Highlights

• Visit Sacred Tooth Relic Buddha
• Witness Galle fort that has stood the test of time
• Enjoy the natural bounty of this amazing place
• Trek your way to a magnificent view
• Witness the beauty of Rawana falls and the serenity of the 10th century Buddha statue.
• Relish the plenty of wildlife at Yala National Park and Kalamatiya Bird Sanctuary
• Relaxing time at Mirissa beach
• Weligama - See traditional stilt fishing

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Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: NEGOMBO

Once you turn up at the airport in Colombo, you will be transferred to Negombo. It is a fishing town with a fascinating colonial past. Once a cinnamon source, the Portuguese, British, and Dutch tried to control the port during the spice trade peak. Apart from this, the town is known for the Catholic Church. Today, colonial-style architecture is a common sight in Negombo, and old local cultures exist alongside Western influences. Experience this enthralling town as your first destination in Sri Lanka, and take time to discover your new surroundings as well as chill out in your luxurious hotel. In the evening you can relax on the beach.

DAY 2: HABARANA

After you finish breakfast at the hotel, drive to Dambulla. On the way visit Pinnawala which was opened by the Sri Lankan Government in 1975 for conserving and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants situated at Pinnawala village. Pinnawala has the biggest herd of captive elephants in the world. Dambulla will welcome you with the stunning golden caves. You can hike up to witness the beautiful view of these caves. Then visit Pidurangala Rock temple. Pidurangala is a huge rock situated a few kilometres north of Sigiriya. An ancient cave temple still houses objects from several vintages that imitate Hindu, Buddhist, and western beliefs, and the stupa to the left of the entrance is believed to mark the area where King Kasyapa was cremated.  Upon completion, you will return to your hotel in Sigiriya.

DAY 3: HABARANA

Visit Polonnaruwa, one of Sri Lanka's primaeval capitals and part of the well-known Cultural Triangle. Witness the inspiring and intricately-designed Gal Vihara Temple Complex, which comprises three colossal granite Buddha statues. After that, discover Parakrama Samudra, a 2,500-hectare reservoir built under King Parakramabahu's rule in the 12th century. The city is classified into a new and old town, both of which can be explored on foot easily.

DAY 4: HABARANA

Dambulla is an ancient city which is famous for its stunning cave temples and the iconic Buddha statue. Explore the complex that spans five caves and includes more than 150 Buddha images, some of which date long to the 1st century BC when King Valagambahu took shelter in the caves. A huge reclining Buddha statue rests in the background. Moreover, figures of King Nissankamalla and King Valagambahu, who expanded Dambulla, are also there. After taking a cave complex, go outside, and experience a beautiful view of the nearby countryside.

DAY 5: KANDY

Kandy is known for the famous landmark, the Temple of the Tooth Relic. A UNESCO World Heritage Site tactically nestled amid three mountain ranges; the temple serves as the hill country's entrance. As Kandy was initially built as a natural fortress against foreign invasions, it has stayed largely undamaged. Kandy is Sri Lanka's top destination among international and local visitors. Complete breakfast at the hotel and then visit the various tourist spots of Kandy. Visit Sigiriya Lion's Rock, the world heritage site which boasts of antique Sri Lankan engineering and city planning supremacy but is also acclaimed for being one of the premium monuments of art and culture. Step through the enormous 'Lion Paws' - overlooking the balanced royal gardens below - to understand the absolute magnificence that once dominated this rock stronghold. Bounded by moats and ramparts the Lion Rock is coated by murals that associate with the Gupta style paintings. Later drive towards spice garden at Matale. Matale is known for its extraordinary contribution through flagship crops of the island extending from rubber, tea and spices to vegetables. Stop by the spice garden to observe the therapeutic values of spices while enjoying a refreshing cup of herbal tea! Or spend some time roaming around the hardened streets filled with voices and colours. Continue driving towards Kandy. On arrival, check-in at the hotel. In the evening, enjoy by stepping to the beat of traditional music and drumming augmented by a Kandy Cultural show enhancing the vibrant and rich culture of Sri Lanka.

DAY 6: KANDY

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a stroll across the small lakeside town that features the Kandy City Centre. It is filled with world-class and latest brands, bazaar, gem museum, arts & crafts centre, & lapidary. Visit the temple of the Sacred tooth relic. It crafts a collection of history, culture, and heritage in the minds of visitors worldwide. Experience an ancient Kandyan inheritance engraved around its crown gemstone, the temple of the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha.

