Day 01 – 03

Arrival and transfer to habarana, Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en-route,

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage – Pinnawala elephant’s orphanage has the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. The orphanage is situated on a 25-acre coconut plantation adjacent to the Maha Oya river. The main objective of the orphanage is to care for orphaned elephants due to various reasons. Currently a herd of over hundred elephants are being taken care of by the orphanage. The visitors get to see the elephants up-close and personal. You get to feed the baby elephants and play with them; I believe that they are the cutest in the animal kingdom. The river bath time of the gentle giants is a real treat and an awesome experience. It is recommended to have your snacks and drinks in the café overlooking the river. It is overall a relaxing experience.

After lunch at a local restaurant, proceed to Dambulla to visit the Dambulla Roc Cave temple,

Dambulla – Dambulla, a town which is quite near to Sigiriya is world famous for the cave temple. It is also the central point of distribution for vegetables in Sri Lanka and quite a busy city 24 by 7. Dambulla cave temple the main attraction of the town, was originally built in 80BC. It is the biggest and best-preserved cave temple which is also a world heritage site. There are 153 Buddha statutes found inside the temple. Other attractions are Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, largest rose quarts mountain range in South Asia and the Iron Wood Forest also known as Na Uyana Arana. Dambulla is more recommended for stop over rather than a complete stay in the town.

Upon completion, check in to your hotel in Dambulla / Sigirya for the overnight stay. Dinner will be served at the hotel.

Day 02

After an early breakfast proceed to visit the Polonnaruwa ancient ruins,

Pollonaruwa – Pollonaruwa holds another mystic attraction to all travellers due to the fact that it was ruled by ancient kings of sri Lanka for over 800 years. It is the second most ancient kingdom of Sri Lanka. Polonnaruwa was first established by the Chola dynasity and it is declared as a world heritage. During the rule of Vijayabahu I, trade and agriculture flourished, because the king was so adamant that no drop of water falling from the heavens was to be wasted. Hence during his time irrigation systems were built that are superior to today. Visitors from around the world visit Pollonaruwa to see its ancient architectural wonders and to observe the wild animals and nature.

Return to Sigiriya, lunch at a local restarant and visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress

 Sigiriya Rock Fortress – Sigiriya the Lion Rock of Sri Lanka is officially the 8^th wonder of the world. It is a rock fortress listed as one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites. It is world famous among historians as the best-preserved examples of ancient urban planning. Sigiriya was selected by King Kashyapa as his capital during the years 477 – 495 CE. The whole face of the wall has been covered with paintings of over 500 ladies. This is considered as one of the world’s biggest frescoes. Even though most frescoes have been lost for ever, still some remains to enchant us with the attention to detail of the artist. As per historians, originally the wall was polished so the king could see his reflection which was named as the mirror now it is covered with hundreds of poems written by visitors. Among the oldest landscapes in the world lies the gardens of Sigiriya.

Upon completion return to your hotel in Dambulla / Sigiriya for the overnight stay.

Day 03 – 05

After breakfast transfer to Trincomalee by Train, meet your driver at the Trincomalee Railway station and check In to the hotel.

Trincomalee

 Trincomalee – Trincomalee has been one of the main centres of Sri Lankan Tamil language speaking cultures on the island for over two Millenia. It is one of the oldest cities of Asia. The city is built on a peninsula with a natural harbour, unlike any other harbour in the Indian Ocean, it is accessible in all weathers to all craft. Maybe that is why it was approached by the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. Trincomalee house the famous Koneswaram Temple, a great place of worship for Hindu’s all around the world. Cities architecture shows some of the best examples of interaction between native and European styles. The largest Dutch fort in the Island is also situated in Trincomalee. With the sunny climate you will get to enjoy and make tons of memories.

Dinner and overnight stay in Trincomalee.

Day 04

At leisure in Trincomalee or enjoy a city tour.

Day 05 – 08

After breakfast transfer to Passikudah for a quite and a nice beach stay. Check in to your hotel in Passikudah.

