Witness Sri Lanka’s rich and vibrant culture and heritage, enjoy the climatic changes by moving to hills and witness how Ceylon Tea goes from bush to brew. Move to the South of Sri Lanka and watch the majestic creatures of the wild in their natural habitat. Explore the stunning beaches before moving to vibrant Colombo the business capital for the final night. This is the tour for you if you are looking to experience all the important highlights Island Sri Lanka has to offer.
On arrival at Colombo International Airport, you will be met by our representative and will be transferred to a hotel in Negombo – a fishing town just under 30 minutes’ drive from the Airport.
Enjoy the comforts of your hotel and the surroundings to overcome the jetlag after a long flight.
(Option: Based on your arrival time we can avoid an overnight stay on Day 01 and commence the tour directly.)
Overnight stay in Negombo.
Departure Negombo around 07:30am to Sigiriya/Dambulla the cultural centre of Sri Lanka to commence your tour.
Visit the PINNAWELLA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE en-route to see baby jumbos wondering around their foster home or bottle fed and bathed by their human foster fathers. A place you will really enjoy and never forget.
Afterwards proceed to Sigiriya via Dambulla visiting the DAMBULLA CAVE TEMPLE. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka and is adorned with paintings and sculptures.
Overnight stay in Dambulla/Sigiriya.
After breakfast drive to ANCIENT CITY OF POLLONNARUWA.
POLONNARUWA ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK is another Sri Lanka’s UNESCO World Heritage site. You will find this archaeological park a delight to explore, with hundreds of ancient structures – tombs and temples, statues and stupas carved out of stone in a compact core.
After lunch drive to either MINNERIYA/KAUDULLA NATIONAL PARK. Your visit to Sri Lanka is not complete without seeing Sri Lankan elephant in the wild to catch a glimpse of the big eared tubby giants. Depending on the period of travel you would be able to witness the largest Asian elephant gathering known to exist on the planet. The dry season, from April to October, is reckoned to be the best time to witness the ‘Gathering’
Overnight Stay in Dambulla/Sigiriya.
After breakfast visit SIGIRIYA ROCK FORTRESS.
Sigiriya is perhaps Sri Lanka’s single most dramatic sight famous for its palace ruins on top of a massive 200-meter-high rock. Surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures, it is today another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The spectacular Sigiriya (Lion Rock) rock fortress was built in the 5th century AD, by King Kashyapa. It is a wonder of ancient engineering, art, and culture. Make a grand entrance through the massive lion’s paws carved out of stone and climb up 1200 steps to the top where a panoramic view of the surrounding landscape awaits those who dare to make it.
Walk around surrounding landscape – lily-pad-covered moats, water gardens and cave shrines considered a hydraulic marvel of the past.
Overnight Stay in Dambulla / Sigiriya.
After breakfast check-out and drive to city of KANDY. Have some refreshing herbal tea at the spice gardens in Matale on the way.
Once in Kandy, visit the TEMPLE OF TOOTH RELIC one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth (Sri Dalada Maligawa) was originally built by the Kandyan Kings between 1687 and 1707, to house and honour the sacred tooth relic and it is yet another UNESCO world heritage site.
Late evening witnesses a cultural show. This spontaneous event upheld the Sri Lankan Folk-lore dance which prevailed from the history. It shows the uniqueness of the Sri Lankan dance performances and the drummers.
Overnight Stay in Kandy.
After breakfast, drive through the scenic tea carpeted valleys to NUWARA ELIYA -the highland of Sri Lanka (located 1890m above sea level and has a mean temperature of 16C). This drive is approximately 2 Hrs and 30 Mnts.
On the way stop in RAMBODA to see the beautiful RAMBODA WATERFALL.
En-route to Nuwara Eliya visit a lush green tea plantation to witness how Ceylon Tea goes from bush to brew. Join the tea pluckers as they pick the famous tea leaf and a bud before the process of manufacturing some of the world’s finest tea.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.
