Sri Lanka Culture, Wildlife & East Coast

Depart from the UK on your overnight flight to Sri Lanka.

On arrival , meet & greet by our representative at the Airport and proceed to your first night stay in Negombo

After Breakfast leave for Trincomalee. En route visit popular Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded, the orphanage has grown to be a big family today. A unique experience never to be missed.

Rest of the day free & leisure.

Dinner & overnight stay at Chaaya Blu 4*, Trinco.

Breakfast at Hotel
Full day leisure.

Dinner & overnight stay at Chaaya Blu 4*, Trinco.

After breakfast drive to Dambulla.
Late afternoon visit the magnificent Rock Fortress of Sigirya. - Which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). A climb to the top (only for the energetic) will reveal a spectacular view. The gallery of frescoes half way up is definite highlight. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.

Dinner & overnight stay at Amaya Lake 4*, Dambulla.

After breakfast proceed to Sri Lanka’s Buddhist capital from the 11th-13th centuries, Polonnaruwa is home to the former palace, audience hall and magnificent carved Buddhas. Parts of the city are ruined but its special atmosphere pervades amid lush gardens.

Late afternoon commence * A Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Park - This National Park with 8889 hectares in extent is famous for it large population of elephants in herds of 100 to 150 roaming in the jungle and seen in the catchment area of the lake. Entrance is at Ambagaswewa about 6 km from Habarana on the main Habarana Polonnaruwa road. Office is by the side of the main road. Elephants, about 300 wild elephants, wild buffaloes, wild boar, spotted deer, sloth bear, Sambhur, leopards, crocodiles, jackals, 9 kinds of amphibians, 25 kinds of reptiles, 160 species of birds, 26 varieties of fishes, 78 varieties of butterflies are recorded from the Minneriya National Park.

Dinner & overnight stay at Amaya Lake 4*, Dambulla.

After breakfast proceed to Kandy. En route visit of Dambulla rock cave temple, where some of the finest preserved ancient frescoes can be found. Dambulla is a World Heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples.
Evening witness a cultural show featuring various dance types of Sri Lanka.
Dinner & Overnight stay at Amaya Hills 4*, Kandy.

After breakfast commence sightseeing including the Upper Lake Drive, Market Square Arts & Crafts Centre and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Thereafter visit the famous Temple of the Tooth and later afternoon visit the Royal Botanical Gardens ablaze with colourful exotic plants.
Dinner & Overnight stay at Amaya Hills 4*, Kandy.

After breakfast drive toward the hill country, with a stop en route to visit a tea plantation and factory. Then travel on to Nuwarra Eliya, the most celebrated of the hill stations and set in a stunning mountain valley some 6,000 feet above sea level. Afternoon sightseeing, with spectacular views of the beautiful green hillsides, rushing waterfalls and tea plantations.
Dinner & Overnight stay at Jetwing St Andrews (Colonial), Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast visit Horton Plains - The highest plateau at 7000ft (2134 meters) is a National Park, visited by tourists and a large number of Sri Lanka tourists. The Patnas in the lower parts, rising from the Marshes and streams extends upto the tree-line. The trees, stunted by the wind and mist, covered with ‘Spagnum moss ‘ or old man’s beard, and the jungle is full of rare and endemic plants. The red flowered Rhododendrons, or the ‘Niloos’ that blooms once in 12 years, and the Butterflies, Birds, found only in the hill areas, the ‘Bear Monkey,’ large herds of Sambhur, Leopard and other animals are found in the plains.

The ‘World End’ and ‘Little World End” with sheer drops of 3000ft to the plantation below and the beautiful scenery, are not found anywhere else in the country.
Dinner & Overnight stay at Jetwing St Andrews (Colonial), Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast leave for Colombo via Kithulgala.
Rest of the day leisure.
Dinner & Overnight stay at Mount Lavinia Hotel 4*, Mount Lavinia.

After breakfast transfer to the airport for departure OR transfer to the preferred beach resort.