H I G H L I G H T S O F S R I L A N K A

Sample Itinerary

HIGHLIGHTS OF SRI LANKA | OVERVIEW

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ITINERARY OVERVIEW 8 Days / 7 NightsColombo - Dambulla - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Yala - Beruwala

FEATUREDEXPERIENCES

1 Night Colombo with free time at leisure2 Nights DambullaVisit to the Dambulla Royal Cave TempleTour of the Sigiriya Rock Fortressand visit to Polonnaruwa, a World Heritage Site withits amazing Buddha statues. Option to take a Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Parkto see herds of elephants and other wild life1 Night KandyTour of the Spice Gardens at Mawanalla. Kandy City Tour including Upper Lake Drive,a visit to the Temple of the Tooth Relic and shopping time at the main Kandy MarketEvening Cultural Show1 Night Nuwara EliyaVisit the spectacular Ramboda Falls, tour of a Tea Plantation and a Tea Factory andlearn the process of making Ceylon Tea1 Night YalaVisit to the legendary Ravana Falls. Cross the famous Nine Arches Bridge in Ella 1 Night BeruwalaMorning Safari at Yala National Park. See the famous Stilt Fishermen en route toGalle where we tour the Dutch Fort, a World Heritage Site before dinner at the beach

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ITINERARY

Welcome to Colombo, the capital of Sri Lanka. Once ruled by the Portuguese, Dutch andBritish, Columbo is an interesting product of this heritage, which is reflected in themixture of different architecture from old traditional colonial buildings to high rises andshopping malls. The heart of the city is home to the 65-hectare Beira Lake, one of themost distinctive landmarks of Columbo. A stunningly beautiful city, it is also a vibrantand bustling place, with a host of interesting places to visit such as the imposingColombo National Museum dedicated to Sri Lankan history and the sprawlingViharamahadevi Park and its giant Buddha. You will be met on arrival at Colombo International Airport by your guide for privatetransfer to your hotel. The rest of your day is free at leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities or venture out for yourfirst experience of Colombo.

DAY 1 | COLOMBOWELCOME TO COLOMBO -

EVENING CITY TOUR

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Transfer to Dambulla (148 km or 4.5 hours drive). Upon arrival, check into your hotel forsome time at leisure. In the afternoon we will visit the impressive Dambulla Royal Cave Temple also known asthe Golden Temple of Dambulla, which is a World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. Dambulla isthe largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. In the first Cave, you will see a 15 meter long recumbent Buddha image cut out of theRock. The cave contains many images of deities associated with Buddhism. There areancient frescoes on the walls and the ceiling, many of which were painted over in theKandy period. In the Second Cave, the finest and the largest of all, there are 150 life-size statues of the Buddha in various postures together with statues of Gods and Kingsand the ceiling is also covered with frescoes, depicting great events in the life ofBuddha. After the tour, enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at your hotel.

DAY 2 | DAMBULLATOUR OF ROYAL CAVE

TEMPLE AT DUMBULLA

ITINERARY

Transfer to Sigiriya Rock Fortress (24 km or 30 minutes drive). Rising dramatically from the central plains, the enigmatic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya isperhaps Sri Lanka's single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-toppedsummit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilisation, thought once to be theepicenter of the short-lived kingdom of Kassapa. Climb to the top and enjoy thespectacular views across the plains in all directions. Transfer to the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa (66km or 2 hours drive). A World Heritage Site, Polonnaruwa was the capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13thCentury and contains some splendid and spectacular statues. Lankatilake, Tivanka andThuparama are the most beautiful and largest and Tivanka has the best example offrescoes from the Polonnaruwa period. Rankoth Vehera and Kirivehera are very wellpreserved large stupas, and Gal Vihare, a rock shrine, has four Buddha statues, twoseated, one standing and one reclining. Parakrama Bahu statue is a fine example ofSinhalese stone carving. The Vata-da-ge, a type of Buddhist structure, is quite uniqueand found only in Sri Lanka. You have the option to join a Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Park. This 8889 hectareNational Park is famous for its large population of elephants in herds of 100 to 150roaming in the jungle and often to be seen in the area by the lake. As well as wildelephants you can also see buffaloes, wild boar, spotted deer, sloth bear, Sambhur, crocodiles, jackals, many kinds of reptiles and over 160 species of birds.The MinneriyaNational Park is also home to 78 varieties of butterflies. Evening return to the hotel to enjoy dinner and free time at leisure.

