Sri Lanka Classical

Welcome at the airport & proceed to Colombo  for check-in (Standard check-in time: 14.00 hrs) (40 KM / 0hr. 45 min.)

Colombo (Duration of visit: approx 1 – 1 ½  Hours)

Places Visited: Galle Face, Petah Bazaar, Town Hall, BMICH, Independence square and Gangarama Temple.

Colombo tour includes 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, a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. You have a chance to see a Hindu Temple, the famous Buddhist Temple known as the Gangarama, and the Jami Ul Alfar Jumma Mosque of Colombo.

Later we will take you to visit the famous Bandaranayke Memorial International Conference Hall and the well-known Independence Square.

Overnight stay at Colombo

Tips & suggestions:

• Colombo has many restaurants around therefore have booked on BB basis. (Breakfast Only). See below suggestions of restaurants around Colombo –

• The Gallery Café

• Ministry of crabs in Dutch Hospital

• Giovanni’s – For Pazza

• The Sizzle Colombo

• Upali’s by Nawaloka – For Sri Lankan food

After breakfast proceed to Sigiriya (165 KM / 4h30m), and in the afternoon climb Sigiriya rock.

Sigiriya Rock Fortress (Duration of visit : approx 3 – 3 ½  Hours)

Sigiriya Located a few hours’ drive from Colombo, Sigiriya is a magnificent rock fortress built in the 5th century A.D.  This majestic Citadel in the sky was the refuge of King Kasyapa and is world-renowned for its Mirror Wall’, which consists of poems and paragraphs carved by some of the thousands of visitors who visited the rock many years ago, and for its magnificent frescoes, similar to the Ajantha frescoes of India.

Tips & suggestions :

• We recommend the best times to climb Sigiriya are early morning or late afternoon to avoid the hot sun.
• Wear light/cool clothing and comfortable walking shoes for the climb.

Overnight stay at Sigiriya

After breakfast visit the Polonnaruwa ancient kingdom. (57 KM / 1 ½ hr.)

Polonnaruwa Ancient Kingdom (Duration of visit : approx 2 – 2 ½ Hours) 

It would take you awhile to fathom that such a city every existed many years ago and after you return to your true senses the journey through this colossal city would be nothing less than magical. Polonnaruwa is Sri Lanka's second oldest kingdom and features a plethora of ruins and places of religious worship. Some of the many interesting places to visit in Polonnaruwa include the Gal Viharaya (Stone temple), Lankathilake, Tivanka Image House, Nissanka Latha Mandapaya, the Audience Hall and the Vatadage.

 Minneriya National Park (Duration of visit : approx 3 ½  – 4 Hours) 

 The extent of the Minneriya national park is approximately 8889 hectares. Dry zone plant and Animal Species are common. The elephants are a highlight of the park. Approximately 160 species of birds, 9 amphibians, 25 reptile species, 26 fish species and more that 78 butterfly species can also be found here. There are also rare bamboo trees in this park which is unique to Minneriya national park.

Tips & suggestions :

• Advised to wear long pants & covered shoulders (Sleeveless, transparent & shorts are not allowed) while visiting Polonnaruwa since you will visit certain religious sites.
• Best time to visit the National Park is during late afternoon around 2.30pm.
• If possible wear natural tones/earthy colours such as brown/green and comfortable walking shoes (neutral colours blend in with the surrounding natural environment).

Overnight stay at Sigiriya

After breakfast proceed to Kandy (90 KM/ 2hr.30 min.) enroute visit Dambulla Cave Temple and  Matale Spice Garden

Dambulla Golden Cave Temple (Duration of visit : approx 1 – 1 ½ Hours)   

Designated as a world heritage site, the Dambulla Temple is located on a gigantic rock towering more than 160 m above the surrounding area. The Rock itself is more than 1.5 km around its base and summit is at 550 km. The caves on this rock were the refuge of King Walagamba’s when he was in exile for 14 years and feature a mixture of religious and worldly paintings and sculptures. Several reclining Buddha's which includes the 15 meter long sculpture of the dying Buddha.

