SRI LANKA - 13 NIGHTS / 14 DAYS round tour

We are covering

• Elephant Orphanage
• Anuradhapura ancient city 
• Clear Blue Ocean in Trincomalee, Nilaveli, Koneswaram Kovil & Swami Rock
• Polonnaruwa ancient city,
• Sigiriya Rock Fortress
• Dambulla Rock Cave Temple
• Spice Garden in Matale,
• Kandy city tour
• Peradeniya royal botanical garden
• Gem museum
• Kandy cultural show
• Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
• Train ride (Optinal)
• Nuwara Eliya City
• Buduruwagala
• Yala National Park
• Galle Fort
• Boat ride on Madu river(optional)
• Turtle Hatchery 
• Colombo City
  

 

Day 01 –  AIRPORT / NEGOMBO ( 15kms / 20 Mnts)

Arrive in Sri Lanka on __ __.
Upon your arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will be welcomed and assisted by a Representative of CYRIL TOURS. You will then be escorted to your vehicle and introduced to your chauffeur and transferred to the hotel in Negombo, located just thirty minutes away from the airport. Check in to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 02 –  NEGOMBO / PINNAWELA / ANURADHAPURA 

After an early breakfast, checkout from the hotel and proceed to Pinnawela to visit the elephant orphanage.You will arrive in the orphanage in time to witness the morning feeding.
The Elephant Orphanage is about 2½ hours drive from your hotel and is a good chance for people to get up close and personal with a pachyderm. It is a good idea to go and have lunch by the river as after feeding, they are all brought down to bathe and to watch them from a vantage point with a cold drink is a pleasant experience. 
Continue to Anuradhapura. You will arrive in Anuradhapura in the late evening.

Check in to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 03 – ANURADHAPURA/ TRINCOMALEE

After an early breakfast, checkout and proceed to visit the ancient city of Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura, appointed the heart of the Sri Lankan history and Buddhism, is the largest and oldest of Sri Lanka’s ancient cities and dates back to the 6th century BC.  It was made capital in 377 BC and remained an important centre of power till the 12th century AD. Most memorable are its gleaming white dagobas – large bell-like structures some 60 meters high which house Buddhist relics. However, it is best known for the Sri Maha Bodhi, which is the oldest documented tree in the world (2200 years). This was grown from a cutting of the Bo tree under which Buddha achieved enlightenment.
The tour of the ancient kingdoms is very enlightening. To best enjoy it, remember to take a hat along, with a bottle of water and some sun-lotion…!
Afterwards proceed to North Eastern Coast of Sri Lanka that is very famous for its white beaches and clear blue oceans.
You will arrive in Trincomalee in late evening after long drive.Check into the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 04 & 05- TRINCOMALEE

Breakfast in the hotel.

The rest of the day is to relax and enjoy the sun and the beaches.
Trincomalee is a port city on the east coast of Sri Lanka, about 110 miles northeast of Kandy. The city is built on a peninsula, which divides the inner and outer harbours. Trincomalee is a natural deep-water harbor, which is rated as one of the finest of its kind in the world and attracted great sea farers like Marco Polo, Ptolemy and Sea Traders China and East Asia from the ancient times. The long and wide beaches here offer surfing, scuba diving and fishing and also whale watching as optional excursions. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 06- TRINCOMALEE / HABARANA

After breakfast checkout and proceed to Habarana. 
Before you leave Trincomalee there is one place you need to visit which is the Koneswaram Kovil and Swami Rock also referred to as `Lover’s leap’ – a sheer cliff which is about 350 feet above sea level and looks straight down into the ocean below. It is said that the name `Lovers Leap’ was coined after an incident involving a Dutch Officer's daughter who had leapt into the sea at this point following a broken love affair. At the end of the spit which leads to the pinnacle of the rock, stands the newly built Koneswaram Kovil. The original ancient Hindu Kovil that stood here is said to have been destroyed by the Portuguese. At dusk each day, poojas (religious services) are conducted here. The views of Trincomalee’s natural harbour and the Indian Ocean are magnificent from here.
Proceed to Habarana.
Arrive in Habarana and check into the hotel for overnight stay.

