3 x Dinners, breakfast daily. English speaking guides throughout. Transfers as shown. All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary.

Transcription

1 Sri Lanka The tropical island nation of Sri Lanka has a history dating back to the birth of time. It is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes.

2 Sri Lanka The tropical island nation of Sri Lanka is set in the Indian Ocean in South Asia, and is a place where the original soul of Buddhism still flourishes and where nature s beauty remains abundant and unspoilt. Few places in the world can offer the traveller such a remarkable combination of stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, captivating cultural heritage and unique experiences within such a compact location. Within a mere area of 65,610 kilometres lie 8 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, 1,330 kilometres of coastline - much of it pristine beach - 15 national parks showcasing an abundance of wildlife, nearly 500,000 acres of lush tea estates, 250 acres of botanical gardens, 350 waterfalls, 25,000 water bodies, to a culture that extends back to over 2,500 years. This is an island of magical proportions, once known as Serendib, Taprobane, the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, and Ceylon. Discover refreshingly Sri Lanka! Inclusions 12 nights in a Double room for Single Use in 4 Star quality hotels 3 x Dinners, breakfast daily English speaking guides throughout Transfers as shown All entrance fees mentioned in the itinerary Hotel bar is open almost daily between 5.30pm and 6.30pm with wine, beer and soft drinks Porterage Water on vehicles 24 hour assistance during your trip

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4 Day 1 Welcome to Colombo! You will be met at the airport on arrival by our representative for a fast track through Immigration. You will then be escorted to the Silk Road VIP Lounge and served refreshments whilst waiting for your bags. You will then be transferred to your Hotel. This evening you will meet your new friends and our local representative for a welcome dinner at Kaema Sutra Restaurant (meaning The Art of Food ). Located in the heart of the city, this is one of Colombo s newest restaurants; it features traditional Sri Lankan cuisine remagined. Galle Face Hotel, Colombo (or Similar) D Day 2 This morning you will meet a local historian and photography buff who will take you through the glory days of Colombo Fort. The walk will focus on photography, architecture and history in two stages; stage one will cover the Fort while stage two will cover the Pettah markets. The walk will include a break for tea and a stop along the way to sample street food. Water will be provided if required along the way. The walk will end at the Old Dutch Hospital where you are free to make your own way back to your Hotel. The afternoon and lunch is at your leisure. Galle Face Hotel, Colombo (or similar) B Day 3 After breakfast you will meet your driver and depart Colombo for the 4-hour drive to Sigiriya, located in Sri Lanka s Cultural Triangle. Check in on arrival with lunch is at your leisure. Later this afternoon with your local guide proceed to visit Rock Fortress of Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The legendary sky citadel of Sigiriya, the Lion Rock famous for its frescoes of Celestial Maidens is possibly the most impressive site in Sri Lanka.The first part of the visit will be a leisurely walk through the pleasure gardens and Sigiriya Museum. This Fortress is surrounded by an extensive network of gardens, lily-covered moats, ponds, canals, alleys and fountains. Next will be a climb of 1200 steps of course, there are two areas where one can take a break on the way up. The entire visit takes approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours depending on the speed at which you climb. However, if you want to skip the climb or want to climb partially, you will have the flexibility to do so and you can get yourselves photographed with the fortress as a backdrop. Return minivan transfer to your Hotel Water Garden Hotel, Sigiriya (or similar) B

5 Day 4 After breakfast you will meet your driver for a 2.5 hour drive to Polonnaruwa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Polonnaruwa, known as Sri Lanka s medieval capital, is the second most ancient of Sri Lanka s kingdoms. Within a rectangle of city walls, stand palace buildings and clusters of dozens of dagobas (Stupas), temples and various other religious buildings. Polonnaruwa is divided into 4 areas. The visit will start with the King s Palace and Baths. You will then visit 3 different tooth relic temples and then proceed to dome shaped structures called Stupas, considered an outstanding type of architectural creations of ancient Sri Lanka. The visit will end on the far western side of the complex where you will see one of the most astonishing Buddha rock carvings in Sri Lanka. Lunch is at your leisure In the afternoon, you will visit Minneriya National Park in a four-wheel-drive vehicle. The Park is about an-hour from Polonnaruwa and covers 8,890 hectares, consisting of a mixed forest of evergreen shrubs, a favourite habitat for animals, including leopards, deer and wild elephants. The Park s main feature is the former reservoir or tank built by King Mahasen in the third century AD. One can see herds of elephants and flocks of birds, including cormorants and painted storks that come to fish in the shallow waters. You will return to your hotel by early evening. Hotel Bar is open between 6.00pm 7.00pm with house wine, beer, soft drinks Water Garden Hotel, Sigiriya (or similar) B Day 5 After breakfast meet your driver for a 2 hour drive to Anuradhapura which consists of more than a dozen archaeological sites spread across a considerable area. Typically, one moves around from site to site either by bike or inside the vehicle. The most important significant sites are the 3 largest man made Stupas in Sri Lanka, which were, at the time of the pyramids of Egypt, the second largest man-made structures in the World. Intriguingly the points of these Stupas point to the Orion s Belt, just as the pyramids of Egypt do. Here you will find the Sri Maha Bodhi, a sacred Fig said to be the southern branch from the tree under which lord Buda was enlightened. Today it is one of the most sacred relics of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and respected by Buddhists all over the World. Lunch is at your leisure then we return to the Hotel by early evening. Water Garden Hotel, Sigiriya (or similar) B

