Sri Lanka offers seductive beaches, tempting water sports, magnificent landscapes featuring lazy lagoons, fertile wetlands, ecologically-wondrous forests, imposing mountains, bounteous rivers and waterfalls, an abundance of wildlife - much of it endemic - unique ecosystems, inspiring heritage sites from ancient cities to colonial forts, a vibrant culture including fine arts and crafts and grand festivals, and a people of diverse ethnicity and religious persuasion, charming and hospitable - seriously - what more can you ask of a destination !!

Your Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival Colombo
On arrival in Colombo you are met by our agent and transferred to your Hotel +- 1hr. Check in, freshen up and depart in the afternoon on a guided city tour. Drive through the city center area known as the “Fort”, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century where grand colonial era buildings stand alongside modern office structures. See the busy markets and noisy bazaars of Pettah, the National Museum with its fine collection of antiques and art of Sri Lanka. Drive past the Town Hall, Independence Square and Cinnamon gardens residential area and finish your tour with a visit to a Buddhist temple and a Hindu Kovil to experience the diversity of religion, ethnicity and customs of the people. Overnight in the Grand Oriental Hotel on a Half Board Basis.

Day 2: Colombo to Anuradhapura +- 200km /5hrs
This morning you meet your driver/guide and after a short briefing you depart for Anuradhapura, sightseeing en-route. On arrival you check in to your Hotel, freshen up and after a short break you visit the sacred ancient city founded in the 04th century B.C and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982.

Anuradhapura has the largest number of monuments of the great Sinhala civilization which once flourished in this region. You visit the famous dagobas of Sri Lanka - Ruwanweliseya, built in the 2nd century BC with its elephant walls and the 3rd century BC Thuparama dagoba. Marvel at the ruins of ancient royal palaces especially the pillars of the Brazen Palace, which once had nine storeys, temples & monasteries and the image of the Samadhi Buddha one of the finest pieces of Buddhist sculpture anywhere. See the ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ or the sacred Bo tree, which is over 2200 years old and grown from a branch of the very tree under which “The Buddha” attained enlightenment – the oldest historically documented tree in the world. Overnight in the Palm Garden Village on a Half Board Basis.

Day 3: Anuradhapura to Mihintale, Aukana & Habarana
Your first stop today is Mihintale +- 12km / ½hr, where you visit its ancient remains. This sacred place is regarded as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and the rock is dotted with shrines and rock dwellings. A grand stairway of 1840 steps made of granite slabs & 5m wide leads to the summit, offering splendid views of the surrounding countryside.

Departing Mihintale, you proceed to Aukana, +- 60km / 1½hrs, visiting the statue of the Aukana Buddha, undoubtedly the most magnificent undamaged ancient image on the island. The 5th century statue ascribed to King Dhatusena is 13m high. Aukana means ‘sun eating’ and is best viewed when the sun rises.

After your sightseeing you head for Habarana, a small village with excellent hotel accommodation and a central location for all the ancient city sites +-55km / 1½hrs. On arrival overnight in the Kassapa Lions Rock Hotel on a Half Board Basis.

Day 4: Sigiriya & Polonnaruwa 
After breakfast you depart for Sigiriya +- 25km / ½hr. Climb the Rock Fortress (a UNESCO World Heritage site), a Royal Citadel built by King Kassapa in the 05th century A.D. The lion rock citadel rises 200m from the jungle, its base ringed by a moat, a rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens. The majestic Lion’s Paw guards entry to the stairway of the palace on the summit. See the famous frescoes of the “Heavenly maidens” of Sigiriya in a sheltered pocket of the rock and the Mirror Wall.

On completion, leave for Polonnaruwa (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) +- 67km / 1½hrs, the Capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13th century. This well-planned medieval city is defended by enclosing walls (around 5km of which still remain) and is graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes. Polonnaruwa is strewn with ruins in a resplendent state of preservation and of these the ‘Vatadage’ and the ‘Thuparama Image house’ are the most spectacular. The ‘Gal Vihara’ which consists of statues of the recumbent, standing and seated Buddha have been cut from a single granite wall and rank among the true masterpieces of Sri Lankan Art. Return to Habarana, where you overnight in the Kassapa Lions Rock Hotel on a Half Board Basis.