In Habarana many optional activities such as, Ayurvedic herbal massage, Village tour, Elephant ride and Minneriya safari

Day 07 – HABARANA / POLONNARUWA / SIGIRIYA / HABARANA

Breakfast in the hotel.
Proceed to visit the Medieval Capital of Polonnaruwa.  
Polonnaruwa was the island's medieval capital between the 11th and 13th century. Built alongside a large ancient artificial lake there are well-preserved ruins of palaces, bathing pools, stupas and exquisite rock sculptures of Buddha at the Gal Vihara. Start with a visit to the museum which, although small, is excellent.
Later in the afternoon, visit the rock fortress of Sigiriya.

The legendary sky citadel of Sigiriya, the “Lion Rock” famous for its frescoes of ‘Celestial Maidens’ is possibly the most impressive site in Sri Lanka. Built by King Kasyapa in the 5th century on top of a vast 200m granite rock it took seven years to build and was abandoned after ten years of occupation when the King, defeated by his brother, committed suicide. Although it is a steep climb, the views and frescoes are definitely worth the effort. Sigiriya is best visited first thing in the morning or just before sunset when it is cooler and less crowded. Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 08 – HABARANA / DAMBULLA / MATALE / KANDY  

 

After breakfast checkout and proceed to Kandy visiting the Golden Rock Cave Temple in Dambulla.
Dambulla is renowned for its Cave Temples, which were built by King Valagambahu in the 1st century BC in gratitude for the shelter he sought in the caves when fleeing from Indian invaders. Sited on a gigantic granite outcrop, which towers more than 160m above the surrounding land, the caves are completely covered by ancient frescoes depicting religious and secular scenes. Protected within the caves are hundreds of statues of Buddha, many carved out of the rock itself, of which the largest is the 15m long Dying Buddha.
While continuing to Kandy, on the way (in Matale) you will have the chance to visit spice plantations that grow a variety of spices such as cinnamon, pepper and nutmeg, for which Sri Lanka was renowned and initially colonized by the Portuguese, Dutch and British.  You could also visit a batik factory and watch the production of the artistic fabric.
Arrive in Kandy and check into the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 09 – KANDY     

After breakfast take a guided tour of the city of Kandy.
Kandy is the old capital of Ceylon and the seat of the last Singhalese kingdom.  It is a charming city with the most important Buddhist temple in the country and is set around an ancient artificial lake amongst rolling hills that are covered by forests and tea plantations.  Set in the mountainous area of the island, there are fantastic views over the city from some of the hotels.  
Wandering about in Kandy is a fun experience, with crossroads and interconnecting byroads – all forming an intertwined complex.  Most pavements are dominated by vendors selling garments, lotteries, toys and various fancy items – making passing through look almost impossible, especially during festive seasons.  The main market area in the heart of the town is frequented often for its array of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and meat stalls, sweets, clothes, fancy goods and what not…!  
Kandy is a great place to buy gemstones.  Sapphires of all colours, rubies, tourmalines and spinnels can all be found here.  Visitors are also invited to have a look around their workshop, where they will be able to see the design, cutting, polishing and setting processes.
Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha in the late afternoon.
Ever since it was founded in the 16th Century, it has housed one of the most sacred relics of Buddhism – a tooth of Buddha collected from his funeral pyre and which is now protected within the gold-roofed Temple of the Tooth.  See the blessing ceremony with all the fanfare, drums, trumpets and brightly coloured Monks performing their rituals.
There is also local dance performance which you will enjoy in the town in the late afternoon, which is a little touristy but entertaining none the less. Return to the hotel for overnight stay.

