Highlights of Sri Lanka (7 Nights / 8 Days)

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

Transfer to Dambulla (148 km or 4.5 hours drive). Upon arrival, check into your hotel for some time at leisure. In the afternoon we will visit the impressive Dambulla Royal Cave Temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla, which is a World Heritage Site in Sri Lanka. Dambulla is the 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 the Rock. The cave contains many images of deities associated with Buddhism. There are ancient frescoes on the walls and the ceiling, many of which were painted over in the Kandy 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 Kings and the ceiling is also covered with frescoes, depicting great events in the life of Buddha. After the tour, enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at your hotel.

Transfer to Sigiriya Rock Fortress (24 km or 30 minutes’ drive). Rising dramatically from the central plains, the enigmatic rocky outcrop of Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka’s single most dramatic sight. Near-vertical walls soar to a flat-topped summit that contains the ruins of an ancient civilisation, thought once to be the epicenter of the short-lived kingdom of Kassapa. Climb to the top and enjoy the spectacular 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 13th Century and contains some splendid and spectacular statues. Lankatilake, Tivanka and Thuparama are the most beautiful and largest and Tivanka has the best example of frescoes from the Polonnaruwa period. Rankoth Vehera and Kirivehera are very well preserved large stupas, and Gal Vihare, a rock shrine, has four Buddha statues, two seated, one standing and one reclining. Parakrama Bahu statue is a fine example of Sinhalese stone carving. The Vata-da-ge, a type of Buddhist structure, is quite unique and found only in Sri Lanka.You have the option to join a Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Park. This 8889 hectare National Park is famous for its large population of elephants in herds of 100 to 150 roaming in the jungle and often to be seen in the area by the lake. As well as wild elephants 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 Minneriya National Park is also home to 78 varieties of butterflies. Evening return to the hotel to enjoy dinner and free time at leisure.

Transfer to Kandy (116 km or 3 hours drive) en-route we will visit the Spice Gardens at Mawanella. The road north of Mawanalla is lined 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 of watercress) and small, mild chillies. After visiting the Spice Gardens we will proceed on to Kandy.Enjoy a city walking tour of Kandy which will include Upper Lake Drive and the beautiful Kandy Lake and Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Tooth Relic.This Buddhist temple houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha is considered to possibly be the most sacred Buddhist shrine in the world. We will also visit the main Kandy Market, including gem shops, handy craft shops and other interesting places. In the evening, enjoy a Cultural Show in Kandy.

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 a beautiful backdrop of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence, with houses like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions. En route we will pass through the beautiful Sri Lankan scenery on our way to visit the stunning Ramboda Falls. This waterfall is 109 m high and is the 11th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and a truly spectacular sight. Next we visit one of Sri Lanka’s famous Tea Plantations and a Tea Factory, where we will learn all 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.

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 most spectacular in the country. This waterfall measures approximately 25 m (82 ft) in height and cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. A great place to explore and have a swim.After a 30-minute walk through the jungle, we will visit the 30-meter high Demodara Nine Arch Bridge, beautiful piece of British architecture hidden between the lush green tea fields. We will walk across the bridge and admire the spectacular views over the Ella Gap and beyond. Transfer to your hotel in Yala and the evening is freetime at your leisure.

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 National Park. The park is famous for its big herds of wildlife including a large number of elephants, leopards, spotted dear, sambhur, crocodiles and many other wild animals.The park is also home to over 130 different species of birds including resident and winter visitors.En route to Galle, we will have the opportunity to see the famous Sri Lankan stilt fishermen balanced on their stilts in the ocean. This is one of the most interesting traditional fishing methods in Sri Lanka and an iconic image of Sri Lanka. Next stop is Galle, where we will first visit the Dutch Fort, a World Heritage Site and the Old Dutch Church. Galle is a walled city surrounded by thick ramparts, built by Dutch merchants who controlled the city in the 17th century. The ramparts are so thick that you can walk along them with lovely views over the city and beyond. Looking out towards 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 Zeeburg Street, 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 museum with an impressive collection of Dutch period antiques. Transfer to your beach hotel for your final night. Evening is at your leisure.

After check-out, you will be met and transferred to the Colombo International Airport for your flight back home.