Culture and Heritage Sri Lanka in 6 Days

per person

Route

TOUR ITINERARY

*Price starting from USD 550 per person (T&C Apply).

Negombo – Sigiriya – Kandy

Day 01: Arrive Negombo

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 Negombo. Approximate travel time from Airport to Negombo is 45 mins.

Check in Hotel and relax at leisure in the Hotel

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Negombo

Day 02: Negombo – Pinnawela – Polonnaruwa – Sigiriya/Dambulla

Breakfast at Hotel

Proceed to Sigiriya/Dambulla

En route, Visit Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage

The Elephant Orphanage has the biggest crowd of orphaned elephants on the planet, with the greater part of elephants having either lost their mom, isolated from the group, or found in the wild in a debilitated state; this bliss has provided these animals with sanctuary. The Pinnawala Elephant Orphange spans across 25 acres of land and is situated in near to the Maha Oya, which is the place the elephants are taken for baths – it is quite a spectacle! During this time all the babies less than three years of age are still bottle fed by the mahouts and if you are just lucky you would get to fed one of these adorable creatures.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Sigiriya/Dambulla

Day 03: Sigiriya/Dambulla – Minneriya – Sigiriya/Dambulla

Early 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-preservedCity Centre in Asia. Earlier is 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.

Thereafter Transfer to Polonnaruwa Ancient City – second ancient capital of Sri Lanka.

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. Its beauty and serenity were 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.

Thereafter, Proceed to Minneriya for an evening Safari in the National Park

When exploring wild life in Sri Lanka the Minneriya National park in North Central Province gives the opportunity 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 Minneria has a historical importance, having been built by King Mahasen in third century AD.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Sigiriya/Dambulla

Day 04: Sigiriya – Matale – Kandy(Drive)

Breakfast at hotel and Check out

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

En route, Visit Dambulla Cave Temples

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.

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.

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

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Kandy

Day 05: Kandy

Breakfast at Hotel

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.

Excursion to Nuwara Eliya to visit a Tea factory

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 land marks.

Overnight stay at the Hotel in Kandy