| Day 01 |
Arrive in Sri Lanka. Greet & meet by a representative of HEMTOURS and transfer to Colombo. |
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Late afternoon visit the Independence Memorial hall and Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple. |
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Overnight : In Colombo |
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| Day 02 |
After breakfast, drive down to Galle Dutch Fort- “A World Heritage Site”. En route visit Kalutara Dagoba and a Turtle Hatchery in Kosgoda. |
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Late afternoon : Walk in the narrow streets, including the Lighthouse Street (Zeeburg Street), Leyn-Baan Street (Lijnberg meaning rope walk), and Modarabaay Street (Modder-baai meaning Mud bay) see the Old Dutch Houses, private Museum where Dutch period antiques could be seen and part of the Old Sewer system that emptied to the sea with the high/low tide. |
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Overnight : In Kandy |
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| Day 03 |
After breakfast visit the worlds only white tea plantation. According to Chinese legend, some 5,000 years ago the emperor Shen Nung was traveling the countryside. The water was foul and unfit for drinking, so he ordered it to be boiled. Suddenly the wind blew a tea leaf into his cup of hot water. The curious emperor let the leaf steep, then drank the brew. |
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White tea became revered during China's Song Dynasty (960-1279). It was the choice of the royal court and was given as tribute to the emperor. White tea leaves and buds were ground into a silvery powder. |
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Evening : Visit the Old Dutch Church c. 1752 constructed as a thanksgiving by the wife of the Commandeur Casparous de Jong, for the gift of a child. |
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Visit the Bastions including the Sun, Moon, Star, Zwart (with the old water-gate and hidden entrance identified as the Santa Cruz Bastion of the Portuguese), Akesloot (where the first Breadfruit tree was planted by the Dutch), Old Gunpowder Magazine, Aeloes, Triton, Neptune and other Bastions. |
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Overnight : In Kandy |
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| Day 04 |
After breakfast leave for Sinharaja - Primeval rain forest and a “World Heritage Site”, via Weddagala. Proceed to the Base Camp at Kudawa and walk from there in the forest reserve with a Tracker. |
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Walk in the “Waturawa Trail” and see some of the 120 different species of trees (more than 60% endemic) Epiphytic Orchids, Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians (large number of Endemic Frogs - more than 200 in the country), Butterflies, Fishes and any Wild Animals. |
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Evening walk back to Kudawa and drive to the hotel. |
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Overnight : Close to Sinharaja Rain Forest |
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| Day 05 |
After breakfast, proceed to Nuwara Eliya. |
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Leave for Nuwara Eliya also called the “Little England” and is set against beautiful backdrops of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea plantations. |
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Evening visit the Market, Victoria Park, drive round the Lake and see the building constructed in the style of a British city including the old Post Office and Golf Club. |
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Overnight : In Nuwara Eliya |
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| Day 06 |
Check out from the hotel after breakfast and proceed to Mahiyangana. |
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Evening walk up on the bund of the Sorabora Wewa constructed in the 2nd C. B. C. and enjoys the peaceful natural atmosphere of the place. See the “Bisokotuwa” (Sluice Valve Pit) constructed by cutting the rock to 25 feet in depth with the tools available in the 2nd C.B.C. |
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Overnight : In Mahiyangana |
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| Day 07 |
Morning visit Dambana to see the settlement of the Veddhas (Aborigines) of Sri Lanka, whose ancestors had lived in Caves from about 40,000 years Before Present (B. P.) as attested by the skeletal and other remains found in caves and open air habitations. |
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The Veddhas are still living in the jungle, in small mud huts, doing basis agriculture and living as food gatherers and hunting wild animals with bow and arrow. |
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See their Cultural Center, meet the Chief of all Veddhas, Uruvarige Vanniyaleaththo at Kota Bakina, and give those presents of betel chewing items and cloths. See how they live in the jungle, look after the jungle, collect bees honey and make a living in their ancestral ways. |
