DAY 1

08 NIGHTS /09 DAYS –ROUND TOUR SRI LANKA

“Ayubowan” (May you live long)

 

AIRPORT/NEGOMBO

On arrival you will be blessed to get your first taste of warm Sri Lankan hospitality. A representative from our company will welcome you at the Airport and will guide you to the transportation arranged for you for transfer to your first destination.

 

Proceed to the hotel. “HIVE 68”

OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

 

DAY 2

NEGOMBO / PINNAWALA/KANDY

After Breakfast Proceed to Kandy via Pinnawala.

 

PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE -– Approx. 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo-Kandy Road is Pinnawela. Here an orphanage was started in 1975 to house abandoned and wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now; including baby elephants brought from various parts, as well more than 25 babies born as a result of the captive breeding programme. The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0915-0945 hrs and 1415-1445 hrs and the bathing time from 1000-11.00 hrs and 1500-1600 hrs when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.

 

Proceed to Kandy.

 

SPICE GARDENS-– You will see many spice gardens at Matale and in Mawanella on the Colombo-Kandy Road were Cinnamon, Cardamom,

Pepper Creepers and all other spice trees, plants and creepers are planted for visitors to see them.

Spice products are also available for those who would like to buy them?

At all Spice Gardens visitors are taken round explaining each tree and plant and at the end explaining the use of them in food preparations.

 

DAY 3

SIGIRIYA / DAMBULLA / KANDY

Breakfast at Hotel.

 

KANDY -– the hill capital is another “World Heritage Site”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally ceded to the British in 1815 after an agreement.To the Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. Close by are the remains of the Royal Palace (“Maha Wasala”), “Palle Wasala”- where the Queens stayed-now used for the National Museum, “Meda Wasala” where other close relatives lived, Audience Hall, Natha Devala and Vishnu Devala are situated close by. The Bathing Pavilion (“Ulpenge”) is by the Lake and in the Center of the lake is the Island called “Kiri samudraya” (Milk white ocean) used by the kings as the summerhouse.Today it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture.Visitors can see these Dance & Music at the daily Cultural Performances held at several places in the city.

 

DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLES -- is a vast isolated rock mass 500 feet high and a mile around the base. Here is found the famous Rock Temple dating to the First Century B.C. The caves of Dambulla sheltered King Walagamba during his 14 years of exile from Anuradhapura. When he regained the throne, he built the most magnificent of Rock Temples to be found in the Island

 

SIGIRIYA ROCK or SINHAGIRI -- is an ancient rock fortress

located in the northern Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name refers to a site

of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 metres (660 ft) high.

According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colourful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in

the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace was abandoned after the king's death. It was

used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best-preserved examples of ancient urban Planning.

 

 

DAY 4

KANDY / NUWARA ELIYA

 

Breakfast at Hotel.

TEA PLANTATION -- Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839.In 1867, a Scottish Planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings in 8 hectares of forestland, in the Loolkondura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23 lbs. being shipped to London.Tea will grow only on rolling terrain and is classified by elevation into low grown, medium grown and high grown into 3 main groups. Today more than 200,000 hectares in highlands and other areas are under Tea and around 300 million Kilograms, with a 25% of world tea exports are done by Sri Lanka as the World’s largest Tea exporter.

RAMBODA FALLS -- A gigantic water fall having three parts and very close to the 53km post along the above A-5 trunk road. The first part is above the road in the jungle (100m), second part is close to the road (3m) and the third part (100m) is below the road.

 

NUWARA ELIYA -- The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coolest places in

the Island, but it is really just like an English spring day, although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence, houses like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions.

OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

“THE TEA GARDEN”

 

DAY 5

NUWARA ELIYA / ELLA

Breakfast at the Hotel

 

Ella is a small town in the Badulla District. It is approximately 200 Km east of Colombo and it is situated at an elevation of 1041 mtrs above sea level. The area has a rich biodiversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantation. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plain of Sri Lanka.

 

GOING BY TRAIN

 

OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

“MOUNT HEAVEN”

 

DAY 6

ELLA/ BENTOTA / TURTLE HATCHERY/MADHU RIVER BOAT RIDE / BENTOTA

Breakfast at the Hotel

MADU RIVER BOAT RIDE -– The 915-hectare Maadu Ganga Estuary is connected by two narrow channels to the Randombe Lake, forming a complex wetland system encompassing 64 mangrove islets. In the year 2000, International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) undertook a detailed biodiversity survey of the region & revealed the existence of no less than 10 major wetland vegetation types supporting over 300 plant species & 248 species of vertebrates. This remarkable diversity has led to its being classified under RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands in 2003.

TURTLE HATCHERY, KOSGODA -– Operated by the Wildlife Protection Society of Sri Lanka this hatchery was established in 1981 to protect Sri Lanka's turtles from extinction. You can see five species of turtle here

Green Turtles, Hawksbill Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle, Leatherback Turtle and Olive Ridley Turtle. The eggs collected by the villagers and fishermen are purchased by the Kosgoda Hatchery and kept in sandy pens until they are hatched. The newly hatched ones are kept in seawater tanks and released to the sea in the night. This Hatchery has released more than 1,750,000 turtles to the sea.

OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

“OASEY BEACH”

 

 

DAY 7 BENTOTA

 

Breakfast and Leisure Day on the beach OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL “OASEY BEACH”

 

DAY 8

BENTOTA / COLOMBO

 

COLOMBO CITY -- Colombo was only a small seaport, which came into prominence in the 16th Century with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505 and the development of it as a major Harbour took place during the British period. Colombo became the capital of Sri Lanka in 1815 after Kandyan Kingdom was ceded to the British.

The remains of the buildings during the period of the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule are found in every area of the city. None of the Portuguese & Dutch fortifications are found today but some of their buildings and churches could be seen in the Fort & Pettah areas.Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area where there is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings, the Kayman’s Gate with the Belfry at the original gate to enter the Fort, the Dutch Church of Wolfendhaal dating back to 1749, Kelaniya Buddhist Temple dating to 6th C.B.C., Davatagaha Mosque, Colombo Museum and the Natural History Museum are some of the sites to be visited. Also visit the BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall), see the replica of Avukana Buddha in front and the Independence Square.

 

OVERNIGHT STAY AT THE HOTEL

“EARL’S RED”

 

DAY 9

COLOMBO /AIRPORT

Breakfast at Hotel.

Thereafter proceed to Airport

Depart to Airport.

 

As all good things must come to an end, our representative will comfortably take you to the international airport in time for your return flight.