Day 01 – 03

Arrival and transfer to Habarana for 02 nights, visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphange 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 in Pinnawala, proceed to Habarana, visit the Dambulla Rock Cave temple en-route

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.

Dinner and overnight stay in Habarana, Sigiriya or Dambulla.

Day 02

After breakfast proceed on a Village Trek in Habarana area,

Hiriwaduna Village – Hiriwaduna village is a place most tourist visits to experience first-hand a rural village of Sri Lanka and their day to activities. Hiriwaduna has a tropical rainforest climate and a beautiful rural area in the Habarana city. The tour normally starts with a Bullock cart ride to the village lake and from there you will get to experience a boat ride. After a short walk within the paddy fields and vegetable cultivation you will visit a home of a local. You will get the opportunity to relax and enjoy a pure Sri Lankan meal. This will be an opportunity for foreigners to experience and understand the local way of life in rural Sri Lanka. You will get to see that they are closer to nature and enjoy the simplicity of life.

Return to your hotel in Habarana, Sigiriya or Dambulla area for relaxation. Evening visit the Minneriya national park,

Minneriya National Park – Being an Eco Tourism destination in Sri Lanka the Minneriya national park spans over 8890 hectares. The evergreen forest is home for Sambar Deer, Elephants and Leopards. Over 300 Elephants and huge flock of birds gather around Minneriya tank to drink and play in the water during the dry season is a major attraction in the park. This is a place where you will be able to witness most No. of Asian Elephants. The bird record here is over 170 species including migrating birds such as Kentish Plovers, Wood sand Pipers and Common Sandpipers etc. This is a must safari you should do if your stay is in Sigiriya, Habarana or Dambulla areas. Dry mixed evergreen forests, grasslands and wetlands is the vegetation of the national park.

Dinner and overnight stay in Habarana, Sigiriya or Dambulla.

Day 03 – 05

After breakfast transfer to kandy, visit the Sigiriya rock fortress en-route

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.

Proceed to Kandy, Visit a Spice garden en-route and check in to your hotel in Kandy.

Spice Gardens – Sri Lanka is famous for her spices. Stroll through our spice gardens enjoying the aroma of cinnamon, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg and get overwhelmed by them. Introduced new products and overwhelm your senses. The visitors are provided with an insight into an age-old industry of spice productions, which attracted many a European and Asian merchant to the island of spices. Over 15 different spices are found in Sri Lanka and many of them are traded in the international market. The gardens will introduce you to the different spices and their use, they will also allow you to see how they are grown, harvested and produced, you will also get the opportunity to buy high quality spices for an affordable price.

Dinner and overnight stay at your hotel in Kandy.

Day 04

After breakfast proceed to visit the Temple of tooth Relic.

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 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.

Return to your hotel in Kandy for the overnight stay. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 05 – 07

After breakfast transfer to Nuwara eliya. Visit a Tea Estate and waterfalls enroute,

Nuwara Eliya – Nuwara Eliya, a city in the hill country is also called as Little England due to the similarity between the two climates. The city is all about beautiful landscape and cool climate. It is also the heart of the tea plantation industry of Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya hosts the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka and some wonderful waterfalls making any visitor fall in love with her. To name few famous attractions of Nuwara Eliya are Gregory lake, Golf Club, Grand Hotel, Race Course & Haggala Botanical Garden. You will also get to visit Strawberry farms and pick your own strawberries and observe how your tea is plucked and sent to you while enjoying a hot cup of Ceylon tea.

Check in to your hotel in Nuwara Eliya for dinner & overnight stay.

 Day 06

After breakfast visit the Ambewela farm,

Ambewela is a hill station, located in the Nuwara Eliya District. The area is also called “Little New Zealand” as it has the look of New Zealand with cows eating grass in the meadows. Due to the high altitude, the mean annual temperature in the area is below 17°C. Frost is common during the Winter. Home for  local dairy farms, Ambewela is also the highest (in altitude) and widest grassland in Sri Lanka which is also a service center to the New Galway tea planting district. Situated en-route to Horton Plaines and World’s End there is a high chance you will be able to spot Mammals such as the Sambar Deer, Leopard dominate the majority of the forest covering the area. Similar to Horton Plains and Ohiya, this site is also one of the Important Bird Areas in the country, making the area a famous location for birdwatching as well.

Upon completion, return to Nuwara Eliya town. After lunch enjoy a city tour of Nuwara Eliya. Visit a Tea Factory and see the waterfalls.

Return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 07

After breakfast transfer to ella by train, enjoy the scenic beauty en-route

Ella – Ella is a small town situated at an elevation of 1041 meters above sea level. Ella is considered as one of the musts visits of Sri Lanka due to its rich bio diversity, varieties of flora and fauna and its cool climate. Surrounded by tea plantations, forests, hills and clouds that covers, the town is like a picture out of a fairy tale with the misty mountains and spectacular natural views. Ella is most famous for the view through the Ella gap which is stunning and on a cloudless night you can see the glow of the Great Basses lighthouse on Sri Lankas south coast.  There is a selection of waterfalls, tea plantations and temples an adventurer can visit in Ella. It is also one of the preferred destinations for hikers and back packers.

