Looking for the perfect getaway? For the Greatest Escape, check out our Barefoot Traveller 10 day Sri Lanka Holiday – Cultural Tour:
Day 1
Airport – Kandalama
Meet and assist by your chauffeur guide on arrival, transfer to Kandalama and check in to a standard room at The Heritance Kandalama. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner & overnight stay at The Heritance Kandalama – Retire to comfortable natural surroundings, after long and stimulating excursions to places of archaeological, cultural or wildlife interest. Tropical jungles, calm waters and the rocky mountain countryside of Kandalama, offers the eco-friendly visitor absolute luxury.
Day 2
Kandalama – Mihintale – Kandalama
Breakfast at the Heritance Kandalama. Transfer to visit the first capital of Sri Lanka’s ancient times. the most celebrated of Sri Lanka’s ancient ruined cities, the greatest treasures are its dagabes constructed of small sun-dried bricks and are hemispherical in shape. The most notable of these dagabes are the Ruwanweli Seya which dates back to the 2nd Century BC and is 300ft in diameter, the Jetavanarama that is 370ft and the Thuparama which enshrines the collarbone of the Buddha. The city’s most renowned relic is the Sacred Bo Tree grown from a branch of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. It was planted 2250 years ago and is the oldest historic tree in the world. Continue to Mihintale, temple believed to be the birth place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Mihintale holds a particular place of importance in Sri Lankan Buddhism as the place where the religion originated in Sri Lanka. Mahinda, the son of India’s great Buddhist emperor Ashoka, came to Sri Lanka in 247 B.C. and met King Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura in Mihintale. King Devanampiya Tissa converted to Buddhism here thus making Mihintale one of the most sacred sites in Sri Lanka.
The most exciting part of a visit to Mihintale is the climb up Aradhana Gala or Meditation Rock. A steep, rock-cut stairway that you must climb barefoot leads to the top of this rock where the winds are wild and the views are spectacular. We were blessed with clear skies because if it is raining, the rock is too slippery and dangerous to climb. Although Mihintale is only 10 km from Anuradhapura, there are few Western tourists here allowing the visitor a true insight into Sri Lankan Buddhist practices and worship. Return back to the hotel Dinner & overnight stay at The Heritance Kandalama.
Day 3
Kandalama – Sigiriya – Polonnaruwa
Breakfast at the Heritance Kandalama Hotel. Transfer to Sigiriya for a visit of the famous Lions rock. 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 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.
Transfer to Polonnaruwa. Arrive & visit the ruin’s of this once ancient city. Visit 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 where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in ‘Upright’, ‘Sedentary’ and ‘Recumbent’ postures carved out of rock could be seen, the Audience Hall, the Lotus Bath, the statue of king Parakramabahu, and the Parakrama Samudraya – a 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. Return to the hotel. Dinner & overnight stay.
Day 4
Transfer from Kandalama to Dambulla.
Breakfast at the Heritance Kandalama. Dambulla rock temple has been built by King Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. and it is a world heritage site. Also, it is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s 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 of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 meters. Transfer to Kandy and check in to a standard room at The Earls Regency. Leave the hotel for a visit of the principal attraction of Kandy : the Temple of the Tooth. Temple of the Tooth is the home to the island’s most revered relic, Buddha’s tooth, which arrived here in the sixteenth century. The main shrine of the current temple was originally constructed in the seventeenth century. Pujas (offerings) are held at 6 am; 10 am and 7 am.
The main attraction of the Pujas is the noisy drumming, which precedes and accompanies the ceremony. It is from here that the annual Perahera (Procession) taken place in July/August, when the tooth relic is taken atop a magnificent bushed elephant, who is accompanied by up to 70 beautifully illuminated and caparisoned elephants, who are in turn escorted by drummers, dancers and whip crackers etc. A truly stunning, sight! Return to the hotel. Dinner & overnight stay at The Earls Regency – The crown jewel of the Kandyan Kingdom The grandeur of an ancient Citadel adorned with contemporary 5-star luxury. A landmark of impeccable taste and unique style where one can unwind and relax while experiencing all this world has to offer.
