Cultural Highlands and Coastal Wildlife Escape

Day 01 : Arrival Transfer to Negombo

Arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Welcome by a Sunway Holidays representative, transfer to beach hotel in Negombo (a beach resort around 15 Kms north of the airport) Rest of the day is at leisure. Overnight stay at Hotel in Negombo.

Day 02 : Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage / Dambulla Cave Temple

Breakfast at the hotel. Proceed to Dambulla. Make a visit to the Elephant orphanage at Pinnawala. Visitors can view the care and daily routine of the elephants, such as bottle-feeding of elephant calves, feeding of all other elephants, and bathing in the Ma Oya River. Visit the Dambulla Cave Temple and yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sri Lanka’s greatest cave-temple complex, the walls and ceiling of this Buddhist site are resplendent with frescoes and there are hundreds of statues of Buddha, Hindu kings and deities. The history of these five caves’ embellishment dates from the first century BC and changes and additions have been made right up to nowadays Stay overnight at Dambulla.

Recommended Activities: Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage Dambulla Cave Temple

Day 03 : Sigiriya Rock Fortress / Matale Spice / Kandy City Tour

Enjoy an early breakfast and visit the UNESCO-listed 5th century site of Sigiriya. Accessed by a steep 600 feet hike up to the ancient natural rock fortress that dominates the surrounding landscape. Marvelous views across the countryside of the Cultural Triangle are your reward for the haul to the top. The ruins of Sigiriya King Kassapa's Sky Fortress dominate the landscape of the Cultural Triangle. A series of steep staircases and catwalks climb to the summit of the great inselberg. Along the way you’ll pass wall paintings of curvaceous apsaras, or ‘heavenly nymphs’, delicately painted frescos believed to have been modelled on the real-life queens and princesses who once lived in the palace above, tucked beneath an overhanging rock. Make a pause at the huge lion paws carved in to the rock, the original gateway to the fort. Depart for Kandy via Matale visiting a Spice Garden to see how the local Spice including cinnamon, cardamom, pepper creepers and other spice trees grow, their numerous forms of use. Kandy, is the island’s cultural capital and the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy, Kandy is encircled by jungle-covered hills. Located in the refreshing highlands, Kandy is easy to fall in love with. Stop at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the island’s most revered Buddhist shrine. Pilgrims dressed in white clothes come to worship throughout the day, carrying lotus blooms and frangipani flowers to present at the shrine. Later make a city tour of Kandy, the island’s cultural capital and the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy, Kandy is encircled by jungle-covered hills. Located in the refreshing highlands, proceed exploring Kandy’s colorful Bazar, Upper Lake, arts centers, museums etc. Later attend a cultural dance performance with fire dancing. Overnight stay in Kandy. Enjoy an early breakfast and visit the UNESCO-listed 5th century site of Sigiriya. Accessed by a steep 600 feet hike up to the ancient natural rock fortress that dominates the surrounding landscape. Marvelous views across the countryside of the Cultural Triangle are your reward for the haul to the top. The ruins of Sigiriya King Kassapa's Sky Fortress dominate the landscape of the Cultural Triangle. A series of steep staircases and catwalks climb to the summit of the great inselberg. Along the way you’ll pass wall paintings of curvaceous apsaras, or ‘heavenly nymphs’, delicately painted frescos believed to have been modelled on the real-life queens and princesses who once lived in the palace above, tucked beneath an overhanging rock. Make a pause at the huge lion paws carved in to the rock, the original gateway to the fort. Depart for Kandy via Matale visiting a Spice Garden to see how the local Spice including cinnamon, cardamom, pepper creepers and other spice trees grow, their numerous forms of use. Kandy, is the island’s cultural capital and the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy, Kandy is encircled by jungle-covered hills. Located in the refreshing highlands, Kandy is easy to fall in love with. Stop at the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, the island’s most revered Buddhist shrine. Pilgrims dressed in white clothes come to worship throughout the day, carrying lotus blooms and frangipani flowers to present at the shrine. Later make a city tour of Kandy, the island’s cultural capital and the last capital of the Sinhalese monarchy, Kandy is encircled by jungle-covered hills. Located in the refreshing highlands, proceed exploring Kandy’s colorful Bazar, Upper Lake, arts centers, museums etc. Later attend a cultural dance performance with fire dancing. Overnight stay in Kandy.