Check in to your hotel in Ella for dinner and overnight stay.

Day 08

After breakfast transfer to Udawalwe, visit the Elephant transit home en-route,

Elephant Transit Home – Eth Athuru Sevana – Elephants are beautiful creatures. They are kind, intelligent and gentle in ways we can’t even imagine. Maybe that’s why they have become endangered species due to our activities. We in Sri Lanka takes protecting elephants seriously and actively take part in it. Udawalawa Elephant Transit Home is there for that purpose only. It is called Eth Athuru Sevana in Sinhala meaning a sanctuary for elephants. The speciality of this home is that unlike in Pinnawela elephants’ orphanage, the elephants who come in to this home will be re-introduced to the wild. The transit home is a lively place with lot of activities taking place throughout the day. The most anticipated is the feeding time and visitors get to feed the baby elephants.

After lunch proceed to your hotel in Udawalawe for the overnight stay.

Day 09

Early morning visit the Udawalawe National Park,

Udawalawa National Park – There are so many awesome experiences one can gain in Udawalawa National Park. It is difficult to select one experience out of it and call it the best one. Because the park lies on the boundary of Sri Lanka’s wet and dry zones, it is framed by soaring highlands and comprised of grasslands and bush forests. Explorers get to see a collection of Flora, Mammals, Birds, Reptiles & Fish in their natural habitats. While we cannot select one favourite activity, however when we go on safari to Udawalawa, it would be unfair if we do not bring up our gentle giants of the earth, Elephants. Udawalawa is one famous destination to see elephants up close and personal in their natural habitats.

Lunch at a local restaurant and continue to Galle for a stay of 02 nights. Check in to your hotel in Galle.

Day 10

After breakfast proceed on a city tour of Galle,

Galle City – Galle, the capital of Southern province. Before the Portuguese ruling of the country it was also considered a major port because of the natural harbour. The city is a fusion of the Portuguese & native architecture and maybe that is why it has become a must visit tourist attraction. The Galle fort which is the biggest feature of the city is considered as a world heritage and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by a European occupier. While in Galle you can visit National Maritime Museum, St. Mary’s Cathedral and Galle International Stadium. Tourists prefer the famous Tuk Tuk tour in the city which will gain you first-hand experience about the city and the locals.

Lunch at a local restaurant and return to your hotel for relaxation. Enjoy the beach of Galle.

Day 11

After breakfast transfer to Colombo for the final night, visit the Turtle Hatcehry en- route,

Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery – The waters around Sri Lanka is filled with marine life. Sri Lanka is a marine enthusiast’s dream come true. Five out of the seven types of sea turtles call nests on our beaches. All of them are among the endangered list. You get to see Leatherbacks, Green Turtles, Loggerheads, Hawksbills and Olive Ridley Turtles in Sri Lanka. The turtle care centre in Kosgoda is one of the 18 turtle hatcheries along the southern cost of Sri Lanka. So why we are recommending you to visit Kosgoda, because you get to see all of the above five species there. The centre functions mainly as a hatchery and make huge efforts to increase the rate of hatching and survival of baby turtles in their very initial stage.

If time permits a boat ride in Madhu river is a must to do,

Madhu River Boat Safari – Take a boat ride through the Mangroves of Bentota, you will witness the diverse wildlife such as Water Monitor Lizards, River birds even a crocodile in their natural habitat while cruising through the third longest river in the country. Absorb the nature and enjoy the Mangroves which play a huge part in preventing soil erosion by acting as a natural barrier. This was well proved when the Tsunami strike down south in 2004.

The biologists and ecologists find this place a treasure trove for the fertile soil in this region. There are many undiscovered species in the depth of this mangrove forest.Continue to Colombo, Check in to your hotel in Colombo. After resting a bit, go on a city tour Colombo.

Colombo – The latest metropolitan of South Asia, Colombo is the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo host more tourist attractions than any other city in the country. Few of the attractions are National Museum, Galle Face Green, Viharamahadevi park, Dutch period museum, Dutch Hospital, Federation of Self Employees market in Pettah, Old City hall, House of Geffory Bawa, Seema malakaya Meditation centre, Jaami-Ul-Alfar Mosque, Pelican Perches, Wolvendaal Church, St Anthony’s church, University of Colombo and newly opened Lotus Tower. Colombo is most famous for its colourful night life, restaurants, clubs and entertainment. A walk along the Galle face costal line during the night is a good suggestion to get a beautiful view of the city. Don’t forget to go shopaholic among the latest shops.

Day 12

Departure