Holiday
Cultural Traingle & Tea Trails Tour
Sometimes described as a tear drops on India’s cheek, Sri Lanka has long existed in the shadow of it’s huge neighbor, but this fertile island has an identity all of it’s own. Our short cultural tour through Sri Lanka’s Golden cultural triangle and its wonderful hill country.
Holiday Highlights
Ruined cities of ancient kingdoms
See Elephant feeding and bathing
Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Dambulla Golden Buddhist cave temple
Holy city of Kandy’s Temple of the Tooth Relic
Botanical Garden in Kandy
The walk in Horton Plains
Day 01 - Depart from Airport
Depart London Heathrow.
Day 02 - Colombo
Upon arrive, meet & greet by our representative at Bandaranaike International Airport and proceed to Colombo.
Afternoon commence city tour & shopping in Colombo.
Overnight stay in Colombo.
Day 03 - Pinnawela, Sigiriya, Habarana, Dambulla
After breakfast proceed to Sigiriya / Habarana / Dambulla, en route visit * Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded, the orphanage has grown to be a big family today. The number of elephants has increased to more than 40 now, including baby Elephants brought from various parts, as well as the babies born, as a result of the captive-breeding programme. A unique experience never to be missed.
Visit * Dambulla Rock Temple. Climb up to the temple, which was donated by king Walagambahu in the 1st century BC to Buddhist monks. Dambulla is a World Heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and the ceiling is the largest area of paintings found in the world. These caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock spanning 14 meters.
Overnight stay in Sigiriya / Habarana / Dambulla.
Day 04 - Sigiriya, Habarana, Dambulla
After breakfast proceed to Anuradhapura is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined cities. The city’s greatest treasures are its dagabas constructed of small sun-dried bricks and hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagabas are the Ruvanveli which dates back to the 2nd Century BC and is 300ft in diameter, the Jetawanarama is 370ft and the Thuparama which enshrines the collarbone of the Buddha. The city’s most renowned relic is the sacred Bo-Tree which is said to have grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha gained enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historic tree in the world.
Overnight stay in Sigiriya / Habarana / Dambulla.
Day 05 - Sigiriya, Habarana, Dambulla
After breakfast climb Sigiriya.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress - which is a world heritage, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The ‘Lion Rock’ is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters 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.
Thereafter proceed to Polonnaruwa.
Commence sightseeing tour of * Polonnaruwa, which was the 2nd capital city of Sri Lanka, built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD, and which is a world heritage site. Here you can see the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya â€"where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in ‘Upright’, ‘Sedentary`’ and ‘Recumbent’ postures carved out of rock, the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, king Parakramabahu’s statue, and the Parakrama Samudraya lake built by King Parakramabahu the great. There are also monuments of famous places of worship such as the Shiva Temple, the Lankathilake, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vehera and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth Relic.
Overnight stay in Sigiriya / Habarana / Dambulla.
Day 06 - Kandy, Matale
After breakfast proceed to Kandy via Matale, visit a * Spice Garden in Matale to see the different spices, which Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed. On arrival commence sightseeing including the Upper Lake Drive, Market Square Arts & Crafts Centre and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
* Kandy - the hill capital. Venue of the annual Perahera. The last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings was finally ceded to the British in 1815. Kandy is an example of the Buddhism’s influence in Sri Lanka today. Temple’s shrines and monasteries keeping alive Buddhist traditions are everywhere.
Visit * Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - ever since 4th Century A.D, when the Buddha’s Tooth was brought to Sri Lanka hidden from sacrilegious hands in an Orissan princess’ hair, the Relic has grown in repute and holiness in Sri Lanka and throughout the Buddhist world. It is considered Sri Lanka’s most prized possession.
Also visit * Royal Botanical Gardens â€" 147 acres in extent; Started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Gampola and Kandy. There are more than 5,000 species of trees, plants and creepers. Some rare and endemic as well as flora from the tropical world are found in the gardens. Spice Garden and Orchid House are popular with tourists. There are 5 Palm Avenues beautifying the gardens, the earliest and tallest Palm Avenue (Royal Palm Avenue) was planted in 1905 and the Double Coconuts from the Seashells Island, with the largest seed of all plants in the world is one such avenue.
Overnight stay in Kandy.
Day 07 - Kandy, Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast proceed to Nuwara Eliya.
* Nuwara Eliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coldest places on the island, but is really just like an England spring day although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence. Houses are like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions.
* Tea Plantation - Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839. In 1867 a Scottish Planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings on 8 hectares of forest land, in the Loolcondura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23lbs being shipped to London. Tea will grow well only on rolling terrain and is classified be elevation into low grown, medium grown, high grown, into 3 main groups. In 1996 Sri Lanka has produced 258 million kgs. Of tea and has earned Rs. 34,068 million by exporting 244 million kgs. of tea.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 08 - Horton Plains, Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast visit Horton Plains. Rest of the leisure at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.
Day 09 - Katunayaka
After breakfast proceed to Katunayaka.
Overnight stay in Katunayaka.
Day 10
After breakfast transferred to the airport for the flight to London.
