Classic Sri Lankan Delights!

After breakfast, check out and leave for Habarana, visiting Dambulla Cave Temple en route. Treasured by many kings since the 1st century B.C., the golden Dambulla Rock Temple houses some of the most unique drawings in five magnificent cave temples. Observe exquisite cave paintings along walls that shelter 150 statues of Lord Buddha. The highlight is the gigantic Buddha statue glittering in gold. There is a short but fairly steep incline with steps, but anybody in reasonably good condition can manage easily.

Check-in at the hotel and rest before an afternoon jeep safari at the Minneriya National Park. Large wild herds of elephants congregate on the edge of rivers and reservoirs to bathe and socialize in one of the best parks in Sri Lanka. The park covers 8,890 hectares and has a mixed forest of evergreen shrubs. It is a favourite habitat for leopards, deer and wild elephants. Keep an eye out for monkeys, including the purple-faced langur and macaques. Later, return to the hotel for an evening of leisure.

After an early breakfast, visit the ancient citadel city of Sigiriya, built on a sheer rock deep in a lush forest. This remarkable 5th-century archaeological site is unforgettable for its dramatic setting. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens with water bodies ring the rock's base. The highlight is the delicate frescoes of 'Heavenly Maidens'. Learn about the ancient prince who killed his father to claim the throne and had to flee to this pleasure palace-cum fortress. Reaching the top of Sigiriya Rock requires a climb of 1,200 stone steps up and then down. Anybody in reasonably good condition can venture to the top of Sigiriya Rock, and it's certainly worth the effort.

Continue to Polonnaruwa ruins. The second capital of Sri Lanka, built in the 11th and 12th centuries A.D., is a UNESCO World Heritage site. See the ruins of the Royal Palace and the Gal Viharaya (three splendid statues of the Buddha in upright, sedentary and recumbent postures carved out of rock. Other highlights include the audience hall, lotus bath, Polonnaruwa statue and the Parakrama Samudra tank built by King Parakramabahu the Great. A scatter of temple ruins consists of the Shiva temple, the Lankatileka, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vihare Dagoba and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth. Transfer back to the hotel for a restful evening.

After breakfast, check out and proceed to Hiriwadunna for a local village experience. Hiriwadunna village lies sprawled around a reservoir located off the main Habarana road. Begin your trek along a shady gravel path leading to the bund. Admire the stunning mixture of contrasts with ashen trunks of long dead trees rising starkly against lush, green wetland vegetation, their skeletal shapes ideal perching spots for roosting egrets. Cross the overspill and make your way toward the sandy embankment, your pick-up point for an easy crossing by Oruwa. Reach the far shore and walk along a narrow, shady path cutting through a banana plantation. Reach a clearing with a house of wattle and daub, the home of a china farmer and his family, to be greeted with a cool, sweet drink of king coconut. On the next phase of your trek, walk through vegetable plots and scrub forests, from where a waiting tuk-tuk will transport you through jungle and paddy fields. Join in preparing a simple meal followed by a typical Sri Lankan lunch. Transfer to Kandy and check into the hotel.

After breakfast, visit the Royal Botanical Gardens. First developed as a pleasure garden under royalty and later harmonized by the British, the Royal Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya are bundled with the most welcoming facilities. Located just 4 miles off Kandy, this flourishing national asset is a Wonder of Asia. The 147 acres of lush green turf offer a blissful experience with well-tended lawns, pavilions and an octagon conservatory. An orchid house and a giant Javan fig tree are the most noteworthy elements.

Next, experience an ancient Kandyan legacy engraved around its crown jewel, the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. Then enjoy a brief tour of the beautiful Kandy town. Last ruled by King Sri Wickram Rajasinghe, Kandy came under British rule in 1815. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is the last royal capital of Sri Lankan kings and a hub of crafts, culture, history and heritage. Stroll across this small lakeside town cradled among the misty hills. Explore Kandy City Centre, bundled with the latest and world-class brands, a bazaar, an arts and crafts centre, and a gem museum & lapidary. Drive towards Victoria Golf Course, one of the best golf courses in the world. Glide through fresh fruits and vegetables in the Kandy market. The evening ends with a cultural show of traditional music and drumming, enhancing the vibrant culture of the Wonder of Asia, Sri Lanka. Check-in at the hotel and relax.

