DAY 1 → Arrival / Dmabulla Rock – Carve Temple / Hotel Chaya Village Habarana
Arrival at the Bandaranaike International airport, Katunayake. You will be met and assisted on arrival by Wonder Sri Lanka team. After a small refreshment, leave to Habarana.
En route visit the sacred caves of Dambulla with their statues of Buddha and views over the surrounding forests. The famous Golden Rock CaveTemple which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, a vast isolated rock mass with its five caverns is the largest best preserved cave-temple complexes in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 sq. meters) 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.
On arrival transfer for three nights to the four star Chaaya Village, Habarana. Chaaya Village – Habarana boasts a prime location amid acres of woodland, tropical flowers and adjacent to a beautiful lake. Habarana is an ideal base for a host of excursions and situated near Sigiriya, enjoy the bird watching and flora here.
Evening at leisure and dinner at Chaya Village Hotel - Habarana.
Distance: Approx. 150 miles from Airport to Habarana
Duration of Travel: 3½ hours drive from Airport
DAY 2 → Sigiriya Fortress / Minneriaya Wildlife Jeep Safari / Night at Hotel Chaya Village Habarana
After breakfast, take an excursion to the staggering Sigiriya Rock Fortress just half an hour drive away. Marvel at the beautiful gardens and ruins of this incredible structure and for the more energetic take the 1,200 steps to the very top, the views are incredible. Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage site, built by King Kassapa in the 05thcentury A.D. which was a Royal Citadel for more than 18 years. The Lion Rock is a citadel of unusual beauty, rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The base of the rock is ringed by a moat and rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens. The majestic Lion’s Paw picturesquely guards 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 10 feet high Mirror Wall.
Lunch / Local Restaurant in Habarana or Sigiriya
After Lunch Jeep safari to the Minneriya or Kaudulla National park, famed for its wild elephants. Wild Life Safari Tour. ( Aprox 4-5 Hour Safari )
Dinner is back at your hotel in Habarana.
DAY 3 → Elephant Back Riding Safari / Shopping / Ancient City of Polonnaruwa
After Breakfast take an Elephant Back Ride Safari (Aprox. 1 Hour )
Handicraft Shopping near Sigiriya
Lunch at a Local restaurant in Sigiriya
Take an optional excursion to the 12th Century Sinhalese capital of Polonnaruwa just one hours drive away. It was the Capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13th century, a well-planned medieval city defended by enclosing walls (around 5 km. which still remain), graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes. Polonnaruwa is strewn with ruins in a resplendent state of preservation. 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.
Evening at leisure and dinner at Chaya Village Hotel - Habarana
DAY 4 → Kandy / Kandy City Tour / Temple of Tooth
After breakfast leave for the picturesque lakeside town of Kandy, enjoying a visit to a spice garden and Batik factory en route.
Lunch on the way at Kamatha, a traditional paddy field.
Check-in to the Queens Hotel in Kandy.
In Royal city of Kandy, enjoy the sightseeing of ‘the capital of the Sri Lankan Kings.’ Visit Kandy town and market including the renowned and celebrated, pink painted famous Temple of the Tooth which houses the most sacred religious relic, the tooth of the Buddha. One of the main tourist attractions in the country.
Kandy, the bustling hill country capital which is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the Esala Perahera where the inner casket covering the tooth relic of the Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city held annually.
Distance: Approx.85 miles from Habarana to Kandy
Duration of Travel: 2½ hours drive from Habarana
DAY 5 → Kandy / Peradeniya Botanical Garden / Kandy City Tour / Kandyan Cultural Show
After breakfast, drive past the picturesque premises of the University of Peradeniya and visit the Market Place, and an Arts & Crafts Showroom. Then drive along the Upper Lake road to get a panoramic view of the Kandy Lake built in 1807 and is an attractive centerpiece to the town. Also visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, where a rare collection of tropical exotic and indigenous flora including the famous Orchid House could be viewed.
Lunch at a local restaurant in Kandy or Peradeniya
Check into Earls Regency Hotel. Relax at the hotel pool. In the afternoon city tour of picturesque Kandy and Late evening enjoy the Kandyan Cultural show at the Kandyan Arts & Cultural Centre. The show features the graceful and rhythmic dancers and drummers culminating in an impressive fire walking display.
Night at Earls Regency Hotel in Kandy.
DAY 6 → Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage / Tea Plantation / Hill Country Nuwara Eliya
Travel to Pinnawela and visit the renowned elephant orphanage. Baby elephants lost or abandoned in the wild are protected at Pinnawala. Witness the feeding of the elephants. The baby elephants being bottle fed with milk is a heartwarming sight. Thereafter observe them as they take their daily bath in the river nearby, which affords marvelous photo opportunities. Bath time is enjoyed by all elephants, young and old alike and it is a good time to closely observe their tightly knit family structure. The young elephants are protected and cared for, by the older ones in the group and the leader of the group is respected by all. (Open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Daily feeding times- 9.15 a.m., 1.15 p.m. 5.00 p.m. Bathing times – 10.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 4.00 p.m.)
