Classic Sri Lanka in 11 Days

per person

Route

TOUR ITINERARY

*Price starting from USD 980 per person (T&C Apply).

Sigiriya – Kandy – Nuwara Eliya – Yala – Galle – Bentota

Day 01: Arrive Sigiriya/Dambulla

Upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport (CMB), after clearing immigration and customs formalities, you are met and greeted by our representative at the arrival lounge and will be escorted to your vehicle for transfer to Sigiriya/Dambulla. Approximate travel time from Airport to Sigiriya/Dambulla is 3 hours.

Upon arrival, check in at hotel in Sigiriya/Dambulla

Thereafter, relax at leisure in hotel.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Sigiriya/Dambulla

Day 02: Sigiriya/Dambulla

Breakfast at Hotel

Visit Polonnaruwa Ancient City (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. It’s 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.

Visit Dambulla Cave Temples

An astonishing Dambulla. home to the largest cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. Isolated from the rest of the world, Dambulla cave temple is by far the most noteworthy of all the numerous cave sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. With a mysterious history dating back to 2nd or 1st century, Cave temple houses different religious monuments and statues, among them are 48 of the Buddha statues; are statues of Upulvan (Vishnu) and Saman dating from the twelfth Century.

PM Safari in the Minneriya National Park

When exploring wildlife in Sri Lanka the Minneriya National Park in North Central Province gives the opportunity to encounter herds of Elephants throughout the year. Period in May to October is the best timeline to visit Minneriya National Park in view of the famous Gathering of the wild elephants. It is the largest known meeting place of Asian Elephants in the world. This period is believed to herd up to 300 elephants. Sri Lankan elephants are attracted to grass fields on the edges of the reservoir during the dry season. The tank is also named as Minneriya has a historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Sigiriya/Dambulla

Day 03: Sigiriya –Matale – Kandy (Drive)

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-preserved City Centre in Asia. Earlier it 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.

Check out and Transfer to Kandy via Matale (2 ½ hours approx.)

En route, Lunch at a Local Spice Garden in Matale

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. You 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. Enjoy a Traditional Sri Lankan Cuisine Lunch before proceeding towards Kandy.

Transfer to Kandy from Matale

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 Esala Perahara. 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.

Visit to the Temple of Tooth Relic

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.

Check in at the hotel in Kandy and Relax for the day.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Kandy

Day 04: Kandy – Nuwara Eliya (Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel and Check out.

Visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

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.

Transfer from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya (3 hours approx.)

En-route visit a Tea Plantation

Upon Arrival, Nuwara Eliya City Tour

Nuwara Eliya meaning “city on the plain or “city of light” is a town in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. It is one of the major tea producing areas in the world. The tallest mountain in Sri Lanka “Pidurutalagala” oversees this beautiful city. It is the most visited hill country.

Nuwara Eliya is said to have been founded by a couple of British officers who apparently got lost while elephant hunting. The British Governor Sir Edward Barnes was notified about the town and he himself decided to reside at Nuwara Eliya and subsequently creating a health resort that was internationally renowned. The town was later the ultimate destination for English pastimes such as golf, fox hunting, polo, etc. Nuwara Eliya also has an archeological importance as well in which pre-historic human remains are found. The city has a good reflection of the colonial period while new hotels are furnished according to the colonial era.

Sri Lanka produces a significant share of the world’s best tea and in the meantime is also one of the world’s largest exporters of tea. Since the introduction of tea to Sri Lanka in mid 19the century Nuwara Eliya has been the capital of the tea industry. “Little England” is also home to some beautiful waterfalls such as Ramboda Falls, Devon Falls, and Laksapana Falls. Trekking and hiking expeditions usually evolve around these landmarks.

Transfer to Hotel in Nuwara Eliya and Check in.

Dinner and Overnight stay at the Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

Day 05: Nuwara Eliya

Breakfast at Hotel

Visit Horton Plains

Horton Plains, the highest plateau in the country. It is one of the very important National parks in Sri Lanka especially for its topographical variations. It has unique vegetation and is famous for many rare and endemic highland birds. The most enchanting physical feature of the Horton Plains is the escarpment that falls 880 meters to the lowlands of the southern region of the island. Aptly known as the ‘World’s End’ the view from the precipice of the countryside below towards the south coast is spectacular. Dawn or early morning is the best time for observing it.

