Tour Programme –Super Luxury Summer 2020 TOUR SUMMARY Day Route Hotel (Overnight)or Meals similar 1 AIRPORT/YAPAHUWA/ SIGIRIYA WATER GARDEN D SIGIRIYA 2 SIGIRIYA / POLONNARUWA/ SIGIRIYA WATER GARDEN B,D SIGIRIYA 3 SIGIRIYA / DAMBULLA/KANDY KING’S PAVILLION B,D 4 KANDY KING’S PAVILLION B,D 5 KANDY/ NUWARA ELIYA/ DIC OYA TEA TRAILS B,l,D, Drinks 6 DIC OYA TEA TRAILS B,l,D, Drinks 7 DIC OYA/ YALA CHENA HUTS B,l,D, Drinks 8 YALA/ GALLE FORT BAZAAR B,D 9 GALLE / COLOMBO/ AIRPORT B, D DETAILED TOUR ITINERARY DAY 01 AIRPORT/YAPAHUWA/ SIGIRIYA Airport- Yapahuwa 112kms 03h approx. Yapahuwa- Sigiriya 90kms 02h approx Arrival to Sri Lanka You will be met on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport by your personal guide/ chauffeur guide who will assist you with your luggage and guide you to your vehicle. Transfer to Yapahuwa Visit Yapahuwa Yapahuwa was one of the ephemeral capitals of medieval Sri Lanka. The citadel of Yapahuwa lying midway between Kurunagala and Anuradhapura was built around a huge granite rock rising abruptly almost a hundred meters above the surrounding lowlands. In 1272, King Bhuvenakabahu transferred the capital from Polonnaruwa to Yapahuwa in the face of Dravidian invasions from South India, bringing the Sacred Tooth Relic with him. Following the death of King Bhuvenakabahu in 1284, the Pandyans of South India invaded Sri Lanka once again, and succeeded in capturing Sacred Tooth Relic. Following its capture, Yapahuwa was largely abandoned and inhabited by Buddhist monks and religious ascetics. http://roadies-hu.com/Euphoria.html Continue to Dambulla Arrival & check in to the hotel-Check in time- 14h00 Dinner and overnight stay at Water Garden Sigiriya (Deluxe Villa) or similar https://www.watergardensigiriya.com/ DAY 02 SIGIRIYA / POLONNARUWA/ SIGIRIYA Sigiriya- Polonnaruwa 56kms 01h30mins approx. Breakfast at the hotel Visit Sigiriya Climb the 5th century Sigiriya Rock fortress which is a UNESCO world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495). The spectacular citadel of Sigiriya rises sheer and impregnable out of the plains of the dry zone. It is the country’s most memorable single attraction, a remarkable archeological site made unforgettable by its dramatic setting. The rock was the innermost stronghold of a 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the 'Heavenly Maidens' of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway Visit the archeological city of Polonnaruwa The ruined capital of Polonnaruwa is one of the undisputed highlights of the Cultural Triangle and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The heyday of the city in the twelfth century represented one of the high watermarks of early Sri Lankan civilization. Polonnaruwa extensive and well- preserved remains, offer a fascinating snapshot of medieval Sri Lanka, including some of the island’s finest monuments and it is compact enough to be thoroughly explored in 3 hours. The Gal Vihara, a collection of magnificent Buddha statues carved out of sheer rock is not to be missed and a prime example of the craftsmanship of that era Dinner and overnight stay at Water Garden Sigiriya (Deluxe Villa) or similar https://www.watergardensigiriya.com/ DAY 03 SIGIRIYA / DAMBULLA/KANDY Sigiriya-Kandy 90kms 02h15mins approx. Breakfast at the hotel Departure towards Kandy Continue to Dambulla & Visit the Dambulla cave temples en route Dambulla rock temple was built by king Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s many cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and ceilings is the largest area of paintings found in the world. It contains over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure carved out of granite rock and spanning 14 meters. Make a stop at the spice garden at Matale. Arrival in Kandy Proceed on a Kandy city tour http://roadies-hu.com/Euphoria.html Kandy is a UNESCO world heritage site. The historic city about 480m above sea level surrounded by mountains was known to Sri Lankan as Kanda Uda Rata, which means the hill country. Kandy was home to Sri Lanka's last independent Kingdom, which survived two centuries of colonial incursion before finally falling to the British at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Visit the Temple of the tooth, the Peradeniya University campus and catch a panoramic view of the picturesque town from Upper Lake Drive. Early evening, you will attend a Kandyan Dance performance and a spectacular fire walking finale. Check in to the hotel Dinner and overnight stay at King’s Pavillion (standard room) or similar www.kingspavilion.com/ DAY 04 KANDY Breakfast at the hotel Visit Peradeniya Gardens Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya is located close