Panoramic Tour of Sri Lanka

Proceed to Habarana via Pinnawala.

After breakfast visit the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage in time to witness the bathing and bottle feeding of the baby elephants. (40 km – transfer time approx. 1 hour)Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage Among the green hills of Kegalle, about 50 miles (85km) from Colombo on the road to Kandy in the hill country, a herd of about 60 elephants roam free in the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage.

The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage… is one of Sri Lanka's most popular tourist attractions. The orphanage's population has now mushroomed to around 65, making it the world's largest collection of captive elephants. The elephants here range in age from newborns to elderly matriarchs, and include orphaned and abandoned elephants, as well as those injured in the wild, amongst them famous residents such as the three-legged elephant, Sama and a blind elephant Raja.

Visitors are invited to observe and assist the baby elephants as they are fed from giant feeding bottles, before the pachyderms plod down to the river for their daily bath.

PM: Afternoon At Habarana

Habarana is a small city in the Anuradhapura District of Sri Lanka. The city is famed for its chain of high class tourist resorts.

Habarana is a popular tourist destination for safari lovers. Minneriya sanctuary as it is the starting point for safaris in the nearby Habarana jungle and the which is heavily populated by elephants. Elephant back riding is also an attraction in this small city. Habarana is situated nearby to the ancient rock fortress and castle/palace ruin of Sigiriya and is situated on the main road from Colombo to Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa. The population of the city is expected to be in the area of 5000-10,000.

The area has some of the best hotels in the country and the greenary and wild life has added value, making the location attractive for tourists.

hour oneway)

The 11 th to 13 th Century capital of Polonnaruwa has more to see and less to conjecture than the older metropolis of Anuradhapura. With its comparatively brief and uncomplicated history (two centuries and a dozen rulers, in contrast with 1,400 years and 123 kings of Anuradhapura) and its far more completely preserved ruins, much more recently exposed to the ravages of time, Polonnaruwa (say Poh-loh-NA-roowah) has a particular fascination for the average visitor.

The age of the city’s foundation is not known with any certainty. A military garrison from Anuradhapura may have been stationed here in the early years of the Christian era. By the 6 th Century, it was a military camp of some importance, strategically located guarding the Mahaweli River crossing from Ruhuna, the southern province where rebellions continuously fomented.

Afternoon: Climb the Rock Fortress of Sigiriya . (20kms – transfer time 30 minutes one way)

A massive monolith of red stone rises 600 feet from the green scrub jungle to accentuate the lucid blue of the sky. How overpowering, then, this rock fortress of Sigiriya must have been when a palace crowned it 15 centuries ago. Sigiriya (say see-gih-REE-yah) was no gloomy and forbidding fortification, as many other citadels are. At the brief height of its glory, a flowering of only 18 years in the late 5th Century, it was one of the loveliest royal cities that ever graced the earth.

And today, it is perhaps the single most remarkable memory for visitors to Sri Lanka. Ruins of the fabled palace spread across the very peak of the "Lion Rock", so-named, perhaps, because visitors formerly began the final harrowing ascent through the open jaws and throat (giriya) of a lion (sinha) whose likeness was once sculpted halfway up the monolith. Only the gigantic paws remain today. Within a grotto on Sigiriya's sheer west face, beautiful bare-breasted maidens still smile from incredible fresco paintings. Surrounding the foot of the rock, extending for several hundred meters, are Asia's oldest surviving landscape gardens, incorporating lovely ponds around Sigiriya's plinth of fallen boulders. (20kms – transfer time 30 minutes one way)

After breakfast, check out from the hotel and proceed to Kandy.

Enroute stop at Dambulla and witness the ancient rock temple.

Dambulla; the Dambulla cave temple is by far the most impressive of all the many cave temples in Sri Lanka. Among the cave’s numerous statues – there are 48 of the Buddha alone – are images of Upulvan (Vishnu) and Saman dating from the 12th Century (they may be the earliest devala statues to appear in a Buddhist image house). The cave’s history dates to the 2nd or 1st Century BC, when King Valagam Bahu took refuge here after being driven out of Anuradhapura by invading armies.

Check in at your specified hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Sightseeing tour of Kandy including a visit to the Temple of the Tooth, upper lake drive and market square.

Temple of the Tooth Relic.

Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy is the most venerated place of worship for Buddhists throughout the world. Built in the 16th century this temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka from the Kalinga province in ancient India in the 4th century AD. Several buildings have been added to the temple complex by successive rulers, the latest being the Golden Canopy over the inner shrine where the Tooth Relic is placed. Originally the Temple was within the King's palace complex as it was the symbol of Royal Authority.