Elephant Foundation

Optional

Kandy by Tuk Tuk

Optional

Kandy City Walk

Optional

Royal Botanical Gardens with a Botanist

Optional

The Buddhist Nuns

Optional

The Three Temple Loop

Optional

Trekking in Knuckles

Optional

Ceylon tea is perhaps the world's most well-known and famous tea and a prime export of Sri Lanka. Go behind the scenes of this world-renowned product by meeting the people who pick it. Learn about their lives, walk through tea plantations, visit a processing factory, and enjoy a cup straight from the estate. With your chauffeur as a translator, feel free to ask questions about life in a tea plantation. Misty steep roads twisting through lush green blankets of tea bushes will remind you of the British colonial days. Augmented by an English countryside atmosphere, Nuwara Eliya, the city of light, was once governed by English & Scottish planters. Wander along colonial bungalows, hedgerows and one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in the world. A hike through the green grass and red-brick walls presents breathtaking views of a buzzing countryside hamlet. Transfer to Yala, check into the hotel and relax.

Kandy by Tuk Tuk

Optional

Kandy City Walk

Optional

Kandy Food Trail

Optional

Reinvigorating Yoga

Optional

Royal Botanical Gardens with a Botanist

Optional

The Art of Drumming

Optional

The Sri Lankan Garden

Optional

The Three Temple Loop

Optional

Trekking in Knuckles

Optional

Leave the hotel early morning for a guided wildlife safari at the Yala National Park in a 4WD jeep. Your tour will last from 0600hrs to 1800hrs with plenty of picnic breaks. If the weather permits, you can dip in the river and snooze on hammocks in the bush after lunch. Wear earthy-coloured clothes and walking shoes appropriate for picnics and small hikes. The guide will carry an extra pair of binoculars. Take cameras with fully charged batteries and memory cards with enough space. Pack a spare change and bath towels if you plan to dip in the river. Raincoats will be available, but feel free to bring your own. The jeep will have a basic first aid kit, but you can carry specific medications that may require.

At Yala National Park, you can see wild boar, deer, elephants, bears, peacocks, flamingoes and many more animals roaming free in their natural habitat. Elephants gather at the waterholes to drink and bathe. Sometimes, you can spot them at close range. You may also see leopards sunning themselves on rocks on a good day. Herds of deer roam at will, keeping a wary eye on the predators. Peacocks strut around, flaunting colourful feathers, and vibrant flamingoes take your breath away. Return to the hotel and spend the rest of the evening at leisure.

Have breakfast at the hotel, check out and leave for a beach hotel, visiting Galle Dutch Fort en route. The historic town of Galle was the centre of Dutch rule in the 17th century. The impressive Galle Fort bears ample testimony to that fact. One of the best-preserved colonial-era cities in Southeast Asia and a UNESCO World Heritage City, Galle was a prominent seaport long before Western rule in the country and a flourished trade hub for Persians, Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Malays, Indians, and Chinese. Arrive and check into the hotel for downtime.

A Village Ride

Optional

Aerial Whale Watching

Optional

Canoe up the Kapu Ela Canal walk

Optional

Culinary immersion: market visit and cooking demonstration walk

Optional

Deep Sea Fishing

Optional

Galle by Classic Car

Optional

Kanneliya Rainforest

Optional

Paddies & Plantations

Optional

South Coast Cinnamon

Optional

Weligama Surf School

Optional

After breakfast at the hotel, spend the whole day at leisure.

Optional: Madu River Boat ride & Visit a Turtle Hatchery

As you glide the river, witness the timeless natural rhythms of rural life, stopping at an island to watch locals engaged in coir making, cinnamon farming and coconut leaf weaving. Stop by to visit a 200-year-old Sri Lankan temple. Take a cruise in a small boat on the Madhu Ganga River through dozens of mangrove forested islets and an eco-reserve and breeding ground for many endangered species of plants and animals. An ornithologist's paradise, this wetland has approximately forty-six species of birds, including fourteen aquatic varieties. Watch out for the water monitors, kingfishers, eagles, monkeys and colourful butterflies!

Leave for the airport in time for your departure flight. You will be provided with a packed snack.