Explore Sri Lanka high and low with this fascinating six-day round-trip tour starting in the capital, Colombo, and taking an inland loop that covers all the main historic, cultural and natural attractions of this magical island. Discover a world of lush landscapes, picturesque lakeside cities, historic temples and ancient citadels. Breathe in the fragrances of Sri Lanka at herb and spice gardens. Enjoy the lush green tea plantations spread through the hill county.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Colombo: The busy capital of Sri Lanka, is a city of contrast by the seaside. Colonial buildings, Hindu and Buddhist temples, modern skyscrapers and some lakes are combined in a melting pot of cultures and people.
Kandy: This beautiful city is home to the outstanding Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and its associated palaces and gardens.
Yala National Park: This National park is a mixture of plains, forest and waterbodies and is home of wonderful mammals such as sloth bears and leopards, elephants and deers and plenty of birds. Take a look at the Sri Lankan wild side.
Galle: Travel back in time while exploring the historical streets of this well-preserved fortified Dutch colonial city.
Day 1: ARRIVAL COLOMBO – SEEDUWA (30km – 0.5 hrs)
Upon arrival at Colombo Airport our representative will meet and greet you before guiding you to the transfer to your hotel in Seeduwa. Settle in your room before spending the rest of this first day at leisure.
Overnight in Seeduwa.
Day 2: SEEDUWA – PINNAWALA – KANDY (120km – 3.5 hrs)
After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Pinnawala and visit The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. Experience firsthand the love and respect that Sri Lankans have for these animals. The orphanage was the first of its kind in the world, a unique reserve where abandoned and disabled elephants get care and protection from expert naturalists, but also enjoy a healthy social life and freedom. It is home to about 60 elephants, including babies found orphaned in the wild. Then accompany the herd to the nearby river and see them taking their daily bath. Many travellers have counted this experience as among the most memorable of their travels in Sri Lanka. Then transfer from Pinnawala to Kandy drive around the Kandy Lake, explore the town bazaar, an arts & crafts centre, as well as a gem museum and lapidary. Continue to visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic. Experience an ancient Kandyan legacy engraved around its crown jewel, the temple of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha. Then, proceed to witness a cultural show. Enjoy the beat of traditional music and drumming amplified by a cultural show enhancing the rich and vibrant culture of the Wonder of Asia, Sri Lanka. After the show return to the hotel for dinner.
Overnight in Kandy.
Day 3: KANDY – PERADENIYA – TEA PLANTATION – NUWARA ELIYA (95km – 2.5 hrs)
After breakfast at the hotel transfer from Kandy to Peradeniya botanical garden. First developed as a pleasure garden under royalty and later harmonized by the British, the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya (today bundled with the most welcoming facilities located just 4 miles off Kandy) is a flourishing national asset in the Wonder of Asia. Walk into this 147-acre bliss of an experience, passing well-tended lawns, pavilions & an octagon conservatory to be greeted by the vast expanse of a magnificently landscaped lush green turf which will encourage you for an exhilarating break. Towards the north of the entrance rests a cafeteria that one might come across before stepping into some of the highlights (the orchid house & giant Javan fig tree) of this place which overflow in grace. Next, arrive and visit a Tea Plantation. Savour Sri Lanka’s most famous product with a visit to a tea plantation and factory. Observe the tea production process from the picking of the leaves to their grading and selection, and finally the manufacture of dried tea leaves. Cap off this experience with a tasting of genuine Ceylon tea in the factory. Continue to Nuwara Eliya, the picturesque lakeside town known as the ‘tea capital’ and as 'Little England'. This is where the British introduced tea production to Sri Lanka. Admire the tidy bungalows with rose lawns, Victoria Park, the racecourse, and the 18-hole golf course that is considered one of the best in South Asia. Other attractions near this charming relic of the empire include the evocatively named Lovers’ Leap waterfall and Sri Lanka’s highest mountain, the 2,500-metre Pidurutalagala, which overlooks the town.
Overnight at Nuwara Eliya.
Day 4: NUWARA ELIYA – ELLA – YALA – TISSAMAHARAMA (180km – 5 hrs)
Breakfast at the hotel drive to Ella and explore the area. Marvel at the breathtaking Ella Gap, offering sweeping views of lush valleys and distant mountains. Explore the iconic Nine Arches Bridge, a stunning feat of engineering surrounded by dense greenery and tea plantations. From Ella transfer to Yala and proceed to your hotel in Tissamaharama. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure and dinner at the hotel.
Overnight at Tissamaharama.
Day 5: TISSAMAHARAMA – YALA – GALLE – MOUNT LAVINIA (300km – 5 hrs)
After Breakfast at the hotel transfer to Yala and enjoy a morning Safari at Yala National Park. As your jeep rumble through the giant gates of Yala, you are not only stepping into the most visited national park in the country but also the lands of a civilization which thrived during the reign of Sri Lankan kings. You name it, and Yala has it! Its usual inmates cover herds of elephant, sloth bear, spotted dear, jackal, extensively populated birdlife as well as the highest density of leopards in the world that garnish the park to be one of the finest destinations in the country. Feel the rough track as your jeep thunders over rocks and swish passing narrow bends for an exhilarating experience blended with the cries of wilderness under the tropical sun. Next, transfer to Galle and upon arrival explore the area. Walk the Dutch-haunted streets listening to the creaks of wooden saloon doors and observe how European architecture mingles with South Asian traditions today flooding cultural enthusiasts on a global scale. Its original ramparts and bastions preserved up to date showcase evidence of a heritage preserved for more than 3 1/2 centuries. Then transfer to Mount Lavinia and check in to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day exploring the area.
Overnight at Mount Lavinia.
Day 6: MOUNT LAVINIA – DEPARTURE COLOMBO (15 km – 0.5 hrs)
After breakfast at the hotel transfer to Colombo Airport for your departure flight.
Comfortable and light clothing is the most suitable for travelling in Sri Lanka. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings. Shoes should be removed before entering a temple or private house. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay. Clients arriving on early morning flights will have to wait until the last tour participant has arrived.
