihara with the beautiful rock cut Buddha statues are the most interesting.
After Polonnaruwa visit, proceed to Minneriya national park for a safari game.
Back to hotel at Dambulla. Relax at the hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Dambulla.
Day 05 – Dambulla / Dambulla Cave Temple / Passikudah
After breakfast proceed to Passikudah. En route visit the Dambulla Cave Temple.
Dambulla Cave Temple
Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass 500ft high and a mile around the base. Here is found the famous Rock Temple dating to the First Century BC. The caves of Dambulla sheltered the 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 on the Island.
After visiting the Dambulla Cave Temple proceed to passikuda.
Check in to a hotel at Passikudah & stay at leisure.
Overnight stay at hotel in Passikudah.
Day 06 – Passikudah
After breakfast, entire day leisure at the beach.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Passikudah.
Day 07 – Passikudah / Kandy
After breakfast proceed to Kandy.
Kandy City.
Kandy - Sri Lanka's hill capital, stronghold of the Sinhala Kings, is our most beautiful town. It is 488 meters above sea level and next to Colombo is Sri Lanka's most visited place. The focal point of the town is, without doubt, the golden roofed Dalada Maligawa where the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is enshrined. There are many shrines and temples in and around Kandy, where you will see rare paintings, frescoes, wood and stone carvings. Kandy is an exciting place for shopping with souvenirs in wood, copper, silver, brass, ebony and bronze. Ceramics, lacquer work, hand looms, batiks, jewellery and rush and reed.
Check in to a hotel in Kandy. Relax at hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.
Day 08- Kandy City tour / Dalada Maligawa / Kandy
After breakfast you can join the city tour & shopping.
In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic.
Dalada Maligawa
The focal point of the town is, without doubt, the golden roofed Dalada Maligawa where the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is enshrined.
Back to the hotel in Kandy & relax at the hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy
Day 09- Kandy / Nanuoya / Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast proceed to nearest railway station to get the train to start most scenery train ride in Sri Lanka.
The railway track was extended by the British in the 19th century with the main purpose of transporting goods, mainly the tea from the plantations and the imported goods to the up country. This railway line is one of the most fascinating and superb engineering feats of the world. This train would wind its way through 46 tunnels, and it’s certainly one of the best ways to view the magnificent waterfalls, tea plantations and typical life of rural Sri Lanka.
Visit a tea factory and plantation.
Sri Lankan Tea
Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839. In 1867, a Scottish Planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings on an 8 hectares of forest land, in the Loolkandura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23lbs being shipped to London. Tea will grow only on rolling terrain and is classified be elevation into low grown, medium, grown, high grown into 3 main groups.
Nuwaraeliya
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 Nuwaraeliya you will see evidence of the British influence. Houses are like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions.
Check in to the Hotel in Nuwaraeliya. Rest at the hotel.
Evening have a walk in Gregory Lake.
Return to hotel. Leisure at hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 10 – Nuwara Eliya / Horton Plains / Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast proceed to Horton plains.
You could do an early morning tracking to Horton Plain (Worlds end), Horton Plains is located on a high windswept saddle at about 7000-ft elevation. The Plains are an expanse of misty grassland with scraggy trees and ice-cold rivulets.Visit World's End considered to be the finest view in all of Sri Lanka. The awesome escarpment drops vertically for about 4000 ft, hence it's named as Horton Plains. Here you could find endemic Slender Loris and endemic Purple Monkeys amongst the animal species that can be seen.
Return to hotel and leisure at hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 11: Nuwara Eliya / Yala
After Breakfast transfer to Yala. In the evening do the safari in Yala National Park.
Yala National Park is renowned for the variety of its wildlife and its fine coastline (with associated coral reefs). But the key highlight here is the Sri Lankan Leopard. Yala National Park has the highest density of leopards living in the wild. In fact, it is the world's best. It also boasts a large number of important cultural ruins, bearing testimony to earlier civilizations and indicating that much of the area used to be populated and well developed
Overnight stay at Hotel in Yala
Day 12 – Yala / Galle / Beruwala
After Breakfast you will proceed to Beruwala, en route do the Galle city tour.
Galle
Galle Sri Lanka’s most historically interesting town is Galle. Built on a premonitory rock in the south of the Island. It was a major port until about 100 years, but today still handles shipping and sailing boats in the natural harbour. Stroll around the Light House and harbour or visit the old town where you can see the traditional lace makers and carvers and purchase some the finest shell-craft souvenirs in the world.
Galle Fort
Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the south east coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archaeological and architectural heritage monument, which even after more than 423 years maintains a polished appearance, due to extensive reconstruction work done by Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka.
Check in to the hotel in Beruwala & rest at the hotel.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Beruwala.
Day 13 & 14 – Beruwala
After breakfast, leisure at the hotel.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Beruwala.
Day 15: Beruwala / Colombo
After the breakfast you will proceed to Colombo. Once you reached Colombo do the city tour & shopping.
Sri Lanka’s Capital Colombo, a port city, with a rich colonial heritage, on the Western coast is a potpourri of races, religions and cultures. Colombo displays the best and worst the country has to offer. The city is a contrast itself, with mansions, lush gardens, fine dining options, shopping malls packed with expensive designer brands. Despite its small size just 37.31 km² Colombo offers a varying selection of experience ranging from taking a tuk tuk ride, a visit to Pettah market and eating Kottu to playing a round of golf and having high tea at one of the colonial style hotels overlooking the Indian Ocean.
Check in to a hotel in Colombo. Relax the evening at hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Colombo
Day 16: Colombo / Departure
Today is the end of the day of your tour. After the breakfast you proceed to Bandaranayake International Airport for your departure flight.
