Arrival at the Bandaranayke International Airport early morning. We’ll drive to your first hotel in Kandy. On the way visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage. It is established in 1975 as place for shelter and cares the wounded elephants and abandoned baby elephants found in jungle. This is covered an area over 24 acre land. It was under the department of Department of Wildlife but now under the National Zoological Garden. The main daily activities taken place in the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage are feeding milk to baby elephants and the bathing sessions
Overnight at the Topaz Hotel 3*
Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will leave for Sigiriya. On the way visit the Matale Spice Garden. During past history Sri Lanka known as Taprobane, was world renowned for its Quality Spices. In the 16th century Ceylon, as it was then known, was discovered by Portuguese who soon began trading in cinnamon and other spices. The Dutch and British followed bringing with them their own history and influences, forming a strong Western presence which created a history of food expressed with spices which can be tasted in the dishes today. Spices are an essential element of the cuisine of Sri Lanka and the Ayurvedic tradition and a visit to a garden specializes in the cultivation of these substances and an excellent way for purposes of new uses of certain ingredients that perhaps though they knew well. Find cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom and black pepper, to name a few. Europeans can buy the products in their natural state or in the form of oils and potions that are used by Ayurvedic medicine, during the Dutch, very famous spices of Sri Lanka.
On arrival to Sigiriya, climb the UNESCO World Heritage site Sigiriya Rock, part of Sri Lanka’s ‘Cultural Triangle’, where you will have a chance to gaze over the stunning views of Central Sri Lanka. Sigiriya (sometimes called Lion’s Rock) is the ruins of an ancient palace in a 200m high rock fortress, overlooking the beautiful plains of North-Central Sri Lanka. Built for an exiled Indian prince, the breathtaking ruins are one of Sri Lanka’s main tourist attractions and date back to AD 477. Despite its age, Sigiriya still retains much of its former beauty and features some of the finest examples of ancient art in the form of wall paintings, as well as a network of attractive gardens and reservoirs, and Sigiriya’s namesake – a gigantic pair of lion’s paws cut into the rock. With its fascinating history and unerring beauty, Sigiriya is often referred to as the 8th wonder of the world and the UNESCO-sponsored Central Cultural Fund has even restored Sigiriya’s 5th century Water Gardens, so that you can get a glimpse of what Sigiriya might have. Proceed back to the hotel in Kandy.
Overnight at the Topaz Hotel 3*
After breakfast leave for Kandy railway station to take the train to Nuwaraeliya.
Also called “Little England”, Nuwara Eliya is a treasure of Sri Lanka’s colonial past. The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is known for its temperate, cool climate — the coolest area in Sri Lanka. There are many tourist attraction in Nuwara Eliya, which you can take time to explore. Gregory Lake is one of the main tourist attractions in the town. There are breathtakingly beautiful views surrounding the lake.
Overnight at Oak Ray Summer Hill Breeze 3*
After breakfast leave for Ella. On the way visit Seetha Amman Temple Seetha Amman Temple is located approximately 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from Hakgala Botanical Garden and 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) from Nuwara Eliya. The temple is located in the village of Seetha Eliya (also known as Sita Eliya). This place is believed to be the site where Sita was held captive by (Vikram) king Ravana, and where she prayed daily for Rama to come and rescue her in the Hindu epic, Ramayana. On the rock face across the stream are circular depressions said to be the footprints of Rawana’s elephant.
Visit Ella . Ella is a small town in the Badulla District of Uva Province, Sri Lanka governed by an Urban Council. It is approximately 200 kilometres (120 mi) east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 metres (3,415 ft) above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Ella is surrounded by hills covered with cloud forests and tea plantations. The town has a cooler climate than surrounding lowlands, due to its elevation. The Ella Gap allows views across the southern plains of Sri Lanka
Overnight at Oak Ray Ella Gap 3*
After breakfast you will be visiting the Ravana Waterfall. This waterfall measures approximately 25 m (82 ft) in height and cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. During the local wet season, the waterfall turns into what is said to resemble an areca flower with withering petals. But this is not the case in the dry season, where the flow of water reduces dramatically. The falls form part of the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary, and is located 6 km (3.7 mi) away from the local railway station at Ella.Proceed to Yala
Afternoon visit Yala National Park. Yala National Park is famously known for its highest concentration of leopard in the world and this is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka. The park is primarily shrub jungle with rocky out crops that dot the park, along with several salt and fresh water lagoons. Rain is received mainly during the northeast monsoon usually from May to September. At the Yala national park visitors could spot leopards, elephants, sloth bear, Sambar and spotted deer, jackal, mongoose, wild boar, wild buffaloes, langur and macaque monkeys. Yala is also famous for its bird life. There are around 130 species of birds that have been spotted at the premises including black necked stork, sandpipers, pelicans, egrets, hoopoes, parakeets and bulbuls. One could spot peacocks as soon as they enter the park unlike the evasive jungle fowl, the national bird of Sri Lanka.
Overnight at the Hibiscus Garden 3*
Today you will be leavig for Bentota. On the way you will be visitng the Galle Fort. Galle is a bustling provincial capital and administrative centre for the South. Once a port, Galle was Sri Lanka’s first international commerce and trade centre, and the streets are still awash with a cosmopolitan range of goods available to buy in exotic markets and quirky art galleries. The Dutch presence is still visible in Galle, and should you want to retrace the footsteps of the Dutch rule, let our guide give you the tour of the Old Dutch fort (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the Dutch Government House, the former New Oriental Hotel (built in 1684), the old bell tower, and the Dutch tide-based sewage system. Proceed to your hotel.
Overnight at the Temple Tree Resort 4*
Breakfast at the hotel. Relax at the beach. Overnight at the Temple Tree Resort 4*
In the morning leave for Colombo by train along the south coast, Afternoon visit Colombo where you can go sightseeing. Colombo is the commercial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka. It is the financial center of the island and a popular tourist destination. In Colombo you will see a fascinating mix of old and new, with a central cluster of high-rise office blocks and hotels overshadowing red-tiled colonial-era buildings and sprawling street markets which overflow with high piled fruit and vegetables, colorful silks and cottons, and deliciously fragrant spices. In Colombo you can see the colorful street markets, colonial- era buildings, museums and galleries, churches, mosques and temples.
Overnight at the Pegasus Reef 3*
Transfer back to the airport for departure flight.
