Sri Lanka Splendours
           
          Colombo - Negombo - Anuradthapura - Giritale - 
          Polonnaruwa - Sigiriya - Kandy - Yala National Park 
          ( 8 Days / 7 Nights )
          
          
        Day 
          1/ Arrive Colombo - Negombo
          Meet on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, 
          30 km north of Colombo. A warm welcome by our representative, and then 
          we drive you along the road of the Negombo scenery to your hotel selected. 
          Stay overnight.
        Day 
          2 / Negombo - Sigiriya
          After breakfast tour of the fishing village, Negombo, which is a famous 
          fishing village North of Colombo, with a Dutch built Canal. The canal 
          istself is a hive of activity with all the fishermen traveling up and 
          down in their gaily-painted boats. On the shores of the canal, you will 
          find many homes and churches and many species of birds including spectacular 
          Kingfishers and also Parrots. Catamaran trips in the sea and boat trips 
          in canal can be organized. From November to April, diving facilities 
          are available in this quaint village. The streets on either side of 
          the Hotels are dotted with Souvenir Ships, Restaurant etc.
        Lunch 
          at Gimanhala Restaurant - Gimanhala.
        Afternoon 
          proceed to Sigiriya, climbing the Rock Fortress. 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 500 ft. On its summit are the foundations of what 
          was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with the 
          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 color.
        Dinner 
          and overnight at hotel.
        Day 
          3 / Sigiriya - Anuradhapura - Polonnaruwa
          After breakfast leave for Anuradhapura for sightseeing. 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 
          Ruvanveli 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 renowned 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 its the 
          oldest historic tree in the world.
        Lunch 
          at Miridiya Hotel - Anuradhapura.
        After 
          lunch proceed to Polonnaruwa & commence sightseeing tour. Polonnaruwa 
          is the Capital of Sri Lanka from 11th-13th Century, contains some splendid 
          and spectacular statues. Lankatileke, Tivanka and Thuparama are the 
          most beautiful and largest shine ruins and Tivanka has the best example 
          of frescoes of the Polonnaruwa period. Rankot Vihara and Kiriwehera 
          are well preserved large stupas and Gal Vihare, a rock shine, has four 
          Buddha statues, two seated, one standing and one reclining and Parakrama 
          Bahu statue are examples of Sinhalese stone carver. The Vata-da-te is 
          a unique creation of the Sri Lankan artistes.
        Dinner 
          and overnight stay at hotel.
        Day 
          4 / Polonnaruwa - Kandy
          After breakfast leave for Kandy. En route visit a Spice Garden at Matale 
          and see the luscious, Cinnamon's, Cardamoms, Pepper plants etc. You 
          can also purchase your requirements of spices. Afterwards visit a Batik 
          Factory where you can see the manufacture of beautiful Batik prints. 
          The ship contains a wide variety of Batik items.
        Lunch 
          at hotel.
        Afternoon 
          city tour of Kandy, including the Upper Lake Drive, Market Square Arts 
          & Crafts Center and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. 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 shines 
          and monasteries keeping alive Buddhist traditions are everywhere. Temple 
          of the Sacred Tooth Relic, built since 4th Century A.D., when the Buddha's 
          Tooth was brought to Sri Lanka hidden from sacrilegious hands in an 
          Orissan princess's 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. 
        Evening 
          view a cultural show featuring various dance types of Sri Lanka. Dinner 
          and overnight at hotel.
        Day 
          5 / Kandy - Nuwara Eliya
          After breakfast leave for Nuwara Eliya. En route visit a tea estate 
          and a factory. 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 jut like an England 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.
        Lunch 
          at hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
        Day 
          6: Nuwara Eliya - Galle
          After breakfast leave for Galle. Lunch en route. Afternoon, take city 
          tour of Galle, was the most ancient and important harbor of the country 
          until the Colombo harbor was established. Galle is identified as the 
          "Tarshis" of the bible. This was captured by the Portuguese 
          in 1587 A.D., Dutch in 1640 A.D., and British in 1796 A.D.
        Also 
          a visit to Julalongkorn Thammasala Temple. Evening at leisure. Dinner 
          and overnight stay at hotel.
        Day 
          7 / Galle - Colombo
          After breakfast leave for Colombo. 
        Lunch 
          at Siam House, Thai restaurant. After lunch, take a city tour, drive 
          through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as 
          the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. 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 
          is also, a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carving, and the Dutch 
          Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. The historic Dawatagaha Mosque 
          and the former Eye Hospital are two buildings in Cinnamon Gardens worth 
          looking at. Also visit the BMICH, see the replica of Avukana Buddha 
          and the Independence Square.
        Visit 
          the Mlesna exquisite tea boutique, cashew nut ship, ready made garments 
          and all sorts at Majestic City. Visit the Lanka Ceramics Center, a place 
          where you can buy "NORITAKE SET" or other ceramic items, visit 
          the Odel shop at Lipton place and "House of Fashion". 
        Dinner 
          and overnight stay at hotel.
        Day 
          8 / Depart Colombo 
          After breakfast, we transfer to airport for your departure flight.