Sri Lanka Highlights

Day 1

Airport – Pinnawella – Dambulla

“Ayubowan” On arrival at the recently refurbished Modern and State of the art International Airport, you will be blessed to get your first taste of warm Sri Lankan hospitality; Representative from Gateway Sri Lanka Holidays , will welcome you at the Airport & receive to Dambulla. En route visits.

Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage

Approximately 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo – Kandy road is Pinnawela, Where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now; including Baby Elephants brought from various parts, as well as the 23 babies born, as a result of the captive breeding program. The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0930-1000HRS and 1330-1400HRS and the bathing time from 1000-1030HRS and 1400-1430 HRS when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.

Dambulla Cave Temple

Dambulla is a vast isolated rock mass 500ft high and a mile around the base. Here is found the famous Rock Temple dating to the First Century BC. The caves of Dambulla sheltered the King Walagamba during his 14 years of exile from Anuradhapura. When he regained the throne he built the most magnificent of Rock Temples to be found on the Island. In the first Cave is a recumbent image of the Buddha 47ft long cut out of the rock. There are images of deities associated with Buddhism all around. The frescoes on the ceiling date back to the 15th – 18th Centuries.
In the Second Cave, the finest and the largest of all, there are 150 life-size statues of Gods from the Buddhist religion along with numerous images of the Buddha himself.

Overnight stay in Dambulla / Sigiriya / Habarana.

Day 2

Dambulla – Sigiriya – Kandy City Tour

After scrumptious breakfast with variety, proceed to Kandy en route.

Sigiriya

Sigiriya is home to the 5th Century ‘Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the fortress. Within it triple-moated defense the huge rock rises almost to a sheer height of 500ft.

On its summit are the foundations of what was once a great and sumptuous palace and gardens complete with swimming pool. On one of the stairways the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of frescoes of life sized damsels in all the freshness and delicacy of their original color.

Through Golden paddy fields and lush Green you will continue to Kandy, the last royal capital of Sri Lanka. Through the straight road you may take turns to climb the mountain.

Kandy
The hill capital is another “World Heritage Site”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally ceded to the British in 1815 after an agreement.
To the Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha.
Close by are the remains of the Royal Palace (“Maha Wasala”), “Palle Wasala”- where the Queens stayed-now used for the National Museum, “Meda Wasala” where other close relatives lived, Audience Hall, Natha Devala and Vishnu Devala are situated close by. The Bathing Pavilion (“Ulpenge”) is by the Lake and in the Center of the lake is the Island called “Kiri samudraya” (Milk white ocean) used by the kings as the summer house.
Today it is the center of Buddhism, Arts, Crafts, Dancing, Music and Culture.
Visitors can see these Dance & Music at the daily Cultural Performances held at several places in the city.

Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens

147 acres in extent; Started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Gampola and Kandy. There are more than 5,000 species of trees, plants and creepers. Some rare and endemic as well as flora from the tropical world are found in the gardens. Spice Garden and Orchid House are popular with tourists.
There are 5 Palm Avenues beautifying the gardens, the earliest and tallest Palm Avenue (Royal Palm Avenue) was planted in 1905 and the Double Coconuts from the Seashells Island, with the largest seed of all plants in the world is one such avenue.

Temple of the Tooth
“Dalada Maligawa”

Temple of the Tooth Relic to Buddhist of Sri Lanka and the world, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha

Evening witness a Cultural dance performance featuring various dance types of Sri Lanka. Duration. (45 minutes – 01hour)

Overnight stay in Kandy

Day 3

Kandy – Nuwara Eliya

After scrumptious Breakfast with Variety Proceed to Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya

The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coolest places in the Island, but it is really just like an English spring day, although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence, houses like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions. The Victoria Park, in the middle of the town, is a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic and is also good for Birding as you get some rare birds in this Park. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in the spring (March to May) and the fall (August and September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eliya to escape the sea level heat and humidity.

Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya

Day 4

Nuwara Eliya – Colombo City Tour

After scrumptious Breakfast with Variety proceed to Colombo via Kithulgala.

This is the place where the famous “Bridge on the River Kwai” film was made. En route Witness the sensuous St. Claris & divine Devon waterfalls. The journey is a truly remarkable. You are offered a Scenic drive and totally different landscape from the City of Nuwara Eliya.

Colombo

Colombo is the business and commercial center and the new capital is
Sri Jayawardhanapura Kotte which is only a few miles away. Colombo was only a small seaport, which came into prominence in the 16th Century with the arrival of the Portuguese in 1505 and the development of it as a major Harbour during the British period and became the capital in 1815 after Kandy was ceded to the British. The remains of the buildings during the period and the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule are found in every area of the city. None of the Portuguese & Dutch fortifications are found today but some of their buildings and churches could be seen in the Fort & Pettah areas. Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street – the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area where there is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings, the Kaymans Gate with the Belfry at the original gate to enter the Fort, the Dutch Church of Wolfendhaal dating back to 1749, Kelaniya Buddhist Temple and Davatagaha Mosque are some of the sites to be visited. Also visit the BMICH (Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall).

Overnight stay in Colombo

Day 5

Colombo – Airport

After scrumptious breakfast with variety, proceed to the Airport for the Departure Flight.