Sri Lanka: 10Day Explore

AYUBOWAN-! Welcome to Sri Lanka, a land like no other, tour around the island exploring ancient history and culture, the lush green tea estates and waterfalls, the amazing wildlife, authentic foods, and the beautiful golden sandy beaches.

DAY PLAN:

# Upon arrival at Colombo CMB airport, you will meet your tour leader and you will be transferred to your hotel (we can pick you up from any hotel in Colombo or Negombo as well). The first destination will be Negombo coastal town (20min away from the airport), which has long been known as the most popular beach in Sri Lanka, famous for its golden sandy beach, food, and fun.

# For day one, we haven’t planned any activity, thus you are free to arrive in Sri Lanka at any time. If your flight arrives early in the day, relax at the beach and pool of your cosy hotel.

# Evening, you may have a walk along the seashore while enjoying the beautiful sunset and the pleasant evening atmosphere of the beachside

After having a delicious breakfast at the hotel, you will have a wonderful coastal drive towards Wilpattu National Park.

DAY PLAN:

# En-route, visit Munneswaram Hindu Kovil, an important regional Hindu temple complex.

# Thereafter, proceed to Wilpattu National Park, Sri Lanka's largest and oldest national park with an area of 130,000 hectares. We would like you to visit this park because we believe it is less crowded and it offers better experiences. Also, the same animals can be seen here as in Yala.

# Enjoy a 4x4 jeep ride searching for leopards hanging on trees or whispering through the bushes, crocodiles patrolling the river, or wild elephants drinking water and playing around

After enjoying a delicious breakfast with a hot cup of Sri Lankan tea or a coffee, you will take a wonderful journey across the stunning Sri Lankan countryside towards Dambulla city, which is the central point of the cultural triangle on the island. Dambulla has the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. It has been treasured by many kings since the 1st century B.C. The rock towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains and houses 5 cave temples with some unique and significant historical drawings.

DAY PLAN :

# After breakfast, visit the Golden Buddha Statue and the Royal Cave Temple (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE).

# Thereafter, you'll experience a wonderful cultural village tour while exploring the beautiful countryside (INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE). It will start with a Bullock Cart ride, one of the most ancient and prime transportation systems in Sri Lanka, still used in some villages. While on the tour you will also enjoy a canoeing boat ride across the lake and a Tuk-tuk ride before reaching the farmer’s house where you will experience the typical Sri Lankan countryside hospitality.

Today you'll visit the famous Sigiriya Rock fortress, an ancient rock fortress located near the town of Dambulla. King Kasyapa (477 – 495 BC) built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes.

DAY PLAN:

# Early in the morning, if you are up to it, you could enjoy a wonderful hot-air balloon tour (it has to be pre-booked/ Optional activity)

# After breakfast, you will visit the famous Sigiriya Rock Fortress (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE), King Kasyapa (477 – 495 BC) built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes.

# Optional Activity: Hike to Pidurangala Forest Monastery.

# Afternoon, head back to your cosy hotel and relax. If you are interested, you could experience an Ayurvedic herbal massage at your hotel.

After breakfast, proceed towards Kandy, the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom. It's set on a plateau surrounded by mountains, which are home to tea plantations and bio-diverse rainforests. Kandy is also famous for its sacred Buddhist sites, including the Temple of the Tooth Relic.

DAY PLAN:

# En-route Kandy, you will visit the Matale spice garden.

# Upon arrival to Kandy, visit the Temple of Tooth Relic (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) and Kandy viewpoint.

# Afternoon, you’ll enjoy a walk around Kandy's busy city center before engaging with a cultural dance show, which is inspired by Sri Lankan arts, traditional dance and cultural heritage (INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGE). Overnight stay in Kandy

After breakfast, you’ll have a wonderful journey towards Sri Lanka's tea region of Nuwara Eliya. It is often referred to as “Little England” because many of the buildings in this city retain from the British colonial period, such as the Queen's Cottage, the General's House, the Grand Hotel, the Hill Club, and the Town Post Office.

