Day 1 : Start Veyangoda

The group flight arrives at Colombo’s Bandaranaike Airport and we transfer to our hotel approximately 30 minutes away. Those not travelling on the group flight, please ensure you provide your flight details at least 2 weeks prior to arrival to secure your airport transfer. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, your Leader will advise the time and location.

Accommodation: The Covanro (or similar)

Day 2 : Visit cave temples at Dambulla; to Sigiriya

We depart after breakfast for the drive (approximately four hours) among coconut palms, paddy fields and banana plantations through Kurunegala to Dambulla. Here, we visit the magnificent Cave Temple, among the most impressive sights in Sri Lanka. There are colourful, well-preserved paintings and Buddha statues inside the caves, which date to the first century BCE.After lunch, we continue to Sigiriya (Lion Rock). From our hotel, we can see the giant rock fortress rising from the plains (occasionally we may stay nearer to Dambulla due to hotel availability).

Accommodation: Hotel Sigiriya (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 3 : Morning climb to Sigiriya rock fortress; optional afternoon game drive

Sigiriya is, perhaps, the standout attraction in Sri Lanka with the ruins of a fifth-century palace crowning an imposing granite peak, also known as Lion Rock. This morning, we drive to the base, where a moat surrounds impressive water gardens. We then take the route to the top, via a series of steep steps and gangways, ascending 655ft (200m) and passing an overhanging rock, under which portraits of native maidens holding flowers and temple offerings still adorn the rock wall. On the flat-topped summit are extensive remains of the King’s Summer Palace.,,During the afternoon, there is a chance to enjoy an optional game drive in either Minneriya National Park,  Kaudulla National Park or the Hurulu Eco Park to see elephants in their natural habitat (which location depends on the elephant herd movements). For those who would prefer not to join the game drive, you can relax by the hotel pool.

Accommodation: Hotel Sigiriya (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 4 : To Girithale; bike ride through country villages

This morning, we have a short drive to Girithale where our hotel overlooks the scenic Girithale Tank. The early inhabitants here solved the dual problem of heat and lack of water in this dry area by constructing large tanks to act as reservoirs and cool the warm breeze. Now they provide an important habitat for bird life, particularly from August to April.,,Today we hop on local bikes and enjoy a leisurely cycle through small villages and lakes. As an alternative to cycling, you can hire a tuk tuk locally for approximately 4,000 rupees and follow the group on their trail. Along the way, we should see plenty of bird life including Egrets, Brahmany kites, Kingfishers and Bulbuls. Breaking up the journey, we stop for lunch in a traditional village before returning to our hotel in Giritale by late afternoon.

Accommodation: Girithale Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Visit ancient capital of Polonnaruwa; drive to Kandy via spice garden

After breakfast, we take a short drive to the 10th-century capital of Sri Lanka: Polonnaruwa, the ancient capital of the Sinhalese. There are many Buddhist relics and ruins here, dating from a 1,000 years ago when Sinhalese culture reached its zenith. The city flourished in the 12th century after the decision was made to move the capital from Anuradhapura, so it was further from incursions from southern India. The ruins are therefore younger and better preserved than those at Anuradhapura. We visit many of the temples, palaces, huge dagobas (Buddhist stupas) and remarkable Buddhist sculptures.,,After lunch, we head into the hills to the picturesque town of Kandy. Stopping along the way at a spice garden near Matale, where we learn about various spices and herbs growing, and there is a chance to stock up on fresh spices, massage oils and Ayurvedic medicines. This is a long but fascinating day, arriving to Kandy in the early evening.

Accommodation: Earl’s Regent Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Days 6 - 7 : Time in Kandy to explore or relax - Kandy is by a small lake and we spend two full days in and around the town.

On the first day, we visit the Temple of the Tooth, which houses the most important Buddhist relic in Sri Lanka. The Tooth of Buddha was taken from the funeral pyre in 543 BCE and only found its way to Sri Lanka in the fourth century CE. Hundreds of worshippers visit the temple each day and in August the most spectacular ceremony takes place. Some of our August trips should coincide with the Kandy festival, but the exact dates, decided by priests, are not known until five months prior to the event. After our visit, we drive to a beautiful viewpoint over Kandy overlooked by a huge Buddha, and visit a gem museum where you can see the products of the traditional methods of gem extraction. Another highlight is the vast Peradeniya Botanical Garden with orchid species endemic to Sri Lanka. Your second full day in Kandy is free to explore this wonderful town or take it slow starting the day relaxing by the hotel pool. The surrounding hills are wonderful, offering fantastic views of the town below and there are many handicraft stores and antique shops in which to browse. On either evening, you will have the option to attend a traditional performance of dancing and fire eating.

