BEST OF SRI LANKA (8 Nights / 9 Days)
Day 01
ARRIVAL. TRANSFER TO DAMBULLA/HABARANA. (05 Hours approx) A visit to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage en route to Dambulla/Habarana. Pinnawela – Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage – set amongst the verdant hills of Kegalle is a unique orphanage, where the tiny tots weigh 60 kg or more. This is the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage, the world's first and only elephant orphanage established to feed, nurse and house young elephants lost or abandoned by their mothers. Other occupants are elephants displaced from their natural environs by development projects or those found wounded. Visitors could see the baby elephants being fed milk from gigantic feeding bottles or bathed in the river which flows nearby – an unforgettable sight! Established in 1975, by the Wildlife Department and National Zoological gardens which subsequently led to a breeding programme through which more than twenty five elephants have been born since 1984. Check in at hotel. Siightseeing in Dambulla. Dambulla – Dambulla – located in the north central province this UNESCO World Heritage Site which dates back to the 01st century BC, is an amazing complex of 05 caves, first used as a refuge by an ancient king who on regaining his throne, commissioned magnificent carved images within the living rock. Later kings made further improvements and the caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is a colossal figure spanning 15 meters. Cave inscriptions from the 2nd Century BC are found and on the walls are many paintings most of which belong to the Kandy period (early 19th century). This temple is a perfect location to view evolution of ancient Sri Lankan art and is an important historical site due to the amalgamation of the material from many eras. Overnight stay at Hotel, Dambulla/Habarana.
Day 02
DAMBULLA Breakfast at hotel. A visit to Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Sigiriya – This UNESCO World Heritage Site, a spectacular Rock Fortress, is one of Sri Lanka’s major attractions. The most impressive facets of the unique complex are the Water Gardens, the Frescoes of beautiful maidens, the Mirror Wall with ancient graffiti, the Lion platform and the Summit of 1.6 hectares, which was completely covered by buildings during the period of Sigiriya’s glory. Built by King Kasappa (477-495 A.D), the “Lion Rock” is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200m from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town and the base is ringed by a moat, rampart, and extensive gardens. The world-renowned frescoes (originally 500, of which only 19 remain today) which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway are painted in earth pigments on plaster. The old stairway to the top led through the mouth of a crouching lion but today only the huge paws remain giving an indication of the massive proportions of the head. Remains of the handsome royal citadel are on the summit and several caves for meditation, audience platforms and baths complete the unique site. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Dambulla/Habarana.
Day 03
DAMBULLA – KANDY Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Kandy. (02 hours approx) A visit to Matale Spice Gardens en route to Kandy. Check in at hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Kandy
Day 04
KANDY Breakfast at hotel. Half day city tour of Kandy. Kandy - A lovely exotic city, the Hill Capital and last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which retains an aura of grandeur, time has not affected. Encircled by hills, with a tranquil lake in its centre, it is the site of the renowned temple that enshrines the Tooth Relic of the Buddha and the Royal Botanical gardens – home to one of the world’s best collections of Orchids. A cultural sanctuary where many legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive, Kandy and its satellite villages are the centre of the islands handicraft industry (items of wood, brass & silver) exquisite silver or gold jewellery and precious gems of many varieties including the world’s best blue and star sapphires. The highlight of the city’s calendar is the Esala Perahera, when a replica of the casket enclosing the Tooth is taken in procession for ten glittering nights in July/August by exotically costumed dancers, drummers and approximately 100 Elephants. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Kandy.
Day 05
KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Nuwara Eliya. (02 hours approx) Check in at hotel. Half day city tour of Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka's premier hill resort with a fine bracing mountain climate, Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka's tea country, producing some of the world’s best tea. The mountain slopes and valleys are a carpet of velvety green tea plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. Red or green roofed plantation bungalows, English country style homes and hotels with lovely flower gardens, a fine 18 hole golf course and a racecourse gives Nuwara Eliya a decidedly British character. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Nuwara Eliya.
Day 06
NUWARA ELIYA – YALA NATIONAL PARK Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Yala. (05 hours approx) Check in at hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Yala.
Day 07
YALA NATIONAL PARK Breakfast at hotel. A visit to Yala National Park. Yala – Sri Lanka’s most known National Park is popular for Elephant, Leopard, Bear, Crocodile and Wild Boar. 97,800 hectares in extent, this is the second largest of Sri Lanka’s National Parks. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years, but recently the park has also received much fame through publicity by National Geographic and the Discovery TV channels, which focused on a leopard research/conservation and identification project. Claims have subsequently been made that Yala National Park has the world’s highest concentration of leopard per square kilometre. Vegetation is primarily grassland and shrub jungle with patches of dense growth while several salt and fresh water lagoons are a haven for a large variety of resident and migrant birds. Areas popular with leopard are rock strewn hillocks with dense shrub in which the animals hide. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Yala.
Day 08
YALA - INDURUWA/BENTOTA/ BERUWELA Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Induruwa/Bentota/ Beruwela. (05 ½ hours approx) Check in at hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel, Induruwa/Bentota/Beruwela.
Day 09
DEPART COLOMBO Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Airport for the Departure. (03 hours approx) Half day city tour of Colombo en route to Airport. Colombo – The trade and commercial capital has long been the traditional gateway to the Orient. Sri Lanka’s largest city, it is located on the west coast and draws together all the cultures, religions and influences of foreign lands into a pot-pourri of sounds, smells and a kaleidoscope of colour. The original traders and settlers - the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and the British have left in their wake churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food and smatterings of their languages which have been absorbed into the speech of the Sri Lankan. Today, Colombo is a fascinating city - a happy blend of east & west, past & present, with a charm of its own. A less known but amazingly true fact is that Colombo has a superb range of high quality restaurants serving food from all over the world and some of the best shopping opportunities in Asia. The main seaport of Sri Lanka is in Colombo & adjoining it, is Pettah, a local bazaar & trading area. Other places of interest are the beautiful Buddhist temples, Hindu temples, mosques, the historic Wolfendhal church, (1749) residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent, the Colombo Museum, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, the New Parliament in Sri Jayewardenepura, the Folk Art Centre, Art Galleries, Parks, Independence Square, the Zoo, the Ceramic Corporation famous for its well-known brand “Noritake” and ODEL the renowned shopping centre.
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Inclusions / Exclusions
Inclusions
- 08 night’s accommodation on BB basis.
- Return airport transfers.
- Half day city tour of Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Colombo.
- A visit to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
- An air conditioned Car for 01 and 02 pax travelling.
- An air conditioned Micro Van for 03 to 06 pax.
- An air conditioned Mini Coach for 08 to 12 pax with an English speaking Guide.
- An air conditioned Large Coach for 14 to 25 pax with an English speaking Guide.