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8 Days | 7 Nights
Culture & Beach
Infant | Child | Adults
Included
If you’re short of time, this one-week itinerary offers you the highlights of Sri Lanka in a convenient 8-day trip. Offering balmy temperatures, diverse wildlife, dramatic landscape from fragrant spice gardens to central highlands, and vibrant culture and history, this is a place that will leave you wanting to come back for more. You will visit one of the top World Heritage sites Sigiriya, Dambulla, see a traditional Puja ceremony at the Temple of the tooth, an elephant orphanage, and visit a tea factory to see how pure Ceylon tea is produced on this mini-adventure. This itinerary is best done from December to May as Sri Lanka experiences two main monsoon periods the North-East monsoon & southwest monsoon.
As always, we are able to tinker with this itinerary if you wish and add an extra night here and there. Our Travel consultants can help you plan the holiday as per your budget and interest along the way.
Upon arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport you will be greeted with “Ayubowan” and assisted by our Airport Representative, address any last-minute questions you have about the itinerary and introduce you to your guide, who will be your travel companion as you explore around Sri Lanka and transfer to a convenient hotel close to the airport in Negombo. Relax and unwind after your flight, preparing yourself for the adventure ahead. Depending on your flight time extra excursions will be advised by your travel consultant prior to arrival.
Sri Lanka's famous cultural triangle offers plenty to fire both mind and body over the next two days. After your morning drive through the famous town Negombo a small fishing village you will head to the central province, en-route visit the Millennium Elephant Foundation. You also have the option of visiting the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to watch the elephants by the riverside. PM visit the Dambulla rock cave temple a UNESCO World Heritage site, the temple complex dates back to the first century BC. Overnight stay in Sigiriya.
After breakfast, visit the Sigiriya Rock Fortress a UNESCO World heritage site, mid-day you have the option to explore the rural life of a typical Sri Lankan farm family. Late afternoon optional Jeep safari in Minneriya or Kaudulla National Parks are reported as the Largest known wild Asian Elephant gathering at one place in the World. (Best visited from April to September) if you’re traveling outside this period, we could still suggest few additional activities to keep you busy during the late afternoons like going on a bird trail around Sigiriya, a jeep drive to Eco park bordering Trinco, Habarana highway to experiences few wild elephants. These options will be carefully suggested by our travel consultants depending on your interest, budgets, and period you travel. Overnight stay in Sigiriya.
After breakfast transfer to Kandy via Matale, optional stop at spice plantation followed by a visit to the agro farm for lunch. You also have the option to visit the Matale Aluviharaya Rock Cave Temple. Late afternoon we arrive at the hotel to unwind and relax by the poolside while you enjoy the misty hills of Sri Lanka’s hill capital. The town lies on a plain amidst towering hills and looped by Sri Lanka's largest river: the Mahaweli. The town’s pleasant temperate climate, its scenic location, and its rich history have made it a favourite haunt for travellers. It is also the natural gateway to the stirring peaks of Sri Lanka’s hill country.
The small lakeside city of Kandy will occupy most of the morning with a city tour which includes the fabulous Botanical gardens and the Temple of the Tooth, in which a sacred relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined. We recommend spending two nights in Kandy. Depending on your interest your travel consultant will be recommending visits to arts & craft center, gem lapidary, or spend the evening drinking tea on the veranda, chatting about philosophy, music, and of course arts with Raju.
After breakfast transfer to west coast beach Induruwa, en-route stop at tea plantation after a 40 minutes’ drive. Giragama is one of the premium and the oldest tea plantations in Sri Lanka, located close to Kandy. Here you will get to learn a few insights into the birth of the tea industry in Ceylon 1867. A good 1 hour could be spent at this location before heading to the coast. Sri Lanka’s west coast is more popular for its modern resorts, Ayurveda, waters sports, and nothing more wonderful than feeling the sand in your toes and to relax by the golden sandy beaches.
After breakfast travel to Galle, en-route visit the turtle conservation in Kosgoda, if your Bawa enthusiastic you also have the option to visit the famous Lunuganga Estate, which was the country house of the renowned Sri Lankan architect Geoffrey Bawa. PM explore the Galle Dutch fort a UNESCO World heritage site and enjoy the moment watching the sunset from the colonial Dutch fort. Night in Galle.
After breakfast or late afternoon, set off to the airport for your departure flight.
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