Arrive Colombo

Upon arrival in Bandaranaike International Airport you are met and greeted by our driver and transferred to Colombo (approximate travel time from Airport to Colombo is 45 mins.) You will then check in to a Hotel in Colombo and be welcomed by your Local Tour Manager who will brief you on the line up for the next few days.

Colombo City Tour

Commencing with a visit to the Fort and the Pettah commercial hub with offices and shopping areas located amidst oldest colonial hotel GOH. It has a fantastic view of the Colombo harbor, lighthouse with clock tower (older than Big Ben in London) close to the president’s house and old parliament. Afterwards, proceed through the main street passing the old Dutch Museum, belfry and Old City Hall which houses puppets of earlier governors of Sri Lanka.

You will find shops and restaurants facing Sri Lanka’s twin tower buildings. Continue to the old race course with a maze of buildings with colonial architecture, restaurants and shopping arcade passing through Colombo City Hall (mini replica of the White House in Washington, DC).Drive past the Town Hall, Independence Square, the B.M.I.C.H (International Convention Centre) and Cinnamon Gardens residential area and visit a Buddhist temple and a Hindu Kovil to experience the diversity of religion, ethnicity and customs of the people.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Colombo

Colombo – Dambulla (Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel and Check out

Transfer from Colombo to Dambulla (4 hours approx.). Upon arrival check in at Hotel in Dambulla and spend rest of the day at leisure

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Dambulla

Dambulla – Sigiriya – Polonnaruwa – Dambulla

Early Breakfast at Hotel and leave towards Sigiriya

Morning climb and visit to Sigiriya Rock Fortress (1 ½ hours approx.)

Sigiriya also known as the Lion's Rock is a rock fortress and a palace located in the Matale district of Sri Lanka. This ruin is surrounded by gardens, ponds and other structures. Sigiriya was built by King Kassapa and it is included as a World Heritage site. Sigiriya is the best-preservedCity Centre in Asia. Earlier is was a rock-shelter mountain monastery which was donated by Buddhist devotees. Later King Kassapa renovated it by building gardens and palace. After his death it was again used as a monastery. Human habilitation in Sigiriya at its earliest was found to be nearly five thousand years during the Mesophilic period. Rock inscriptions are carved near the drip ledges on many of the shelters, recording the donation of the shelters to the Buddhist monastic order as residences. These have been made within the period between the third century B.C and the first century A.D. In 1831 Major Jonathan Forbes of the 78th Highlanders of the British army while returning on horseback from a trip to Polonnaruwa came across the "bush covered summit of Sigiriya. Sigiriya came to the attention of antiquarians and later archaeologists.The Sigiriya complex itself consists of the central rock and two rectangular precincts which are surrounded by two moats and three ramparts. The city is based on a square module.

Transfer from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa (1 hour approx.)

Polonnaruwa is the Island's 2nd largest kingdom. Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned Archeological relic sites in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom's first rulers. Its beauty and serenity was captured in the Duran music video Save a Prayer in 1982. The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Transfer back to Hotel in Dambulla

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Dambulla

Dambulla – Kandy (Drive)

Breakfast at hotel and Check Out

Transfer from Dambulla to Kandy via Matale (2 ½ hours approx.)

Dambulla is a large town situated in the Matale district. It is also given the title of a World Heritage Site. The town's most fascinated fact seems to be the time period of its construction, it was built in just 167 days. Bursting with beautiful sites like the ironwood forest, rose quartz mountain, Rangiri Stadium and Na UyanaAranya, one can't exactly pinpoint what this town is most known for.
Dambulla is famous for its remarkable Cave Temples – five magical, dimly lit caves of different sizes, decorated with some of the finest murals and beautifully carved statues, offering an overview of Buddhist art. The caves date back to the reign of king Vattagamini Abhaya, 1st century BC. Nissankamalla, the last king of Polonnaruwa (12th century) and several later Kandyan kings (17th and 18th centuries) have embellished and adorned the interiors of the caves with murals, that are still visible today. Cave # 2 is the biggest and most spectacular, measuring 50m in length and a height of 7m. The rock is elevated 160m above the surrounding plains, offering stunning views, including Sigiriya in the distance.

Matale, nestled in the central hills and at an altitude of 546 meters, is yet another bounty of nature’s abundance with captivating landscapes of fertile greenery and scattered mountain ranges decorated with blankets of cascading water. Today, the town of Matale is a center of activity, propelled by the daily hustle and bustle of urban life, with thousands of commuters thronging the urban center for sundry errands. Matale is a small town renowned for its Spice Gardens. The world’s best cinnamon comes from here. Visit these gardens and see how these spices are grown and processed. Visitors can watch a cookery demonstration on how these spices are used in Sri Lankan Cuisine and they may take home a selection of garden fresh spices with them.

To the north, surrounded by the foothills of the Knuckles Mountain range, is the Aluvihara Temple; the historic location where the Pali Canon was first written down in text on Ola (Palm) leaves in full. Not far from the temple, are several monastic caves worthy of visit, with some of them possessing some magnificent frescoes.

