8D7N BEST OF SRI LANKA

• Arrived Bandaranaike International Airport and you will be met and welcomed by our local Representative who will accompany you to your designated vehicle. Thereafter, leave for Negombo for your overnight stay. Upon arrival, check in to the hotel.
• Overnight stay: Negombo

• Depart for Dambulla. Upon arrival, visit the cave temples. Dambulla 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 on the Island. In the first cave is a recumbent image of the buddha 47ft long cut out of the rock. There are images of deities associated with Buddhism all around. The frescoes on the walls and the ceiling are the oldest here but they are over painted in the Kandy period. In the Second Cave, the finest and the largest of all, there are 150 life-size statues of the Buddha in various postures with few statues of Gods and Kings. The ceiling is also covered with frescoes, which depict great events in the life of the Buddha and landmarks in the history of the Sinhalese people. (Excursion duration 1.5hrs) Lunch at a hotel.
• Thereafter, check in to the hotel.
• Overnight stay: Dambulla

• Early morning leaves to Sigiriya for a photo stop. Optional visit to Sigiriya Rock Fortress can be arrange at USD 40 per person.
• Sigiriya is a “World Heritage Site” and the 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the Palace on the summit of the 600-foot high rock. On its summit are the foundations of the Royal Palace, Water Tanks to supply water and all other buildings and at the edges the guardhouses. On one of the stairways the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of 21 life sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original colour. The Water Gardens, fountain Garden, summerhouse, Boulder Gardens and the Caves with enclosed area should not be missed. (Excursion duration 2.5hrs)
• Thereafter, leave for Kandy. En-route make a stop at the at the Spice Gardens at Matale.
• Matale, this midsize regional city at the heart of the island lies in a broad, fertile valley at an elevation of 300m. Matale is a featureless urban sprawl with a congested one-way system, so you're unlikely to want to linger long. However, the road north of town is lined with dozens of visitor-friendly spice plantations where vanilla, rubber, cinchona, jackfruit, cocoa and cardamom thrive. The area is also famous for kohila (a type of watercress) and small, mild chilies. (Excursion duration 1hr). Cooking Demonstration followed by lunch at the Spice Garden.
• Arrived in Kandy proceed on a city tour, Including upper lake drive & the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
• Kandy, the hill capital is another “World Heritage Sites”. 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 Buddhist 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 and is now the National Museum, Meda Wasala is where the other close relatives lived with the Audience Hall, Natha Devala and Vishnu Devala situated. 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 king 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 (happens daily between 5pm–6pm, may include fire walking). (Excursion duration 1hr)
• You will also make a visit to the Gem Shop, Silk Gardens and Wood Carving Factory where you will learn how the world renown marvels are produced in Sri Lanka. Thereafter, check in to the hotel.
• Overnight stay: Kandy

• Depart for Nuwara Eliya. Optional Train Ride can be arranged at USD 15 per person.
  
• Lunch at a hotel. En-route make a photo stop at Ramboda Waterfalls before visiting the Tea Plantation and Tea Factory. Sri Lanka is one of the highest producers of tea in the world and if you are traveling in Sri Lanka, visiting a tea plantation is a must. The best place to go is the hill country and you are about to witness it. The tea plantation spreads across many hectares. While visiting the plantation and learning the process of making the Tea to the finest quality drop in also purchase tea at your wish. (Excursion duration 45mins)
• Upon arrival, proceed on a city tour of Nuwara Eliya. 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 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. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in Spring (March to May) and Fall (August & September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eliya to escape the sea level heat and humidity. Thereafter, check in to the hotel.
• Overnight stay: Nuwara Eliya

• Depart for Yala. En route, make a stop at Ella to and visit the 9 Arches Bridge (option to try the flying Rawana Zipline) and Rawana Waterfalls. Lunch at a local restaurant.
• At Yala National Park, embark on a 4x4 Jeep which will take you to the sanctuary. Yala (Ruhuna) National Park, the area covers 126,786 hectares including the Strict Natural Reserve (Block II). The most familiar is Block I (14,101 hectares) and this was established in 1938. Yala is famous for its big herds and large number of Elephants, Leopards, Spotted Deer, Sambhur, Crocodiles, Mongoose, Wild Boar, Wild Buffalo, and many others. Over 130 bird species were recorded including the resident and winter visitors. (Excursion duration approx. 3hrs)
• Thereafter, check in to the hotel.
• Overnight stay: Yala

• Depart for Galle and en route, stop by Weligama to witness the stilt fishermen.
• Upon arrival at Galle, proceed on a City Tour of Galle. The Dutch Fort Galle - The South Coast’s major city is Galle, whose oldest landmark is the massive Portuguese and Dutch Fort which is a “World Heritage Site” in which the central city is contained. But the city may be much older. Some scholars believe it to be the “Tarshish” of the Old Testament, to which King Solomon sent his merchant vessels, and to which Jonah fled from the Lord. Today, the 90-acre Galle Fort shows no evidence of the Portuguese founders. The Dutch incorporated the Portuguese Northen wall in a great rampart in 1663. A second, taller wall was built inside of it. Between the two walls, a covered passage connected the central bastion with the Fort’s two half bastion’s overlooking the sea. The Dutch also installed a sophisticated drainage system, complete with brick-lined underground sewers that were flushed twice a day by the high and low tides. The original gate to the fort was by the harbour. It is still there, marked by the British Coat-of-arms on the front and the Dutch V.O.C. (Vereenigde Oost Indische Compagnie) with the Coat-of-arms with a rooster crest, is on the inner side of the Fort. (Excursion duration 2hrs) Thereafter, check in to the hotel.
• Overnight stay: Bentota

• Depart for Colombo. En route, visit to the Turtle Hatchery in Kosgoda.
• Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery is where you can see five species of turtles-Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta), Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and Olive Ridley Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea). 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 tanks and released to the sea in the night. This Hatchery alone has released more then 1,750,000 young turtles to the sea. An endowment by the Hasselblad Estate was responsible for the establishment of this hatchery.
• Thereafter, proceed on a city tour of Colombo. Colombo is the business and commercial center and the new capital is Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte, which is only a few miles away. 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 during the British period and became the capital in 1815 after Kandy was ceded to the British. The remains of the buildings during the period and 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 Kaymans Gate with the Belfry at the original gate to enter the Fort, the Dutch Church of Wolfendhaal dating back to 1749, 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 and the Independence Square. (Excursion duration approx. 2-3hrs).
• Overnight stay: Colombo

• Journey to Bandaranaike International Airport for departure flight back home. Hope you had an enjoyable trip!

Breakfast