Recommended Activities: Tour Of The Spice Garden Sigiriya Rock Kandy City Tour

Day 04 : Botanical Gardens / Hill Country

After breakfast at the hotel. Optional : those who prefer a morning activity can make a short walk in the Udawatta Kele sanctuary. A 103-hectare Udawatta Kele eco-tourism site is located north of Kandy Lake. Making the Bird watching & trekking in Udawatta Kele Sanctuary extraordinary this garden is blessed with exclusive collections of avifauna also recognized as one of the most beautiful bird sanctuaries in Sri Lanka. Visit the Kandy’s Royal Botanical Gardens famed for the world-class collection of orchids, palms and, the real showstopper, a giant Javan fig tree. Leave for Nuwara eliya, known as “Little England” of Sri Lanka. En route see the mountains covered with tea bushes and cascading waterfalls. The drive is scenic, nature rich, with mountains covered with tea bushes etc. The town is set against a beautiful backdrop of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea gardens. Nuwara eliya is one of the coldest places in the island, with a weather of almost like a spring day in England. The temperature will drop at night and taking a warm cloth is recommended. Later make a sight-seeing tour of Nuwara eliya. Explore the city center to see the colonial buildings, Race Course, Hill Club Hotel, Gregory Lake and Sita Amman Kovil. Overnight stay in Nuwara eliya.

Recommended Activities: Royal Botanical Gardens Chasing Waterfalls

Day 05 : Tea Experience / Ella / Yala

Enjoy your breakfast and make a visit to a tea factory to learn how the region’s most fragrant brews are produced. The Tea experience starts with a guided tour of a local tea factory, where you’ll be shown how the top best leaves are picked and processed. Taste a cup of freshly brewed pure Ceylon (Sri Lanka) Tea. You can also buy fresh tea from the factory outlet. Explore the city center to see the colonial buildings, Race Course, Hill Club Hotel, Gregory Lake and Sita Amman Kovil. Leave for Yala with a stop in Ella. Look out through Ella Gap, a deep valley connecting the city of Ella with the low country. See the beauty of the broadest Rawana Ella water fall. Later check in at your hotel in Yala for the night’s stay.

Day 06 : Game Drive in Yala National Park / Galle Fort / Bentota

Make an early start on a Jeep Safari in the Yala National Park, country’s oldest and most popular reserve covering an area of 1500 sq km and has one of the highest densities of leopards in the World. Here you can spot three of country’s Big Five which include; leopard, sloth, and the Sri Lankan elephant. The Park is home to variety of wildlife including spotted deer, crocodiles, wild boar, wild buffaloes, langurs, peacocks and over 200 Spice of birds. Chances of spotting herds of roaming elephants and the elusive sloth bear are high. Most visitors come here to see the leopards. There are an estimated 350 of them among the highest population densities anywhere in the world. The leopards tend to seek shade in the midday heat. For this reason, early morning and late afternoon are the best times to see them. Enjoy a late breakfast and drive to Galle. A stop at Kataragama Hindu Temple where both Buddhist and Hindu devotees worship is suggested. Explore the Southern capital city of Galle, Sri Lanka's finest colonial treasure, and once the greatest port in Ceylon. Galle Dutch Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, It mixes the exotic with the colonial. The architectural legacies of Portuguese and Dutch settlers alongside more traditional Sri Lankan styles are visible. Visit the Galle Fort, the Light House, the Maritime Museum, the ancient Dutch Reformed Church, the Sun and the Moon bastions and many other fascinating sights. Later after wandering the narrow streets in the Fort, dotted with Dutch colonial villas, museums, restaurants, pubs and antique shops, leave for your beach hotel in the south / west coast. Sri Lanka’s serene south / west coast is a non-stop parade of beautiful, wave-lashed beaches, backed by stands of gently inclined coconut palms and pretty, low-rise fishing villages and resorts. Stop at a turtle Hatchery and release a few baby Turtles to the sea. Check in at your beach hotel for the night’s stay.

Recommended Activities: Yala National Park safari The Galle Fort

Day 07 : Colombo & Transfer to Airport

Enjoy the breakfast and relax by the beach. In the afternoon leave for the airport via Colombo, Make a sight-seeing tour of Colombo. Visit a Buddhist Temple, Pettah, Colonial era remainings, Fort, Galle Face Green, Independence Square, BMICH, a replica of the tallest standing Buddha statue at Aukana, etc. Discover the city & explore one or more of the shopping malls, such as House of Fashion, Odel, Arena, One Galle Face, Havelock City Mall, etc. Evening transfer to Airport for onward flight.

Recommended Activities: Shopping Spree At Urban Malls – Colombo