Colombo

Welcome to Colombo, Sri Lanka. There are no activities planned today so you're free to arrive at any time. You can arrive at a convenient time for you and your driver will be at the airport to welcome you.

Although Colombo is the commercial capital and by far the largest city in Sri Lanka, it's still relatively small. You will be staying directly in the city of Colombo.

Accommodation
Hotel in Colombo

Those who arrive early can make a Colombo city tour on their own or with help of your guide. First, check out the sights on foot, then soak up some epic views and learn all about the history and culture of Wattala. If you’d prefer to explore on your own, perhaps stroll the seaside observing the local fishing craft and perhaps feasting on fresh seafood. The beautiful surrounding countryside is best explored on a bicycle, which you can rent with help from the hotel reception.

Sigiriya / Polonnaruwa / Sigiriya

After early breakfast, leave for the first Sigiriya rock fortress and then to Polonnaruwa.
Morning: Climb the famous Sigiriya rock fortress and visit the rocky abode and water gardens, a UNESCO world heritage and one of the Wonders of the World.

Sigiriya
Sigiriya is located in the central 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 meters (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle, the Culavamsa, the 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 colorful 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 were abandoned after the king's death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.

Later, early afternoon, visit Polonnaruwa historical city. The Polonnaruwa city tour lasts around 2 hours.

Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is the second-most historical city in Sri Lanka. It was made the capital of Sri Lanka after Anuradhapura. The second most ancient of Sri Lanka's kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader.

Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best-planned archaeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. Its beauty was also used as a backdrop to film scenes for the Duran Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The city tour includes palaces, dagobas, and temples and provides a good example of Sri Lankan historical craftsmanship. In this 3-hour guided tour of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, you will cover some of the following attractions:

• Royal Palace (Palace of King Parakramabahu, the most prolific and gifted builder of the era)
• Nissankamulla Palace (royal audience hall with impressive stonework)
• Gal Viharaya (Contains some of the best rock sculptures in the country)
• Thuparama & Lankathilaka Image Houses (good examples of vaulted shrine rooms)
• Vatadage (gives an idea of what a complete vatadage may have looked like)
• Rankoth Vehera (largest stupa in Polonnaruwa)
• Parakramabahu Statue (Statue of one of the greatest kings of ancient Sri Lanka)

Afterwards, Sigiriya village tour and cooking class to experience typical Sri Lankan village life and learn to cook in the Sri Lankan way. 

Gal Vihara
The Gal Vihara is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa; it was fashioned in the 12th century by Parakramabahu I. The central feature of the temple is four rock relief statues of the Buddha, which have been carved into the face of a large granitic (granite gneiss) rock. The images consist of a large, seated figure, another smaller seated figure inside an artificial cavern, a standing figure and a reclining figure. These are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Sinhala sculpting and carving arts and have made the Gal Vihara the most visited monument at Polonnaruwa.

Village tour
This village tour gives you a memorable experience in a rural rural village in Sigiriya. You will enjoy the sightseeing of paddy fields, a bullock cart ride, a traditional catamaran ride in a lake, a visit to a Chena cultivation, a traditional cooking demonstration in a rural village house, and authentic Sri Lankan lunch during this tour.

Accommodation
Hotel in Sigiriya or Habarana

Kandy

After a leisurely breakfast leave for Kandy city and a walking tour. Your Kandy tour starts with a walking tour around the lake, Kandy market and downtown Kandy. Later move to the ancient part of Kandy where you find the Peradeniya botanical garden, tooth relic temple, museum, and many other temples.

In the afternoon we planned a trek through the beautiful countryside and tea plantations in Kandy. This is a light trek that lasts a little longer than 3 hours. The participants are required to have moderate physical fitness in order to take this activity. Trekking through the tea plantation is an optional activity, therefore, anyone not interested can spend at the hotel and have leisure.

Royal botanical garden
Morning: After the elephant orphanage visits the Royal botanical garden of Peradeniya, which is the most popular garden on the island with an orchid house, palm alley, bamboo avenue, spice garden, flowering plant collection, and verandah collection.

