Our Sri Lanka travel packages offer an insight into the culture of this island nation taking you to sites that have a rich history, each with their own story to tell. Experience the essence of Sri Lanka’s proud heritage on this magical journey.
8 Nights / 9 Days
Pick up from the Airport or from the Beach hotel in Negombo or Ahungalla. Thereafter transfer to Pinnawala.
Visit the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawala established in 1975 and commenced with seven orphans. Today, some of these orphans enjoy the fortune of seeing their grandchildren born in the same location. The original objective of establishing the orphanage inclined more towards tourism, but soon it became a conservation and an educational centre. With the help of local and foreign elephant experts, Pinnawala started a scientific captive-breeding programme for elephants. The free movement of the herd enhanced the chances for individuals of both sexes to get together and mate. The nearby river played a dominant role in this regard and in 1984, the first baby of Pinnawala was born.
The success story of Pinnawala has drawn the attention of scientists from all over the world. A considerable number of books and research articles on Pinnawala have been published in several languages. The members of the Pinnawala herd have been filmed, videoed and photographed thousands of times by professionals.
On completion transfer to Kandalama.
Dinner and overnight stay at Heritance Kandalama, Kandalama.
Breakfast at the hotel. Thereafter, transfer to Sigiriya.
Climb the 5th century Sigiriya Rock Fortress which is a world heritage site built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The 'Lion Rock' is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 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. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster. On completion transfer to Kandalama.
Free for bird watching around Kandalama. The 55 acre forest around the Kandalama tank where the hotel is situated has a variety of trees - 100 years or more in age, with medicinal plants and a rich and varied bird life. Around 90 varieties of birds including migrants - babbler, blue flycatcher, oriole, paradise flycatcher, warbler, wagtail, barbet, bee-eater, Brahmin kite, owl, teal, pelican, make their home here.
Dinner and overnight stay at Heritance Kandalama, Kandalama.
Breakfast at Heritance Kandalama. Thereafter transfer to Dambulla.
Visit Dambulla rock temple which has been built by king Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. It is a World Heritage Site. It is the most impressive of Sri Lanka's cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. metres 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 of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 metres.
Transfer to Matale.
In Matale, visit a spice garden to see different spices for which Sri Lanka is famous for. Here, clients could see different spices and how some of these spices are grown and processed. Also, witness a Cookery demonstration.
On completion, transfer to Kandy.
Dinner and overnight stay at Earl's Regency Hotel, Kandy.
Breakfast at Earl’s Regency Hotel. Thereafter transfer to Knuckles.
Visit the Knuckles Mountain Range which is so named due to its formation. It resembles the knuckles of a clenched fist. They loom 6,112 feet above the Dumbara Valley. The Knuckles Range and the surrounding areas have been declared as a strict natural reserve. A large variety of indigenous plants not found elsewhere, are found in this area.
On completion transfer to Kandy.
Dinner and overnight stay at Earl's Regency Hotel, Kandy.
Breakfast at the hotel. Thereafter, transfer to Nuwara Eliya.
Do a city tour of Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya, because of its invigorating mountain climate and scenery, is Sri Lanka’s most popular hill resort. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country producing a significant share of the world s best tea. Sri Lanka’s highest mountain Pidurutalagala (8282 feet) is located here. One of the finest 18 hole golf courses available in South Asia is also situated in Nuwara Eliya.
Transfer to Kandapola.
Dinner and overnight stay at Heritance Tea Factory, Kandapola.
Breakfast at Heritance Tea Factory. Thereafter transfer to Horton Plains.
Visit Horton plains, which is located on a high windswept saddle at about 2134 meters above the sea level. The plains are an expanse of misty grassland with scraggy trees and ice-cold rivulets. Visit the World’s End considered to be the finest view in all of Sri Lanka. The awesome escarpment drops vertically for about 4,000 feet, hence its name. You can also see the beautiful Backer’s falls. (walk is about 14 km). The park shelters mammals such as Sambhur, Leopard and endemic Bear Monkies. This area is the home for over 20 endemic bird species including Sri Lanka’s Whistling Thrush, Orange-billed Babbler and Yellow-eared Bulbul.
On completion transfer to Kandapola.
Dinner and overnight stay at Heritance Tea Factory, Kandapola.
Breakfast at Heritance Tea Factory. Thereafter transfer to Udawalawe. Transfer from park entrance to the campsite by Safari Vehicles.
Lunch at the campsite.
In the evening do a safari of the Udawalawe National Park. This is a dry zone park which was declared as a national park in 1972. The park falls between the Udawalawe reservoir and the Walawe River and is surrounded by the scenic beauty of the mountain range that keeps on winding endlessly on the Balangoda, Kalthota and Haputale escarpments. This park is famous for its elephants seen in all their playfulness, whole herds of them, adults and babies bathing and playing in the water or feeding.
In addition to elephants, spotted deer, sambhur, barking deer, gray langur, water buffalo and jackal are some of the prominent wild animals found in this park. Serpent eagles, hawk eagles, white bellied sea eagles, black capped bulbuls, Malabar pied horn bills, white necked storks, open bills, white ibis, white rumped-shama, the forest Nightingale, stork billed kingfishers and peacocks are also found in fair numbers.
Dinner and overnight stay at the campsite at the Udawalawe National Park. (Luxury Mobile Camps).
Do an early safari which will be an unforgettable bird watching experience. Return to the campsite for breakfast.
Thereafter, transfer to the Airport or to the Beach hotel.