Day 5: Habarana to Dambulla & Kandy
Today you head for Dambulla +- 25km / ½hr, where you visit the famous Golden Rock cave temple which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Center. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery is a vast isolated rock mass with the largest and best preserved cave-temple complex in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings are of particular importance as are the 157 statues including a 47 foot long statue of the recumbent Buddha. The ceiling of one cavern is fully illustrated with paintings that follow the natural folds of the rock so closely that it appears to be made of cloth. The complex of caves is one of the most impressive Buddhist Temples in the world.

Thereafter leave for Kandy +-72km / 3hrs, visiting the Spice garden in Matale en-route. Kandy, the bustling hill-country capital is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is famous for the pink painted Temple of the Tooth which houses the most sacred religious relic, the tooth of the Buddha. The annual festival held in July or August, known as Esala Perahera, is where the inner casket covering the tooth relic of the Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city.

In the evening visit the sacred Temple of Tooth Relic. Thereafter enjoy a show at the Kandyan Arts & Cultural Center, featuring the graceful and rhythmic dancers and drummers culminating in an impressive fire walking display. Overnight in the Queens Hotel on a Half Board Basis.

Day 6: Kandy to Pinnawela & Nuwara Eliya
This morning depart for Pinnawala and visit the Elephant orphanage en-route +- 50km / 2hrs. This orphanage was set up by the government to take care of baby elephants lost or abandoned in the wild. Witness their feeding and daily bath in the river nearby, which affords some marvellous photo opportunities.

You then head for Nuwara Eliya visiting the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens en route +- 130km / 4½hrs. The beautiful town of Nuwara Eliya, set in the heart of Tea country is also known as “Little England”. Situated 1890m above sea level, this was the holiday resort of the English planters during the colonial. Overnight in the Galway Forest Lodge on a Half Board Basis.

Day 7: Horton Plains
After breakfast you leave for the Horton plains plateau, the highest in the country +- 40km / 1½hrs. This National Park is renowned for its topographical variations, unique vegetation and many rare and endemic highland birds. The most impressive physical feature of the Horton Plains is the escarpment that falls 880m to the lowlands of the southern region of the island. Aptly known as the ‘World’s End’ the view of the countryside below is spectacular.

Return to Nuwara Eliya and enjoy and afternoon sightseeing tour of the city, visiting the Market place, Golf Course, the Hill club and views of Lake Gregory. Overnight in the Galway Forest Lodge on a Half Board Basis.

Day 8: Nuwara Eliya to Yala National Park
Today you drive to Yala, visiting the Rawana Waterfalls en-route +- 197m / 4½hrs. On arrival in Yala, check in at the hotel. In the afternoon commence a jeep safari in the National Park in a private jeep accompanied by a tracker. Yala is one of Sri Lanka’s premier Eco tourist destinations and is renowned for its variety of wildlife notably its many elephants. The Park is home to the spotted deer, sambar, wild buffalo, sloth bear, jackal, mongoose and crocodiles. The peacock is easily the most famous of the birds in this park and Yala has a high concentration of Leopards although seeing these nocturnal carnivores still requires some luck. Overnight in the Mandara Rosen Hotel on a Half Board Basis.

Day 9: Yala to Negombo
Transfer to Beruwala, a tourist resort in the south with the most beautiful, wide and sandy beaches. Overnight at the Taprospa Footprints Resort on a Half Board Basis.

Day 10: Bentota
Breakfast at the hotel and spend the rest of the day leisurely on the beach. Overnight at the Taprospa Footprints Resort on a Half Board Basis.

Day 11: Depart Sri Lanka
Private transfer from the Beruwala Hotel to the Colombo Airport in time for your departure flight. Wave Sri Lanka a sad good-bye until the next time !!

Please Note: We can easily extend this package with additional nights on the Beach or even a Maldives Resort !! Please feel free to enquire.