Itinerary
On arrival at the Bandaranayaka International Airport, you will get your first taste of warm Sri Lankan hospitality; Representative from Travego Sri Lanka (Pvt) Limited will welcome you at the airport and transfer you to Colombo.
Check-in to the hotel and relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer by TUKTUK’s to Colombo Fort Railway Station to enjoy a train ride to Kandy.
DEP: Colombo: 09.45 Hrs
ARR: Peradeniya: 12.45 Hrs
Arrive in Kandy. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings which is a 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 centre, a gem museum and a lapidary. Also if you are interested in Gems & Jewellery you could visit the gem museum shops in the area which is famous for so many years.
Check in to the hotel & relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and visit a Tea Factory and Tea plantation where the best tea in the world is produced. Here you could witness the process of manufacturing tea and can also see how tea is graded.
Also you can experience a session of tea plucking and thereafter Taste a cup of pure Ceylon tea in the factory.
Thereafter visit the Royal 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.
In the evening visit the Temple of the Holy Tooth Relic. Thereafter witness the Cultural Show.
Check in to the hotel & relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
“Cook your Breakfast today”. Today you cook your breakfast together with the Chef. The Chef will demonstrate how the dishes are cooked and you can get involved in preparing few dishes with him/her.
Excursion to Knuckles Mountain Range.
Enjoy a walk through the rice fields by witnessing the day to day life style of the villages. Also you will be passing a natural water stream where if you are interested can have a dip in the clear water.
At the end of the trek you can enjoy a picnic lunch made by the villages. (Trek + Lunch would be approximately 2 ½ - 3 Hrs)
In the afternoon Visit to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.
The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, Established In 1975, Commenced With Seven Orphans. Today Some Of These Orphans Enjoy The Fortune Of Seeing Their Grandchildren Born In The Same Location. The Original Objective Of Establishing The Orphanage Inclined More Towards Tourism, But Is Soon Became A Conservation And Educational Centre. With The Help Of Local And Foreign Elephant Experts, Pinnawela Started A Scientific Captive-Breeding Programme For Elephants. The Free Movement Of The Herd Enhanced The Chances For Respective Individuals Of Both Sexes To Get Together And Mate. The Nearby River Played A Dominant Role In This Regard, And In 1984, The First Baby Of Pinnawela Was Born. The Success Story Of Pinnawela Has Drawn The Attention Of Scientists From All Over The World. A Considerable Number Of Books And Research Articles On Pinnawela Have Been Published In Several Languages. The Members Of The Pinnawela Herd Have Been Filmed, Videoed And Photographed Thousands Of Times By Professionals.
Feeding/Bathing Times : The Orphanage opens at 8.30 in the morning and closes at 6pm daily. Bottle feeding is at 9.15am, 1.15pm & 5pm and bathing times at the river is at 10am and2pm. The bathing hours are followed up by the feeding hour at the main center of the orphanage. Baby elephants are bottle fed.
Check in to the hotel & relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
After breakfast transfer to Sigiriya. Enroute stop at a Spice Garden in Matale.
It is interesting to earn about the Sri Lankan spices as it is a part of the culture. You will also get familiar with herbal medicine which is a very big intense in this country. At the end you have an opportunity to buy Sri Lankan spices, herbal teas & oils if you wish to only.
Thereafter transfer to visit Dambulla Rock Temple.
Dambulla rock temple has been built by king Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. and it is a world heritage site. Also, it is the most impressive of Sri Lanka's cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. metres of painted walls and ceilings is the largest area of paintings found in the world. It contains over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 meters.
Continue the journey to Sigiriya. Check-in to the hotel and relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to 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.
In the afternoon do a Safari at Minneriya National Park By Jeep. The Extent Of The Minneriya National Park Is About 8,889 Hectares. There Are Wet-Lands In This National Park, Which Have International Importance, Animal And Plant Species, Which Are Plenty In Dry Zone Are Found In This Park. Wild Elephants, Various Amphibians, Local And Immigrant Bird Species Are Plenty In This Park. About 160 Species Of Birds, 09 Amphibians, 25 Reptile Species, 26 Fish Species And More Than 78 Butterfly Species Have Been Found In This Area. There Are Bamboo Trees Which Are Rare In Other Parks And Wild Elephants Can Be Seen Conveniently. The Significant Feature Is That These Elephants Can Be Seen Going Closer To Them.
Check in to the hotel & relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and enjoy a cycle trail from Madatugama through the back roads to Aukana. On your way stop at a wayside shop to get refreshed by a King coconut.
Arrive in Aukana. According to legend, the Aukana statue and the Rasvehera statuse are the result of a competition between a stone sculpting guru (master) and gola (pupil).
The story goes that the master constructed the Avukana statue, while the pupil made the statue at Sasseruwa. The first to complete his statue had to notify it to the other by ringing a bell. This is said to be the reason that the Sasseruwa statue is in an unfinished state which has height about 13 meter(39 feets and 3 inches
In the Legend it is said that Master completed his statue first, and won the competition. The Aukana Buddha Statue Beyond Doubt Is The Most Magnificent, Undamaged Statue In Sri Lanka. It Was Built In The Reign Of King Dhatusena In The 5th Century And Is 39 Ft (12 Metres) High. The Name "Aukana" Means "Sun-Eating".
Thereafter transfer to visit Rasvehera to complete witnessing the legendary story between the Master and the Pupil. The statue depicts the Abhaya Mudra ( freedom from fear). Like the Awkana the robe of the Buddha is clinging to the body but the final finishes doesn't seems to have been done.
The pedestal on which the Buddha is carved is not decorated and it is only a square block of stone. One ear is also unfinished. This statue also lacks the "Siraspatha" at the top of the head which is seen in the Awkana statue. But it is said that there has been a wooden "siraspatha" in early days.
Check in to the hotel & relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and do the city tour of Anuradhapura.
The First Indigenous Capital Of Sri Lanka Which Is Claimed To Be The Longest Lived Capital In The World From The 5th Century Bc Till The 10th Century Ad. Some Of The Highlights In Anurathepura Are The Sacred Bodhi Tree Grown From A Sapling Of The Tree Under Which Buddha Attained Enlightenment Which Is The Oldest Tree In The World With A Recorded History, The Massive Relic Temples [Sthupas] That Stand Above 300 Feet Containing Relics Of Lord Buddha, The Samadhi Buddha & The Brazen Palace. When Anurathepura Was Flourishing It Had Been One Of The Richest Cities In Asia & What`S Left Today Is Bear Testament To The Proud & Imaginative People Of The Ancient Kingdom.
In the afternoon visit Mihintale. The Place Where Buddhism Was Introduced To Srilanka. The Walk Up 1840 Small Granite Steps Is Rewarded By Awesome Views & Buddhist Monuments Of Great Significance.
Check in to the hotel & relax.
Dinner & Overnight stay at hotel.
Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to the Airport for the departure flight.
