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Enchanting Sri Lanka

Discover Sri Lanka on a 13-day tour exploring historical sites, cultural landmarks, and natural beauty, from Sigiriya to Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Yala National Park, and Galle. The journey ends with relaxation on Hikkaduwa’s beaches and a return to Negombo.

Overview

From $2,799

Itinerary & Map

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Ayubowan! Welcome to Sri Lanka. Arrive late this evening in and meet your tour guide at the airport arrivals. Transfer to the hotel in Negombo and check-in. Relax and listen to the waves as you drift off to sleep.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Transfer to Sigiriya with a visit to Polonnaruwa Ancient City.

On arrival check in and this afternoon visit Polonnaruwa Ancient City. 

Polonnaruwa is an ancient city located in the North Central Province of Sri Lanka. It served as the capital of the country from the 11th to the 13th centuries AD. Polonnaruwa is renowned for its well-preserved ruins, including tombs, temples, statues, and stupas, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

During its heyday, Polonnaruwa was a thriving city with impressive architecture and irrigation systems. It flourished under the rule of the Chola, Sinhalese, and other dynasties. The city’s layout reflects sophisticated urban planning, with distinct zones for religious, administrative, and residential purposes.

Some of the notable attractions in Polonnaruwa include the Gal Vihara, a rock temple featuring four magnificent Buddha statues carved into granite; the Royal Palace complex with its impressive audience hall and ruins of other administrative buildings; and the Rankoth Vehera, one of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Depart for Sigiriya, also known as Lion Rock. A rock fortress and palace built on top of a huge boulder in the 5th century and the hidden castle of King Kasyapa. A Buddhist monastery from the 14th century, Sigiriya consists of a 1200 step climb. The first part of the visit is a leisurely walk through the gardens, then the climb commences. 

Unforgettable Moment: Afterwards, take a tractor ride through the lush paddy fields of the village and walk to the lake for an authentic village experience. Float across the lake on a catamaran boat while enjoying the peace and tranquility. The village’s aroma will welcome you with authentic Sri Lankan cuisine as you arrive. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch in the village.

Return to the hotel the remainder of your day at leisure.

After breakfast we visit the Ancient City of Anuradhapura.

Anuradhapura was the first capital and undoubtedly the grandest city of ancient Sri Lanka, It’s the home of two World Heritage sites and many places of historical and archaeological interest.

Stand in awe of Sri Maha Bodhi. This sacred fig tree is said to be a sapling from the original Bodhi Tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. It is one of the oldest living trees in the world and is highly revered by Buddhists.

Gaze at the architectural glory of Ruwanwelisaya. One of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka, built by King Dutugemunu in the 2nd century BCE. It is an impressive architectural feat and a major pilgrimage site.

The Abhayagiri Monastery is a renowned Buddhist monastery complex that once housed thousands of monks. It was a centre for learning and attracted scholars from around the world.

Return to the hotel

We farewell Sigiriya and proceed to the Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the central part of Sri Lanka.

The Dambulla Cave Temple is renowned for its complex of cave temples, which are carved into a massive rock formation that rises 160 meters above the surrounding plains. The site consists of five caves, which have been converted into temple complexes over the centuries.

Upon arriving in Kandy, check in to your hotel and enjoy the amenities. Alternatively, you may have opted for the Kandy walking tour.

(Optional): On this beguiling journey around Kandy. Your local host will walk you through the highlights of one of Sri Lanka’s most pivotal cities.

Surrounded by the rolling landscape of middle Sri Lanka, Kandy, or Maha Nuwara (great city) in Sinhalese is great to explore on foot. Pass Kandy Lake, witnessing glimpses of the Temple of the Tooth on your way to the British Garrison Cemetery, awash with intriguing stories of colonial residents. Experience the religious diversity of the island from the phenomenal temple grounds to an elegant church, effervescent kovil and past a local mosque. Break at a local Café before roaming busier streets packed with vendors and historical monuments. Finish your walk at Kandy’s enticing main market, brimming with native fruits and vegetables.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today is spent at leisure.

This evening, proceed to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or ‘Sri Dalada Maligawa’. It is in the royal palace complex of Kandy and houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple.

Monks of the two chapters of Malwatte and Asgiriya conduct daily worship in the inner chamber of the temple. Rituals are performed three times daily: at dawn, at noon and in the evenings.

Today Kandy is the centre of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture. Visitors can see these dance & music performances at the daily cultural performance which starts in the evening. With more than 7 different dance performances, captivating drumming and the skills of the traditional musicians on display, this show will give you a great insight to traditional Sri Lankan culture.

After breakfast we make our way to the hill country of Nuwara Eliya via the majestic Ramboda Waterfalls.

On arrival check in to your hotel and explore the surrounds.

