You will carry the mesmerizing memories of a fun filled feast for the rest of your life. Never fear. You will repeat the feast every winter or summer. The Magical Magnificence of this lush tropical island, a feast of fantasy with a difference. The coastal beauty ofSri Lankais very unlike from the beauty of the central highlands to the cooling atmosphere in the tea plantations of the hills. Pinnawala, the pictorial village is the location the world’s only elephant orphanage that cares for the largest Elephant herd in captivity. Once you witness the sight of the herd frolicking in the river, a wealth of archeological wonders, ancient history, centuries old ruined castles and sensuously captivating beauties in Sigiriya awaits you. After experiencing the authentic culture of serendipity of its archeological significance, we will be escorting you to nestle high up in the mist covered hills ofSri Lankawhere fount of the finest tea in the world lies. The exquisite perfection of nature that blended high peaks reaching to the clouds withVerdantMountainslopes, cascading water falls and glittering streams is an irresistible lure to eyes. After your busy touring schedule bask yourself in a serene and sunny environment where the soft sound of the waves overlapping on the beach.
Route: Katunayake - Pinnawala - Sigiriya - Dambulla - Matale - Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - MountLavinia
Activities: Visit Pinnawala elephant orphanage / Climb Sigiriya rock fortress / Responsible shopping / Visit Dambulla Cave Temples / Visit Batik Factory / Visit Spice Garden / Visit Botanical Garden / Visit Temple of the sacred tooth relic / cultural dance show / Visit a tea factory and a tea estate/ City tour and shopping in the urban capital.
Day 1
On arrival in the airport, you will be given a warm welcome and garlanded with orchids by your very own chauffeur who will transfer you to your hotel in Sigiriya. En Route you could visit the Pinnawala elephant orphanage, established in 1975, commenced with seven orphans. The orphanage is home to hundreds of abandoned or injured elephants who are looked after with warmth, love and affection. The elephants at the orphanage are bathed daily in a river located nearby. The original objective of establishing the orphanage was more towards promoting tourism, but soon became a conservation and educational centre. With the help of local and foreign elephant experts, Pinnawela started a scientific captive-breeding programme for elephants. On arrival in the hotel, you could relax and recover from any jetlag.
Day 2
After breakfast, leave to Kandyand on the way you could visit the Sigiriya rock fortress - a UNESCO world heritage site. The Sigiriya rock was built in the 5th Century during the reign of King Kasyapa (477-495 AD) Sigiriya is commonly called the ‘Fortress in the Sky’ and is probably the most fantastic wonder ofSri Lanka. 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 rock. En Route you could visit the Dambulla Cave Temples. The beautiful Dambulla Cave Temples is a UNESCO world heritage. It is the largest cave monastery in the country with a history going back to the 1st century BC. They are laid out as a maze of caves, of which a handful is well worth a sighting. Afterwards you can visit theSpiceGardenand Batik Factory in Matale. On arrival in the hotel, you could spend the rest of the day at leisure relaxing.
Day 3
After breakfast at the hotel, you could go for a city tour aroundKandy. Visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. Kandyis a city in the centre of Sri Lanka. It lies in the midst of hills of rare vegetal species. The KandyValleycrosses an area of tropical plantations. The monumental ensemble of Kandyis an example of construction that associates the RoyalPalaceand the Templeof the Tooth. Kandyhas now grown out to encompass Peradeniya, home to the Botanical Gardens. Kandyis also particularly famed for the great Kandy Esala Perahara (a Pageant of Elephants and Dancers in the night), which is over ten days in the month of Esala (15th – 25th August) having many attractions to justify. In the evening visit theTempleof the Tooth and also enjoy a cultural dance show.
Day 4
After breakfast leave to Nuwara Eliya, also known as the “City ofLights” and “Little England”. En route, visit a tea factory to watch how tea making is done. Nuwara Eliya was the favourite hill station of the British who tried to create Nuwara Eliya into a typicalEnglishVillage. The old brick Post office, country house like hill club, with it's hunting pictures, mounted hunting trophies and fish, and it's strict formal dinner attire; the 18 hole golf course, race course etc., all remind you of'England'. Blessed with salubrious climate, breathtaking views of valleys, meadows, mountains and greenery surroundingLakeGregory; it's hard to imagine that Nuwara Eliya is only 180 Km from the hot and humidColombo. The areas around Nuwara Eliya also provide the main output of tea inSri Lanka. A trip to the highlands ofSri Lankais never complete without witnessing the age-old traditional tea plucking and sipping a cup of “Ceylon Tea”. Visitors to Nuwara Eliya can also taste the freshly plucked strawberries and purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Therefore enjoy the afternoon witnessing these sights.
Day 5
After breakfast you will be taken toMountLavinia. On arrival in the hotel atMountLavinia, you could spend the rest of the day at leisure or take a city tour aroundColombo. Colombo(derived from Sinhalese name Kola-amba-thota which means "mango harbour", altered by the Portuguese to honour Christopher Columbus), is the cultural capital and largest city and commercial center ofSri Lanka. (The new administrative capital ofSri Lankais Sri Jayawardenepura-Kotte.) Sightseeing highlights inColomboinclude the Colombo National and Dutch period museums, old and new parliament houses, the Dehiwala Zoo,GangaramaBuddhistTemple, Town Hall, and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall.
Day 6
You could take a city tour around Colombo, do some sightseeing, last minute shopping or spend the last day of the holiday at leisure by the Mount Lavinia beach. Apart from excellent shopping,Colombooffers visits to one of the worlds leading tea auctions, an 18 hole Golf Course, seasonal Buddhist and Hindu pageants, international cricket tournaments, plush casinos, enjoyable evening entertainment and excellent restaurants. State-of-the-Art communications and Cyber services are available in the hotels and other outlets. The Pettah area, which is in the heart ofColombo, is a beehive of activity. Traders and payment hawkers of all kinds flock toColomboand it’s a well-known fact that Pettah is where the best bargains are available.
Day 7
After your breakfast you will be transferred to the airport in order to catch the departure flight to onward destination.
How this holiday benefits local communities and the environment you travel to
Our escorted tours can help you discover the heart of a paradise island. Learn about history and traditions from an experienced guide, and take advantage of local knowledge and unique experiences. By promoting tourism in these areas the local communities will earn a living and at the same time it enhances their social skills which they will reap with higher standards of living. Most of the places you will be visiting are very famous for handicrafts which they have inherited from their ancestors which are part of the Sri Lankan culture. By promoting traditional Sri Lankan crafts it will ensure that the artist will get the maximum benefit out of it directly and at the same time you will have an authentic souvenir giving you splendor memories.
Heritage and Culture
It has to be seen and experienced for you to discover a holiday that is incredibly credible.
Wildlife and Nature
Exploring wild life inSri Lankais a grand eco repast. When you enter these pristine forests, you leave behind the insanity of a world that has seen the primacy of profit devouring the wilderness.