On completion proceed to engage in a Kandy City which includes visiting the Temple of Tooth.

Kandy Temple and City (Duration of visit : approx 1 ½  – 2 Hours)

The Sri Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a temple in the city of Kandy in Sri Lanka. It was built within the royal palace complex which houses the only surviving relic of Buddha, a tooth, which is venerated by Buddhists. The relic has played an important role in local politics since ancient times; it's believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country, which caused the ancient kings to protect it with great effort. Kandy was the capital of the Sinhalese Kings from 1592 to 1815, fortified by the terrain of the mountains and the difficult approach. The city is a world heritage site declared by UNESCO, in partly due to the temple.

Evening witness a cultural show.

Overnight stay at Kandy.

After breakfast proceed to Nuwara Eliya (70 KM/ 2hr. 30 min.) enroute visit Peradeniya Botanical gardens.

Royal Botanical Gardens (Duration of visit : approx 1 ½  – 2 Hours) 

The history of the Royal Botanical Gardens dates as far back as 1371 when King Wickramabahu III ascended the throne and kept court at Peradeniya near Mahaweli Ganga. Later, in the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe from 1747 to 1780 this was made a Royal Garden and from 1780 – 1798 King Rajadhi Rajasinghe resided therein, where a temporary residence was erected for him.

Nuwara Eliya City (Duration of visit : approx 40 mins)

Nuwara Eliya is also known as 'Little' England', was the favorite hill station of the British who tried to create Nuwara Eliya into a typical English Village. The old brick Post office, country house like hill club, with its hunting pictures, mounted hunting trophies and fish, and it's strict formal dinner attire; the 18 hole golf course, race course etc., all remind you of 'England'.

Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.

After breakfast proceed to Nanuoya station (76 KM/ 2hr.40 min.) & board train from Nanoya to Ella. (02nd Class)

Please note – 2nd class tickets will be on availability and we be sold by Railway department 30 days prior to train ride with limited quantity. (Not sold/available online) In case 2nd class is unavailable by date of train ride, clients can travel on 3rd class with locals with no seat reservations. (Seats are not guaranteed but they can travel standing) If clients travel on 3rd class we will refund Sri Lanka rupees (Rs)1500 per person 2nd class seat value on the day of journey. Alternatively, clients could choose to travel by tour vehicle instead of train ride. Train system in Sri Lanka is not well organized.  Also train delays and cancellation could occur without prior notice.

Thereafter proceed to Tissa. (125 KM/ 3hr.15 min.)

Overnight stay at Tissamaharama.

After breakfast  proceed to Yala and engage in morning safari.

Yala National Park (Duration of visit : approx 3 ½  – 4 Hours)

The Yala National Park in southern Sri Lanka has the world's highest concentration of leopards. Much of the nature reserve is parkland, but it also includes jungle, beaches, freshwater lakes, rivers and scrubland.  In addition to leopards the Yala National Park is also home to substantial numbers of elephants, crocodiles, wild boar, water buffalo, grey langurs and many more varieties of large animals. But that’s not all; the park is also home to birds of prey such as the white-bellied sea eagles, waders, painted Storks, the Indian peafowl and the Sri Lanka jungle fowl.

Thereafter proceed to visit Galle City. (186 KM/ 4hr.45min. )

Galle (Duration of visit : approx 1 ½  – 2 Hours)

Galle is a town situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km (74 mi) from Colombo. Galle was known as Gimhathiththa (although Ibn Batuta in the 14th century refers to it as Qali) before the arrival of the Portuguese in the 16th century, when it was the main port on the island. Galle reached the height of its development in the 18th century, before the arrival of the British, who developed the harbor at Colombo.

On completion proceed to Bentota (70 KM/ 1 ½ hr.)  for drop off.

Tips & suggestions :

• Please take warm clothes when engaging in safari in the mroning as the it is a cold drive.