Discovery Tour of Sri Lanka

You may need to make an early start today to commence your round trip around Sri Lanka. Ideally you leave around 7am in order to make it in time to watch the baby elephants being bottle fed at the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. (transfer time approx. 2 hours). See baby jumbos wondering around their cramped foster home or bottle fed and bathed by their human foster fathers at Pinnawala. A place you will really enjoy and never forget. Most orphans are accustomed to their curious human visitors who flock this orphanage daily. The Orphanage was relocated to the present site in 1975. Bathing time at Ma Oya just in front of the orphanage is sharp at 10.00am and 2.00pm. Feeding time is about an hour earlier.

Towards midday you will leave for Dambulla and have your lunch on the way.

Later in the  afternoon, you may visit the Dambulla Cave Temple. This UNESCO listed world heritage site is known as the best-preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka. The history of the 5 caves, containing over 150 images of Buddha, goes back to 1st century BC when king Valagambahu took refuge here. Inside of the caves are like ancient art galleries filled with beautiful ancient paintings and statues of the Buddha.

Travel time from Pinnawela to Dambulla – approx. 2 hours

You will proceed to Habarana - your overnight destination for the next 3 days (transfer approx. 30 minutes)

Overnight at Habarana

Today will be a day to experience some ancient heritage as well as some wildlife. You may leave the hotel after having breakfast around 8am and proceed to the ancient medieval capital of Polonnaruwa. (transfer approx. 1 hour).

In Polonnaruwa, Buddhist and Hindu Temples are in the same complex and many other ruins symbolizing the fact that ethnic harmony prevailed between the Sinhalese and the Tamils during this period.  The Palaces, Huge granite sculptures and the massive tanks and complex irrigation systems built by the Great Kings conveys the extent of development that existed in this medieval history period. Among the important ruins we come across in Polonnaruwa are, the Royal Palace, the Audience Hall, the Vatadage circular relic house within the sacred quadrangle precinct, the gigantic image houses of Lankatilleke and Tiwanka and the famous Gal Viharaya - where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in 'Upright', 'Sedentary' and 'Recumbent' postures are carved out of rock, and not to forget the largest manmade tank of this era - the Parakrama Samudraya.

After the visit of the ruined city, you will exit the compound and make a brief visit to a wood carving factory, where you will have the opportunity to see the local livelihood of wood carving and polishing. You will be able to see the collection of a variety of local masks and statues carved out of wood and purchase if you wish to. Your lunch will be arranged for you at a local restaurant introducing the traditional Sri Lankan cuisine served with steamed rice and a variety of curries. The curries can be vegetarian or include meat, fish, or seafood. Each curry is prepared with a lot of veggies and a blend of spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, curry leaves, and chilli.

On your return trip to Habarana you will experience the highlight of the day. A Game drive in a 4WD jeep to watch herds of Elephants at the Minnneriya National Park. It is a treat during the dry season (June to September), when you will be able to witness the “Elephant Gathering” – the largest of its kind outside of Africa. The central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built in 3^rd century AD by King Mahasena) and it is at this location you could observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grasses at the water front together with buffalo, jackals, crocodiles, civet cats and the huge flocks of birds (cormorants and painted storks to name but a few) that come to fish in the shallow waters.

Proceed to Habarana for your overnight stay.

This is going to be somewhat of a relaxed day, with the only organized excursion being to visit to a typical Sri Lankan village where you will be able to witness the processes involved in delicious traditional curries to be served with the rice.

Ideally, you will depart the hotel after breakfast before the sun becomes too hot. You will be met the villagers who will first take you on an exciting bullock car ride along the village pathways leading into a lake where you will be then taken in a canoe (provided with life jackets) to an island of the mainland into a chena cultivation. The lake is very beautiful and scenic, providing a view of the Sigiriya Rock in the background and flocks of birds flying around and perched on branches. You will be led into a wattle and daub cabana where you will be shown the art of cooking delicious Sri Lankan meals. You will also be able to try out some activities involved in the cooking process such as grinding flour, squeezing coconut milk and pounding rice. The villages will also demonstrate how coconut branches are weaved together to be used for thatched roofs. Finally, you can help yourself to a delicious traditional rice and curry meal served in a lotus leaf (if you prefer a proper plate, that too is possible!)

Just after mid-day you will return to your hotel to spend the rest of the day at leisure in the hotel.

Overnight at Habarana

After breakfast, your adventures continue with a visit to another world heritage site (and probably the eighth wonder of the world), the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Dating back to 477 AD, the fortress was the epicenter of King Kashyapa’s kingdom and it served both as a pleasure garden and a fortress for him. This historical site boasts ancient water gardens with water fountains, beautiful frescos and impressive rock buildings built so intricately that it is still difficult to figure out some of its complexities.

After visiting Sigiriya, your driver will take you to Kandy, the last kingdom of the Sinhalese. You may be able to have an optional study tour of a herbal spice garden led by a staff in the garden who will introduce you to the various herbs and spices of the garden. Travel time from Sigiriya to Kandy - 2.5 hours

Once you reach Kandy, you will check-in to the hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.

