Explore Sri Lanka

After breakfast proceed to Hiriwadunna. (Approx. 30 mints.)

The trek through the archetypal Sri Lankan typical village is far from the hustle and bustle of city life, also an incredible opportunity to be immersed in nature and culture. Hiriwadunna is fame to amazing dry-zone bird life and a fascinating native wildlife. The trek begins with a ride by the bullock cart through un-disturbed Village track then an adventure voyage by a catamaran at the scenic Hiriwadunna lake – which has an overview of Sigiriya rock fortress and the Pidurangala rock. The reservoir itself, surrounded by scrub jungle and slash & burn cultivation lands.

After the catamaran ride finally visit to a local house for a tasty traditional authentic lunch which is prepared in the traditional method using earthenware pots and firewood as fuel. This is a great opportunity to witness the authentic local cuisine also experience even part-take on the meal preparation with the local women at the house finally a leisure walk back to the main road along the lake bund. On the way back observe the daily life of the village such as fishing, women washing clothes at the periphery of the waterways of the lake.

Thereafter visit Sigiriya Rock Fortress. (Approx. 20 mints.)

The 5th-century rock citadel of King Kasyapa and World Heritage Site – Sigiriya – doesn’t only boasts of ancient Sri Lankan engineering & urban planning supremacy but also acclaims to be one of the finest monuments of art & culture. Step through the gigantic ‘Lion Paws’ – overlooking the symmetrical royal gardens below – to comprehend the absolute splendor that once dominated this rock fortress. Surrounded by ramparts & moats the Lion Rock – resembling the mythological ‘City of Gods’ – is coated by frescoes that relate to Gupta style paintings found in Ajanta caves of India. Walk in the shade of an eminent ‘mirror wall’ embracing the Western face of Sigiriya representing an artistic hundred meters laminated with graffiti.

Wander into the well-fabricated museum downstairs for an epic journey of yesteryears to realize how the citadel floated above citizens with the castle, ponds and irrigation systems that pumped water right onto its summit with an ingenious hydraulic system describing a colossal masterpiece of the great king which remained a wonder in Asia for centuries.

On completion return to the hotel.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Sigiriya.

After breakfast proceed to Polonnaruwa. (Approx. 1 and ½ hrs.)

Optional: Cycling in Polonnaruwa (No additional cost)

Rising with the decline of Anuradhapura, the city of Polonnaruwa – medieval capital & crown jewel of King Parakramabahu I – remains superior proof of ancient culture & heritage blended with religious beliefs. Walk across its scattered walls of the World Heritage Site – blessed by stupas, resting Buddha statues, irrigation canals, and fantastically carved Hindu sculptures – while observing the relic house – Watadage – which boasts of beautiful stone carvings. Take a close glance and you will realize a subtle Hindu influence on architecture and statues found in Polonnaruwa. Or sit by the side of Galviharaya and observe the absolute beauty gushing out of every bend of its huge Buddhist statues. Nissankamalla Council Chamber is, however, a head-spinning beauty to just sit back and observe with its swaying pillars reminding the aesthetics of a powerful kingdom which rests beside Parakrama Samudraya – the sea of Parakramabahu & masterpiece of irrigation!

Optional: Safari at Minneriya National Park to witness herds of Elephants.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Sigiriya.

After breakfast visit Dambulla Cave Temples.

As one reaches the city of Dambulla lies a hub which has been treasured by many kings since the 1st century B.C. Today, an icon in the face of Sri Lanka Dambulla Rock Temple houses some of the most unique drawings in magnificently constructed 5 cave temples flanking the golden temple of Dambulla. Observe how exquisitely cave paintings are done along walls that shelter 150 statues of Lord Buddha. As you enter the retreat look straight up to the gigantic Buddha statue glittering in gold over a land which today houses an important junction in the country’s economic and cultural uplifting.

Thereafter proceed to Kandy via Matale. (Approx. 1 & ½ hrs.)

An agricultural zone in the Central Province, Matale seldom drops off the maps due to its reJunkable contribution through flagship crops of the island extending from tea, rubber & vegetables to spices. Spearheading the Rebellion back in 1848, Matale today takes immense pride in its story woven around spices. Stop by the side of a spice garden – into which you will be most welcome – and observe the therapeutic values of spices & processes over a refreshing cup of herbal tea! Or spend some time idling on the hardened streets if you mean a real town adventure filled with voices and colours.

Continue to Kandy. (Approx. 1 hr.)