Later visit Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple.

National Museum
The Kandy National Museum opened in 1942 is located next to the sacred Temple of the Tooth and is housed in a section of the Royal Palace where the King’s concubines resided. This museum has over 5000 objects on display and among the most impressive exhibits are king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe II's golden crown and a copy of the 1815 treaty known as the ‘Kandyan Convention’ by which on March 2, 1815, Ceylon ceded to the British ending 2,357 years of monarchy.

Arts and crafts center
Arts and crafts are an integral part of Sri Lanka’s ancient cultural heritage. Traditional Sri Lankan crafts are vital industries in many parts of the island that include wood carving, mask making, drum making, mat weaving, handlooms, lac-work, rush and read products etc.

The royal palace
The last king to reside in the Royal Palace was King Sri Wickrama Rajasinhe until he was overthrown by the British in 1815 with the aid of Kandyan chieftains. Once part of a large palace complex that included the Raja Wasala, (King’s Palace), Magul Maduwa (Royal Audience Hall), Meda Wasala (Queens’ Palace), Palle Wasala (King’s Harem Quarters) and Ulpange (Queen’s Bathing Pavilion), together with the Temple of the Tooth.

Royal audience hall
The ‘Magul Maduwa’, a finely carved masterpiece in timber is where the king met his ministers and carried out his daily administrative tasks. Many historic events have taken place at this location and it was here that the British handed over the death sentence to the Sri Lankan national heroes Keppatipola Disave and Madugalle Disave. A replica of the Royal Audience Hall of Kandy was constructed in granite in Colombo in 1948 to commemorate Sri Lanka’s Independence from the British.

Kandy upperlake drive
You will also do an upper lake drive and visit the market square, gem lapidary and Gem shop. Your Kandy city tour includes visiting souvenir shops and walking tour of the Kandy market, and more. making, mat weaving, handlooms, lac-work, rush and read products etc.

Kandy city walk
Your Kandy city walk starts near Kandy Lake. Your guide leads you to the picturesque and important corners of the city such as Kandy Lake, Kandy fish market, vegetable market, clock tower area, and Bazar area. The walking tour lasts about 2-3 hour.
After exploring the hotspots in the city your will be heading to Udawattekele sanctuary to have a leisurely hike through the forest. Udawattekele sanctuary is a place to see a large number of fauna and flora and it is one of the best places for bird watching.

Stop At: Kandy Lake
You will also do an upper lake drive and visit the market square, gem lapidary, and more.
Accommodation
Hotel in Kandy

Nuwara Eliya / Ella / Yala

After breakfast, venture out onto Ella Gap, Mini-Adams Peak and the nine-arch bridge this morning. We'll stop in a small mountain village for a spicy curry lunch and a pot of Ceylon tea. This is an excellent way of getting to know the area and a great opportunity to rub shoulders with the locals. In the afternoon, drive to the hotel in Yala.

Evening a visit to the Kataragama temple, which is the most popular temple in southern Sri Lanka. 

Historical Sita temple
Sita Amman Temple is located approximately 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) from Hakgala Botanical Garden and 5 kilometers (3.1 mi) from Nuwara Eliya. The temple is located in the village of Sita Eliya (also known as Sita Eliya). This place is believed to be the site where Sita was held captive by Asur Samrat (Devil King) Ravana and where she prayed daily for Rama to come and rescue her in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. On the rock face across the stream are circular depressions said to be the footprints of Lord Hanuman.

Nine arch bridge
The Nine Arch Bridge is considered one of the great sites in railway engineering. The nine-arch bridge is located just a couple of kilometers from the Ella holiday resort near the Ella railway station. It is one of the very popular sites in Ella, and it is on the bucket list of every tourist who visits Ella on their trip. The nine-arch bridge is a masterpiece of colonial-era construction. The construction was completed in 1921, during the British colonial era. The bridge is 100 meters long and rises up to 33 meters from the valley below. The awe-inspiring views from the high-rise bridge take travelers by surprise. The architecture of the nine-arch bridge is masterminded by a local constructor from Welimada, a small town a few kilometers down the road. 