Accommodation: Earl’s Regent Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 8: To Nuwara Eliya via Kitulgala; optional Adam's Peak climb (December to April only)

Leaving Kandy early, we have a spectacular drive through the countryside on the way to Kitulgala. Here, we have the opportunity of going on a walk through the jungle or local villages followed by an optional white-water rafting excursion. The rafting is a supplement cost and requires minimum 4 people (see the Optional Excursions section of the trip notes), the activity lasts a maximum of 1.5 hours and there is a choice of gentle or wild water (grade III rapids) depending on your preference. If you do not wish to go rafting, freshen up and relax by the water until the rafters return for lunch. After, we drive to our hotel in Nuwara Eliya.,,Please note, it is possible to climb Adam’s Peak (Sri Pada) from the full moon day of December to the full moon day of May. This is optional and you need to be confident in your fitness levels to attempt this. You would leave Nuwara Eliya around midnight on Day 8 and drive for approximately two hours to the base of the peak. From here, it is a strenuous four-hour climb to the top in time for sunrise. We then return to Nuwara Eliya to join the group for lunch on Day 9.

Accommodation: Mirage Kings Cottage (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 9 : Free morning in old colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya. Visit tea factory in afternoon

This morning, we have free time to explore the beautiful town of Nuwara Eliya, a popular hill station during the British era, situated in the cool highland air. Known locally as Little England, it is dotted with British-style houses and parks and features a golf club and racecourse. Following lunch, we  visit a nearby tea plantation and factory and learn about the process of tea production.

Accommodation: Mirage Kings Cottage (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 10 : Early morning to Horton Plains; walk to World's End viewpoint; to Bandarawela by train

We have an early start this morning and take a 19mi (30km) drive south to Horton Plains, a large plateau more than 6,560ft (2,000m) high, overlooked by the second and third highest peaks in Sri Lanka. The scenery is beautiful and the best way to explore is on foot. We take a guided walk through the rolling grasslands, where we hope to see monkeys. We also visit World’s End, where the ground drops 3,445ft (1,050m) to the plains.,,Following this, we catch a train from the highest railway station in the country – within 90 minutes we drop from 6,198ft (1,889m) to 3,599ft (1,097m). The train travels through cloud forest into tea plantations, with breath-taking views of the lush valley below. We get off at Bandarawela, a town relatively untouched by tourism.

Accommodation: Orient Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 11 : Scenic drive through Ella Gap to Kataragama; game drive in Yala National Park

Today, we continue on to Ella Gap where we have spectacular views of the coastal plain nearly 3,280ft (1,000m) below. Almost the entire southern part of the island is in view and (on a particularly clear day) the shimmering Indian Ocean is visible. Heading south out of the hills, we travel to Kataragama on the plains; this is our base for visiting the best-known national park in Sri Lanka, Yala, home to elephants, leopards, bears, crocodiles and wild boars. The park, which is primarily shrub jungle with several salt and freshwater lagoons, has one of the highest concentrations of leopards in the world. Please note, the sanctuary may be closed for four to six weeks from September to October, allowing park authorities to check the welfare of the animals. We therefore go to a nearby alternative, usually Udawalawe National Park.

Accommodation: Mandara Rosen (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 12 : Drive to Tissamaharama and walk through rural farmland; coastal drive to Ahangama

Today, we leave for the coast, with its beautiful palm-fringed bays. On the way we stop in Tissamaharama, where we walk to a  farm house where you’ll be offered tea in a coconut shell along with a local snack. We will mix with real Sri Lankan life and take part in some traditional Sri Lankan games, returning to our bus in tractors used by the farmers.,,Continuing on to Ahangama, we arrive at our coastal hotel in the afternoon and you can relax for the rest of the day.

Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 13 : Free day to relax on the beach or optional activities including whale watching (Nov to April)

Today is free for you to relax on the beach or by the hotel pool. There are also optional activities including a boat ride through mangrove swamps to a cinnamon plantation or, from November to April, you can go whale watching off Dondra Head, one of the best places in the world for seeing blue and sperm whales. Huge dolphin pods often play alongside the boats.

Accommodation: Insight Resort (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 14: To Galle; visit old fort; transfer to Colombo

We drive along the coastal road to the historic port of Galle, which dates to the 17th century, and now a Unesco World Heritage site. On the way, we stop at a small folk museum inspired by the local writer Martin Wickramasinghe. The museum is a typical house from the Koggala region and is set among beautiful gardens. Later, we continue along the expressway to Colombo, reaching our hotel in the late afternoon.

Accommodation: Hotel Cinnamon Red (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Day 15 : End Colombo - Departure

The adventure ends today and you begin your return journey home.,,Those on the group flights will take a transfer to the airport this morning. If you are not travelling on the group flight, please ensure you provide your flight details at least 2 weeks prior to arrival to secure your return airport transfer.,,It’s been a culture-packed adventure, so if you’re craving a little R&R, speak to your sales representative about joining our post-trip getaway to the Maldives. Alternatively, if you’d like to explore Sri Lanka a little more, you can book an extension to your hotel stay.

Meals included: Breakfast

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