to the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is renowned for its collection of a variety of orchids. It includes more than 300 varieties of orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees. Attached to it is the National Herbarium. The total area of the botanical garden is 147 acres (0.59 km2), at 460 meters above sea level, and with a 200-day annual rainfall. Afternoon at leisure Options proposed for the evening 1) Loop Temples- supplement USD.00 per person Gadaladeniya, Embekke, Lankathilake This temple complex was built atop a rock in 1344 during the reign of King Bhuvenakabahu IV, who ruled over the Kandyan kingdom. There is a cross-shaped shrine as you enter the temple complex, where each wing has attractive wall paintings and houses a Buddha image and is crowned with a small dagoba Embekke- Embekke Devale, is famous for its intricate and elaborate woodcarvings, pillars and other structures. The temple is nestled in the upper Kandy area and lies close to Daulagala about eight miles from Kandy Town. Lankathilake- The majestic temple is one of the most magnificent architectural achievements of the Gampola kingdom, and was built at the crest of a large rock which overlooks the Hantane mountain range. The history of the temple dates back to the 14th century, where several strong kingdoms ruled the land. King Buwanekabahu IV who reigned from 1341-51 AD chose Gampola as his kingdom and constructed this Viharaya with the help of a South Indian architect Sthapati Rayar. or 2) Visit Udawatta Kele- supplement USD.00 per person http://roadies-hu.com/Euphoria.html A wild retreat from the busy town of Kandy, the beautiful forest of Udawattekale is located behind the Temple of the Tooth has a long history which dates back to many centuries. This was a forbidden forest by the kings of old, and protected by law. The forest consists of giant trees, creepers, lichens, mosses, ferns and a variety of birds and other wildlife maybe seen during a guided nature walk through the walking trails within this forest. The Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot, Layard’s Parakeet, Sri Lanka Green Pigeon, Brown-capped Babbler, Yellow-fronted Barbet, Crimson-fronted Barbet, Sri Lanka Junglefowl and the Sri Lanka Grey Hornbill are among the endemic birds which may be seen during a walk through the forest. Other fauna encountered routinely include Troops of Toque Macaques, Palm Squirrels, Giant Wood Spiders and endemic Kangaroo Lizards. Or 3) Visit to Gnome mountain – No added supplement A few Kilometers from the Kandy town is Bahirawa Kande or Gnome Mountain. Many legends are surrounded around this sacred rock, and was once believed to have a sacred deity. Now a temple is built on top of the mountain with a giant Buddha Statue which dominates the landscape. Dinner and overnight stay at King’s Pavillion (standard room) or similar www.kingspavilion.com/ DAY 05 KANDY/ NUWARA ELIYA/ DIC OYA Kandy- Nuwara Eliya 77kms 02h approx. Nuwara Eliya-Dic Oya 42kms 01h approx. Breakfast at the hotel Departure towards Nuwara Eliya Visit a tea plantation and a tea factory en route Visit the city of Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya meaning "the city of dawn" is the town at the highest elevation (about 2000m above sea level) in Sri Lanka and its tallest peak, Piduruthalagala (2555m) could be seen from here. The city, established by the British in the nineteenth century, and known as "Little England" and is a popular holiday resort for Sri Lankans & tourists due to its cool climate and quaint colonial feel with its little bungalows surrounded by hedgerows. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of the tea country and you can visit a plantation and a factory en route here and witness how the famous "Ceylon Tea is brewed. Continue to Dic Oya Arrival & check in to the hotel Dinner and overnight stay at Tea Trails (Luxury room) or similar www.resplendentceylon.com/teatrails/ DAY 06 DIC OYA http://roadies-hu.com/Euphoria.html The day at leisure at the hotel on AI (The chauffeur and the vehicle will be available with a maximum of 80kms per day) Tea Trails (Luxury room) or similar www.resplendentceylon.com/teatrails/ DAY 07 DIC OYA/ YALA Dic Oya- Yala 175kms 04h30mins approx. Breakfast at the hotel Departure towards Yala Yala Luxury jeep safari Yala National park is Sri Lanka’s most visited wildlife reserve. Yala covers an area of 1260 square kilometres. The park’s dry-zone landscape is strikingly beautiful and the park’s wildlife has its own distinctive charm, with huddles of colorful painted storks perched on the incongruously conjoined sight of elephants marching sedately through the bush while rabbits scamper through the undergrowth.