Sri Lanka Luxury

Welcome at the airport (Arrival flight details to be advised) & proceed to Colombo for check-in ( Standard check in time : 14.00 hrs). (40KM/0h 45m)

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 :

• After the Colombo city tour, you can enjoy drinks & dinner at the many resturants in the Colombo city. (Payment direct)

After breakfast proceed to Sigiriya enroute engage in a safari at Minneriya National Park. (165KM/4h 30m)

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 elephant 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.

Overnight stay at Sigiriya

Tips & suggestions :

• 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).

After breakfast visit the Polonnaruwa ancient kingdom.

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.

Afterwards climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress

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.

Overnight stay at Sigiriya

Tips & suggestions :

• We recommend the best times to climb Sigiriya are early morning or late afternoon.
• Wear light/cool clothing and comfortable walking shoes for the climb.
• Advised to have long pants & covered shoulders (Sleeveless, transparent & shorts are not allowed) while visiting Polonnaruwa.

After breakfast proceed to Kandy enroute visit Dambulla Cave Temple. (90KM/2h 30m)

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.

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

Tips & suggestions :

• Please wear clothing covering knees and shoulders, as a sign of respect. You will also be required to leave your shoes at the entrance before entering the temple.

After breakfast proceed to visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. (70KM/2h 30m)

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.

Thereafter proceed to Dickoya.

Evening at leisure.

Overnight stay at Dickoya

Tips & suggestions :

• Please note you will be driving to an altitude of 1900 meters and therefore temprature in Dickoya will be 20-25c during day , 10-15c during night. Warm clothing recommended.

After breakfast engage in Tea Factory visit

Evening at leisure.

Overnight stay at Dickoya

After breakfast board train from Hatton to Ella. (1st/2nd class) (95KM/4h 00m)

Observation Train ride (Hatton-Ella)

If you happen to be taking a train ride in Sri Lanka. It has to be on an observation cabin, no matter where you are travelling to. A ride in the observation cabin gives you an unparalleled view and penetrating glimpse both of the scenic beauty and of the culture of the hill country as you go along. If you get travel sick, it’s advisable not to take the observation cabin. But if you are travelling with children, there’s no better seat than the one at the observation cabin.

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 garunteed 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 chose 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 Yala. (125KM/3h 30m)

Overnight stay at Yala

Tips & suggestions :

• Carry light luggage and a bottle of water & snacks for the train journey.

After breakfast to Yala and engage in morning safari. (186KM/5h 00m)

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.

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 for drop off.

Kindly note : Driving times mentioned above are approximate and subject to change due to traffic, weather conditions or unexected interruptions en-route. It does not take into account stoppages for site visits, photo oppurtunities, lunch etc. (Purely driving time)