11 Days Tour | welcomeholiday

01st Day

Arrive in Sri Lanka. You will be met by a representative of Welcome Holiday Travels and transferred to Negombo.

Negombo

A famous fishing village North of Colombo, with a Dutch built Canal. The canal itself is a hive of activity with all the fishermen traveling up and down in their gaily-painted boats. On the shores of the canal you will find many homes and churches and many species of birds including spectacular Kingfishers and also Parrots. Catamaran trips in the sea and boat trips in canal can be organized. From November to April, diving facilities are available in this quaint village. The streets on either side of the Hotels are dotted with Souvenir Shops, Restaurants etc.

City tour of Negombo

Overnight stay at Negombo.

02nd Day

Afterwards breakfast to Anuradhapura & do cities tour of Anuradhapura,

Anuradhapura

Is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined cities. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagabas constructed of small sun-dried bricks and hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagabas are the Ruvanveli which dates back to the 2nd Century BC and is 300ft in diameter, the Jetawanarama is 370ft and the Thuparama which enshrines the collarbone of the Buddha. The city’s most renowned relic is the sacred Bo-Tree which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historic tree in the world.

Afterwards proceed to Dambulla cave , en route visiting Sigiriya.

Sigiriya

Is home to the 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress. Within its triple-moated defence the huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 500ft. On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of life sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original color.

Sigiriya was never conquered by any of the invading forces that had such an affect on the Island of Sri Lanka. It was however ceded to the British during the colonial rule without force.

Dambulla

Is a vast isolated rock mass 500ft high and a mile around the base. Here is found the famous Rock Temple dating to the First Century BC. The caves of Dambulla sheltered the King Walagamba during his 14 years of exile from Anuradhapura. When he regained the throne he built the most magnificent of Rock Temples to be found on the Island.
In the first Cave is a recumbent image of the Buddha 47ft long cut out of the Rock. There are images of deities associated with Buddhism all around. The frescoes on the ceiling date back to the 15th - 18th Centuries.
In the Second Cave, the finest and the largest of all, there are 150 life-size statues of Gods from the Buddhist religion along with numerous images of the Buddha himself. The ceiling is also covered with frescoes which depict great events in the life of the Buddha and landmarks in the history of the Sinhala people

Overnight stay at Dambulla

03rd Day

After breakfast proceeds to Polonnaruwa & do a city tour of Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa

Yhe Capital of Sri Lanka from 11th - 13th Century, contains some splendid and spectacular statues. Lankatileke, Tivanka and Thuparama are the most beautiful and largest shrine ruins and Tivanka has the best example of frescoes of the Polonnaruwa period. Rankot Vihara and Kiriwehera are well preserved large stupas, and Gal Vihare - a rock shrine, has four Buddha statues, two seated, one standing and one reclining and Parakrama Bahu statue are examples of Sinhalese stone carver. The Vata-da-ge is a unique creation of the Sri Lankan artists.

Rest of the evening at leisure

Overnight stay at Dambulla

04th Day

Afterwards proceeds to Kandy, En route visiting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

App. 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo - Kandy road is Pinnawala, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now; including Baby Elephants brought from various parts, as well as some of the more then 25 babies born, as a result of the captive breeding program. The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0930-1000 hrs and 1330-1400 hrs and the bathing time from 1000-1030 hrs and 1400-1430 hrs when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.

Afterwards Proceed to Kandy

Kandy

The hill capital is another “World Heritage Site”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally ceded to the British in 1815 after an agreement.To the Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha.
Close by are the remains of the Royal Palace (“Maha Wasala”), “Palle Wasala”- where the Queens stayed-now used for the National Museum, “Meda Wasala” where other close relatives lived, Audience Hall, Natha Devala and Vishnu Devala are situated close by. The Bathing Pavilion (“Ulpenge”) is by the Lake and in the Center of the lake is the Island called “Kiri samudraya” (Milk white ocean) used by the kings as the summerhouse.
Today it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture.
Visitors can see these Dance & Music at the daily Cultural Performances held at several places in the city.

Overnight stay at Kandy.

05th Day

After breakfast proceed to Royal Botanical Garden – Peradeniya.

Royal Botanical Garden – Peradeniya.

147 acres in extent; Started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Gampola and Kandy. There are more than 5,000 species of trees, plants and creepers. Some rare and endemic as well as flora from the tropical world are found in the gardens. Spice Garden and Orchid House are popular with tourists.
There are 5 Palm Avenues beautifying the gardens, the earliest and tallest Palm Avenue (Royal Palm Avenue) was planted in 1905 and the Double Coconuts from the Seashells Island, with the largest seed of all plants in the world is one such avenue.

Afterwards do a city tour with shopping of Kandy. Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic and view a cultural dance.

Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - ever since 4th Century A.D, when the Buddha’s Tooth was brought to Sri Lanka hidden from sacrilegious hands in an Orissan princess’ hair, the Relic has grown in repute and holiness in Sri Lanka and throughout the Buddhist world. It is considered Sri Lanka’s most prized possession.

Visitors can see these Dance & Music at the daily Cultural Performances held at several places in the city.

Overnight stay at Kandy

06th Day

After breakfast proceed to NuwaraEliya, En-route visiting Tea plantation.

NuwaraEliya

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 it is really just like an English 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.

Where ever good Tea is drunk, the flavor of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country will always be enjoyed for this ruggedly beautiful terrain which rises from 3000ft to beyond 8000ft is the home of world’s best tea. The route to the hills - whether by road or rail - is a passage through range after of tea draped hills, through narrow passes beside deep ravines, over gushing streams.

The Victoria Park, in the middle of town, is a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in the spring (march to May) and the fall (August and September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eli to escape the sea level heat and humidity.

Tea Plantation

Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839. In 1867, a Scottish Planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings on an 8 hectares of forestland, in the Loolkandura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23lbs being shipped to London. Tea will grow only on rolling terrain and is classified be elevation into low grown, medium, grown, high grown into 3 main groups. In 1996 Sri Lanka has produced 258 million Kgs. of tea and has earned Rs. 34,068 million by exporting 244 million Kgs of tea.

Rest of the evening leisure.

Overnight stay at NuwaraEliya

07th Day

After Breakfast do a city tour of NuwaraEliya

Rest of the evening leisure.

Overnight stay at NuwaraEliya

08th Day

Afterwards proceed to Yala.

Yala Safari

Overnight stay at Yala

09th Day

After breakfast proceed to Hikkaduwa,

Rest of the evening leisure.

Overnight stay at Hikkaduwa.

10th Day

After breakfast proceed to Colombo & do a city tour of Colombo.

Colombo a drive through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area, where is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings, and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. The historic Dawatagaha Mosque and the former Eye Hospital are two buildings in Cinnamon Gardens worth looking at. Also visit the BMICH, see the replica of Avukana Buddha and the Independence Square.

Visit the Mlesna exquisite tea boutique, cashew nut shop, ready made garments and all sorts at Majestic City. Visit the Lanka Ceramics Centre, a place where you can buy “NORITAKE SET” or other ceramic items, visit the Odel shop at Lipton place and’ House of Fashion’

Rest of the evening at leisure

Overnight stay at Colombo.