Day 5
Pinnawela – Kandy
After breakfast proceed on a visit to Pinnawala. The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage, established in 1975, 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 is soon became a conservation and educational centre. With the help of local and foreign elephant experts, Pinnawela started a scientific captive-breeding programme for elephants. The free movement of the herd enhanced the chances for respective 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 was born. The success story of the Pinnawela has drawn the attention of scientists from all over the world. A considerable number of books and research articles on Pinnawela have been published in several languages. The members of the Pinnawela herd have been filmed, videoed and photographed thousands of times by professionals.
Return to the Kandy & visit the botanical garden of Peradeniya. Next, you will visit the expansive Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, set 6km southwest of Kandy, the largest and finest gardens in Sri Lanka, which covers almost 150 acres. This was the pleasure garden of the kings of Kandy. It was transformed into a botanical garden by the British in 1821. There are around ten thousand trees in the gardens: The area around the entrance is largely given over to small scale flora, including an orchid house, a spice garden and a tiny Japanese Garden. There are five palm avenues, a huge Fines tree (Fines Benjamin) covering an area of more than 2000 square meters, Great circle around which the state guests, such as Late Czar of Russia, Queen Mary, Harold McMillan and Queen Elizabeth II have planted trees during their visits it Sri Lanka.
The Orchidarium is a sight to behold! You will have a chance to stroll through the gardens for a short while. Continue on a visit of the city of Kandy. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings which is a World Heritage Site. The name “Kandy” conjures visions of splendour and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. Visit the Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts & crafts centre, a gem museum and a lapidary. Thereafter witness a Cultural show. Return back to the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at The Earls Regency.
Day 6
Kandy – Nuwara Eliya
Breakfast at the Earls Regency. Leave the hotel for a visit of a Tea Plantation & a Tea factory. Continue towards Nuwara Eliya. Arrive & check-in to a standard room at The Tea Factory Visit the city of Nuwara Eliya during the afternoon. Nuwara Eliya… nestled in a wooded basin at the foot of Mount Pidurutalagala Sri Lanka’s highest peak, this region at 6,183ft above sea-level Has a cool, crisp climate unknown elsewhere in Sri Lanka. A serene retreat from the hustle and bustle of Colombo, the town seems like a piece of the English Lake District. Unusual plants, birds and animals thrive here besides natural feature like waterfalls and caves. Tea, the glistening green leaves of this lovely shrub, along with neat rows of green, cloak ridges and valleys providing a lasting impression of Sri Lanka’s Hill Country. The golf course – one of the most finest and picturesque in Asia – the serene Anglican Church of the Holy Trinity, beautiful parks and well kept lawns and hedges give the place an air of nostalgia.
Return to the hotel. Overnight stay at The Tea Factory – A hotel of character and star-class, set in an emerald teascape 6,800 feet above sea level, only six degrees from the Equator. In the mountain range, which gave the world Pure Ceylon Tea, the hotel began as a factory built in the days of the British Raj. It has been converted so that much of the original style and machinery remains, a reminder of the past in perfect blend with innovations of the present.
Day 7
Nuwara Eliya
After breakfast transfer to Horton Plains to visit he most beautiful plateau of Sri Lanka.
The Horton Plains National Park is the only National Park situated in the Hill Country and falls within the Nuwara Eliya district and is 200 km. away from Colombo. Panoramic scenic beauty of the Hill Country could be witnessed within the Park. The famous `Worlds End’ is a major attraction within the Park. Endemic slender loris and endemic purple monkey are among the important animal species that could be seen in addition to sambhur, a member of the cat family etc. There are some endemic avifauna also found within this Park.
Return back to the hotel. Rest of the day at leisure relaxing in the cool surroundings of the hotel.
Dinner & overnight stay at the Tea Factory.
Day 8
Nuwara Eliya – Beruwala
Breakfast & later transfer to your Beach Hotel at Beruwala. Arrive & check-in to a superior room at The Eden Resort. Rest of the day at leisure at the beach resort. Dinner & overnight stay at The Eden Resort – Eden Resort & Spa is a beautifully landscaped modern 5-star hotel catering for the discerning traveller. The resort nestles in five acres of tropical gardens fronting the “golden mile” of Beruwela beach on the Indian Ocean and offers a wide selection of activities and facilities including a dedicated Spa set in lush green foliage and soothing cascading waters.
Day 9
Beruwala
Day at leisure at the resort
Day 10
Beruwala – Airport
After breakfast transfer to Airport for Departure flight.
