Discover Sri Lanka
Colombo
- Negombo - Trincomale - Anuradthapura - Giritale - Polonnaruwa - Sigiriya
- Kandy - Nuwara Eliya
( 9 Days/8 Nights )
Day
1: Arrive Colombo
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: Nogombo - Trincomale
After breakfast, we hit the road to Trincomale - is the eastern trip
of Sri Lanka, where has one of the word's finest harbors with its long
clean beaches, great surf, colorful town and shrubby park teeming with
wildlife. Dinner and stay overnight at hotel.
Day 3: Trincomale
After breakfast, rest of the day is at your own leisure on the beach
and then you will be transited to alternative hotel. Dinner and stay
overnight at hotel.
Day 4: Tricomale - Anuradhapura
After breakfast, we travel overland to Anuradhapura. Lunch will be provided
at Miridiya Hotel. Visit Anuradhapura - it was the first capital and
undoubtedly the grandest city of the ancient Sri Lanka. It is the home
of two World Heritage sites. Many places of historical and archaeological
interest could be visited. Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bo-Tree) was brought
as a sapling of the tree under which prince Siddhartha attained to enlightenment
and it is over 2,200 years old and is the oldest historically documented
tree in the world. At Brazen Palace (2nd century B.C), the 1600 stone
columns you see are all that is left of a magnificent multi-storied
residence for monks. Ruwanweliseya (2nd century B.C) is the most famous
of all the Dagobas. It originally depicted the perfect 'bubble shape"
that modern restoration has not been able to accurately reproduce. 'Samadhi'
Buddha statue (4th century AD) is one of the most famous statues, depicting
the Buddha in a state of 'Samadhi' or deep meditation. Thuparama Dagoba
(3rd century B.C) is the oldest Dagoba in the island, which enshrines
the right collarbone of the Buddha. You will be transferred to Giritale
in the late afternoon. Dinner and stay overnight.
Day
5: Anuradhapura - Plonnaruwa - Sigiriya
After breakfast, sightseeing tour of Polonnaruwa, which was the 2nd
capital city of Sri Lanka, built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD,
and which is a world heritage site. Here you can see the ruins of the
Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya -where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha
in 'Upright', 'Sedentary`' and 'Recumbent' postures carved out of rock,
the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, King Parakramabahu's statue, and
the Parakrama Samudraya Lake built by King Parakramabahu the great.
There are also monuments of famous places of worship such as the Shiva
Temple, the Lankathilake, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vehera
and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth Relic. Transfer from
Polonnaruwa to Sigiriya. Lunch will be served at hotel.
We
will proceed to Sigiriya in the afternoon; climb the 5th century Sigiriya
rock fortress which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa
(477-495 AD). The 'Lion Rock' is a citadel of unusual beauty rising
200 metres from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold
of the 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens
including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit
the world-renowned frescoes of the 'Heavenly Maidens' of Sigiriya, which
are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway.
These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster. Dinner and
sty overnight at hotel.
Day 06: Sigiriya - Kandy
After breakfast, we keep moving to Kandy via Dambulla. Visit the Dambulla
Rock Temple. Climb up to the temple, which was donated by king Walagambahu
in the 1st century BC to Buddhist monks. Dambulla is a World Heritage
site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka's cave temples. The complex
of five caves with over 2000 sq. metres of painted walls and the ceiling
is the largest area of paintings found in the world. These caves contain
over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure
of the Buddha carved out of rock spanning 14 metres. Transfer from Dambulla
to Matale, we will visit a spice garden in Matale to see the different
spices, which Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different
spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed. Transfer
from Matale to Kandy. Lunch will be provided at Senani Restaurant.
Start
the afternoon visit with city tour of Kandy, was the last capital of
the Sri Lankan, which is one of the World Heritage site. The name Kandy
conjures visions of splendor and magnificence. Many of the legends,
traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Drive around
the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe
in 1798. Visit the Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts & crafts enter
and a gem museum and a lapidary.
The last stop is the Temple of the Tooth Relic and thereafter you will
be witnessed a cultural show featuring traditional Sri Lankan dancing.
Dinner and stay overnight
Day 7: Kandy - Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast, we proceed to Nuwara Eliya with en route visit the
Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. This botanical garden was first built
as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala king and was expanded by the British.
It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees,
plants and flowers. Thereafter transfer from Peradeniya to Colombo.
We serve you a lunch at Ramboda Falls Inn.
You
are free in the afternoon or enjoy yourself to explore the scenic surroundings
of the hill station.*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 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. Dinner and stay overnight
Day 8: Nuwara Eliya - Colombo
After breakfast, we continue driving to Colombo via Kitulgala. En route
view scenic water falls. Lunch will be served at Plantation hotel. We
commence the afternoon visit of Colombo city tour. Colombo like many
capital cities in developing countries is fast changing its face. Almost
overnight, skyscrapers arise from where old buildings once stood. Yet
in some parts, the Old World charm is retained. As an example there
is a 100 year old clock tower and several British built colonial buildings.
Other places of interest are the Pettah Bazaar where one can shop for
a bargain, the old Parliament in Fort, a Hindu and a Buddhist temple,
residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent and
the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall - BMICH, an
outright gift to Sri Lanka from the People's Republic of China.
Before
upcoming sunset, we take you to visit Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Temple;
Buddhist Temple traditionally believed to be the site visited by the
Buddha 2500 years ago. According to the Mahavamsa, the unusual "paddy-heap"
shaped dagoba at Kelaniya marks the spot where the Buddha, on the request
of a Naga King, sat on a "gem-studded throne" to preach the
Dharma to his subjects and convert them. It is ascribed to King Yatala
Tissa of the 03rd Century. Enjoy your dinner at a local Chinese Restaurant.
Day 9: Depart Colombo
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Bandaranaike International
Airport in Katunayake, to connect your next departure flight .
