Sri Lanka

On arrive in Sri Lanka, you will be welcomed and assisted by a representative and you will be then transferred to your hotel in Kandy.

En route:

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Approx 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 the 23 baby elephants born as a result of the captive breeding program. 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.

Kandy – The hill capital is another “World Heritage Sites”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally lost to the British in 1815 after an agreement. To the Buddhist of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. The Bathing Pavilion (Ulpenge) is by the Lake and in the Center of the lake is the Island called “Kiri samudraya” (Milk white ocean) used by the kings as the summer house. Today it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture. Visitors can see these Dance & Music at the daily Cultural Performances held at several places in the city.

Rest of the day at leisure in the hotel.

 Overnight stay at your hotel in Kandy (D)

Breakfast will be served at the hotel. 

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic – Ever since 4^th 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.

Royal Botanical Gardens – Started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Gampola and Kandy.  There are more than 5,000 species of trees, plants and creepers. Some rare and endemic as well as flora from the tropical world are found in the gardens.  Spice Garden and Orchid House are popular with tourists. There are 5 Palm Avenues beautifying the gardens, the earliest and tallest Palm Avenue (Royal Palm Avenue) was planted in 1905 and the Double Coconuts from the Seashells Island, with the largest seed of all plants in the world are one such avenue

Visit to gem and lapidary museum in Kandy

Evening visit Cultural show in Kandy.

Overnight stay at your hotel in Kandy (B, D)

Breakfast will be served at the Hotel, proceed on your transfer to Nuwara Eliya.

The tea factories found on most tea estates play a vital role in the final value of the manufactured tea. Regardless of how carefully the leaf has been grown and plucked, if the processes at the factory are not carried out properly the end result will be of a poor quality. A tea factory is a multi-storied building, almost always sited on the tea estates to ensure that the time between plucking and processing tea is kept to a minimum. Once the tea leaves arrive at the factory they are spread across the upper floors of the building in troughs – a process known as withering. Withering removes all excess moisture in the leaf to make it pliable.

Arrive and Check in at the hotel.

Rest of the day at leisure in the hotel.

Overnight stay at your hotel in Nuwara Eliya (B, D)

Breakfast will be served at the hotel.

Proceed for a visit to visit Sita Amman temple

Evening commence of sightseeing of Nuwaraeliya,

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 coolest places in the Island, but it 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 like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions. The Victoria Park, in the middle of the town, is a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in the spring (March to May) and the fall (August and September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eliya to escape the sea level heat and humidity.

Overnight stay at your hotel in Nuwara Eliya (B, D)

Breakfast will be served at the Hotel, later proceed to Bentota.

Optional: En route visit Turtle hatchery and 01 hour bentota river boat safari

Arrive and Check in the Hotel,

Bentota – is the first National Holiday Resort developed by the Ceylon Tourist Board as a planned resort. There are 6 tourist hotels in the beach span of 5 miles with all the facilities a resort would require.

Water sports facilities are available as in the Beruwela Resort Many interesting sightseeing tours are possible from here, such as the Turtle Hatchery, Mask factory, Boat trips on Bentota River etc.

 Overnight stay at your hotel in Bentota (B, D)

Breakfast will be served at the Hotel, later we proceed on your transfer to Colombo

Arrive into Colombo and Check In.

Rest of the day is free at leisure at the hotel or free time for shopping.

Overnight stay at your hotel in Colombo (B, D)

Breakfast will be served at the hotel.

Colombo – Colombo was only a small seaport, which came into prominence in the 16^th Century with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505 and the development of it as a major Harbour during the British period and became the capital in 1815 after Kandy was ceded to the British.The remains of the buildings during the period and the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule are found in every area of the city.    None of the Portuguese & Dutch fortifications are found today but some of their buildings and churches could be seen in the Fort & Pettah areas.

Visit Fort, the former British administrative center 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, the Kaymans Gate with the Belfry at the original gate to enter the Fort, the Dutch Church of Wolfendhaal dating back to 1749, Kelaniya Buddhist Temple, Davatagaha Mosque, Colombo Museum and the Natural History Museum are some of the sites to be visited. Also visit the BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall), see the replica of Avukana Buddha and the Independence Square.

Leisure at the hotel.

Overnight stay at your hotel in Colombo (B, D)

After breakfast proceed to airport to connect the departure flight (B)