Discover Sri Lanka

Day 1    Airport – Dambulla                           180 km / 4 hours  

Arrival to BIA Katunayake Sri Lanka, after completing Immigration and airport formalities meet and greet by your local representative at the arrival lobby. The airport lobby is the best locations to buy a local mobile connection and exchange currency. Thereafter proceed to Sigiriya. Lunch en route at a restaurant. At Dambulla visit Dambulla Cave Temple, a stunning cave temple created back in 01st Century BC with a breathtaking view is a UNESCO world heritage site. The amazing paintings and the 157 statues of Buddha stands example to the rich culture of the island.

Reach the hotel, check in and refresh. In the evening the option to go on a jeep safari at the Minneriya National Park, renowned for its large herds of wild elephants sometimes numbering to 400+, seen frequently near the Minneriya tank is a must to be witnessed as it’s a rare phenomenon with wild elephants only seen in Sri Lanka. The drive through the shrub jungle is a unique experience.

Accommodation with Dinner at Dambulla

Day 2 – Dambulla – Sigiriya – Dambulla      80 km / 1 hours  

Breakfast at the hotel, leave hotel in the morning and proceed to visit the Sigiriya. A magnificent fortress now in ruins speaking of an ancient magical kingdom, your guide will explain the advance technology that existed long back taking your imagination to how spectacular the creation could have been to be named the “impenetrable fortress in the sky” and the ever so interesting story behind the creation of this monument. The climb is a little steep at some points and requires some endurance but is worth with the stunning views of the endless landscapes surrounding at the 660 feet high rock summit. Up on completion of a well worth visit head back to the hotel,

Evening the option to do a village tour. Explore the local livelihood, walk to a rural village where simple ways of living still exists. A rich agriculture based routine that is in harmony with the nature, peacefully attached to the village temple creating happy smiles on those who chose the simplest way of life makes one wonder how serine this way of living is.  Leave the hotel in a traditional bullock cart or a farm tractor to the village; walk through paddy fields and farm land to reach the village. Interact with the villagers who are on their daily routines of cultivation, poultry or traditional industries using age old techniques. Enjoy a cup of Ceylon tea and local sweets, warmly welcomed to a house of a villager where cooking will be done in an outdoor kitchen. Visit the village market “Pola” where the trading happens, with villagers bringing in their crops fresh and just picked, fish from the local fresh water tanks.

Accommodation with Dinner at Dambulla

Day 3   Dambulla – Pasikuda                          140 km / 2 hours

Breakfast at the hotel main restaurant. Morning check out and proceed to Pasikuda.

En route visit Polonnaruwa ancient city, a UNESCO world heritage site. The Second capital of the Sri Lankan kingdom the city is rather compact compared to Anuradhapura. At Polonnaruwa you can see monuments dating back to year 1100. The rock temple with four magnificent Buddha statues carved out on one single rock is an example of the skill level of the artists of the past. Watadage, Hatadage, Nissankalatha Mandapa, Lankathilaka and the Gal Vihara are the must visits. Polonnaruwa has amazed the modern architects as a well-planned city having advance drainage, hospitals and meeting halls showing signs of an advanced city of its time. Also visit the Maha Parakrama Statue, made in tribute to a grate king who served the island nation progressing the nation’s agriculture to achieve self-sufficiency.

Reach Pasikuda in the evening and check in to the hotel. A lovely coastal area in the east cost of the island known for its white sandy beaches and clam clear warm waters of the ocean, an ideal beach destination children and families to enjoy. Rest of the day at leisure at the beach hotel. In the evening explore the beach and the area. A lovely coastal destination in the east coast of the island known for its white sandy beaches and clam clear warm ocean waters, an ideal beach destination for children and families to enjoy. Pasikuda also has gained a popularity for whale and dolphin watching over the past few years and research has shown that the ocean off Kalpitiya is an ideal habitat for many verities of whales including the Blue Whale. The playful dolphins are always a highlight to those sailing on a boat to see the whales. The area is also known for diving, the abundant coral reefs provide the perfect environment for colorful marine life, the ship wreck of H.M.S. Hermes, the first aircraft carrier in the world that sunk off the coast of Baticaloa and is considered to be one of the best preserved shop wrecks in the world. During the east coast season from March to end august watersports activities are done.

Accommodation with Dinner at Pasikuda

Day 4   Pasikuda                                                                                       

Breakfast at the hotel… day at leisure, enjoy the beach and the warm waters of the ocean while exploring the exciting activity options or just enjoy the Spa and Ayurveda facilities at the hotel.

Dolphin and Whale watching excursions starts in the morning and watersports are available all day long. Deep sea fishing, spead boat rides, snorkeling, wind surfing, diving are some of the options available..