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DAY 3 | DAMBULLASIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRESS -

ANCIENT CITY OF

POLONNARUWA - OPTIONAL

JEEP SAFARI AT MINNERIYA

NATIONAL PARK 

ITINERARY

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Transfer to Kandy (116 km or 3 hours drive). En-route we will visit the Spice Gardens at Mawanella. The road north of Mawanalla islined with dozens of visitor-friendly spice plantations where vanilla, rubber, cinchona,jackfruit, cocoa and cardamom thrive. The area is also famous for kohila (a type ofwatercress) and small, mild chillies. After visiting the Spice Gardens we will proceed onto Kandy. Enjoy a city walking tour of Kandy which will include Upper Lake Drive and the beautifulKandy Lake and Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Tooth Relic.This Buddhisttemple houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha is considered to possibly be the mostsacred Buddhist shrine in the world. We will also visit the main Kandy Market, includinggem shops, handy craft shops and other interesting places. In the evening, enjoy a Cultural Show in Kandy.

DAY 4 | KANDYSPICE GARDENS AT

MAWANALLA - KANDY CITY -

TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH RELIC

Transfer from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya (78 km or 2 hours 30 minutes drive). Nuwara Eliya is known as the Little England of Sri Lanka and is set against against abeautiful backdrop of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. All aroundNuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence, with houses like countrycottages or Queen Ann style mansions. En route we will pass through the beautiful SriLankan scenery on our way to visit the stunning Ramboda Falls. This waterfall is 109 mhigh and is the 11th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and a truly spectacular sight. Next wevisit one of Sri Lanka's famous Tea Plantations and a Tea Factory, where we will learnall about the process of making the world famous Ceylon tea. It is possible to arrange a scenic train ride from Kanday to Nanu Oya. Evening at your leisure.

DAY 5 | NUWARA ELIYARAMBODA FALLS - TEA

PLANTATION - TEA FACTORY -

SCENIC TRAIN RIDE

(OPTIONAL)

ITINERARY

Transfer to Yala (189 km or 4 hours 30 minutes drive). We we will stop en route at the famous Ravana Falls in Ella, one of the widest and mostspectacular in the country. This waterfall measures approximately 25 m (82 ft) in heightand cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. A great place to explore andhave a swim. After a 30-minute walk through the jungle, we will visit the 30-meter high Demodara NineArch Bridge, beautiful piece of British architecture hidden between the lush green teafields. We will walk across the bridge and admire the spectacular views over the EllaGap and beyond. Transfer to your hotel in Yala and the evening is freetime at your leisure.

DAY 6 | YALARAVANA WATERFALL - NINE

ARCHES BRIDGE IN ELLA 

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Enjoy a morning safari at the Yala National Park. The park is divided into sections or blocks and we will visit block 1, the Ruhunu NationalPark. The park is famous for its big herds of wildlife including a large number ofelephants, leopards, spotted dear, sambhur, crocodiles and many other wild animals.The park is also home to over 130 different species of birds including resident andwinter visitors. En route to Galle, we will have the opportunity to see the famous Sri Lankan stiltfishermen balanced on their stilts in the ocean. This is one of the most interestingtraditional fishing methods in Sri Lanka and an iconic image of Sri Lanka.

DAY 7 | BERUWALAALA NATIONAL PARK - BLOCK

1 RUHUNU NATIONAL PARK -

GALLE - DUTCH FORT -

TRANSFER TO COLOMBO

ITINERARY

Next stop is Galle, where we will first visit the Dutch Fort, a World Heritage Site and theOld Dutch Church. Galle is a walled city surrounded by thick ramparts, built by Dutchmerchants who controlled the city in the 17th century. The ramparts are so thick thatyou can walk along them with lovely views over the city and beyond. Looking outtowards the ocean, you can see the old prison and the Galle lighthouse and clock tower. Take a walk around the narrow streets of Galle, including Lighthouse Street or ZeeburgStreet, Leyn-Baan Street (Lijnberg means rope walk), and Modarabaay Street (Modder-baai meaning Mud bay) and see a variety of old dutch houses, visiting a private museumwith an impressive collection of Dutch period antiques. Transfer to your beach hotel for your final night. Evening is at your leisure.

DAY 7 | BERUWALA ALA NATIONAL PARK - BLOCK

1 RUHUNU NATIONAL PARK -

GALLE - DUTCH FORT -

TRANSFER TO COLOMBO

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Transfer to Colombo International Airport for your onward flight.DAY 8 | COLOMBOTRANSFER TO AIRPORT