Best of Ceylon

15 Days / 14 Nights

Explore the best of Sri Lanka in two weeks. Starting from Negombo, visit and cover the Cultural triangle along with Sri Lankan traditional life, mix of untamed wildlife adventures & breathtaking trekking adventures. The train journey will give you an extraordinary sightseeing experience and sandy pristine beaches give you a real serenity stay before you fly back home.

DAY 01

Airport Pick up & Overnight stay in Negombo

You will be welcomed & picked up by our chauffer guide from Colombo International airport & transfer to Negombo for your first night stay.
Negombo is a major tourist destination in Sri Lanka. This city is an ideal and liberal place with luxury, tropical life style, for those who want quick access to and from the country’s main international airport and also to Colombo city. The 100 km long canal network running through the city is still used, and outrigger canoes and modern water-craft ply this route daily, for trade and tourist purposes. Remnants of colonization include the Dutch fort built in 1672, as well as centuries-old Portuguese and Dutch houses, Administrative buildings, Churches and the ceiling frescoes of St. Mary’s Cathedral. Negombo is also home to the country’s second-largest fish market, also locally famous as being called the “Lellama (Lel-La-Ma)”, at the north end of the town’s lagoon. There are daily fish auctions, which give tourists a chance to meet the area’s fishermen, buy fish and even organize fishing trips into the lagoon and the ocean beyond.

DAY 02

Explore the Birth Place of Sinhalese Civilization -Anuradhapura Ancient City

Sigiriya Rock Fortress & The Traditional Village Tour

DAYS 3

Sigiriya Rock Fortress & The Traditional Village Tour

Breakfast at the hotel and transfer to Sigiriya. Explore the 8th wonder of the ancient World “Sigiriya Lion Rock”.
Sigiriya is an ancient palace located in the central Matale District near the town of Dambulla in the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The name refers to a site of historical and archaeological significance that is dominated by a massive column of rock nearly 200 meters (660 ft) high. According to the ancient Sri Lankan chronicle the Culavamsa, this site was selected by King Kasyapa (477 – 495 CE) for his new capital. He built his palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes. On a small plateau about halfway up the side of this rock he built a gateway in the form of an enormous lion. The name of this place is derived from this structure —Sīhāgiri, the Lion Rock. The capital and the royal palace was abandoned after the king’s death. It was used as a Buddhist monastery until the 14th century.
After the Sigiriya Lion Rock, do a traditional village tour of Sigiriya. You will have a traditional bullock cart ride through the village, a catamaran boat ride to the village, visit a local village house, meet a local family and taste homely made Sri Lankan traditional lunch at the village house.

DAYS 4

Polonnaruwa Medieval Capital and Minneriya National Park.

You will be transferred to the second kingdom and the medieval capital of Sri Lanka “Polonnaruwa Ancient City”. Explore ancient ruins of Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is the main town of Polonnaruwa District in the North Central Province, Sri Lanka. Kaduruwela area is the Polonnaruwa New Town and the other part of Polonnaruwa, remains as the royal ancient city of Polonnaruwa kingdom.The second most ancient of Sri Lanka’s kingdoms, Polonnaruwa was first declared the capital city by King Vijayabahu I, who defeated the Chola invaders in 1070 to reunite the country once more under a local leader.
The Ancient City of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage Site.

After Polonnaruwa,  transfer to Minneriya National park for an adventurous Jeep safari tour.

DAY 5

Golden Rock Temple and Temple of Tooth

Breakfast at the hotel and leave for Kandy via Dambulla. En- Route visit Dambulla Golden Rock Temple.
Golden Rock is a cave temple which dates back to the 1st Century .BC. Its rock ceiling is one large sweep of colorful frescoes which depict Buddhist mythology and the tales of the Buddha’s previous births. The caves house the largest collection of Buddha statues in one place.
After Golden Rock Temple leave for Kandy en route visit Matale Spice Garden.

Reach Kandy and Visit Temple of Tooth. In the Evening view the cultural show.

Kandy is the second largest city in the country after Colombo. It was the last capital of the ancient kings’ era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is both an administrative and religious city and is also the capital of the Central Province. Kandy is the home of The Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of the most sacred places of worship in the Buddhist world. It was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO in 1988.

DAY 6

Tea Plantation, Ramboda Waterfall and Little England

Breakfast at the Hotel and Leave for Nuwara Eliya. En route visit Tea Factory, Tea Plantation and Scenic Ramboda Waterfall.

Nuwara Eliya is a city, in the hill country of the Central Province, Sri Lanka. The city name meaning is “ Little England” , “city on the plain (table land)” or “city of light”. The city is the administrative capital of Nuwara Eliya District, with a picturesque landscape and temperate climate. It is located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) and is considered to be the most important location for Tea production in Sri Lanka. The city is overlooked by Pidurutalagala, the tallest mountain in Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is also known for the temperate, cool climate, the city is known for being the coolest area in Sri Lanka.

DAY 7

Horton Plains, World’s End & Sightseeing tour of Little England

Arrange packet breakfast from the hotel and leave at 04.30am from your hotel in Nuwara Eliya for the beautiful trekking of Horton Plains and World’s End.

