Heritage and Nature Tour

Meet @ the hotel by 15h00 local time. (own arrangements for the transfer from the airport to the hotel in Colombo -32Km from the Airport transfer time by vehicle around 45mts) Evening visit the city of Colombo, the largest city and the Commercial Capital of Sri Lanka. The population is around 647 100. This is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins. The Colombo harbour was known to Romans, Arabs and Chinese traders over 2000 years ago. The Colombo Fort, is a Portuguese-established small trading post. Colombo has several performing art centers such as Lionel Wendt Theater, the Elphinstone and the Tower Hall. The Nawaragahala is the country’s first national theatre. Arrive at the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, get ready to visit Sigiriya. Some considers Sigiriya as the eighth wonder of the world. It consists of an ancient castle used by King Kasyapa in the 4th century AD. The Sigiriya site has the remains of an upper palace sited on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate and the mirror wall with its frescoes, the lower palace that clings to the slopes below the rock, and the moats, walls and gardens that extend for some hundreds of meters out from the base of the rock. The site is both a palace and a fortress. Sufficient remains provide the visitors with a stunning insight into the ingenuity and creativity of its builders, the upper palace on the top of the rock includes cisterns cut into the rock that still retain water. The moats and walls that surround the lower palace are still exquisitely beautiful. Arrive at the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, get ready to visit Anuradhapura, one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka. This place is world-famous for its well-preserved ruins of the Great Sri Lankan Civilization. The Civilization built upon this city was one of the greatest civilizations of Asia and in the world. The city is now a world heritage site according to the UNESCO. Founded in the 4th century BC it was the capital of the Anuradhapura Kingdom till the beginning of the 11th century AC. During this period, it remained one of the most stable and durable centres of political power and urban life in South Asia. It was also a wealthy city which created a unique culture and a great civilization. The ruins consist of three classes of buildings, dagebas (stupas), monastic buildings, and royal ponds. Next visit Mihintale, situated 12 kilometres east of the ruins of Anuradhapura. The sacred mountain of Mihintale is considered the location where Buddhism was first introduced to the island. There are two stories, one historical and one mythological, that explain the arrival of Buddhism at Mihintale. According to historical sources, in the middle of the third century BC the great Indian Emperor Ashoka had sent his son Mahinda to Sri Lanka to spread the teachings of the Buddha. Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast, get ready to visit Polonnaruwa, the second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms. Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 CE to reunite the country once more under a local leader. While Vijayabahu's victory and shifting of Kingdoms to the more strategic Polonnaruwa is considered significant, the real Polonnaruwa Hero of the history books is actually his grandson, Parakramabahu I. The city Polonnaruwa was also called as Jananathamangalam during the short Chola reign. However, with the exception of his immediate successor, Nissankamalla I, all other monarchs of Polonnaruwa, were slightly weak-willed and rather prone to picking fights within their own court. In the afternoon visit Medirigiriya. The Medirigiriya site is situated in a beautiful surrounding and has a history going in to the pre-Christian times. The brahmi characters found on the bricks and some of the stone carvings is an indication of the long history of this site. The first reference to this site in the chronicles is during the king Kanittha Tissa (192-194) of the Anuradhapura Era. Later many kings have contributed to this complex. There are remains of an advance hospital in the same area. This is built as two squares. The outer square has 33 stone pillars and the inner square has 20 pillars. There have been three entrances to the building. There are indications that the rooms have had doors. A well-preserved medicine boat can also be seen here. Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

After breakfast leave for Kandy. En-route visit Dambulla. In Sri Lankan history, the Dambulla cave complex dates back to 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. Even before the making of the complex it was well established as one of the largest monasteries in Sri Lanka. The Dambulla caves have been declared a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. The Royal Golden Rock Cave Temple is the formal name of the temple. The area is also known for bird watching,

You will next visit Nalanda Gedige the Abu Simbel of Sri Lanka. Nalanda Gedige is one out of a number of remarkable archaeological sites in Sri Lanka. Buddhist – Hindu hybrid Architecture and the Sculpture is a prominent and unique feature of the site. On the way to Kandy, visit a spice garden and a batik factory in Matale.

In the afternoon arrive at the hotel in Kandy. Kandy was the last Kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka and the Royal Capital with the King’s Rule until the British Invasion in 1815. Also known as the centre of traditional arts in Sri Lanka. In the evening you can enjoy a Cultural Dance Show and later visit the temple of the sacred tooth relic of Buddha at the evening ceremony. The Sacred Tooth Palace Temple with the Golden Roof is the main attraction of the city and also the most sacred Buddhist establishment in Sri Lanka. It also has similar importance among the Buddhist World, as the Great Vatican City and St. Peters Basilica among the World Catholics. The prominent Bogambara Lake in the centre is surrounded by the city with roads and buildings planned accordingly.

An overnight stay in Kandy.

