Sri Lanka Discovery Tour: A Walking Through Time

On your arrival, please clear immigration & visa formalities, collect your baggage and proceed to the arrival lounge through the green channel.

At the arrival lounge, the tour guide will be waiting for you with a Welcome sign bearing your name.

Thereafter you will be assisted to the car park / coach park to begin your journey.

Enjoy your Welcome Dinner & overnight stay at your hotel.

After breakfast, leave for Sigiriya.

En route visit the Elephant Orphanage.

*Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - Approximately 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo - Kandy road is Pinnawela, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now; including Baby Elephants brought from various parts, as well as some of the more than 25 babies born, as a result of the captive breeding programme.

The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0930-1000 hrs and 1330-1400 hrs and the bathing time from 1000-1030 hrs and 1400-1430 hrs when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.

Afterwards check into your hotel in Sigiriya and have dinner at your hotel.

After breakfast travel to Polonnaruwa.

Polonnaruwa was the medieval capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th – 13th C.A.D. Great revival was achieved in the country, politically, economically and socially during the period of Kings Vijayabahu 1, Parakramabahu 1 and Nissankamalla of the Polonnaruwa period. The monument were better preserved than at Anuradhapura. Parakrama Statue, Royal Palaces, Audience Halls, Vata-da-ge, Thuparama, Rankoth Vehera, Kiri-Vehera, GalVihara, Lankathilaka and Tivanka Image House are some of the interesting monuments here.

Afterwards enjoy a city tour in Anuradhapura.

Anuradhapura is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined cities. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagabas constructed of small sun-dried bricks and hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagabas are the Ruvenweli which dates back to the 2nd Century BC and is 300ft in diameter, the Jetawanarama is 370ft and the Thuparama which enshrines the collarbone of the Buddha. The city’s most renewed relic is the sacred Bo Tree which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historic tree in the world.

Afterwards return back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, experience the Village Tour in Sigiriya.

Afterwards, climb the famous Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the evening.

Sigiriya is home to the 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress.

Within its triple-moated defence the huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 500ft. On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of life sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original colour.

Afterwards return back to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast visit Dambulla Temple.

Dambulla is famous for the five cave temples on a rock. The first 3 caves are better, older and larger than the other two. Some caves date to 1st C.B.C. All the 5 cave walls and ceilings are covered with Buddhist murals and there are more than 130 Buddha statues. Statues of Gods and Kings are also found here.

Afterwards travel to Kandy.

In the afternoon, we will visit Kandy Temple. The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - ever since 4th Century A.D, when the Buddha's Tooth was brought to Sri Lanka hidden from sacrilegious hands in an Orissan princess' hair, the Relic has grown in repute and holiness in Sri Lanka and throughout the Buddhist world. It is considered Sri Lanka's most prized possession.

Afterwards check in and have dinner at hotel in Kandy.

After breakfast visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. The Royal Botanical Gardens extend for 147 acres and were started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the King’s of Kandy. There are more than 5000 species of tree and plants. Some endemic as well as flora from the tropical world. Spice garden and Orchid House are popular with tourists.

Enjoy an afternoon city tour in Kandy.

Kandy is the hill capital, venue of the annual Perahera. The last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings was finally ceded to the British in 1815. Kandy is an example of the Buddhism's influence in Sri Lanka today. Temple's shrines and monasteries keeping alive Buddhist traditions are everywhere.

This evening witness the Kandy Cultural Dance Performance.

After breakfast travel to Nuwara Eliya.

In the evening commence a city tour in Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coldest places on the island, but is really just like an English spring day although the temperature does drop at night.

All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence. Houses are like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions. Afterwards check in and have dinner at hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast visit Horton Plains.

The Horton Plains is the only national park in Sri Lanka where visitors are permitted to walk on their own (on designated trails only). The walk to World’s End is 4km, but the trail loops back to Baker’s Falls (2km) and continues back to the entrance (another 3.5km).

The round trip is 9.5km and takes a leisurely three hours. Note that around 9am to 10am the mist usually comes down. All you can expect to see from World’s End after this time is a swirling white wall. If you aim for a 5.30am departure from Nuwara Eliya or Haputale and get to World’s End around 7am, you’ll have a good chance of spectacular views.

Afterwards return back to hotel and have dinner in Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast travel to Yala.

Enjoy an evening safari at Yala National Park.

Yala is a haven for fauna both indigenous and migrant. Bird concentrations are by the Lagoons. Here are thousands of flamingos, assemblies of spotted billed, Spoonbills, Cormorants and various species of herons. pheasants, pea fowl, peacocks and the wild fowl are found in hundreds. Wild buffalo and herds of wild elephants are a common sight. Whether it is birds or animals you have them all at Yala.

Afterwards check in to hotel and have dinner in Yala.

After breakfast leave for Galle's city tour.

Galle Fort, in the Bay of Galle on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, was built first in 1588 by the Portuguese, and then extensively fortified by the Dutch during the 17th century from 1649 onwards. It is a historical, archeological and architectural heritage monument.

En route visit Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery.

Afterwards check in and have dinner at hotel in Bentota.

Today is free for you to explore around Benota.

Optional, you can experience whale watching in Mirissa.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Benota.

Another free day for you to select an attraction of your choice, local shopping or relaxing at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at hotel in Benota.

After breakfast travel to Colombo for a city tour.

Drive through Colombo city to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. Visit Fort, the former British administrative centre and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area, where there is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings, and the Dutch Church of Wolfe Dhal dating back to 1749.

Also visit the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), see the replica of Avukana Buddha and Independence Square.

Afterwards check into hotel for dinner & overnight stay in Colombo.

Today, depending on your flight schedule, we will transfer you to the airport for your departure flight.