This 07 Days Classic Sri Lanka Tour takes you Habarana / Dambulla in the North Central plains of Sri Lanka. Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en-route which provides a caring home for abandoned and wounded elephants. Later, set off to the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Dating back to 5th Century A.D, this astounding ‘city’ was the royal citadel of King Kassapa for over 18 years. Its unique features and exquisite frescoes amaze all.
Arrival to Sri Lanka, your will be met by your chauffeur/ guide at the airport. He/ she will drive you to Habarana/Dambulla in the North Central plains of Sri Lanka. Visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en route. Here, adults and baby elephants from around Sri Lanka thrive. A captive breeding program is also proving to be highly successful. The feeding and bathing times are generally the ideal times to visit and observe these gentle giants at their best.
Afternoon: Set off to discover the 8th wonder of the world the Sigiriya Rock Fortress.
Overnight stay in Habarana / Dambulla.
After Breakfast leave for the hill capital of Kandy, visiting a spice garden at Matale en route.
Afternoon: Enjoy a city tour of Kandy the last kingdom of the Sinhalese, taking in the sights of Upper Lake Drive and the Market Square on the way to pay homage to one of the most sacred religious sites in Sri Lanka. The Temple of the Tooth or Dalada Maligawa is believed to house the tooth relic of Lord Buddha. A walk around the town will let you indulge in some souvenir hunting with intricate treasures in wood, copper, silver, brass, ebony, bronze, ceramics, lacquer work, handlooms, batiks, jewelry and reed-ware to choose from.
Evening: Enjoy a cultural show, where the vibrant costumes and pulsating rhythms of traditional dance forms from centuries old rituals.
Overnight stay in Kandy.
Morning: After breakfast, head up country and the city of Nuwara Eliya, stopping by at the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens en route. 147 acres of lushness with over 5000 species of trees and plants many of which are rare or endemic; a spice garden and an Orchid house are yours to explore.
Continue to Nuwara Eliya, visiting the Ramboda waterfalls and a tea factory along the way.
Afternoon: The old colonial outpost still referred to as Little England Nuwara Eliya certainly lives up to its name. Perched 6200 feet above sea level, the climate too, adds to the illusion of one stepping into an old English town, where neat hedges, quaint cottages and beautiful old buildings stand as serene as they did well over a century ago the magnificent Grand Hotel presiding over them all. There is, of course, an old golf course as well as horse racing events to complete the picture.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.
Morning: After breakfast head to the Nanuoya Train station for a scenic train ride to Ella. (Please note that the train leave Nanoya Station in the evening and you will reach you Yala Hotel late evening around 10.00 PM)
Enjoy breathtaking views as the track winds through high mountain passes, emerging through dark tunnels to sweeping vistas of sun swathed heights and picturesque valleys that stretch for miles below. A 150 minute journey in state of the art comfort, where on board meals and warm service may distract your gaze away from the windows. You will be met at the Ella station, and an exciting drive down to the wilds of Yala national park awaits you.
Overnight stay in Yala.
Morning: Set off at dawn on an exciting wildlife safari at Yala National Park (05.30 09.30 AM). The second largest national park in Sri Lanka, Yala is known to hold the highest concentration of leopard in the world. The vast extent of the park is mainly scrub jungle with rocky outcrops and dotted with many salt and fresh water lagoons.
Elephant, leopard, sloth bear, crocodile, wild buffalo and sambur thrive here. There are also herds of spotted deer, wild boar, langur and macaque monkeys and many small mammals. Over 130 species of birds can be seen with peacocks being a common sight. The bordering coastline also forms a major nesting ground for marine turtles. After an eventful morning, you will return to the hotel for breakfast.
Mid-morning: Leave Yala to Kaluthara / Bentota En route visit the Heritage city of Galle. For centuries Galle has stood strong against invasions – from colonial powers and nature volatile outbursts.
Afternoon: Continue the journey along the coast to Kalutara / Bentota, taking in the unique sight of Stilt Fishing along the shores of Ahangama. An iconic image of Sri Lanka, Stilt Fishing is a skill handed down from one generation to the next: an ancient tradition that is sadly on the decline. Further along the coast, you will visit the Turtle Hatchery at Kosgoda – a successful conservation effort established to protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction. (Optional: glass bottom boat ride and a visit to a mask factory.)
Overnight stay in beach resort in Kalutara, Bentota or Beruwela
Breakfast at the hotel and spend the full day leisure on the beach
Overnight stay in beach resort in Kalutara, Bentota or Beruwela
After breakfast, leave to the airport for your departure flight; depending on your flight time, you can enjoy a quick tour of Colombo en route.
Take in the sights and sounds of the capital city from the busy commercial hub to the tree-lined suburbs. Here, colonial architecture vies with glass skyscrapers and the past comes alive in buildings that have withstood great winds of change. There are bargains to find, history to discover and much to explore.
Please feel free to contact us at South Rift Galaxy Safaris.
Office Location: Wabera Street, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 720 824 502 OR +254 720 823 229
Email: info@southriftgalaxysafaris.com
Mon – Sat 8.00 – 18.00 Sunday CLOSED