DAY 7: ELLA

Experience British and Sri Lankan history in delightful Nuwara Eliya, complete with a quaint train ride via the rainforest. Due to its high elevation, Nuwara Eliya possesses a cooler and more stimulating climate than lower regions. The Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya, situated only 4 miles off Kandy, is a prosperous national asset. Walk into this 147-acre ecstasy of an experience, passing beautiful lawns, pavilions, and an octagon conservatory to be welcomed by the vast expanse of a superbly landscaped verdant green turf, which will motivate you for an exciting break. To the north of the entrance lies a canteen that one may find before stepping into some of the best parts - the orchid house and massive Javan fig tree - of this place, which overflow in grace. On completing the city tour, visit a tea plantation in Nuwara Eliya. Take a tour to the chilly and foggy hills that take pride in an eventual tea tour, covering thriving green layers of tea plantations. You can visit a tea factory processing the esteemed brand of Ceylon Tea. As you see the swishing and hissing of machines, inhaling the wonderful odour coming from these facilities, ensure to end your day in style over a perfectly blended cup of unadulterated Ceylon Tea.

DAY 8: ELLA

Finish your breakfast at the hotel. Then trek to Ella Rock. You will proceed in a tuk-tuk from the hotel to Ella Rock, with the chance to enjoy sightseeing the locality on the way.  On arrival at Ella Rock, the hike will start in the company of your designated guide lasting for a couple of hours. Refreshments will be arranged after the trekking venture. You will visit Nine Arch Bridge Ella Rock after the trek, a famous cliff situated high above Ella, approximately a two-hour tiring hike from the town. The rock offers dramatic views across the hill country and the plains under.

DAY 9: TISSAMAHARAMA

Finish breakfast at the hotel and then progress for a city orientation tour of Ella. Visit Demodara Nine Arch Bridge. The bridge is a viaduct connecting Ella and Demodara train stations. This 100-year-old bridge can be found nearly 3100 feet above sea level. With train service still functioning, check the train schedule and ensure to catch a sight of the bridge in action! Trek to Little Adam's Peak. The path up to the hill is simple to find, and it is marked by signs showing the way. The starting of the trail goes through stunning lush green tea plantations hectic with the tea picking ladies. The trip may take about 2-3 hours in total. Then visit Rawana Falls. This is a stunning waterfall with a foaming spray over a series of ledges into the valley on the brink of a road bend. In general, the rocky underground of the waterfalls in Sri Lanka includes granite; however, here, the material is khondalite, a type of limestone that goes through decomposition faster. Hence, there are caves close to the falls. King Ravana of the epic Ramayana has lived in one of the caves above the waterfalls. Then visit Buduruwagala, the rock with the Buddha statue dating back to the 9th or 10th centuries. Take a close look at its long orange streak, which offers strong evidence that the statue was once painted together with the legendary Buddhist figures' carvings - Avalokitheshwara.

DAY 10: TISSAMAHARAMA

Yala National Park is the heartland of wildlife in Sri Lanka. You can witness sloth bears, elephants, jackals, spotted deer, widely populated birdlife, and leopards. Then visit Kalamatiya Bird sanctuary. This place has a mature mangrove swamp with a range of water birds. You can find Intermediate Egret, Cattle Egret, Asian Openbill, Great Egret, Purple Swamphen, Eurasian Spoonbill, Common Snipe, Glossy Ibis, and Black-winged Stile. Migratory birds include Golden Plover, Pintail, Kentish Plover, Greater, and Lesser Sand Plovers, Curlew, Greenshank, Little Stint, Marsh Sandpiper, Yellow Wagtail, and Curlew Sandpiper.

DAY 11: WELIGAMA

After breakfast, drive to Mirissa. Mirissa beach is situated close to the island's southernmost tip and includes gorgeous beaches that promise a serene holiday. This is a prime location for dolphin and whale watching. The beach also offers opportunities for snorkelling, deep-sea diving, and river trips.

DAY 12: WELIGAMA

Relax on the beach in the morning as you prepare for your last day on this beautiful island. After breakfast, check out of the hotel before driving the short distance to Weligama. Here you can still watch Sri Lankan stilt fishing, a practice that is slowly dying. Adapted during the food shortage of World War 2, fishermen cast a line and wait on stilts to catch small fish. After this head straight to the airport for your flight back home. The optional activity includes an orientation tour of Galle city with visits to Galle Fort and Galle lighthouse.

DAY 13: END OF ITINERARY

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Colombo International airport to board the flight for your onward destination.

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