Free at leisure & enjoy scenic beauty.

Visit to Lake Gregory (optional)

Follow the ancient British era tradition of relaxing picnics on the shore of the lake, or more modern leisure activities such as rides in swan shaped paddle boats, normal boat rides, pony rides along the shore, water walking balls, watersports such as jet skis, windsurfing etc. As such with these many attractions Gregory Lake is a family friendly historic location of Sri Lanka, attracting many holiday makers who visit the country.

Experience tea plucking (optional)

The best pleasure you will take away from visiting a tea factory would be plucking tea from a real tea plantation. You can also have the full experience of adorning the classic saree that is so synonymous with Sri Lankan tea pluckers. Obviously, men can wear sarongs and you’ll be given your own basket to store your leaves in. You are then taken down to the tea fields with the full kit complete. The local planting guides will show you which tea leaves to pluck to get the best tea tasting menu. The plucking process can be a little difficult to complete, as you will usually find yourself with the tea leaves ended up on the floor instead of the container. In spite of how many leaves you pick, the professional tea pluckers that follow you will leave you way, way behind. They are like machines filling their buckets with amazing energy. This is mainly because they must reach their 15-kilogram leaves daily target.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

Day 06: Nuwara Eliya – Ella – Yala (Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel and Check out.

Proceed to Yala via Ella.

Ella often described as ‘’lonely planet’’ and ‘’waterfall’’ is a congested town located in Sri Lanka. Ella is pure natural beauty, with its waterfalls, greenery, and hills it is just jaw-dropping. It has views that one hasn’t witnessed before, scenes one hasn’t seen before and nature one hasn’t felt before. Ella is the perfect place to go to if one wants to refresh the brain. It has many famous places and has been under the attention of tourist for a decent amount of time now.Ella is filled with nature; everywhere one sees he gets to know why people want to visit Ella so much. The greenery, flowers, gardens all of them shape the beauty of Ella, a shape that is difficult to resist. The environment is fresh and clean.

The Demodara nine arch bridge close to Ella station is as picturesque as bridges get. Visitors can ride the train over the bridge and walk along it in the other direction if they spend a night in the area. The bridge was constructed in the early 1900’s and is built completely out of rocks and cement without a single bit of steel. The views from the window will have you snapping photos at every turn. The journey through the hill country not only gives you countless breathtaking sights, but it also takes you through long dark tunnels where there is always fun for the passengers, yelling while the train travels through the tunnels.

Visit Ravana cave and Ravana Falls

In the misty mountains of tropical Sri Lanka, the wide Ravana falls gushes down a height of 82 feet falling from an oval concave rock. It takes the form of a drooping areca flower during the peak season of its water flow, but its size is reduced dramatically during the dry season. Located in the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary in Ella, this waterfall is the source of many legends and secrets.

Flying Ravana

Soar through the air on the fastest mega zip line in South Asia offered by Flying Ravana – a hair-raising ride you have to believe in. Flying Ravana is the first ever mega-dual zip liner in Sri Lanka, situated in the midst of Ella ‘s magnificent green estates. It stretches for a length of more than half a kilometer, slides at max. 80 km / h and has a panorama of the lovely hills of the island from a bird’s eye view. Flying Ravana is true, Ella in all its glory. It is designed exclusively for adventure enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies who need an experience not so ordinary on the hillside. Cocooned in Badulla District of Sri Lanka is a safe haven full of natural beauty and the cool weather to be enjoyed. Ella allows the relaxed and the inquisitive to travel in some of the most cherished destinations in Sri Lanka. This cozy hamlet lies 3.415 ft. above sea level and 200 km east of the capital, Colombo. It consists of many flora and fauna, combined with towering mountain ranges and scenic waterfalls and has a beautiful ecological landscape.

Optional: Hike to Mini Adams Peak

Little Adam’s Peak attracts many travelers who come to Sri Lanka. Gradually with an easy hike up to the mountain of Little Adams Peak you can consummation a worth panoramic view. You have to walk through lush green tea plantations, waterfalls and paddy fields while enjoying the sceneries.