Buduruwagala temple
Buduruwagala is an ancient Buddhist temple in southern Sri Lanka. The complex consists of seven statues and belongs to the Mahayana school of thought. The statues date back to the 10th century. The gigantic Buddha statue still bears traces of its original stuccoed robe, and a long streak of orange suggests it was once brightly painted. The center of the three figures to the Buddha's right is thought to be the Buddhist mythological figure—the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. To the left of this white-painted figure is a female figure in the thrice-bent posture, which is thought to be his consort, Tara.

Kataragama temple
Kataragama Temple, Sri Lanka, is a temple complex dedicated to the Buddhist guardian deity Kataragama devil and Hindu War God Murugan. It is one of the few religious sites in Sri Lanka that is venerated by the Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and the Vedda people. For most of the past millennia, it was a jungle shrine very difficult to access; today it is accessible by an all-weather road. The shrines and the nearby Kiri Vehera are managed by Buddhists, the shrines dedicated to Teyvāṉai and Shiva are managed by Hindus, and the mosque by Muslims.

Accommodation
Hotel in Yala

Yala / Galle

After the leisurely breakfast at your hotel in Yala, head to a beach resort in Galle, southern Sri Lanka. You will be stopping at a few places before arriving at your hotel in Galle. 

Mirissa
Mirissa is famous for blue whales, and tourists have seen them throughout the years, although whales are considered migrating mammals. While blue whales are around here most days, Bryde's whales and fin whales also recorded a few days in each month. Sperm whale pods are seen in Mirissa mostly in a few days only in March and April. Killer whales and short-finned pilot whales are also spotted from time to time.

Turtle conservation center
Projects have been launched to conserve the population of turtles that are reaching extinction, and such projects are found along the southern coast of Sri Lanka, where turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. The turtle digs a hole on the beach, lays her eggs, and covers it with sand where it is supposed to incubate by the heat of the sun. What often happens is that the eggs are dug out by fishermen and sold to people who consume them.

But now the eggs are bought up by the conservation projects and are hatched the natural way in enclosed areas where the birds don’t have a chance of picking them up, and the babies are let into the sea after two days at night, which offers them a better chance of survival.

City of Galle
Galle is one of the ancient seaports of Sri Lanka and was an anchor point in the Silk Route. It was later discovered by the Portuguese, where they built a fortress, and the Dutch that succeeded them fortified it further. This fortress is today a World Heritage Site.

Stop at stilt fishermen
Stilt fishing is a traditional and unique style of fishing practiced by local fishermen in Sri Lanka, especially on the southern coast. With a perfect balance and an insurmountable amount of patience, fishermen perch themselves on cross-shaped beams and wait for their catch of the day! Your driver/guide stops in Ahnagma, allowing you to have a closer look into the stilt fishermen and perhaps try this unique fishing method on your own. 

Galle Fort
The fort has a colorful history, and today has a multi-ethnic and multi-religious population. The Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world. The heritage value of the fort has been recognized by UNESCO, and the site has been inscribed as a cultural heritage UNESCO World Heritage Site under criteria iv for its unique exposition of "an urban ensemble that illustrates the interaction of European architecture and South Asian traditions from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

Accommodation
Hotel in Galle

Bentota

A 4-day beach stay on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast promises sun, sand, and relaxation in a tropical paradise. You can spend time leusurly on the south-west coast, where calm lagoons and golden beaches offer the perfect start—try kayaking or a river safari. Sri Lanak south-west coast-, famous for its coral reefs and vibrant nightlife, ideal for snorkeling and beachfront dining. Spend time on the coast, lounging on its crescent-shaped bays or exploring nearby jungle temples. End your trip on the Sri Lanka's south-west coast, serene hideaways with boutique stays and stunning sunsets—a blissful finale to your Sri Lanka trip.

Accommodation
Hotel on the south-west coast