Horton Plains is a unique natural attraction in Sri Lanka. It is located in the highest plateau of the country and its known for its beautiful landscapes and rare plant and animal life. The Horton plains is one of the most important catchment areas in Sri Lanka which acts as a giant sponge which store rain water and then feed several major rivers of the country throughout the year. The vegetation mainly consists of wet grass lands and montane forest. The weather at Horton Plains is quite dynamic. Average temperature varies between 5 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius.

After Horton Plains & World’s End, come back to the hotel. Have a relaxing evening in Little England. Have a nice walk in the town of Nuwara Eliya.

 

DAY 8

Scenic Train Journey to paradise in hill country “Ella”

Check out after breakfast at your hotel in Nuwara Eliya and you will be transferred to Nanu Oya train station for the most scenic train journey of Sri Lanka “Nanu Oya to Ella”. You will have a scenic 2 hours train ride to Ella and you will be picked up from Ella train station by our chauffer guide.

Ella is a small scenic town in Badulla District and it is approximately 200 kilometers east of Colombo and is situated at an elevation of 1,041 meters above sea level. The area has a rich bio-diversity, dense with numerous varieties of flora and fauna. Also a top popular tourist hub with full of beautiful sightseeing. The ideal place to relax while some beautiful trekking and sightseeing.

DAY 09

Explore the beauty of Ella

Start to explore the beauty of Ella.  Climb Ella Rock, Little Adams Peak Mountain and visit famous Nine arches Bridge. Have a relaxing time in Ella.

Visit Ella town in the evening.

DAY 10

Be in Wild- Yala Safari Adventure

Checkout from your hotel in Ella and transfer to Tissamaharama. Do an adventurous Jeep safari tour of Yala National Park.

Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. The park consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public, and also adjoining parks. The blocks have individual names such as, Ruhuna National Park (block 1) and Kumana National Park or ‘Yala East’ for the adjoining area. It is situated in the southeast region of the country, and lies in Southern Province and Uva Province. The park covers 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi) and is located about 300 kilometres (190 mi) from Colombo. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and, along with Wilpattu was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka, having been designated in 1938. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan leopards and aquatic birds.

DAY 11

Sandy Beaches of the South coast – Mirissa

Check out from your hotel and transfer to the pristine southern Beaches of Sri Lanka- Mirissa

Mirissa is a small town in the south coast and belong to Matara District. This is one of most tourist site as Mirissa has beautiful sand wide beaches. It is also a fishing port and one of the island’s main whale and dolphin watching locations. There are plenty of hotels, guest houses and restaurants along the coast. The nightlife of Mirissa is popular among tourists.
Relax at the beach of Mirissa

DAY 12

Relaxing day at Mirissa Beach

You will have a relaxing day at the beach while tasting coconut and delicious sea food.

DAY 13

Galle Dutch Fortress and Turtle Hatchery

You will be transferred to Galle after the breakfast. Visit a Sea Turtle Hatchery on the way and in the evening explore the UNESCO World Heritage site “Galle Dutch Fort”.

An ancient city which is now a modern and buzzing town today. It was the most important sea port way back in history, where the sea faring merchants arrived to trade and barter. This is also where the Portuguese first set foot in the year 1505 and built a fortress, which was later captured and fortified by the Dutch. The fortress is one of the best preserved in the island. A visit to the fortress and to watch the sunset from the rampart is an experience unforgettable. The oldest Protestant church in the country called the ‘Groote Kirk’ built by the Dutch is located inside the Fort. It is situated close to New Oriental Hotel also built by them as the Governor’s Residence in 1684.

DAY 14

River Boat Safari Tour & Tour of Capital Colombo

Check out from your hotel and transfer to the capital of Sri Lanka ‘Colombo’. En route visit Balapitiyta and do a scenic boat safari tour of ‘Madhu River’.

In the Southern region of Sri Lanka lies the Galle district. Balpitiya is a little town in the district and would be quite unimportant; except for the location of a river. The Madu River is very rich in biodiversity. It passes through the wet zone of Sri Lanka opening up into the large Madu Lagoon on its way to the Indian Ocean. The Madu River Safari is popular activity that has to be on the ‘to do’ list of any respectable Sri Lankan holiday goer. This unforgettable activity last for over two hours and gives a visitor a chance to travel the secretive passages through the mangrove forests and see the ecology.

DAY 15

Say Good Bye until see you again

Transfer back to your return flight back home from Colombo after an amazing tour of Sri Lanka.

Travel Tips

Inclusions:

Exclusions:

What to Pack for Sri Lanka

Special Notes

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Popular destinations include Colombo, Kandy, Sigiriya, Galle, Ella, Nuwara Eliya, and the beaches of the south coast like Mirissa and Unawatuna. The Cultural Triangle and wildlife parks like Yala are also must-visits.

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Sri Lanka has a range of transportation options including buses, trains, taxis, and tuk-tuks. For long distances, trains offer scenic routes, while taxis or private drivers are more convenient for shorter trips.

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The best time to visit Sri Lanka depends on the region. The west and south coasts, as well as the hill country, are best visited from December to March. The east coast is ideal from May to September.

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