Today, visit Bluefield Tea Factory.

Take a walk through the beautiful Plantation, pick tea leaves and taste the tea made from the very same leaf. You’ll be taken through the detailed process of growing and harvesting tea. Afterwards, enjoy the Tea Lounge while sipping a warm cup of tea, followed by High Tea. Certain to be a fulifilling day at Bluefield Tea Estate.

Return to Hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Breakfast at the hotel

Transfer to Nanu-Oya train station for your unforgettable Scenic Train Journey to Ella.

As you travel along this route through Sri Lanka’s central highlands, you’ll witness lush tea plantations, mist-covered mountains, cascading waterfalls, and charming villages.

On arrival in Ella, our coach will proceed to Yala.

Take in the peaceful surroundings and tranquil views of the paddy fields at your serene retreat.

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast

(Optional): Morning game drive

Later in the afternoon enjoy a jeep safari at Yala National Park (Approx. 3 hrs)

Yala’s arid boulder-scattered parklands are dramatically different from the lush jungles and paddy fields that cover so much of the island. Spanning 100,000 hectares of dry thorny scrub and dusty glades, you could easily be in an African bushveldt, right down to the long-thorn bushes. This background was suited to viewing elephants, leopards, wild boar, spotted deer, crocodiles and jackals that the entrepreneurial South African Englebrecht, who was shipped over as a POW after the Boer War, rightfully instigated it as a sanctuary – Sri Lanka’s first – at the turn of the twentieth century. It’s now the oldest and most prominent of them all.

(Optional): early morning game drive

Breakfast at the hotel

We make our way to the coastal resort town of Hikkaduwa known for its beautiful surf beaches.

Only a few steps from Hikkaduwa beach check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

With your free time you may want to snorkel, ride the waves with a surf lesson or visit a turtle hatchery.

Later in the evening you will be taken to enjoy the Galle Dutch fort Walking Tour.

Explore the fort with your well-informed host from its striking bastions and grass-covered ramparts to small, cobbled streets lined with intriguing buildings.

Begin your walk from the newer and now main entrance which, after climbing some stone steps. Survey the inside of this remarkable fortification, the Indian Ocean beyond and iconic cricket ground as your host regales you with historic tales of its creation and threats.  Meander your way past some of the fort’s best-known landmarks but look out also for some lesser-known gems.  With 150 acres to explore, this tour follows a route with a comprehensive and captivating selection of facts and stories drawing from religion, history, architecture, daily life and the devastation of the 2004 Tsunami.

Return to your hotel for dinner.

Relax at Hotel.

Unforgettable Moment: A special Sundown Seafood Dinner in a Lamp Lit Mud Hut with Cocktails and Calypso Music!

In a secluded location of Galle, you will be met by tuk-tuk and driven a short distance to a lamp-lit mud hut.

Greeted with a cold towel and welcome drink, you are met by a colourful collection of arranged ingredients as your hosts begin to cook an array of delights stemming from the humble roti, perhaps the most versatile of elements in Sri Lankan cuisine. As your feast is prepared, you might even want to get involved with the creation of hoppers, a bowl-shaped pancake synonymous with local food.

Combine your hoppers with some freshly barbecued seafood and enjoy your feast to the highly rhythmic Sri Lankan music played live. / Full Stop after live & delete ‘by the band outside the mud-hut.’ As the soft sound of crickets fill the air, sit down to your rustic hideaway dinner and savour a variety of hoppers with prawns, cuttlefish and other seafood, made especially for you!

Upon checking out we return to vibrant Negombo.

Complimentary room day use has been arranged for your comfort.

Enjoy Dinner at the Hotel and later proceed to the Airport for your flight home.

Inclusions & Exclusions

  • 4–5-star Accommodation at above mentioned resorts or similar 
  • Daily Breakfast, 1 Lunch & 12 Dinners 
  • All transfers on private basis with English – Speaking Guide
  • Water and WiFi during the tour  
  • Sigiriya Rock Fortress
  • A village tour with village lunch and boat ride experience 
  • Anuradhapura Ancient City 
  • Temple of tooth relic
  • Cultural Show
  • Tea Factory and Tea Plantation 
  • Ramboda Falls 
  • Scenic Train Journey
  • 01 x Jeep Safari at Yala National Park 
  • Galle walking tour with a local guide 
  • Sundown Seafood Dinner in Lamp Lit Mud Hut (With Cocktails and Calypso Music)
  • Polonnaruwa Ancient City
  • Dambulla Cave Temple
  • Unforgettable Moments
  •       International Airfare
  •       Visa
  •       Travel Insurance
  •       Tips & Porterage
  •       Meals not included in the itinerary
  •       Optional Tours
  •       Additional Transfers (outside group dates)
  •       Expenses of a personal nature
  •       Camera or Video permits

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