Sri Lanka Panorama (14 days)
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Colombo – Pinnawela – Habarana - Anuradhapura - Sigiryya - Polonnaruwa – Dambulla – Matale - Kandy – Nuwara Eliya - Yala National Park - Galle -
International Flight -
Accommodation -
Water -
Meals -
Escorted Tour -
Domestic Flights -
Airport Taxes Charges -
Visa -
Insurance -
Tipping
Discover the natural wildlife and beauty of the Yala National Park, where you can experience an encounter with wild elephants and leopards. Travel through the heart of Sri Lanka and explore it’s culture, make friends with the locals, and fill your heart with happy memories. Then finish off your holiday in style, with a whale watching cruise!
Day 1 UK departure
Depart the UK with international economy flight to Colombo. We can also arrange departures from your local airport at no extra cost.
Day 2 Colombo arrival
Upon your arrival at Colombo airport, you will be met by our representative and escorted to your hotel.
This afternoon, take a city tour of Colombo visiting Kelaniya Buddhist temple, believed to have been hallowed during the third and final visit of Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka, eight years after gaining enlightenment. The temple is also famous for its image of the reclining Buddha and paintings which depict important events in the life of the Buddha.
Then visit the commercial city centre area known as the “Fort” built by the Portuguese in the 16th century. See the busy markets and bazaars of Pettah and visit the Hindu temple with magnificent stone carvings. Also visit the old Dutch church built in the 18th century and drive past the Town Hall, Independence Square and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall to see the replica of Avukana Buddha.
Day 3 Colombo ro Habarana via Pinnawela
After breakfast embark on your on your drive to Habarana in north central Sri Lanka.
En-route to Habarana, visit Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, set up by the Sri Lankan government to rehabilitate orphaned elephants. Spend some time at the orphanage, seeing elephants being fed and bathed by the orphanage staff.
Upon arrival in Habarana check into your hotel for overnight stay.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 4 Habarana - excursion to Sigirya & Polonnaruwa
After breakfast visit the UNESCO World Heritage site of Sigiriya Rock, built by King Kassapa in the 5th century AD. Today the rock is a treasure trove of rare art. In a pocket of the giant rock are the famous frescoes of the heavenly maidens of Sigiriya. Also called ‘the Lion Rock’ or the ‘Rock Fortress’ this citadel rises more than 1000 ft from the jungles below. If you wish to climb Sigiriya Rock, there are approx. 1200 steps and on an average it takes approx. 1.5 hrs to climb the rock (actual time varies from person to person).
Later embark on your scenic drive to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Polonnaruwa, the 2nd capital of Sinhala kings dating back to 11th & 12th century A.D. The entire landscape of the region is punctuated by huge man-made reservoirs, the most famous of which is the ‘Parakrama Samudra’. Numerous monuments are found in this city & ‘Gal Vihara’ complex is one of the best among them with fine sculptures of standing and seated Buddha. Also visit the Polonnaruwa museum here.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 5 Habarana to Kandy via Dambulla
After breakfast, embark on your drive to Kandy.
En-route visit another UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rock Cave Temple of Dambulla, which dates back to the first century BC. The temple consists of a series of 5 caves of statues and paintings, including a 47 ft. long statue of Lord Buddha. This is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. (approx. 27 Kms / 45 Mins from Habarana)
Continue drive to Kandy, en-route visiting the Spice Garden at Matale. Upon arrival in Kandy, check in at your hotel for overnight stay.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 6 Kandy
After breakfast, explore the sacred city of Kandy, one of Sri Lanka’s 8 UNESCO World Heritage site.
Today we will visit the Temple of Tooth Relic of Buddha, located in the royal palace complex which houses the relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Visitors are not allowed inside the inner chambers and cannot see the tooth relic.
Also visit Natha Devale, located in front of the Palace complex of Kandy. Natha Devale, built in the 14th century, is said to have been in existence even before the Tooth Relic was brought to Kandy.
This evening enjoy a cultural dance show to see the popular Kandyan dancing and drumming of Sri Lanka.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 7 Kandy to Nuwara Eliya
This morning embark on your scenic drive to Nuwara Eliya, the ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, set against beautiful backdrops of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea plantations.
Today in Nuwara Eliya, enjoy an experience of tea plucking, wearing the local Sri Lankan attire – saree for the ladies, sarong for the men. You will get a small demonstration about how to pluck tea leaves and place them in your basket. Professional tea pluckers will accompany you – you’ll be amazed at how efficiently and quickly they manage to fill their baskets to meet their minimum target of 15kg a day!
After tea plucking, we will arrive at the Mini Tea Factory, where the chief tea taster, will inspect your efforts. Then we take a tour of the Mini Tea Factory and understand the process, from the initial drying (withering) of the leaves, through rolling, fermenting and sifting, to produce the different types of tea. Finally, you can taste the different teas, from flowery pekoe to green tea and teabag dust, to appreciate for yourself the differences in colour, flavour and strength.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 8 Nuwara Eliya to Yala National Park
After breakfast, embark on a leisurely drive to Yala, the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka.