Upon arrival check in at Hotel in Yala

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Yala

Day 07: Yala

Breakfast at Hotel

Morning Visit to the Yala National Park for Jeep Safari

Yala National Park is situated in the south-east region of Sri Lanka and is the 2nd largest National Park in the island, situated some 300 km away from Colombo. It was at first established in the early 1890s as a game sanctuary. The park is located in the dry-zone region where the drought season is very long. The day time average temperature is over 30 degrees which is not uncommon in the region. “Yala Safari” A dream destination for all wildlife enthusiasts; be it its leopard cubs seeking refuge on a tree, or an adult leopard quenching its thirst at a water hole, the leopard sightings in this nature reserve are many and varied and you are able to witness these wonders on a jeep safari where you can literally observe them from a close range. The parkland makes up most of the reserve but also includes lakes, beaches, jungle, rivers and scrubland. This variety in habitats provides an excellent range in wildlife. The largest concentration of Leopards can be seen in this region though the chances of seeing this animal are very low, and the creature is said to be one of the most endangered species. About 32 species of mammals, 125 species of birds and many reptiles and lagoon fauna species have been recorded in the park. The Yala National Park is famous among visitors as the best place to view large mammals within one territory.

Evening Visit to the Yala National Park for Jeep Safari

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Yala

Day 08: Yala – Galle(Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel and Check Out

Proceed to Galle, Sightseeing at Galle

Galle is situated in the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka; it is one of the country’s integral cities. Galle has a colorful history and beauty that renders many speechless. The city is filled with Dutch-colonial buildings people come from faraway places to see. The air is filled with the sweet smell of spices and the salty winds give it an authentic recognition. The fort built by the Portuguese in 1588 holds most of the attention as you can explore the city of Galle through its walls. The Fort has a multi-religious ethnic population and embedded deep inside its walls is a rich history people are besotted with. This glorious building suffered through the Boxing Day Tsunami and was later restored to its magnificent beauty. It has been given the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its endless glory. It’s a beautiful travelling location which gives you an experience that’s hard to forget.Galle is filled with art that’s rare, the streets are filled with people who are ambitious and hardworking, showcasing their efforts in one the best displays that please the eye immensely. The classic architecture fuses with the tropical setting that’s the envy of many man-made resorts and architects. Galle is said to be a heavenly piece of art, tropical heaven and rich in history.

Return to Hotel relax at the beach relishing the sunsets

Upon arrival check into hotel and relax at leisure enjoying the beach and hotel amenities

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Galle

Day 09: Galle – Bentota (Drive)

Breakfast at Hotel

Proceed to Bentota

En route, Visit Turtle Hatchery

Sea Turtle Farm and Hatchery, get intimate and connect with the world’s majestic creatures. The turtle hatchery breeds, discharges, and rehabilitates endangered ocean turtles of any age. Visit the haven with one of the learned aides, who will show you about these uncanny creatures. You will likewise have the chance to hold and, with some good fortune, release the animals back into the wild waves.

Check in at Hotel

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bentota

Day 10: Bentota

Breakfast at Hotel

Madu Ganga River Safari

You will be visiting the quiet town of Balapitiya, to visit the Madu Ganga River; the specialty of this river is that it is conjoined with a mangrove lagoon amalgamated to the ocean by a thin waterway and containing 28 islands, some of which are inhabited. Considered as the second largest wetland in Sri Lanka, you will get to experience the high bio-diversity as well the local community who engages in shrimp farming using traditional methods. Finally, you can visit a cinnamon island and study out how the zest is removed from tree husk, or watch riverside houses and sanctuaries with antique stone pieces and oil lights and end your trip with a natural fish therapy; hundreds of fish come and gently nibble the dead skin of your legs.

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

Bentota is the perfect spot to regain your energy; with its wide waterfront extend and huge tidal lagoon, is enthusiastic about beach sports. It used to be a place to lay while in transit to Galapatha Temple, which legend claims is connected by a labyrinth of underground passages with every single other sanctuary in the region. Also an extensive variety of beach-sports, including plane skiing, cruising and even whale and dolphin watching, there are an assortment of ways you can lay off some steam and appreciate calm and beauty of Bentota Beach.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Bentota