Overnight at Kandy

A day to explore the beautiful hill capital of Kandy, but first before the sun turns to hot, it would be best that you visit the Royal Botanical Gardens located a few kilometers from the city center. This is 147 acres in extent started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the kings of Kandy. There are more than 500 species of trees and plants in the gardens. Some are rare & endemic as well as flora from the tropical world. The Orchid House is one of the most popular attractions within the gardens for tourists.

Later you will return to the city for lunch and more sightseeing and shopping inside the city. A popular option amongst tourists is to visit the traditional market to observe the shopping activities of the locals. Areas are demarcated for fruits, vegetables, spices, condiments, local sweets, meat and fish stalls giving a visitor the opportunity to study and get to know the various ingredients that go into the local cuisines.

Finally later in the  evening, a pleasant walk around Kandy Lake would be a relaxing experience taking you to the Kanadyan cultural Center where you can witness a colorfully aesthetic cultural pageant showcasing some of the traditional dances and music of Sri Lanka. Afterwards you will proceed to the  Temple of the Tooth, which houses the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha.  Return to the hotel.

Overnight at Kandy

Today will be the start of your climb to the highest elevations of the island. You could either go in your tour vehicle or take a scenic ride on the upcountry train, which is known as one of the most scenic train routes in the world providing a wonderful sightseeing opportunity of cascading waterfalls / huge tea plantations / misty mountains etc. Your tour vehicle will pick you up from the other side (a station near Nuwara Eliya) and take you to your hotel.

In the evening, you will be able to take a brief stroll in the city known as “Little England” with all its colonial architecture on display. Take special note of the beautiful post office and the Bank of Ceylon building. You could also visit the Victoria Park and take a walk along the path around the Lake Gregory providing some beautiful scenery of the surrounding area.

Overnight at Nuwara Eliya

In the early morning (at break of dawn), you will set off with a packed breakfast to the Horton Plain (the highest plateau in the island) to trek the plains and to see the panorama at World’s End which is on offer (weather and clear skies permitting). Most of the day both small and big “World’s Ends” are covered with mist and clouds. The idea is to arrive at World’s End early morning (around 7.30 to 8 am) before the mist sets in towards the afternoon. So, one must have patience to wait at these points for clouds to clear up to get a glimpse of a steep drop and a tea estate beneath World’s End. The big World’s End has a sheer drop of 3700 feet.

A small deviation in your trek will also take you to the foot of the spectacular Baker’s falls. Well worth having a look as this waterfall resembles a bridal veil and is very photographic.

The trek through the plains will offer you a wide variety of flora and fauna native to the very distinct climate hardly found in other parts of the country. Elks and Sambhur are some of the few animals you would encounter in the plains.

Afterwards you will return to Nuwara Eliya and after having a short rest you will proceed to a Tea factory nearby to witness the process of tea manufacture and be introduced to the various varieties of tea. Rest of the evening at leisure to get rid of the weariness of the trek you had in the morning.

Overnight at Nuwara Eliya

Today in the morning you will proceed to your next destination - Ella witnessing the beautiful panoramic views along the way. You will make a brief stop at the Seetha Amman Hindhu Kovil where Seetha was held captive by King Ravana in the epic Ramayana.

Spend the rest of the evening at leisure in Ella.

In the afternoon .

Overnight at Ella

You will be able to explore Ella today and experience this newly established tourist hamlet, made popular by the tourists themselves. The highlights in Ella will be an invigorating climb to Little Adam’s Peak which provides stunning views of the Ella gap and the town below. If you are inclined for some exciting fun, you could try the flying Ravana zip line which runs halfway along the Little Adam’s Peak trek.

Afterwards you could to a small trek couple with a tuk-tuk ride to observe a train crossing the famous nine-arch bridge. A masterpiece of railway architecture from the 1920s built completely of brick and mortar because an assigned shipment of steel was diverted for the use of World War 1. It is reported that the local architect who took on this incredible task had in order to prove the strength and the reliability of the viaduct had actually slept under the bridge when the first train crossed the bridge at the time of commissioning.

A little way down from the town is the beautiful Ravan Falls which you could view today or on the next day on the way to Yala. The more adventurous visitors to Ella could take the challenge to climb the arduous Ella Rock consisting of some rugged terrain. On this same trek one could also visit the Ravana caves which leads to an ancient network of underground tunnels yet to be fully discovered.

Overnight at Ella

Today you will start the descent to the southern lowlands and just at the start of the descent you will be able to see the spectacular Ravana Falls. Further on, you will make a slight detour from the route to Yala to view the magnificent rock carvings at the Buduruwagala Temple. The complex consists of seven statues caved onto the rock dating back to the 10th century. The gigantic Buddha statue still bears traces of its original stuccoed robe and a long streak of orange suggests it was once brightly painted. The central of the three figures to the Buddha's right is thought to be the Buddhist mythological figure-the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. To the left of this white painted figure is a female figure in the thrice-bent posture, which is thought to be his consort-Tara. This temple is located close to a natural lake which also provides great opportunity to spot the flora and fauna of the area.