Last ruled by King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe – before it was brought under the British rule in 1815, Kandy – the World Heritage Site & last royal capital of Sri Lankan kings – crafts an array of culture, history, and heritage in the minds of visitors across the globe. Experience an ancient Kandyan legacy engraved around its crown jewel, the temple of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. A stroll across this small lakeside town – cradled among the misty hills – will feature the Kandy City Centre – bundled with latest and world-class brands, bazaar, an arts & crafts center, as well as a gem museum & lapidary. Drive towards Victoria Golf Course, undoubtedly one of the best golf courses in the world for a sweep blended with class and style. Or walk in color as you glide through fresh fruits and vegetables in the Kandy Junket. Fine tune your evening by stepping to the beat of traditional music & drumming amplified by a cultural show enhancing the rich and vibrant culture of the Wonder of Asia, Sri Lanka.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.

Option 01: Leisure day to explore the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. (Tuk-Tuk ride around the ancient city)

Option 02: A Trekking at Knuckles Mountain range.

Knuckles, the mist-laden mountain range – resembling knuckles of a clenched fist – stretching within Matale & Kandy is nothing but a subtle habitat of flora and fauna, most of them being endemic to Sri Lanka. Knuckles is also considered to be a watering hole for hikers across the globe. Most of all, you are more likely to forget the rest of the universe once you sit back on a cliff that offers an absolutely spectacular sight of surrounding dense forests, tea plantations, terraced paddy fields, and waterfalls. Meanwhile, fine-tune your evening by listening to the crickets’ cry as lanterns sway in the wind while you sit in content, in the comfort of your canvas tent!

Option 03: Visit Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage and Peradeniya Botanical Gardens.

As you enter the 25 acre coconut property, do not be surprised to witness baby elephants being bottle fed or moving around freely causing absolutely no harm to anyone. It is rightly a sincere sight to observe how these gentle giants – orphaned and sometimes three-legged – are taken care of since 1975 at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Up to date, over 20 calves have been born here, and it is surprising to hear that some of its inmates have even seen their grandchildren during the past few decades! Watch as they feed at 09:15 am, 0:15 pm & 05:00 pm and take a river bath twice a day at 10:00 am & 02:00 pm respectively for an experience that could never be felt anywhere else on earth!

First developed as a pleasure garden under royalty and later harmonized by the British, the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya – today bundled with the most welcoming facilities located just 4 miles off Kandy – is a flourishing national asset in the Wonder of Asia. Walk into this 147-acre bliss of an experience, passing well-tended lawns, pavilions & a Junagon conservatory to be greeted by the vast expanse of a magnificently landscaped lush green turf which will encourage you for an exhilarating break. Towards the north of the entrance rests a cafeteria that one might come across before stepping into some of the highlights – the orchid house & giant Javan fig tree – of this place which overflow in grace.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.

After an early breakfast proceed to Peradeniya Railway station to catch the train to Nuwara Eliya.

Hop into the rattling train smoking and hissing its way through green valleys of the hill country pierced by endless waterfalls & dotted by tea pluckers draped in bright-colored saris.

Get down from Nanu-Oya Railway station which is the closest railway station to Nuwara Eliya and visit a Tea Plantation.

Sri Lanka, Tea, and Tourism are words which cannot be separated. Take a tour to the cold & misty hills that take pride of an ultimate tea tour, covering lush green blankets of tea plantations. Or just step into a tea factory processing the prestigious brand of Ceylon Tea, to observe a rich tradition kept alive up to date. As you observe the hissing and swishing of machines, inhaling the heavenly scent arising from these facilities, make sure to end your day in style over a perfectly blended cup of pure Ceylon Tea.

On completion check-in at selected hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure exploring the colonial town of Nuwara Eliya.

Optional – Visit Horton Plains for an adventurous trek.

This journey will take only an hour from Nuwara Eliya. Horton plains national park inohiya is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka and is covered by montage grassland and cloud forest. This plateau is rich in biodiversity as typical mammals, and with many species not only endemic to Sri Lanka but restricted to and many species found here are endemic to the region. This region was designated a national park in 1988. It is also a popular tourist destination. The plains’ vegetation is grasslands interspersed with montage forest and includes many endemic plants, Large herds of Sri Lankan samba deer feature the Horton Plains. The early morning visit is essential both to see a wildlife and to view the world’s End before mist closes in during the latter part of the morning.

On completion return to the hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Proceed to Udawalawe.

[Optional] Evening safari at Udawalawe National Park + Visit Elephant Transit Home.

Be ready to witness trumpets across the border as you approach the elephant country around the corner! Udawalawe truly is a sanctuary for the big-footed & tusked. Junked by relatively large herds of elephants, the national park proves to be one of the best places one could observe them in their natural habitat. Hop into a safari jeep and head into the park, you are most likely to drive into your first herd of giants within the maiden hundred meters. Turn on your radar into other species – such as spotted deer, Sambhur, barking deer, water buffalo and jackal – found within the park.