After breakfast, proceed on a site seeing tour around the sacred city of Kandy.

Royal Botanical Garden in Peradeniya is located in close proximity to the city of Kandy. It is renowned for the collection the variety of Orchids,and has more than 300 varieties of Orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palms trees attach it is the National Herbarium. Total land mass of the botanical garden is 147 acres, 460 Meters above sea level with a 200 day annual rain fall. It is one of the most famous tourist sites and a must see site in Sri Lanka. It is one of the most popular tourist sites.

Proceed to Nuwara Eliya via Ramboda Falls (80km – transfer time 3 hours)

En route visiting a Tea Fatcory, Tea Garden and some beautiful water falls.

Nuwara Eliya. This town seems like a piece of English district. Tudor-style and Victorian homes look across the blue lake. These buildings are the other architectural monuments to the English, the Post Office, the English country house like Hill Club with its hunting pictures, mounted hunting trophies and fish, Anglican Church and private residence. The Golf course here is one of the best in Asia.

After breakfast Excursion to Horton Plains Nature & Wild Life Reserve. (30km – transfer time approx. 1 hour):  Short trek to Worlds End & Bakers Falls.

The Horton Plains National Park is the only National Park situated in the Hill Countryand falls within the Nuwara Eliya district and is 200 km. away from Colombo. Panoramic scenic beauty of the Hill Country could be witnessed within the Park. The famous `Worlds End' is a major attraction within the Park. Endemic slender loris and endemic purple monkey are among the important animal species that could be seen in addition to sambhur, a member of the cat family etc. There is some endemic avifauna also found within this Park.

After Breakfast: Check out from the hotel and proceed to Huggala Botanical Garden

Hakgala Botanical Garden is situated on the Nuwara Eliya-Badulla main road, 16 km from Nuwara Eliya. The garden has a cool temperate climate because of altitude is 5,400 feet above the sea level.There are over 10,000 species of flora planted here and during the Spring season in Nuwara Eliya thousands of visitors come to see the blooms here. Number of annual visitors is around 500,000. The garden is famous for number of species of Orchids and Roses  are planted there

Ella is a beautiful small village in Sri Lanka's hill country with little more than a handful of shops, hotels and guesthouses, but it has an almost perfect climate and occupies a very scenic vantage point, with views on a fine day stretching right across the South Coast of Sri Lanka.

Proceed to Yala

thorugh the National forest. This will be unforgatable adventure for you. You will be able close encounter wild elecphants and  other animals raming hin heards and doing their daily rroutines.   

Yala Park is the larges national park in Sri Lanka. It  includes multifarious ecosystems ranging from Moist monsoon forests, to dry monsoon forests, semi deciduous forests, thorn forests, grasslands, fresh water and marine wet lands and sandy beaches with wide varieties of wild animals and plants. It consist of two main rivers  flow through the park

About 32 species of mammals, 125 species of birds and many reptiles and lagoon fauna species have been recorded in the park. The vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle.

PM: proceed to Bentota.

Facing the Indian Ocean, a tropical lagoon and a major river Bentota offers water sports possibilities nowhere else to be found. Apart from swimming, body-surfing or diving in the sea, you can jet-ski, windsurf, parasail or enjoy a romantic river safari on the river and lagoon.Bentota also delivers an ancient art of healing called Ayurveda

Especially for families Bentota is a well sought after destination. Safe swimming conditions combined with fun water sport and exciting excursions are providing for the ideal background for a relaxed holiday in Sri Lanka. Bentota is also known for its professional touristic infrastructure. The many 5 star hotels are build in fantastic locations.

The Maadu river offers very popular boat trips down the river where you can arrange to visit temples, cinnamon estates  and other nature resorts. This area is a preserved wild life sanctuary.

Visit a Turle hatchery in the afternon. Touch and feel the turtles . If you are luckey you can see the turtles hatching out of their eggs.

In 1803, Robert Percival claimed of Colombo: “There is no part of the world where so many different languages are spoken, or which contains such a mixture of nations, manners, and religions.” In 1914, Bella Woolf declared: “It is the meeting place of the world. It palpitates with life and with the romance of those who wander the earth.” What is the key to appreciating Colombo when so many people complain of the hustle and bustle? Well, for those who like the capital and revel in the mix of influences, food, activities and religions, there is a certain satisfaction in believing yourself one of the few who can see through the surface to the core.

We can dropp you off at the airport or transfer you for a beach stay