The Yala National Park is spread over an area of 979 sq kms (378 sq mi). Yala was one of the first two official designated national parks in Sri Lanka. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals and is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants and aquatic birds. Including the Sri Lankan elephant, 44 other species of mammals are resident in Yala National Park, and the park has one of the highest leopard densities in the world.
Upon arrival, check in at your resort for 2 nights stay.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 9 Yala National Park
Today enjoy morning and afternoon jungle safaris into the Yala National Park. These are interesting safaris and you are likely to see spotted deer, wild boar and wild elephant in addition to a wide variety of birds. There are also high chances of spotting sloth bear and leopard (with an average 1 leopard per sq.km Yala has the highest density of leopards in Asia!).
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 10 Yala National Park to Galle
After breakfast embark on a drive to Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a thriving beach destination in Sri Lanka.
Galle was the most ancient and important harbour of Sri Lanka, until the Colombo Harbour was established. Galle is identified as the ‘ Tarshis ‘ of the Bible. The harbour was captured by the Portuguese in 1587 A.D, Dutch in 1640 A.D, and British in 1796 A.D. Most of the existing buildings today, date back to Dutch Period.
Upon arrival check in to your resort for 3 nights stay.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 11 Galle
Day at rest and leisure.
Option for whale watching cruise at Mirissa : Early this morning you have the option to enjoy a whale watching cruise in Mirissa (40 kms / 1 hr one way). The boats leave from Mirissa harbor around 07:00Hrs and the tours last 3-5 hours, depending on spotting of whales and wish of passengers (£40 per person)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 12 Galle
Day at rest and leisure.
Option for whale watching cruise at Mirissa : Early this morning you have the option to enjoy a whale watching cruise in Mirissa (40 kms / 1 hr one way). The boats leave from Mirissa harbor around 07:00Hrs and the tours last 3-5 hours, depending on spotting of whales and wish of passengers (£40 per person)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 13 Galle to Colombo
After a leisurely breakfast embark on your return drive to Colombo.
Upon arrival in Colombo, check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Day 14 Colombo departure
Today we goodbye to Sri Lanka and transfer to the airport for international economy flight back to UK.
Meals Included
- Breakfast
5* Cinnamon Grand
The hotel brings together a curated city experience from fine dining to seafood markets, old English pubs to a Sri Lankan village the epitome of exquisite living; creating an eclectic mix for diverse tastes. In fact, every aspect of Cinnamon Grand Colombo, from our service to our amenities are all designed for grand experiences, fun moments and great memories.
For more information click here
5* Cinnamon Lodge
A haven for the time traveller, the nature lover, the escapist, and the explorer, Cinnamon Lodge Habarana is a 5-star resort nestled in nature’s serenity right in the heart of Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle. A place that soothes the soul, rejuvenates the senses, and awakens the mind with heavy doses of nature’s tranquillity and centuries-old hospitality.
For more information click here
5* Cinnamon Citadel
Fancy waking up to a picture-postcard view of a river, set against a backdrop of mountains shrouded in varying degrees of mist? Revelling in a soundtrack written and performed by Mother Nature herself? Then travelling back in time for a history lesson? That’s exactly what you’d get, and more, at the Cinnamon Citadel Kandy.
For more information click here
5* Heritance Tea Factory
Enjoy the captivating setting as you tuck into high tea on the terrace or a delicious tea-themed menu in the restaurant. For an extraordinary Sri Lankan experience make your way to Heritance Tea Factory, where the kettle is always on.
For more information click here
5* Cinnamon Wild
Featuring interiors by local artist Meena de Silva, built on a 10-foot elevation, giving you the perfect vantage point from which to view a stray elephant go by. Our wild exteriors and plush interiors combine to create a memorable and comfortable stay here at Cinnamon Wild Yala, and you’re bound to have a myriad story to take back home with you.
For more information click here
5* Jetwing Lighthouse
Jetwing Lighthouse is equipped with a host of modern facilities and services befitting of its heritage luxury. Beyond the essentials of 24-hour room service and other hotel amenities, our home of Sri Lankan hospitality also includes conference facilities, tranquil Ayurveda and spa services, tennis court, and in-house boutiques for some holiday retail therapy.
For more information click here
Tour Prices include:
- International economy flights;
- Hotel accommodation as shown (based on twin occupancy);
- Meals as described (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner);
- Meeting and assistance on arrivals and departures;
- Sightseeing excursions with English speaking guides;
- All transfers and road transportation in air-conditioned vehicles;
- Train/Boat journeys where mentioned in program;
- Domestic flights where mentioned in program;
- All currently applicable taxes.
Tour Prices exclude:
- Sri Lanka visa fee;
- Personal expenses such as laundry, souvenirs etc;
- Travel insurance (can be arranged, please ask for details);
- Tips to guides and drivers;
- Optional tours;
- Drinks during meals;
- Early check-in or late check-out;
- Flight and accommodation upgrades.