Meanwhile, Udawalawe Elephant Transit Home bears a different story. Established in 1995, it caters to all injured elephants found in the area before releasing them into their natural habitat. So, make sure to just watch – rather than touch – these gentle giants as they feed, play and mingle with each other, before heading into the wild with one another. “Eth Athuru Sevana” or the “Elephant Transit Home” is Asia’s first rehabilitation center for elephants. Established in 1995 by the Wild Life Conservation Department the center lies on a 200-acre land on the western border of the Udawalawe National Park. with the Udawalawe Reservoir as the southern border. Baby elephants are sometimes wounded by traps laid by humans or by gunshot injuries. Some calves become orphaned when the mother dies or gets killed. The center takes in the sick, wounded or orphans baby elephants and nourishes them until they are capable of living on their own and release them to various national parks.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Udawalawe.

Transfer from Udawalawe to Yala and check in at selected hotel. In the evening enjoy a thrilling safari at Yala National Park.

Spreading into a vast 1259 Km2 Yala – with its glory spinning around vast grasslands, shrubs, tanks, and dunes – rightfully is the heartland of wildlife in Sri Lanka. As your jeep rumble through the giant gates of Yala, you are not only stepping into the most visited national park in the country but also the lands of a civilization which thrived during the reign of Sri Lankan kings. You name it, and Yala has it! Its usual inmates cover herds of elephant, sloth bear, spotted deer, jackal, extensively populated birdlife as well as the highest density of leopards in the world that garnish the park to be one of the finest destinations in the country. Feel the rough track as your jeep thunders over rocks and swish passing narrow bends for an exhilarating experience blended with the cries of wilderness under the tropical sun.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Yala

After breakfast proceed to Ahangama.

Late afternoon visit Galle, the epic Southern capital, is the intersection where classic Dutch architecture meets a tropical setting creating a vivid atmosphere in beauty. Walk the Dutch-haunted streets listening to the creaks of wooden saloon doors and observe how European architecture mingles with South Asian traditions today flooding cultural enthusiasts on a global scale. Its original ramparts and bastions preserved up to date showcase pieces of evidence of a heritage preserved for more than 3 1/2 centuries. Walk clockwise within the fort to observe the ‘old gate’ carrying the British coat of arms. Flanking the old gate is the Zwart bastion – the oldest of all – and the lighthouse standing 18 feet in its glory next to the Point Utrecht Bastion. This Dutch bliss is painted with streets that spread in a rectangular grid pattern pierced with houses carrying Dutch colonial style verandas. However, its hallmark stands a reality where the Dutch fort remains a working community with its usual buzz of administrative offices, court complex, commercial buildings, churches and Southern folks frequenting its streets bracing the air of the Elysium of architecture, Galle! Continue to Ahangama.

Be enchanted by the corals and colourful coastal life that surrounds Ahangama, the diver’s paradise. Check in at your hotel and relax by the clear sandy beaches of Ahangama or simply doze by the pool of your hotel reminiscing the fond memories of your just-concluded tour of Paradise Island.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Ahangama.

Option 01: Leisure day to enjoy the lovely beach of Ahangama.

Option 02: Visit Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery, River Safari at Madu River and Traditional mask making in Ambalangoda.

Turtle Hatchery: Both locals and international volunteers battling it out for” Sea Turtles’ Sake” is a common sight at Kosgoda. This vibrant tourist destination sitting calm along the Southern coast of Sri Lanka – apart from its traditional industries of fisheries and cinnamon cultivation – was later recognized by the Wildlife Protection Society who studded the region with a Sea Turtle Conservation Project which operates on a formidable scale today. Indirectly, this has become a watering hole of flipper & shell enthusiasts!

Boat Safari: Balapitiya is where one could just sit back and observe how ecology and culture combine under the sun! Cut through the clear water of Madu River – a lifeline of Balapitiya – and head towards Kotu Duwa, the small island housing a temple that dates back to ancient Sinhalese kings. Or, sail through tunnels of shady mangroves swaying alongside Madu River – hiding an ecological treasure – to witness the tranquillity of this bio-diversity hot spot which boasts of reptiles, mollusks and over 70 species of freshwater fish. Today the region – which is strong in observing rural folklife in the island – does not only boast of cinnamon plantations in abundance but also has a fine ‘fish pedicure center’ – one of the most potent & latest rejuvenation techniques. Apart from these amenities, Balapitiya has also become a household name in the minds of bird watchers ensuring a thrilling offshore experience.

Mask Making: Faces carved into perfection on solid wood and painted cobra hoods are common sites for a wanderer across the seaside suburb of Ambalangoda. Conversely, this is a masker’s bliss! Walk into the gallery of folk dances & mask making – the mask museum – or simply take a look at a hut busy cutting, molding and painting masks. You might be able to tune into the mysteries that surround Ambalangoda’s heritage of mask making, that acts as the backdrop of folk dances and rituals staged across the pearl of the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Ahangama

Option 01: Leisure day to enjoy the lovely beach of Ahangama.

Option 02: Whale and Dolphin watching ride in Mirissa.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Ahangama.

Transfer from Ahangama to Colombo Airport for the departure flight.