After breakfast, visit the royal botanical gardens of Peradeniya which is well known for its large variety of plants. The garden is best known for its collection of orchids which is the largest in Asia. This has been the Royal Garden among the kings in the past and later developed as a Botanical Garden during the British Colonial Era. In the modern history, the Garden was used as the Headquarters of the Supreme Commander of South East Asia Command during the World War II.

Later leave for Nuwara Eliya the center of the hill country, en-route visit a tea plantation and witness the manufacture of the world-famous Ceylon tea. Gregory Lake is one of the most attractive locations in Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya is called as the Paradise of Nature & as the heart of Tea country located at a height of 1980 meters in the central highland of a tropical Island. The weather & the climate of this location feel different in comparison with the other places in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya (City of Lights), also known as ’Little England’, was the favorite hill station of the British who tried to create Nuwara Eliya into a typical English Village. The country house like hill club, with its hunting pictures, mounted hunting trophies and fish, and its strict formal dinner attire; all remind you of ’England’.

Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast leave by vehicle to Ella and from Ella station go by train to Badulla or vice versa – one way, as per the availability of the train. The journey is one of the best routes to travel by train as it is a combination of a joy train ride which is complemented by the beautiful view of the misty mountains, waterfalls, tea plantations & other vegetation. In the evening pay a visit to a place near Badulla and witness the Dunhinda waterfalls. The Joy ride by Train; Sri Lanka Railways provide a Scenic in the hill capital of Sri Lanka and in the Central Highlands in the heart of the Tea Country.
The fascinating 2 – 3 hour ride passes through tea estates and the misty hills of the Central Highlands. You will see tea estates, villages, and local people including tea leaf pluckers on your epic journey. This is one of the greatest railway journeys of Asia. If you prefer you can take the train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella or Badulla

Return to Ella for an overnight stay.

The small town is used as a base for plenty of trekking expeditions to the surrounding countryside. A taste of the breathtaking scenery of Ella could be witnessed, if you walk into the Garden of the EKHO Ella Hotel (Formerly Ella Rest House), where you seem to be standing at the edge of the world, and everything around you will disappear at your feet. Some of the places you could see in Ella are the Ella Gap, Rawana Ella Falls, Little Adams Peak and Bambaragala Peak among many other varied pleasant walks with stunning scenery. Trekking & Hiking of Little Adams Peak both for scenic beauty and as a sport activity is popular among visitors to Ella. The Trekking to Nine Arch Bridge is also attractive as the landscape by the special bridge with the Nine Arch and the landscape is unique

Overnight stay in Ella.

Get ready and leave for Tissamaharama and en route visit Buduruwagala, the seven colossal figures carved out of a rock face at Buduruwagala are reached by a side road to the west, five kilometres south of Wellawaya, on the road to Tissa. The rock itself resembles a kneeling elephant with its head bowed and the end of the folded trunk is its mouth.

Visit one of these two reserves by Jeep.

In the afternoon you will travel by Jeep for a safari in the Yala National Park and enjoy the wilderness as you cruise around in a jeep. The breath-taking view of the wild elephants, seen in small and large herds are undoubtedly the best-known attraction at Yala. The park is also known for herds of spotted deer which are found all over the park. Monkeys like the Pinkish Rhesus and the Grey-faced Langur live and play on the tree-tops and the ground. Other animals like wild buffalos & wild boars would startle you with their presence and the sight of a leopard sunning itself or drinking water at a water hole will be a memorable experience

Proceed to Tissamaharama. Stay overnight at the hotel. (If Yala is closed during September-October the Bundala reserve can be visited instead.)

Enjoy the morning excursion to Kataragama where you can find another great pilgrim shrine dedicated to Skanda, it is a place where people visit any time of the year. This sacred shrine is connected among the general public of most communities, starting from the birth of a child, education, marriages, house construction, new vehicles as they visit the sacred city to pay homage during these personal family events and successful achievements.

Proceed to your beach hotel and in the evening relax and relish a delicious dinner. Stay overnight at the hotel.

Relax leisurely at the beach hotel with breakfast & dinner.

After breakfast leave for Galle, en route view the stilt fisherman of Weligama as they fish, then visit the Old Portuguese fort, later rebuilt and extended by the Dutch. It is still well preserved. Galle, the capital of the southern province is a city with a colourful history. A well-known fact of the Galle Fort is that it is a World Heritage site and the largest remaining fortress built in Asia by European colonists.

Continue to Negombo.

Negombo has predominantly Catholic & Christian population by faith, after European colonization in 1505. Traditionally a Fishing Village with catamarans by the beach at the backdrop to the Negombo scenery; which later developed as a fishing marketing centre. You can visit the Fishing Village & the fish market. In the morning, you can watch the highly active fishing community involved in hauling fish from the sea, also discussing fish pricing and deals.

After breakfast you will be transfered to the airport for departure. Rooms are available until 12h00 in the afternoon.