Stunning Sri Lanka itinerary Stunning Sri Lanka Stunning Sri Lanka Day 1 Colombo Airport - Kandy (Approx. 3 hours and 20 minutes’ drive) Welcome to Sri Lanka! On arrival at Colombo airport, you will meet your chauffeur and he will accompany you to the hotel in Kandy. Kandy – often referred to as the hill capital of Sri Lanka, this bustling town offers a diverse variety of experiences to its visitors ranging from history, culture and simple scenic beauty coupled with a touch of urbanity. It was the last Sinhalese Kingdom that fell under British rule in 1815. The journey to this mellow weathered city can be quite enjoyable, particularly by train owing to the scenic delights that lie alongside. The city’s colonial architecture has been preserved well even in the backdrop of rapid urbanization. Close to the city’s centre is the prime landmark - Sri Dalada Maligawa that houses the sacred tooth relic of Buddha. Apart from the ancient monuments of the Kandyan era, the delightful jumble of antique shops and the bustling market in the city also make up for interesting places of visit. Arrive Kandy and transfer to hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. Overnight stay in Kandy. Meals: Dinner Day 2 Kandy - Pinnawala - Kandy (Approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes’ drive) After breakfast, excursion to Pinnawala elephant orphanage. Pinnawala -famous because of the elephant orphanage located in the area. It is a must-visit as it would definitely add an unforgettable experience to your stay in this paradise isle. Established in Stunning Sri Lanka 1975, it operates as a nursery, orphanage and captive breeding ground for elephants. Unlike many other elephant orphanages such as Udawalawe, visitors at Pinnawala are able to observe elephants, especially the baby jumbos up-close in their pens, being bottle-fed and bathed. Most of the elephants accommodated at the orphanage are accustomed to the visitors, hence, are harmless Return to Kandy and you will enjoy a city tour of Kandy in the afternoon including a visit to Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. Thereafter you will enjoy a cultural dance performance. Return to the hotel in the evening. Cultural dance performance – according to legend, the origins of the dance lies in a dance ritual known as the Kohomba Kankariya (named for the deity Kohomba), which is also known as Kohomba Yak Kankariya or simply Kankariya. Traditional dance masters believe that originally the king of a place referred to as "Malaya Rata", and his two brothers, performed the first Kohomba Kankariya. Some believe that this "Malaya Rata" was located in India. Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Day 3 Kandy - Nuwara Eliya (Approx. 3 hours train ride) After breakfast, you will be transferred to Kandy Railway Station for a train ride up to Nanu Oya (Nuwara Eliya). Stunning Sri Lanka Kandy to Nanu Oya train ride – considered one of the most scenic train rides in the world. The original train system in Sri Lanka was introduced in 1864 by the British Colonial government to transport tea from the hills to Colombo but nowadays, the train is an extremely fascinating way to see the beautiful countryside of Sri Lanka. On arrival at Nanu Oya Railway Station, you will be transferred to Nuwara Eliya and take a short break, Thereafter you will enjoy sightseeing in Nuwara Eliya including a visit to a tea plantation & factory. Tea plantations – Sri Lanka, Tea and Tourism are words which cannot be separated. Take a tour to the cold & misty hills that take pride of an ultimate tea tour, covering lush green blankets of tea plantations. Or just step into a tea factory processing the prestigious brand of Ceylon Tea, to observe a rich tradition kept alive up to date. As you observe the hissing and swishing of machines, inhaling the heavenly scent arising from these facilities, make sure to end your day in style over a perfectly blended cup of pure Ceylon Tea. Return to the hotel. Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Day 4 Nuwara Eliya-Ella-Nuwara Eliya (Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes’ drive) After breakfast, you will enjoy a day excursion to Ella including a visit to the Nine Arches Railway Bridge and a hike to Ella Rock. The Nine Arches Railway Bridge – built at Gotuwala, between the Ella and Demodara stations during the British Colonial period. Locally it is known as ‘Ahas Namaye Palama’ meaning nine skies bridge in Sinhala. The name derives from the visual experience. When you stand below the bridge and look up you can see the sky through the nine arches. The unique part about this bridge is that it is built entirely from rocks, bricks, and cement with no use