Sri Lanka Grand Tour (Modifiable) 20 Days / 19 Nights

After breakfast heading for the city of ANURADHAPURA, the ancient capital of Buddhism.

En-route, A.pura visiting the highest Buddhist statue in standing posture carved out of a rock, a real masterpiece of ancient sculptors. (AUKANA)

Refreshments.

Visiting MIHINTALE, the holy place where Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka.

Lunch break.

Visiting all other Buddhist ruins, dagobas, temples, and the city Centre.

Returning back to the hotel.

Evening relax for the swimming pool.

Dinner and overnight stay at DAMBULLA

After breakfast visiting the SIGIRIYA Rock Fortress – a Unesco World Heritage Site.

An ancient Royal Palace built on the summit of a Rock at an elevation of about 200 meters.

Here you will find the ruins of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, other structures including a natural swimming pool.

Refreshments after descending the rock.

If interested you may do a ride on an elephant here (supplementary activity)

Lunch.

Evening visit to HABARANA village to participate in an intercultural event. The villagers will offer you a canoe ride , a ride in a bullock cart followed by the offerings of typical local

fast food and typical beverages.

Dinner and overnight stay at DAMBULLA

After breakfast heading for POLONNARUWA city and visiting the largest Archaeological Site in Sri Lanka. This is a bicycle tour from one site to another the site being an open museum spread in a very large area.

Refreshments

Visiting a factory of handicrafts to view the manual production process and see an enormous collection of hand-made quality handicrafts. Lunch

Evening dedicated for relax – Swimming pool.

Dinner and overnight stay at DAMBULLA.

After breakfast visiting the Rock Cave temple of DAMBULLA where around 40 Buddhist statues are enshrined in a cave.

After refreshments, we move towards the beautiful city of Kandy.

En-route Kandy visiting a large spice garden where you may observe all the plants of oriental spices and many herbal plants used in Ayurvedic medicine.

Arriving in Kandy.

A short panoramic visit on foot around the city.

Dinner and overnight stay at KANDY.

After breakfast visiting the largest Botanical Garden in Sri Lanka.

Here you may explore an enormous area full of different species of plants and flowers.

You will admire the beautiful orchid flower garden inside the park.

Refreshments.

Going to PINNAWELA to view the Elephant Orphanage.

You may also observe with interest the scene of a large herd of elephants (around 80 small and big) being conducted through an array of shops by mahouts to the nearby river for bathing. It is very interesting to see how the elephants enjoy in the water.

You may also observe the bottle feeding of small elephants.

Lunch and nd getting back to Kandy.

Going to see a suggestive cultural dancing and performances show at 17.00 hrs.

Brief visit to the Tooth Relics Temple being the most sacred temple of the island.

Back to hotel for dinner and overnight stay at KANDY.

After early breakfast visiting a Museum of Gems where you will be able to watch a video.

to see how miners get valuable stones out of the earth risking their own lives.

Subsequently you may go through an enormous exposition of gems and jewelries.

Exploring the KANDY city on foot in close contacts with locals. Here you may make visits to shops , walk around the beautiful artificial lake in the city, observe the daily life of locals, converse with them etc.

Refreshments.

Heading towards KITULGALA , a small city located by the longest river MAHAWELI.

This city is located amidst nature. The film “The Bridge on the River Kwai” directed by Mr. David Lean was filmed here in 1957. During this visit to this fascinating village we will show you this bridge where the film was shot.

Dinner and overnight stay at KITULGALA.

After breakfast enjoying yourself by doing RAFTING in the the Mahaweli river guided by experts. (optional) Kitulgala is very famous for this activity.

Lunch. (here we may try to make you taste “Kithul Raa” a local nectar abstracted from kithul Tree.)

After lunch break heading for NUWARA ELIYA.

This will be a very interesting route as you will enjoy heart breaking panoramas, lush tea plantations, highlands, valleys.

Arriving at the city .

In the afternoon exploring this cool city located at an elevation of 2.400 meters, the highest city of Sri Lanka. Here we may see Victoria Park,

Gregory Lake, many buildings still in British architecture as this city being discovered and constructed by British Governors.

Dinner and overnight stay at NUWARA ELIYA.

After early breakfast making a very interesting hike to Hortans Place.

This is also called World’s End as you terminate your long hike at a very deep straight steep. This may be a very interesting event (a long hike) in the cool climate of this city.

Visit to AMBEWELA Dairy Fam for a refreshment with superb milk products.

Arriving to the city and lunch break.

Dinner and overnight stay at NUWRA ELIYA.

After Breakfast making an interesting train journey from Nanu-Oya Railway station to Ella Railway station during which you may admire the beauty of highlands, valleys, lush tea and vegetable plantations , farmers very closely as the train climbs and goes through these mountains very slowly. (Note: This event is executable depending on train type and schedule)

Refreshments.

We may begin descending gradually enjoying the panorama from a high elevation.

Visiting the water fall of Ella. Refreshments.

Arriving at the sea level gradually with lunch on the way.

Dinner and overnight stay at TISSAMAHARAMA.

Early morning we will visit the Bundala /Yala National Park to do a jeep safari.

Note: For both safari tours very early departure is required usually exit from hotel at 05.00 .

If you are a bird watcher we suggest you Bundala as over 190 different species of migrant birds visit and inhabit the water lands of Bundala.

Besides there are lots of other wild animals too like, wild boars, buffaloes, elephants, spotted deer, crocodiles, turtles etc.

Instead if you select Yala there are many wild animals described above except migrant birds as in Bundala. This visit lasts around 4-5 hours.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Leaving for MIRISSA for your beach holiday with lunch on the way.

Dinner and overnight stay at a hotel on the MIRISSA Beach.

After breakfast, enjoying the MIRISSA beach.

The whole morning will be dedicated to enjoy the beach.

Lunch on the beach. (suggested owing to fresh sea food) available on this spot.

In the late afternoon a guided tour to Galle City . Here we will show you the historical Royal.

Dutch Fortress and the mini city inside, the city Centre.

Dinner and overnight stay at MIRISSA Beach .

After breakfast, enjoying the Mirissa beach.

The whole morning will be dedicated to enjoy the beach.

Lunch on the beach.

In the evening a boat ride to discover tiny islands in the nearby magnificent KOGGALA

LAKE where there are Buddhist Priests who meditate in complete silence.

If you are fortunate you may have a brief conversation with them.

Dinner and overnight stay at MIRISSA Beach.

After breakfast enjoying the Mirissa beach.

Refreshments and lunch on the beach.

Rest.

In the evening visiting the Turtle Hatchery in the area.

Dinner and overnight stay at MIRISSA Beach.

In the early morning making whale/dolphin watching tour at Mirissa.

(Period November- April season)

Breakfast aboard the boat.

Lunch.

Evening left to rest.

Dinner and overnight stay at MIRISSA Beach.

After breakfast visiting the UNAWATUNA beach.

The whole morning dedicated to the beach.

Breakfast aboard the boat.

Lunch on the beach.

Evening free for rest.

Dinner and overnight stay at UNAWATUNA Beach.

After breakfast enjoying the beach.

Lunch.

Dinner and overnight stay at UNAWATUNA Beach.

IAfter breakfast heading for Colombo to explore the commercial capital.

Arriving in the city and visiting most important attractions

Lunch in the city.

Dinner and overnight stay at NEGOMBO..

After breakfast accompanying to the airport in accordance with the time of your.

Return flight. (in case the flight is in the evening)

We may explore the city of NEGOMBO.

Lunch at NEGOMBO – Drop off at the Airport.

End of Programme.