Passikudah

Pasikuda – Pasikuda is a very beautiful coastal resort town situated in northwest of the island. It is a small Tamil hamlet and a popular tourist destination for all who desire golden beeches and sunshine. It is also fast becoming an investors hub as both locals and foreign are showing interest in developing tourism in the town. Pasikuda is known to have one of the longest stretches of shallow reef coastlines in the world. You can walk kilometres in to the sea because the water is only few inches deep and the current is relatively weak compared to the other coastal areas of the island. It is a must visit destination for anyone who wants to relax and work on their tan.

Day 06 & 07

At leisure in Passikudah. Enjoy the beach

Day 08

After breakfast transfer to Mahiyanganaya, the main attraction here is the Veddha Village,

Mahiyanganaya – Sri Lankas greatest historical chronical, Mahavamsa reveals that Mahiyanganaya was visited and blessed by Lord Buddha. While traveling to Mahiyanganaya, on the road from Kandy to Padiyathalawa across Hunnasgiriya one will encounter the famous 18 hairpin bends. Mahaweli, the longest river of Sri Lanka flows through Mahiyanganaya. The Mahaweli irrigation project has provided farmlands for the residents. One of the sixteen most venerated Buddhist Stupas of the country is Mahiyangana Stupa, which is believed to be enshrined with Buddha’s hair relic. Dambana a village in Mahiyanganaya is one of the biggest tourist attractions for the Mahiyangana city. It is home to the Sri Lankan Aborigines also known as “Vedda” community.

Check in to your hotel in Mahiyanganaya for the dinner and overnight stay.

Day 09 – 11

After breakfast transfer to kandy, Check in to the hotel and relax.

Day 10

Visit the Temple of Tooth Relic and enjoy a city tour of Kandy,

 Kandy & Hill Country

 Kandy – Kandy, broken from Kanda in Sinhala simply means the hill. I think that would clearly outline the geography of the city. Kandy is a major tourist attraction and world famous for the Kandy Perahera. This extravagant parade is happening once a year, a magical event that is one of the main events of our culture. Tens of thousands of visitors around the world visit Kandy during the month of July to witness this event. Kandy also host and protects Lord Buddha’s tooth in a beautiful palace, which is sacred to all Buddhists around the world. Sri Lankan’s believe that the relic brings prosperity and protects the island. Royal Botanical Garden & Udawaththakele, a forest behind the Dalada Maligawa (Temple of Tooth), are few other attractions in Kandy that will create pleasant memories for visitors.

After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Royal botanical garden,

Royal Botanical Gardens – Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya is considered to be one of the most beautiful gardens in Asia and attracts over 2 million visitors annually. It is world famous for its collection of Orchids and the garden includes more than 4000 species of plants, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees. The origin of the botanical garden dates as far back as 1371 during King Wickramabahu the 3^rd’s era. The classical Avenue of Palms is located in this garden. One tree with a significant history is Cannonball Tree planted by King George V of the United Kingdom and Queen Mary in 1901. We recommend all travellers to take your time, pack your own picknick and have a relaxing day with the nature.

Day 11

Visit Riverston,

Riverston Peak in Sri Lanka: Mini Worlds’ End

The Riverston Peak in Sri Lanka can be reached by travelling, about 30km away from the Matale town, down the Matale – Girandurukotte Road. This secretive windy road, with its sharp hairpin turns, offers some of the best views to the surrounding countryside; to the extent that it is called the Mini World’s End. Though it is very popular among locals, the area is comparatively unknown amongst mainstream tourists. Therefore the area offers up the natural beauty of Sri Lanka; fresh, green and unpolluted by vendors, tourists, garbage and unsightly buildings. With climates very similar to the Hortons Plains, where the World’s End is located, Riverston trek also offers two graceful waterfalls Sera Ella and Bambarakiri Ella. Sera Ella also has some conveniently located rock seats from which a visitor can enjoy the refreshing cold spray of misty droplets. The nearby freshwater river, Thelgamu Oya, can be used for quick cooling dip or even just a refreshing splash before or after a long arduous trek. The trek is about two and a half kilometres one way, and shouldn’t take more than a healthy hour or two at most. It runs a section known as the Pittawala Paththana and leads to the Riverston Peak. The countryside along the trek has views of the terraced paddy fields, unique to some mountainous regions around the world, and that of the beautiful green Central Highlands.

After lunch at a local restaurant, return to your hotel in Kandy for the overnight stay.

Day 12

Departure