of steel or metals throughout the structure. The bridge was commissioned in 1941 and the story goes that as the bridge was being planned World War I broke out. The steel and metal materials destined to be used in the bridge were reassigned to be used for military purposes. The Stunning Sri Lanka materials were then gathered in the form of rocks, bricks, and cement to make sure the bridge construction still went ahead. Ella Rock – The rugged and winding path to the top of the rock is stunning beyond words as dangling vines and towering trees unfold a fascinating world straight out of a fairytale. Also, you will walk through lush tea fields that stretch out as far as the eye could see. After a trek of approximately two hours, you take the final step and conquer the mighty top of Ella Rock. On a clear day though, an explorer who has labored up the not so easy trail leading to the summit of Ella Rock is rewarded with some of the most spectacular vistas of the mountains and valleys below. You can enjoy panoramic views of the Ella Gap to the south. Return to Nuwara Eliya in the evening. Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Day 5 Nuwara Eliya - Kitulgala - Beruwela (Approx. 5 hours’ drive) After breakfast, leave for Beruwela via Kitulgala – film location of the award-winning movie by David Lean "The Bridge on the River Kwai". Optional white-water rafting in Kitulgala – (Supplement of USD 30.00 per person) Dinner and overnight stay in Beruwela. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Stunning Sri Lanka Day 6 Beruwela - Galle - Beruwela (Approx. 45 minutes’ drive) After breakfast, enjoy a day excursion to Galle (walking tour of Galle Fort). Galle – located in the Southern province; the city of Galle is a living time capsule. Home to the largest occupied Fort in Asia, its quaint beauty extends beyond its golden beaches and cerulean waters. The main attraction of Galle no doubt is its ancient Fort, which instantaneously takes the visitors back to the Dutch Colonial era. One can bask in the picturesque views and the rich history while walking through the narrow, cobbled streets, relish a meal from one of the interesting restaurants within the Fort or enjoy the cool sea-breeze beneath the landmark lighthouse. Other fabulous options available during this excursion (at additional cost) is a hiking/camping trip at the Kanneliya forest reserve, a boat ride in the Koggala lagoon or a visit to one of the turtle hatcheries along the southern coastal line. Thereafter Return to the hotel with visit to Turtle hatchery and Madu River boat ride Turtles Hatchery - the Ahungalla turtle hatchery in the Southern province was one of the earliest attempts to safeguard local turtles from extinction. Managed by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Protection Society, the Ahangama hatchery offers a wildlife experience of a different sort. Its visitors are offered the opportunity to watch new-born turtles as well as some rare species of adult turtles including Olive Ridley, the Hawksbill, the Green Turtle, the Loggerhead and the Leatherback, swimming about the massive tanks as they beat their flippers against the water. Madu River Safari- The Madu River Lagoon is popularly known as the Madu Ganga. The town of Balapitiya which lies about 80km from Colombo is the waters-meet for the Madu Ganga. It is located in southwest Sri Lanka. The “Amarapura Nikaya” a Buddhist sect, held its first higher Stunning Sri Lanka ordination ceremony balanced on a fleet of boats that were anchored, in 1803. The Madu Ganga wetland with its estuary and mangrove islets makes up a coastal wet-land-eco-system. Return to the hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight stay in Beruwela. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Day 7 Beruwela - Colombo (Approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes’ drive) After breakfast, leave for Colombo. Thereafter you will enjoy a city tour of Colombo. Colombo - is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins and the population of about 752,993 in the city limits. It was formerly the political capital of Sri Lanka, before Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte. Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. Arrive and check in at the hotel Dinner and overnight stay in Colombo. Meals: Breakfast & Dinner Day 8 Colombo - Airport (Approx. 1-hour drive) After breakfast, leave for Colombo International Airport to board a flight back to home. Stunning Sri Lanka Dates & Rates 2021 FAM Deal Rates per Person on twin / triple sharing in USD Tariff validity Minimum 4 pax Single Supplement 01st May- 15th July 2021 $1,039 $ 490 16th July - 31st Aug 2021 $1,129 $ 490 01st