Highlights of Sri Lanka

Highlights of Sri Lanka
  • location: Colombo, Pinnawala, Sigiriya, Dambulla, Kandy, Nuwaraeliya, Yala & Galle
  • Duration: 7 Nights / 8 Days

Day 1  : AIRPORT - COLOMBO

Meet and assist on arrival at Airport by Aitken Spence Travels Representative and proceed to Colombo and check into Colombo hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure

Overnight Stay at Colombo Hotel 

                

Day 2  : COLOMBO - PINNAWALA - SIGIRIYA 

After breakfast proceed to Pinnawala and visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

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 grand children during the past few decades! Watch as they feed at 9:15 am, 1:15 pm & 5:00 pm and take a river bath twice a day at 10:00 am & 2:00 pm respectively for an experience that could never be felt anywhere else on earth! 

On completion proceed to Sigiriya and check into Hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. 

Overnight Stay at Sigiriya hotel.

 

Day 3  : SIGIRIYA - DAMBULLA - KANDY

After breakfast proceed to Dambulla and visit Dambulla Rock Cave Temples 

In 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. 

On completion proceed to Kandy and spend the rest of the day at leisure 

Overnight Stay Kandy Hotel

 

Day 4  : KANDY - PERADENIYA – KANDY

After breakfast proceed to Peradeniya and visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens 

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 & an octagon 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. 

On completion return back to the hotel in Kandy and spend some time at leisure. 

In the evening enjoy a city tour of Kandy and witness a cultural show. 

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 centre, as well as a gem museum & lapidary.walk in color as you glide through fresh fruits and vegetables in the Kandy market. Fine tube 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. 

On completion return back to the hotel 

Overnight Stay at Kandy Hotel

 

Day 5  : KANDY - NUWARA ELIYA 

After breakfast proceed to Nuwara Eliya en route 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 into Nuwaraeliya Hoteland spend the rest of the day at leisure 

Overnight Stay at Nuwaraeliya hotel

 

Day 6  : NUWARA ELIYA - YALA 

After breakfast proceed to Yala and enjoy a evening 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 dear, 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. 

On completion check into Yala hotel.

  

Day 7  : YALA - GALLE - AHUNGALLA 

After breakfast proceed to Galle and enjoy a city tour of Galle 

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 evidences 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 Utretcht Bastion. This Dutch bliss is painted with streets that spread in a rectangular grid pattern pierced with houses carrying Dutch colonial style verandas. Hop into the Dutch Hospital Shopping Complex to be mesmerized by an array of souvenir selections. 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! 

On completion proceed to Ahungalla and check into Ahungalla hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure 

Overnight Stay at Ahungalla hotel.

 

Day 8  : COLOMBO - AIRPORT 

After breakfast proceed to airport for departure

 

End of tour.


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