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 activitywith 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 areavailable in this quaint village. The streets on either side of the Hotels are dotted with Souvenir Shops, Restaurants etc.
Rest of the evening at leisure
Overnight stay at Negombo
02nd Day
After breakfast proceed to Habarana to Safari,
Afterwards proceed to Sigiriya,
Rest of the evening at leisure
Overnight stay at Sigiriya.
03rd Day
After breakfast proceeds to Sigiriya to climb Sigiriya Rock.
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.
Overnight stay at Sigiriya,
04th Day
After breakfast proceeds to Kandy En-route visiting Dambulla cave in Dambulla
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
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 summer house.Today
it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Musicand
Culture.
Afterwards proceed to Royal Botanical Garden – Peradeniya
Royal Botanical Gardens At 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
05th Day
After breakfast proceeds to NuwaraEliya.
City Tour of NuwaraEliya.
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 3000f
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.
Overnight stay at NuwaraEliya.
06th Day
After breakfast proceed to Negombo via Pinnawela, En-route visiting Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawela 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 thefeeding 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 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.
Overnight stay at Negombo
07th Day
After breakfast transfer to airport to connect departure flight.
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