Transfer from Matale to Kandy. Check in at the hotel in Kandy and Relax

Evening Visit to the Dalada Maligawa

Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic) is the place that houses the Relic of the tooth of the Buddha. Originally part of the Royal Palace complex of the Kandyan Kingdom, it is one of the holiest places of worship and pilgrimage for Buddhist around the world. The Palace of the Tooth relic, the palace complex and the holy city of Kandy are associated with the history of the dissemination of Buddhism. The temple is the product of the last peregrination of the relic of the tooth of Buddha and the testimony of a religion which continues to be practiced today.

Evening Visit to a Kandyan Dance performance

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Kandy

Kandy – Pinnawala – Kandy

Breakfast at Hotel

Kandy City Tour
Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka and lies in the midst of hills. It is the Capital of the Central Province. It is both an administrative and religious city. Kandy is the second largest city in the country and is frequently visited by Buddhists especially of the Theravada School. Kandy is very famous among tourist for three main reasons: It is home to the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic; Dalada Maligawa), The Botanical Gardens (Located in Peradeniya) and it always has a special place when it comes to festivities such as the EsalaPerahara.Kandy is must for anyone's itinerary when visiting Sri Lanka which is why we recommend the city as it is considered one of the most beautiful places in Sri Lanka which at the same time show cases the Sri Lankan Culture at its highest level.

Shopping in Kandy – known for exotic arts and crafts and world-famous gem stones

Further sightseeing of Kandy.
Take a stroll or drive along the Kandy lake and Upper Lake Drive enjoying breath taking views of the country’s Hill Capital and visit the Kandy National Museum (Optional)

Visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens – one of the finest in Asia, which dates back to the 14th century

Peradeniya Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya (near Kandy City) is noted for its rich and varied collections of tropical woody plants. Occupying 59 hectares (146 acres), it has about 4,000 species of plants. The most important specimens of the garden include palms, some of which are planted in impressive avenues. Significant, too, are the collections of orchids, gymnosperms, and flowering trees. The gardens were founded in 1821 primarily to introduce coffee trees and various other tropical plants of economic importance to the region. Even after it took on a more botanical emphasis in the 1840s, the garden remained a center for horticultural activities. Under the directorship of the botanist George H.K. Thwaites, the garden played a pivotal role in establishing the country’s flourishing tea industry in the late 1870s. Thwaites also brought in and cultivated the Brazilian rubber tree, which became a crop producer vital to Sri Lanka’s economy. The botanical collection has developed into one of the finest in the region.

Transfer from Kandy to Pinnawala (1 ½ hours approx.)

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is situated northwest of the town of Kegalle, halfway between the present capital Colombo and the ancient royal residence Kandy. It was established in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Department in a 25-acre coconut property adjoining the Maha Oya River. The orphanage was originally founded in order to afford care and protection to the many orphaned Elephants found in the jungles of Sri Lanka.In 1978 the orphanage was taken over by the National Zoological Gardens from the Department of Wildlife. A captive breeding program was launched in 1982. Since the inception of the program over 20 elephants have been bred here. The aim of the orphanage is to simulate a natural habitat to these elephants. However, there are some exceptions: the elephants are taken to the river twice a day for a bath, and all the babies less than three years of age are still bottle fed by the mahouts and volunteers.The orphanage which boasts to have the largest herd of captive elephants in the world is very popular and visited daily by many Sri Lankan and foreign tourists. The main attraction is clearly to observe the elephants bathing which is quite a spectacle. We make way for you to experience an enchanting adventure and to observe the majesty of these tuskers.

Transfer back to Hotel in Kandy

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Kandy

Kandy–Bentota (Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel and Check out

Transfer from Kandy to Bentota. Upon arrival check in at a Hotel in Bentota

Bentota is a small town situated on coastal areas in Sri Lanka. Positioned 65 kilometers south of Colombo the capital, in the Bentota region of the Southern Province It is quite famous for its breath-taking view, and especially the Bentota Beach. If you are looking to spend your holidays and give yourself a calm and natural treat, with no bars and restaurants, this is the most refreshing and relaxing site. The Bentota Beach which extends across 7-8 kilometers is truly a symbol of peace, calmness and cleanness. One of its strongest points is its quiet surroundings which, according to many people, run the natural and relaxing environment of the beach. There is plenty of space of everyone to settle in perfectly and enjoy the sun bath to the fullest.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bentota

Bentota

Breakfast at Hotel

Full day at the beach enjoying the sea breeze with a touch of coastal warmth

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bentota

Bentota

Breakfast at Hotel

Full day at the beach enjoying the sea breeze with a touch of coastal warmth

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bentota

Bentota

Breakfast at Hotel

Full day at the beach enjoying the sea breeze with a touch of coastal warmth

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bentota

Bentota–Colombo (Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel

Proceed to the Airport with an abundance of memories from your unforgettable experience here at Sri Lanka – The Paradise Island.