DAY PLAN:

# In the morning visit Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden, which is known as one of the best botanical gardens in Asia

# En-route to Nuwara Eliya, while driving through the cold and misty hills that host lush green tea plantations, stop at a tea factory to observe the rich tradition of making Ceylon tea kept alive up to date. Make sure to end your factory visit in style over a perfectly blended cup of tea.

# Afternoon, you will walk through Nuwara Eliya city centre and the fruit and vegetable market.

DAY PLAN:

# In the morning, you will enjoy a spectacular train journey from Nanu-Oya station to Ella village. It is known as one of the most picturesque hill country train journeys in the world (Train tickets will be arranged at the station / Class category is subject to availability).

# Explore the village; Ella is everyone’s favorite hill country village because it’s a wonderful nature-friendly location. The Nine Arch Bridge, a major tourist attraction in Ella, is a massive bridge built entirely of solid rocks, bricks, and cement without using a single piece of steel. Ella is an excellent place for walking and its most famous trekking route is “Mini Adam’s Peak”.

# Evening, you could chill out at the village center where there are lots of restaurants, pubs, and evening entertainment.

Early morning, you'll be heading to Udawalawe National Park, since it is the best time to spot wild elephants in their natural habitat. If you're up for a serious rumble in the jungle, then Udawalawe is your ideal destination! Spreading over 8800 hectares, this park is mainly a sanctuary for elephants, but it is also home to herds of deer, bulls, wild boars, and colorful birdlife.

DAY PLAN:

# En route to Udawalawe, you will stop at Ravana waterfall, another most popular sightseeing attraction in Ella.

# Afterward, your tour leader will drive you to Udawalawe National Park for a 4x4 jeep safari, since it is the best time to spot wild elephants in their natural habitat. If you're up for a serious rumble in the jungle, then Udawalawe is your ideal destination! Spreading over 8800 hectares, this park is mainly a sanctuary for elephants, but it is also home to herds of deer, bulls, wild boars, and colorful birdlife.

# Thereafter, you'll be heading towards the south coast.

# Upon arrival at your hotel, you may grab a towel to relax on the beach while enjoying a cocktail or a chill beer under the shade of a palm tree.

DAY PLAN:

# Early in the morning, hit back to the beautiful golden sandy beach and jump into a boat for an amazing ride on the sea to capture the Blue Whales and Dolphins. Mirissa is one of the best places in the world to spot the biggest creature on the planet. If you are up to it, jump into a boat to watch as blue whales swim and dive around. Please note that whale watching is a SEASONAL activity.

# Then will drive you along the southwest coast towards Galle, It is the intersection where classic Dutch and British architecture meets a tropical setting, creating a vivid atmosphere in beauty.

# Upon arrival to Galle, walk through the Galle Fort listening to the creaks of wooden saloon doors, and observe how European architecture mingles with South Asian traditions nowadays flooding cultural enthusiasts on a global scale.

# Thereafter, you’ll visit a turtle hatchery Centre where baby turtles learn to take their first swim and injured adults are rehabilitated back into the wild.

# Evening, check-in to your hotel and relax on the beach or by the pool.

After breakfast, you’ll visit Sri Lanka's capital city of Colombo, which has an interesting history running back to the fifth century. Even in ancient times, this was an important port city in the East-West Sea trade. Nowadays it has become a bustling modern town with a unique atmosphere. The colorful streets, restaurants, and modern shopping malls attract hordes of locals and tourists alike.

DAY PLAN:

# Upon arrival at Colombo, you can visit all the highlighted places in the city such as Red Mosque, Gangarama temple, Independent Square, and so on.

# Afterward, perhaps you may pop into a famous and internationally renowned restaurant in Colombo to end your trip over an unforgettable meal.

# Thereafter, proceed to the airport in time for your return flight or we drop you back at your hotel in Colombo or Negombo.