After breakfast, visit Horton Plains National Park for a nature trail to see Baker’s waterfall and World’s end point. It is a ‘must’ in your travel itinerary. Ramble through the mist covered grasslands, patches of evergreen forests and cloud forests interspersed with freshwater streams and mist covered swamps.
The key attraction at Horton Plains is a sheer precipice called “World’s End”. The cliff plunges almost vertically for 700m, creating an astonishing escarpment, revealing breathtaking views across much of the southern area of the island.
The Bakers Fall is a beautiful waterfall that you will find on your way through the Hortons Plains. Known as one of Sri Lanka’s most beautiful waterfalls with its water pounding down a 20m (66ft) high stone slab gives a stunning view at different angles.
Overnight Stay in Nuwara Eliya.
After an early breakfast checkout and drive to Nanu Oya Train Station for your train journey to Ella.
The scenery from the train is breathtaking! Enjoy a green carpet of tea bushes rolling by, with colorful sari-clad tea pluckers bobbing in a sea of green. You should sit on the left side of the train from Nuwara Eliya to Ella as this side is the most scenic.
On arrival, visit the famous NINE ARCH BRIDGE, one of the engineering marvels in the early 20th century. This bridge, which is almost 100 years old, has been built with blocks of stone and cement without any strengthening iron or concrete.
RAVANA FALLS is another must visit in Ella. It currently ranks as one of the widest falls in the country.
Overnight stay in Ella.
In the morning after breakfast go on a hike at MINI ADAMS PEAK. It is 1141 m in height and from the entrance it takes up to 30-45 min for the hike. Views from the summit are incredible. 360 degrees panoramic views with clouds rolling in, is a treat to watch for any traveler.
Afterwards travel to Yala at the South Eastern part of the country and relax on arrival to your accommodation.
Overnight stay in Yala/Tissamaharama.
Yala is an important and most popular and second largest wild safari in Sri Lanka. This is the best park in the country to see and photograph leopards, elephants as well as mammals such as Sloth Bears, Black-napped Hare, Spotted Deer, Sambar, Hanuman Langur, Toque Monkey, Stripe-necked and Ruddy Mongooses, Wild Boar, Golden Jackal.
For your safari, you will get picked up early morning around 5.30 am to be at the entrance to the park at 6 am. Early-morning arrival gives you a better chance of spotting park’s wild animals.
Safari at Yala will take about 4 hours and you will be back at your hotel around 10:30hrs.
Overnight in Yala/Tissamaharama.
After breakfast drive down to Galle to the Galle FORTRESS. This magnificent piece of architecture is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European occupiers.
Afterwards proceed to Bentota which has a long broad sandy beach, at its best during the October to April holiday season.
Feel the breeze – enjoy the waves – smell the ocean – relax on the golden Beach – meditate at the sun rise – free your soul – sip your famous cocktail or freshly brewed cup of tea, while watching the sun taking a dip in the Indian Ocean.
Overnight stay in Bentota.
After breakfast – relax on the beach.
Alternatively, you could proceed to Balapitiya a drive of approximately an hour and take a magical speed-boat ride down the beautiful Madu River, a wetland estuary spreading over 900 hectares of which 770 hectares is covered with water and inhabited with 64 islands.
The boat ride is a wonderful way to take a closer look at this complex wetland ecosystem; a world heritage site protected by the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands being one of the last wetlands in Sri Lanka to contain a pristine mangrove forest.
Overnight stay in Bentota.
After breakfast proceeds to Colombo a drive of approximately 2 hrs.
En-route visits the Turtle Hatchery Kosgoda. The Turtle Care Centre at Kosgoda beach is one of 18 turtle hatcheries along the southern coast of Sri Lanka. The centre was established in 1981.
On arrival to Colombo the business capital of Sri Lanka undertakes a city tour to witness the change in skyline of Colombo.
Overnight stay in Colombo.
After breakfast relax and enjoy the comforts of the hotel.
Your guide will meet you on time at the lobby to drive you to the Colombo International Airport for your departing flight home.
Take back with you 14 days of unforgettable memories and loads of pictures to remember your visit to Sri Lanka.
End of an exciting and refreshing Family tour.