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Overnight : In Mahiyanagana |
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| Day 08 |
After breakfast leave for Knuckles Range via Looluwatte. |
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Enter Knuckles Range on foot from Looluwatta and walk through the jungle observing trees & plants, ferns, orchids, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, birds, and enjoying the beauty of the 35 mountains above 3500 feet some of them rising up to 6200 feet. Knuckle Range of mountains is a protected area under the Man & Biosphere (MAB) Project. It consists of 90 sq. Miles of Jungle, and gets rain from both the South West and North East Monsoons. |
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Also visit the “Corbet’s Gap” - one of the most scenic places in the range. From here you can observe the mountain peaks and the range ends on the eastern side and the view from the Gap extends to all the way up to the Sea.. |
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Continue to Kandy – A world Heritage Site - via Hasalaka, Rantembe, Randenigala and Victoria Reservoirs passing through Victoria - Randenigala - Rantembe National Park. |
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Overnight : In Kandy |
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| Day 09 |
After breakfast visit the Kandy Market, National Museum, Old Royal Palace - now a museum, Audience Hall, Vishnu and Natha Devala and visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic at 11.00 a.m. to see the ‘Pooja’ (offerings). |
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Afternoon visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens - 147 acres, more than 4,000 species of trees and plants consisting of many rare and endemic tree species. See the Orchid House, Spice section and the Palm tree sectors. |
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Late evening view a Cultural Show |
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Overnight : In Kandy |
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| Day 10 |
Leave for Habarana en route visit Dambulla – A World Heritage Site. |
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Dambulla Cave Temples (5 caves) dating from 1st C.B.C. to 18th C.A.D. These Temples contains the largest painted surfaces of 21,000 square feet of Buddhist murals covering all the walls and ceilings of the 5 caves, large number of Buddha statues (more than 150), statues of Gods and Kings in the caves. |
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Afternoon visit Sigiriya - A World Heritage Site - the “Fortress in the Sky” and see the remains of the Palace on the summit, Lion-staircase, Sigiri Graffiti- the verses written on the Mirror Wall, Paintings of the Damsels-Light coloured (Vijjulatha) and Dark coloured (Megalatha) in "fresco-en-secco" and the beautifully designed Pleasure Garden (Water garden, boulder garden), the caves with pre-Christian inscriptions, remains of inner & outer fortifications. |
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Overnight : In Habarana / Sigiriya / Dambulla |
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| Day 11 |
After breakfast, leave for Polonnaruwa – A UNESCO World Heritage Site - and explore this ancient city. See the monuments including the Royal Palace & Audience Halls of King Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A. D.) and King Nissankamalla (1187-1196 A.D.). Thuparama, Vata-da-ge, Heta-da-ge, Pabalu Vehera, Siva Devala, Rankot Vehera, Baddhasima-prasada, Lankatilake, Gal Vihara - to see the 4 rock-cut Buddha statues, Tivanka Image House-for beautiful 12th C.A.D. murals on the walls etc. and the old Hospital where surgical instruments were found. |
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Overnight : In Habarana / Sigiriya / Dambulla |
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| Day 12 |
Breakfast at the hotel and proceed to Anuradhapura – A World Heritage Site. Visit Abhayagiriya Monastery including the Alms Hall and the Museum, Jetavanarama Monastery, Western Monasteries, Museum, Royal Palace, (old) Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Samadhi Statue, Twin Ponds, Vessagiriya caves, and other monuments. |
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Return to the hotel to freshen up and leave for Mihintale - the “Cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka”. Climb 1840 steps and see the Ambastala Dagoba, Aradhanagala, Maha Thupa, Kantaka Cetiya, Naga & Kaludiya Pokuna, Indikatu Seya, and Old Hospital etc. |
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Evening see some monuments including the Sacred Bo-tree, Ruvanweliseya Dagoba, Thuparama Dagoba and Issurumuniya Buddhist Temple. |
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Overnight : In Anuradhapura |
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| Day 13 |
After breakfast check out from the hotel and proceed to Negombo |
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Overnight : In Negombo |
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| Day 14 |
Transfer to Airport for departure |
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