Afterwards you will proceed to Tissamaharama – the base for your game drive at Yala. You can spend the rest of the at leisure at the hotel.

Overnight at Tissamaharama

With a packed breakfast, you will set off from your hotel to Yala in a 4WD jeep.

The aim is to get to the park entrance by 6am as your best chance to spot a leopard is generally early in the morning. The male leopards in Yala are very confident animals and they are often seen walking the tracks during the day. As well as leopards there is a large number of elephants living inside the park and these can be seen bathing in the numerous lakes within the park. You can also see spotted deer, sambar, wild boar, wild buffaloes, sloth bear, jackal and mongoose. The bird life is also fantastic and it is amazing how close you can get to them from the confines of the jeep, you can see Rosy Starlings, Paradise Flycatchers, Crested Hawk Eagles, Blue-Tailed Bee-Eaters and Common Iora's.

The safari will usually end by 10.30am and you will return to the hotel where you will be able to spend the rest of the evening at leisure or take a brief tour to the sacred town of Kataragama about 20 minutes away from the hotel. Kataragama is one of the three most venerated religious sites in Sri Lanka The most important of the town's various shrines is dedicated to the god Kataragama. a Buddhist-cum-Hindu deity who is believed to reside here. The origins of this shrine are obscure. One theory has it that King Dutugemunu built a shrine to Kataragama here in the second century BC, while the adjacent Buddhist dagoba allegedly dates back to the first century BC.

Overnight at Tissamaharama

Today your round tour will come to an end and your much awaited relaxing beach holiday will begin in the south west coast. However, before you arrive at Hikkaduwa, you will make a must stop at Galle to experience the ancient Dutch fort.

Galle is the most historically interesting living fortress in the whole of Asia. It was the seaport of Sri Lanka before the Colombo Port was developed in the late 19th century and it still handles shipping and cruising yachts today. Its main attraction is the Fort called ' Santa Cruz' that has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The Fort was built by the Portuguese in 1619 and subsequently expanded and developed by the Dutch and the British the one-time colonial masters of the island. What now remains is mostly the work of the Dutch and the British.

You will have your lunch in a restaurant inside the Fort and then commence a brief walking tour around the rampart walls of the fort witnessing the beautiful panorama of the Indian Ocean and the city of Galle from the many bastions facing the ocean and the land. The history of the many interesting sites and attraction is well described in stone plaques, so visitors would be well educated about the many facets of the ancient fortress.

You will then proceed to your beach resort for your beach holiday.

Overnight at Hikkaduwa

Hikkaduwa is famous for its beach, surfing, corals and night life. Beautiful white sand beaches, colorful coral reefs and excellent surfing opportunities are attracting people from all over the world. It is best to surf during its dry season, November to March.

Overnight in Hikkaduwa

Today you will transfer to Colombo, (Sri Lanka’s commercial capital).

However, (before proceeding to Colombo), you will embark on a boat safari along the enchanting Madu River going through mangrove vegetation and visiting an island consisting a cinnamon plantation, where a local lady will introduce you to the process of peeling the cinnamon off from the barks of the branches. The boat ride would last about an hour where you will see the beauty of these eco system designated as a Ramsar Wetland. It is a haven for many water birds and invertebrates which inhabit this large water body.

Afterwards, you will get the opportunity to visit a turtle hatchery, which nurses and cares for the young hatchlings which have been estranged from their mothers and after being rescued being cared for in these hatcheries with a view to being released back into the ocean after they become strong and mature to fend for themselves.

Afterwards, proceed to Colombo via the southern Expressway.

In the evening you will have the opportunity to dine in a restaurant in Colombo and experience Colombo’s night life first hand. The needs of the leisure travellers can be fulfilled with the range of activities available in the city. Great shopping arcades, luxury hotels restaurants, Karaoke Bars, Casinos, nightclubs and other entertainment facilities available within the city limits.

Overnight in Colombo

Today, you will have he opportunity to explore the capital city. First you will be taken around on a brief city tour where you will be able to see many locations relating to the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonial times. The Colombo Museum, Independence Hall, Vihara Maha Devi Park, Old Parliament, BMICH, Municipal Museum, Fort Railway Station dates back to 1904, the Wolfandhal Church and Vaneshwara Kovil and main tourist attractions in Colombo.

Afterwards, you will be able to do some shopping in some of the tourist shops and luxury malls in Colombo. Towards the evening, you will get back to your hotel to prepare for your flight the next day.

Overnight in Colombo

Today, you will leave Sri Lanka via the Bandaranaike International airport by connecting to your relevant departure flight. (Please note that you need to be at the airport for checking in 3 hours prior to flight departure time.)