A typical Sri Lankan rice and curry lunch will be served at the Elephant Bay affording superb views as you watch the elephants bathing. Thereafter, continue to Bentota and check-in to the Bentota Beach hotel
Depart for the hill station of Nuwara Eliya some 6,000 feet above sea level. Offering spectacular views of beautiful green hillsides, rushing waterfalls and tea plantations. Today you have a unique opportunity to travel by train from Kandy to Nanu Oya followed by a drive to the most celebrated hill station. On the way don’t miss the visit to a tea plantation and factory while you enjoy the superb views of the countryside. Two nights at the Grand Hotel at Nuwara Eliya in a Standard room and experience a high tea session This beautiful town of Nuwara Eliya is where the British succeeded in creating an English countryside with homes in styles from Georgian to Queen Anne with well kept lawns with hedges. En route visit a tea plantation and a tea factory. At the tea factory witness the process of manufacture of tea from plucking of the green leaves to packing of the processed tea.
Overnight stay / Dinner at Grand Hotel at Nuwara Eliya
Distance: Approx. 60 miles from Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
Duration of Travel: 3 hours drive from Kandy
DAY 7 → Relax or Horton Plains / Worlds End Tour / City Tour Nuwara Eliya
This morning relax, or take an optional excursion to Horton Plains / Worlds End, and this afternoon visit Nuwara Eliya, Visit the Nuwara Eliya Town, Market place, Golf Course, (one of the finest 18 holes Golf Course in Asia), the Hill Club, and drive around this hill station viewing Lake Gregory.
Overnight stay / Dinner at Grand Hotel at Nuwara Eliya
DAY 8 → Drive to Benthota via Kithulgala ( with few stop overs to relax )
After breakfast leave for Bentota via Kitulgala En route optionally visit prehistorically important Belilena in Kitulgala which is a very large cave in which 12,000 year old skeletal remains of the prehistoric ‘Balangoda man’ have been found. Thereafter visit the location where the famous World War II movie “Bridge on the River Kwai” was filmed. On completion proceed to Bentota a tourist resort in the south with the most beautiful, wide and sandy beaches.
Distance: Approx. 151 miles from Nuwara Eliya to Bentota
Duration of Travel: 5 ½ hour drive from Kandy
DAY 9 → Relax by the Beach
Relax by the beach, enjoy the hotel’s grounds and refreshing swimming pool.
Enjoy a complimentary Spa Treatment - Ayurvedic Treatment / Herbal Oil Body Treatment
(Oil Body Massage, Herbal Steam & Herbal Bath) [1hour & 30 minutes] Free of charge
DAY 10 → Colombo City Tour / Shopping / Leaving to Airport
After Breakfast vacate hotel and enjoy a brief Colombo City Tour. Stop at the Barefoot for Lunch and Shopping before transfer to the Airport for your departure flight.
Distance: Approx. 59 miles from Bentota to Katunayake
Duration of Travel: 2 ½ hour drive from Bentota
THE TOUR → All the main ingredients for a wonderful holiday, combining windswept sandy beaches, friendly people, highlights of Sri Lanka's cultural triangle and the picturesque lakeside town of Kandy. A superb short tour of some of the country's most renowned sites, followed by time to relax on the beach.
MEAL PLAN → Prices include Dinner only on Day 1 + full breakfast and dinner from Day 2 to Day 9 + breakfast only on Day 10. Lunch is not included in this price and is extra. Non Spicy Food as requested.
ACCOMMODATION → 3 or 4 star hotels. All hotels have a swimming pool where you can relax. The Room includes 1 Double Bed and 1 Extra Single Bed. (Rooms are Half Board Basis – Breakfast and Dinner only.
TOUR INCLUDES → Air-conditioned transport throughout in a 7 Seat Van (Enough Space for your Luggage) English speaking Driver / Guide. Free Spa Treatment for 2 Adults, Free Elephant Ride, Free Jeep Safari / Wild Life Tour, All Entrance Fees Including all cultural attractions ( This includes Photography permission ), Entrance to Cultural Dance Show, Entrance to Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage ( This does not include the Video recording permission ) a Free / Complementary Handicraft Souvenir from Wonder Sri Lank Team to remember Sri Lanka.
GRATUITIES → Tipping is common practice in Sri Lanka. We recommend small amounts for porterage on your tour and slightly bigger amounts for your driver and guide which you can give at the end of your tour if you are happy with the service.
TRAVEL TIPS → Sun hat is recommended, especially during your climb of Sigiriya Rock and when you should also take with you lots of water! Light cloths are recommended.
NB → Depending on flight schedules, an extra night at the Mount Lavinia hotel may be required at the beginning of your tour. ( In case if you arrive late evening / night ) – There will be an extra cost for this
