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Day 01 Arrive Colombo, transfer to hotel
You will be met by our representative at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Upon arrival you will be briefed through the rest of the program. In the afternoon visit city sites. We visit the Kelaniya temple, one of three venues in the island visited by The Lord Buddha.
Day 02 Negombo – Anuradhapura
Drive to Anuradhapura via Negombo. Negombo was a fishing village during Portuguese rule and a hub of catholic faith as inhabitants were converted en masse by the Portuguese. Proceed to Anuradhapura the first ancient capital. Today the city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Day 03 Anuradhapura – Mihintale – Sigiriya
Drive to Mihintale where Mahinda preached the Buddhist doctrine. It is said that it was from here that Buddhism took roots in the country. Drive to Aukana and visit the tallest statue of the Buddha. Continue to Sigiriya and visit the ruin of the rock citadel of King Kashyapa.
Day 04 Polonnaruwa
Today we drive to Polonnaruwa famous for its “Sea of Parakrama” the vast man-made.
Day 05 Dambulla – Matale – Kandy
Drive to Dambulla, and visit the famous cave temples. Proceed Kandy the last capital of the Sinhalese Kings, via Matale.
Day 06 Kandy
Visit the Royal Botanical Gardens and the “Dalada Maligawa” the temple where the tooth relic of The Buddha is enshrined. In the evening enjoy watching a display of traditional folklore dances originating from historical times.
Day 07 Nuwara eliya
Drive to the lush green tea-clad slopes towards Nuwara Eliya that produces the famous Ceylon Tea. According to legend it was here that the demon king Ravana imprisoned Sita wife of the Lord Rama. Visit “Seeta Eliya” where a small Hindu temple still exists in testimony to the exact spot where Queen Seeta was imprisoned.
Day 08 Kataragama
Drive down to the southern coast of the island and Kataragama.
Day 09 Yala – Galle
Visit the Yala National Park, famous for its elephants. In the afternoon drive to Galle, another UNESCO World Heritage site with a rich history.
Day 10 Galle – Ambalangoda – Colombo
Visit the Galle Fort City and its ramparts. Continue to Colombo
Day 11 International Departure
Itinerary 2
Day 1 - Arrival & transfer to a hotel in Sigiriya
On arrival, guests will be met at the airport and driven to Sigiriya via
Dambulla.
Day 2 - Sigiriya – Konduruwana – Giritale - Polonnaruwa
In the morning visit the World Heritage Site of Sigiriya. Transfer to
Konduruwana from where we take a 2 hour trek to Giritale. We alight on to a
waiting vehicle here and transfer to Polonnaruwa.
Day 3 - Polonnaruwa – Kottapitiya
Morning visit to the ancient capital of Polonnaruwa. In the afternoon we
make an easy trek to Kottapitiya. We walk along the ancient Tank named the
“Parakrama Samudraya”. This stretch of the road about 8km along bank of Tank
is beautiful and the environment pleasant up to “Angamedilla”. Form here we
follow through paddy fields and villages soaking in the local culture.
Day 4 Kottapitiya – Knuckles – Kandy
Drive up to Illukkumbura and trek through grasslands, forests to Kandy, the
last Capital of the Kings of Sri Lanka. Visit the Temple of the Tooth relic.
Day 5 Kandy – Nuwara Eliya
Today we trek 6 hours, along plantation roads, jeep tracks to Nuwara Eliya
Day 6 Nuwara Eliya – Belihuloya
Drive until Maha Eliya (Horton Plains) National Park entrance and then walk.
The national park is undoubtedly one of the world's best nature reserves. It
is characterized by a beautiful landscape of rolling hills. Spanning
approximately 10,000 hectares the park is also home to a wide variety of
flora (57 species, 29 endemic to Sri Lanka ) and 24 species of mammal such
as Sambar deer, barking deer, giant squirrel, wild boar, black naped hare,
porcupine and leopard. For bird enthusiasts, there 87 species (14 of which
are endemic), including many migratory birds. We then continue to
Bambarakanda Falls. Located within a majestic basin-shaped valley it is the
the highest waterfall of Sri Lanka. Continue to Belihuloya. It is a very
picturesque and romantic hamlet situated about 160km from.
Day 7 - Belihuloya – Maskeliya - Adams Peak
Leave by vehicle after an early dinner at Belihuloya to the base of the
“Samanala Kanda” to begin the arduous 08km/6hr climb to Sri Pada.
Day 8 - Adams Peak - Ratnapura
Descend from Adams Peak & proceed to a hotel in Ratnapura which has a long
history for the finest gems in the world specifically rubies.
Day 9 - Ratnapura - Negombo
Leave for Negombo by vehicle from Ratnapura. The bustling town of Negombo
was one of the most important sources of cinnamon during the Dutch era, and
there are still reminders of the European days.
Day 10 Departure
Transfer to airport for international departure
