Sri Lanka: See & Experience it ALL in 10 Days, 1st Class Traveling

From the airport in Colombo, we have a private driver and tour guide take us to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. En route, specifically in the town of Kurunegala, we can have lunch (or dinner depending on your arrival time into Colombo's international airport). As this is the first day of our trip and jet-lag is common, we simply go for an evening stroll in Polonnaruwa after checking into the hotel.

Today starts with a guided bike tour of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. Afterwards, we have lunch. Next, we are taken to Minneriya National Park. There we go on a jeep safari. In the evening, we are taken to Sri Lanka’s landmark hill, Sigiriya. This is where our hotel is located.

Best known for pagodas and ruins, the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Another draw is the town’s population of toque macaques. These monkeys have been living in the ruins since human occupation. They continued to thrive long after the humans left. The Minneriya National Park is best known as a dry season feeding ground for the elephant population dwelling in forests.

Today starts with a guided hiking tour of the ancient sites of Sigiriya. On the top of the rock, we will have a great view of the surroundings. We should be returning to the bottom of the base around 9:30am. We are then taken to Pidurangala Rock. There we are also provided with a guided hiking tour. We have lunch after hiking down Pidurangala Rock. After lunch in Sigiriya, we are taken to Dambulla Cave Temple. There we are given a guided tour. Afterwards, we are taken to Sri Muthumariamman Temple, in Matale. There we are given a guided tour. Finally, we are taken to the city of Kandy. This is where our hotel is located.

From all of today’s attractions, Sigiriya and Dambulla Cave Temple are the most popular. Dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 meters (660 feet) high, Sigiriya is a site of historical and archaeological significance. Sigiriya contains (A) ruins of an upper palace located on the flat top of the rock, (B) a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate and a mirror wall with frescoes, (C) lower palaces located behind lavish gardens, and (D) moats and ramparts. The Dambulla Cave Temple is composed of five caves, which have been converted into shrine rooms. There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, three statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. This cave temple and World Heritage Site is one of most tourists’ favorite attractions in the country.

Today starts with a guided tour of Kandy’s key attraction, the Temple of the Tooth. Since ancient times, this temple has played an important role in local politics. After exploring it, we are given a guided tour at Kandy’s second most popular attraction, the Royal Botanical Gardens. Best known for its collection of orchids, these gardens attract around two million visitors annually. The Royal Botanical Gardens are home to more than 4,000 species of plants, including spices and palm trees. After walking around these gardens, we can purchase lunch. After our meal, we are provided with a guided walking tour around town.

After discovering Kandy, we are taken to a tea factory. En route, we pass through arguably the greatest landscape in the country. The tea plantations in the countryside are absolutely gorgeous to look at. After our tea factory tour, we are taken to a mountain called Adam’s Peak. Our hotel is located in this area.

Today we take a hike up Adam’s Peak. It is a 2,243-meter (7,359-feet) tall conical mountain located in the center of the country. Seeing from atop the sunrise and the surroundings, this is a hiker’s fantasy. Note that views from above the mountain may be obstructed due to fog. There really isn’t much that can be done about it. Hopefully it will be a clear morning. Hiking back to the base takes about 2.5 hours.

After our hike, we are taken to our nearby hotel so we can have breakfast, shower and check out. Next, we are taken to the town of Nuwara Eliya. There we can purchase lunch. After our meal, we are taken by a quite popular and scenic train ride to the town of Ella. This is where our hotel is located.

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The early morning starts with a hike to Little Adam’s Peak. We watch the sunrise once reaching the top of the mountain. The guided tour from the bottom to the top and back down takes a little under 2 hours. Afterwards, we are taken to Dhowa Rock Temple. There we are provided with a guided tour. Next, we are taken to the Nine Arch Bridge. This is where an antiquated train passes by. It serves as a popular tourist attraction.
After lunch, we take a short drive to Ravana Falls. These falls measure approximately 25 meters (82 feet) in height, featuring water falling from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. Its cave lies 1,370 meters (4,490 feet) above sea level on the foundation of a cliff. Excavations undertaken in the cave uncovered evidence of human habitation dating back 25,000 years. There we are provided with a guided tour. Afterwards, we are taken to Ravana Cave Temple. There we are provided with another guided tour. The day ends in Tissamaharama, a town near to Yala National Park. Our hotel for the evening is located in Tissamaharama.

Today starts with an early-morning, Jeep safari at Yala National Park. Yala is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. It is best known for its variety of wild animals, such as elephants, leopards and aquatic birds. After the tour, we are taken to Tangalle. There we can have lunch. Next, we are taken to the town of Weligama, which is home to the tradition of stilt fishing. Afterwards, we are taken to the somewhat colonial city of Galle. Galle has a handful of worth-seeing monuments built during European colonization, such as its fort. Our guided tour in Galle takes about 1 hour. Lastly for today is a drive to Hikkaduwa. This is where our hotel is located. Hikkaduwa was once a hotspot for hippies but is now better known for its relatively nice resorts. Hikkaduwa is especially popular with Russians. Note that Hikkaduwa’s high season is November through March.

Today we go snorkeling near Hikkaduwa or whale watching near Mirissa. It depends on what month you are traveling. November through April is whale watching season. If you are joining our tour between November and April, then we are taken to a village called Mirissa. Early morning, we go whale-watching on a relatively large boat. Dolphins are also often seen in the area. The boat should return to Mirissa around 12:00pm. We are then taken for lunch nearby. Afterwards, we are taken back to our hotel.

If you are joining our tour between May and October, then we have the morning and early afternoon to recover after all of these adventurous activities. Midday, we are picked up at the hotel and taken to a dock where we get onto a boat leaving for Coral Garden. Near this area, specifically at the coral sanctuary, we can go snorkeling. It features approximately seventy varieties of multi-colored corals. In the late afternoon, we are picked up at the dock and taken back to our hotel.

Today starts with a drive to Madu Ganga. For whatever odd reason, not a lot of natives know about this place. Nevertheless, this wetland boat cruise is definitely a highlight when visiting the country. Madu Ganga might be one of the last remaining tracts of untouched mangrove forests in Sri Lanka. What’s more, the inhabitants of its islets produce peeled cinnamon and cinnamon oil. There we are provided with a guided boat tour. Next, we are taken to a turtle hatchery in Kosgoda. There we are provided with a guided tour. Afterwards, we have lunch in the coastal town of Bentota. After our meal, we are taken to the Raja Maha Vihara Temple, in Kelaniya. This is arguably Sri Lanka’s most beautiful religious monument. There we are provided with a guided tour. We are then taken to Colombo, specifically to see its national museum. It features the throne and crown of the Kandyan monarchs as well as many other exhibits telling the story of ancient Sri Lanka. There we are provided with a guided tour. Still in Colombo, we are then taken to our hotel.

Today is the end of our tour of Sri Lanka. Transportation will be arranged for you to reach the airport in Colombo.