6 Day 6 After breakfast meet your driver for a 2.5 hour drive to Kandy where you will check-in to your Hotel. Kandy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site is the old capital of Ceylon and the seat of the last Sinhalese kingdom. It is a charming city with the most important Buddhist temple in the country and is set around an ancient artificial lake amongst rolling hills that are covered by forests and tea plantations. Lunch is at your leisure In the afternoon you will visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. Ever since it was founded in the 16th century, the temple has housed one of the most sacred relics of Buddhism a tooth of Buddha collected from his funeral pyre and which is now protected within the gold-roofed Temple of the Tooth. You will watch the blessing ceremony with all the fanfare, drums, trumpets and monks in bright attire performing their rituals. You will then return to your hotel. This evening you will enjoy dinner in a local restaurant with beer, wine & soft drinks included Kings Pavilion Hotel, Kandy (or similar) B, D Day 7 After breakfast, meet a local expert by the Kandy Lake and take a stroll down along its side as he tells you stories about Sri Lanka s last kingdom. From there make your way to the site of the Temple of the Tooth the most sacred temple in the island that holds Buddha s tooth relic which was originally built between 1687 and Walk through the busy streets of the city and visit several local sites including a church and the clock tower that overlooks the town. Afterwards drop in at the iconic Empire Café for a drink (Tea/Coffee) before navigating your way through the vibrant Kandy street markets which has everything from aromatic spices, vegetables and fruits, to the latest fashion trends. You will then return to your hotel. Lunch and the rest of the day is at your leisure Kings Pavilion Hotel, Kandy (or similar) B Day 8 After breakfast you will meet your driver for hour drive to Nuwara Eliya and check-in to your Hotel. Nuwara Eliya is known as the Little England of Sri Lanka. 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 English spring day, although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of British influence. Houses are like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions. Lunch and the rest of the day is at your leisure. Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya (or similar) B

7 Day 9 This morning you will meet your local guide for a visit to a Tea Factory. Strange as it may seem, the story of Ceylon Tea begins with the end of coffee due to the coffee blight in Old Ceylon s up-country plantations were devastated but the planters didn t give up their ambition of cultivating the rich soil of Sri Lanka. Their ambition bore fruit and it has ever since the first crop of tea was thrown into the central highlands of Sri Lanka. You will visit a plantation, and observe how the plant is grown and harvested. From here you will travel to a factory, and learn about the whole processing procedure and how different types of teas are created. You will return to your Hotel. Lunch and the rest of the day is at your leisure. Grand Hotel, Nuwara Eliya (or similar) B Day 10 This morning you will meet your driver for a 6 hour drive to Galle with a stop along the way for lunch at your leisure. During the journey, you might have a chance to witness Stilt Fishing. This is no ordinary fishing; there might be several methods of catching a fish but this one is mind-boggling. Fishermen in Sri Lanka use stilts to catch a fish. Stilt fishing is an old tradition practiced by around 500 fishing families in Galle, in southwestern-most Sri Lanka, especially around the towns On arrival in Galle check-in to your Hotel with the rest of the day at your leisure. The Fort Printers Hotel, Galle (or similar) B Day 11 The morning and lunch is at your leisure. This afternoon you will meet your local guide for a guided walk of the Galle Dutch Fort who will explain the history of the fort that has attracted traders and travelers from around the world. Walk through the cobble-stoned pathways flanked by antique shops, heritage houses and restaurants offering everything from Moroccan to crepes, while your guide engages you in historical tales of the evolution of these ramparts and the battles that took place in the name of the fort. Take a look at the architectural and archaeological sites that have given Galle Fort its UNESCO World Heritage status. Your guide is certain to amuse you with stories and tales from the area. The Fort Printers Hotel, Galle (or similar) B

8 Day 12 This morning, you will learn to make Biriyani with a Fort family. Arrive in the morning at the home of your host family to be warmly greeted and welcomed as though you were an extra family member. Your host is a charming 4th generation Fort resident who is passionate about cooking and is well-known in the Galle area for her impressive food. With the assistance of her three daughters your host will take you through the basics of a biryani, allowing you to take a hands-on role in the cooking process so that you will learn how to prepare, marinade, season, and cook the biriyani from scratch. Many of the ingredients are sourced from your host s own garden and you will be invited outside to pick them yourself and add them to the dish. Once you ve finished cooking sit down for a meal with the family to enjoy the food you ve made. After lunch expect some entertainment in the form of singing and dancing. Don t feel shy, this is very normal in a Sri Lankan family and it s all part of the fun! The rest of the day is at your leisure. This evening you will enjoy a farewell dinner at local restaurant with beer, wine & soft drinks included The Fort Printers Hotel, Galle (or similar) B, D Day 13 You will be met at the Hotel for a private transfer to Colombo Airport. Approx. 2 hour drive newatha hamuvemu!