| Day 1. |
COLOMBO |
|
- Arrival at the COLOMBO airport Bandaranayke around 8.15 a.m.
Transfer to the hotel and rest.
- In the afternoon we recommend a leisurely stroll down Galle Face that stretches
along the Indian Ocean and visit to one of the many tea houses
- It would be interesting for you to see a nearby Buddhist temple Gangaramaya
- Dinner at the hotel
|
| Day 2. |
NUWARA ELIYA-HATTON |
|
- After early breakfast - visit to a tea plantation on the central plateau.
The highest quality tea is grown and harvested in the region of NUWARA ELIYA,
but due to distance from the hotel and slow driving on local roads,
we propose visit to some other nearby location (HATTON) instead
visit to the factory + tasting several kinds of tea and walk on the plantation
- Lunch. Return to the hotel later in the afternoon
|
| Day 3. |
KANDY-PINNAWALA-HANTANA |
 |
- After early breakfast, ride down the picturesque road to KANDY
- Visit to an elephant orphanage in PINNAWALA (distance 87 km).
Currently the orphanage has about 65 elephants
- We continue to KANDY (UNESCO), 50 km away, the last capital of Sinhalese kings who, at the time of Portuguese colonization,
moved their capital from Colombo to the current location. Due to time limit, we propose to first visit the Museum of Ceylon tea
- After that we suggest the old city of KANDY tour and visit to the Temple of Tooth,
which, preserves Buddha's left canine brought there in 1595.
- Stroll along the lake.
- If there is time, pay visit to the Royal Botanical Garden Peradeniya
with over 300 species of orchids, herbs, medicinal plants and palm trees
- Return to Colombo in the evening (approx 3 hours)
|
| Day 4. |
SIGIRIYA-DAMBULLA |
|
- After an early breakfast transfer to SIGIRIYA (3.5 hour drive)
- Before visiting SIGIRIYA we stop in DAMBULLA (UNESCO), complex of temples inside the cave, numerous statues
and 15 m tall statue of Buddha
- After that we continue to nearby SIGIRIYA (UNESCO). The Royal Fortress (Citadel) that was built on a 200 m high cliff
in the 5th century, and later served as a Buddhist monastery. The Monastery is famous for its frescoes dating back in the 8th century
and is surrounded by tropical, rainforest vegetation
- After the tour, and late lunch, return to Colombo
|
| Day 5. |
COLOMBO |
|
- After breakfast, we propose you spend the day sightseeing in COLOMBO
- After the tea-break, we suggest visiting the city center known as the Fort.
This is a historic part of the town that originates from the 16th century
and is characterized by old colonial buildings incorporated into a modern, financial
and commercial part of COLOMBO
- In the afternoon, after lunch at the center, visit the National Museum and walk
through Viharamahadevi, a nearby park with City Hall built in English style
- For city ride, we recommend the use of Tuk Tuk's (ltaxis) at affordable prices
|
| Day 6. |
NEGOMBO |
|
- After breakfast departure to the famous open fish market - NEGOMBO.
In the past, NEGOMBO was a major shipping port for spices, especially cinnamon.
It is 50 km away from Colombo and it is called "little Rome" because of many
Catholic churches from the colonial era.
There is a beautiful, long beach stretching along the Indian ocean
where most residents spend their weekend
- We suggest lunch at the restaurant of Serendib (Porutota Road 35A) near the beach
|
| Day 7. |
GALLE |
|
- After breakfast, we suggest driving to the south of the island, the part with
the famous beaches. Unawatuna is near the town GALLE and is one of the most
beautiful on the island.
Above the beach there is a Buddhist temple overlooking the bay.
You can have lunch at a restaurant on the beach
- Upon the return, we recommend to see GALLE where the first Portuguese
explorers arrived. The fortified old town under UNESCO protection,
significantly damaged by tsunami in 2004, but was later reconstructed
|
| Day 8. |
SRI JAYAWARDENEPURA |
|
- A day to relax and sorting out the impressions
- Eventually, visit to the Parliament of Sri Lanka in SRI JAYAWARDENEPURA,
12 km away from the center of Kolombo and stroll through Cinnamon Gardens,
or altrnatively shopping
|