Day 10 – KANDY / NUWARA ELIYA  

After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and proceed to Nuwara Eliya by train  (Optional). One fabulous way of exploring the tea country is to jump aboard the train. The morning railway journey from Kandy to the highlands of Nuwara Eliya, climbing uphill upto 6,000 ft above sea level is one of the greatest rail journeys in the world. The dramatic landscape of the highlands stirs the senses – winding past lush tea plantations, majestic peaks and rushing waterfalls. (Train ride will be second class. First class can be arranged on availability. )

You will be picked up from Nanu Oya  railway station, 9km away from Nuwara Eliya by the vehicle with your luggage. Just outside Nuwara Eliya, you will visit a tea plantation and a factory.  Here you will learn the process how two fresh tea leaves and a bud are converted in to that fine brown dust we call tea…!

Arrive in Nuwara Eliya and check in to the hotel. Rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy a guided tour of the city.

Nuwaraeliya set in the cool and misty hilly interior at an altitude of 1800m is the colonial hill station of Nuwara Eliya.  Built by the British in the 19th century as an escape from the sweltering heat of the lowlands it came complete with half-timbered mock-Tudor houses with inglenook fireplaces & billiard tables, a golf course, race track, gentlemen’s clubs and botanical gardens. Now a bustling town and the vegetable garden of Sri Lanka it nonetheless gives you a glimpse into life in the colonial heyday. Overnight stay in the hotel.

Day 11 – NUWARA ELIYA / ELLA 

After Breakfast checkout and proceed to Ella enjoying the beautiful sceneries of Ella. 

You will also have the opportunity to visit the stunning waterfalls in Ella  

Arrive in Ella and check into hotel for overnight stay.

Day 12 – ELLA / YALA 

After an early breakfast, checkout and proceed to Yala. Enroute visit Buduruwagala ancient temple in middle of the jungle. You will arrive in Yala in the afternoon and check into the hotel.   

Afterwards proceed to Yala National Park by hired 4x4 vehicle accompanied by a tracker. 

Yala National Park (1,570 sq km) was created in 1938 and is located in the south-eastern corner of the island. Its diverse range of habitats, including scrub jungle, brackish lagoons, lakes and rivers are home to approximately 400 elephants and 120 leopards in addition to wild buffalo, crocodile, wild boar, sambhur deer, musk deer, black bears, macaques, jackals and a numerous variety of birds.

Return to hotel for overnight stay

Day 13 – YALA / COLOMBO

After Breakfast checkout and proceed to Colombo. Enroute you are passing Stilt fishermen, Galle fort, Ambalangoda mask museum, Turtle hatchery. Also you can have boat safari on Madu river.

Arrive in Colombo and check into Hotel. Rest of the day is free to relax after the long drive.

You have the option for a small city tour of Colombo.

Facing the Indian Ocean and stretching along 14 km of the island’s western shores Colombo used to be called the Garden City of the East.  Things have changed, overcrowded buses and minivans have replaced the bullock carts and the once quiet roads are now bustling with people and traffic.  Yet the city still has its charms with its complex assortment of tree-lines boulevards, colonial buildings, parks, open air markets, temples, lakes, churches and now even skyscrapers. Colombo is the natural entry and exit point from the country and if not for its own charms its excellent shopping, great restaurants and a thriving art scene make it an enjoyable stop.  

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 14 – COLOMBO / AIRPORT

After breakfast, checkout from the hotel and proceed to the airport in time for departure.  

If you think this itinerary will suit to you or want to change or add something else or skip anything, as well as for cost of above tour please contact me by filling contact us form or fill below table contents and send to me by given email address.

Mobile/WhatsApp: 00 94 777 366 633       Email [email protected]    Web: www.cyriltours.com

IF YOU NEED TO CHANGE ITINERARY, MEAL BASIS, DURATION IN THE HOTELS, OR ANY OTHER PLEASE CONTACT ME. WHEN YOU CONTACT, PLEASE SEND BELOW DETAILS

 

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