The midday sun is hot and best to avoid outdoor activities during the noon time… mornings and evenings are milder and are better times to explore the area

The fort and causeway at Baticaloa town is lovely, the town is not that touristic, but the hotel stretch is more touristic and has restaurants and other hotels to explore

Accommodation with Dinner at Pasikuda

Day 5   Pasikuda – Kandy                                210 km / 4 hours

Breakfast at the hotel

Checkout after breakfast, and precede to Kandy the cultural and hill capital of the island

On your way stop by a spice garden, to see the locally grown spices and there many uses, from ancient times the island has been in the center of the world spices trade, giving the world spices such as cinnamon and pepper of cinnamon has been a endemic plant to the island.. Explore the many herbal products made from the spices and a chance to enjoy a local lunch and taste local sweets.

Also visit Aluwihare Temple. This unique temple has earned the respect of the Buddhist community over the contribution it has made to the welfare and preserving of Buddhism in the Island.

Reach Kandy in the afternoon and proceed to the hotel and check-in. Time to rest and refresh… Then proceed to the Kandy city for site seeing.

Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan monarchies and is the home to the sacred temple which is a UNESCO world heritage site that shrines the tooth relic of Lord Buddha. A city where the traditions and customs native to the island has somewhat been preserved is considered to be a doorway between old and modern Sri Lanka culturally. Witness the cultural show at that take place daily and get a firsthand experience of the rich culture that created a nation that was in harmony with its nature… Walk along the leisurely streets and the colorful market place that is full of locals during day time. Also visit the Kandy view point and get a bird’s eye view of the city. 

 Dinner and overnight at the hotel at Kandy

Day 6 Kandy site seeing                                                                            

Breakfast at the hotel, the day to explore the city.. Kandy normally a relaxed and laidback city transforms in to a busy city with the Perahara pageant taking place. The street blocks and increased security will remain a little hassle throughout the 10 days allocated for the pageant. The locals flocking in to the city will add traffic and free movements in the city will be difficult.Morning proceed to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens The finest of its kind in Asia, the largest of the botanical gardens of Sri Lanka, couldn’t be better located. In the Mediterranean climate of Kandy, the gateway to the Central Highlands, the Gardens, at an elevation of 500 meters above sea-level, were tightly bounded on three sides by a loop of River Mahaweli (Great sandy river), the largest river of Sri Lanka. The town of Peradeniya is located at a distance of 110km from Colombo and another 6km over the Peradeniya Bridge and you are at Kandy, home to the sacred Temple of Tooth. Peradeniya is believed to take its exotic name from Sinhalese names Pera (guava) and Deniya (a plain). The name also reveals, although Guava is not indigenous to Sri Lanka, introduction of the fruit to the island and cultivation had occurred even prior to the era of British Colonialists in Ceylon.

Visit a wood carving workshop to get a firsthand experience of how the traditional art work is created by skilled hands giving a new life to a blunt piece of wood. Also the islands famous gemstones are available to be seen at a gem exhibitor where you can witness a replica of a lapidary and the process of an unearthed rough stone worked to a beautiful piece of jewelry.

Return to the hotel before the road blocks take effect to facilitate the pageant.

 Overnight at the hotel at Kandy

Day 7   Kandy – Colombo                              120 km / 4 hours  

After a relaxed breakfast at the hotel, check out from the hotel and proceed to Colombo

En route visit a Ta Factory. Ceylon Tea is known to be among the best tea in the world and you can see the manufacturing process of raw tea leaves to the final product, the aroma at the factory is very unique and inviting to taste a cup of factory fresh tea. The factory will have a sales outlet if you are interested in buying some tea to take back with you.

Also visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, an institution to look after abandoned and injured wild elephants of all ages, whilst you get to enjoy a close encounter with the gentle giants your contribution as an entrance ticket will add to the fund that manages the location. The bathing time of the herd is the highlight event at the orphanage

Reach Colombo and check in to the hotel. Evening commence an city and shopping tour of Colombo – the commercial capital of the island. Though a busy city it has its own charm with colonial era buildings to modern era sky scrapers will tell you that the city is developing fast. the Chinese government funded outer harbor city is one of the major projects to ever take place in the island and one can see the work in progress of this project from the Galle Face greens.

The world famous Noritake crockery is manufactured in Sri Lanka and the outlet is a popular visit along with clothing malls like ODEL, House of Fashions, Cotton Collection and Barefoot Gallery Café.  The coastal city is full of clubs, pubs and restaurant options to explore, for the more awaked the city does not sleep – Nightclubs are open till morning hours and Casinos never close. The sky lounge at the Kingsbury Hotel is an ideal location to spend the evening and Ministry of Crab – the most popular sea food restaurant in the city is a must to try… 

Accommodation at the hotel in Colombo

Day 8   Colombo  – Airport                         40 km / 40 minutes

Breakfast at the hotel

Morning check out and proceed to the airport in time for the check in for the departure flight