Itinerary in Detail
Day 01: Colombo
On your arrival in Sri Lanka you will be met at the airport by your chauffeur and transferred to Colombo. During the 60 minute journey from the airport you can catch a glimpse of Sri Lankan life. Throngs of street vendors, tuk-tuks weaving crazily about in traffic, 60 seater busses that always seem come right at you are all part of the sights and sounds that would greet you on your way.
Upon arrival at the Galle Face Hotel, you can rest, relax and recover from jetlag. We will host you to a complimentary dinner in the evening. During this dinner we will answer all your questions regarding the tour and also familiarize you with general information.
Day 02: Dambulla
Leave Colombo after an early breakfast and head north towards Dambulla. Arrive in Dambulla towards late afternoon and spend the day relaxing at the resort.
Day 03: Polonnaruwa
Explore the ancient city of Polonnaruwa after breakfast. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of the Kingdom of Ceylon from the 11th to the 13th Century AD. The most famous site of Polonnaruwa is the Gal Viharaya which consists of Granite statues of Lord Buddha in the meditation, standing and passing away postures. After exploring the ancient city the entire family will be treated to an elephant safari. Return to the resort in Dambulla and relax.
Day 04: Sigiriya
Visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress after breakfast today. This 200m high flat top rock is a World Heritage site and was home to the flamboyant king Kasyapa. In the evening visit the Minneriya National Park for a safari.
Day 05: Dambulla and Kandy
Depart to Kandy in the morning en route stopping at the Dambulla cave monasteries. The Dambulla cave monasteries were born when the fleeing King Walagamba took refuge in these caves. Upon regaining the throne he built this monastery in memory of his days there. The 5 caves house 167 Buddha Statues and over 2100 square meters of Buddhist murals. We then proceed to Kandy via Matale which is generally considered the spice capital of Sri Lanka. Traveling onwards we stop at a spice garden in Matale where you can sample the many spices and be treated to an Ayurvedic Massage. We arrive in Kandy towards evening and witness a colorful pageant featuring drummers, dancers and the grand finale firewalking.
Day 06: Kandy
Kandy was the last capital of Sri Lanka and was home to the last king of Sri Lanka Sri Wickrama Rajasingha. The most famous site is the Temple of the Tooth or the Dalada Maligawa. Visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens and then visit the sites in and around the city of Kandy. Return to the hotel and spend some time relaxing.
Day 07: Nuwara Eliya
The next day we leave Kandy and proceed towards Nuwara Eliya. The drive to Nuwara Eliya is spectacular with mist covered mountains, lush tea estates and tea pluckers. En route we visit a tea factory and are guided through the process of making tea. Travel onwards to Nuwara Eliya towards afternoon. You may spend the rest of the day at leisure or walk around and explore the town on your own.Situated at an altitude of 2040m this town with its characteristic British architecture and climate is very popular with locals who want to escape the heat of Colombo, so surprise this town is known as “little England”.
Day 08: Kitulgala
Meet our horticulturalist Lal and travel to the Horton Plains a high altitude nature reserve. The Horton Plains is home to large herds of Sambur and a few leopard but the highlight of the plains is the worlds end. The worlds end is a cliff face with unimaginable views. On a clear day the Indian Ocean is visible over 50 km away. Leaving Nuwara Eliya travel to Kitulgala a sleepy town on the Yala Avissawella road. Kitulagala was the location of the film the "Bridge on the River Kwai". Spend the night on the banks of the Kelani River in eco lodges.
Day 09: Yala
Today you will travel about 3 km upstream where you will be dropped off to begin your journey through grade 3 rapids back to base. Watchout for the "headchopper" rapid - a bunch of low hanging branches coupled with an awesome whitewater drop - a truly exhilarating experience. Back at the eco lodge enjoy a traditonal Sri Lankan breakfast which would include Tapioca and Sambol and piping hot pittu with fish curry. Leaving Kitulgala travel to Yala which is prime Leopard territory. Enroute to Yala you may see the occasional elephant munching away by the roadside separated only by an electric fence. Enroute to Yala visit the elephant transit camp. Unlike the elephants at the Pinnawela orphanage the baby elephants here are released back to the wild when they are 6 years old. We then proceed to Yala where we spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Day 10: Yala
Yala is Sri Lanka’s second largest wildlife park and has the largest population of Leopard in Sri Lanka. Yala is famed for its leopard population of 35 and considered to be one of the best places in the world to observe and photograph Leopard. We proceed to the park after a very early breakfast to enter early. Morning inside the park is the ideal time to see a variety of animals including the elusive leopard. We return to the hotel where we spend the rest of the day at leisure. Visit the park again in the evening. This safari may be used to track only one type of animal in most cases the Leopard. Return to the hotel and relax.
Day 11: Ahungalla
We depart to our final destination after breakfast. Traveling along the coastal road you may notice some of the devastation caused by the tsunami. You will also see how towns and villages are rebuilding and moving on with lives. Near Weligama you will see the stilt fisherman (season based). These fishermen stand patiently on stilts and fish for their daily catch. The stilts themselves are passed from father to son. Traveling onwards we arrive in Galle. Here we visit the Fort complex. This world heritage site 16th century Portuguese fort reached the height of its development in the 18th century. After visiting the fort we travel onwards to arrive at the beach resort for the next three nights.
Day 12 and 13: Ahungalla
The beautiful resort and spa which you will spend the next few days in offers some great facilities. Relax by the pool or sample of the invigorating therapies this luxurious 4 star resort offers. You can also visit the Marina a haven for water sports just a few minutes away.
Day 14:Airport
Depart to the airport after breakfast for your flight out.
