TG-27 th July 2011 853am Escorted by Tara Gupta, CTIE President The Best of Sri Lanka Especially Prepared for: Guest One Guest Two Day-by-Day Itinerary 14 Nights Begins in Colombo on Friday, 5 th Aug. 2011 Ends in Colombo on Friday 19 th Aug 2011 On a Journey with Tara, the Possibilities are Endless & the Discoveries Magical! 1 (415) 310 5721 www.india-by-design.com TaraGupta01@gmail.com
Skeleton itinerary for quick reference Day Date Route Activity/ Places Visited Overnight 1 2 3 4 Friday, 5 th Aug Saturday, 6 th Aug Sun. 7 th Aug Mon. 8 th Aug Airport - Colombo Colombo Colombo - Dambulla Meet at the Airport & transfer in to a Hotel in Colombo. [One Hour Drive] SIN/Colombo - SLA 312 (04:10PM 05:20PM) No scheduled site-seeing Proceed to Dambulla (4hrs) - Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage en-route (2 hrs) 3 nights - Galleface Hotel, Colombo 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Tues. 9 th Aug Wed. 10 th Aug Thursday 11 th Aug Friday 12 th Aug Saturday 13 th Aug Sunday 14 th Aug Monday 15 th Aug Tuesday 16 th Aug Wed. 17 th Aug Thursday 18 th Aug Friday, 19 th Aug Dambulla Anuradhapura Mihintale Dambulla Dambulla Sigiriya Polonnaruwa - Dambulla Dambulla Matale - Kandy Kandy Kandy Nuwara Eliya Nuwara Eliya Hatton, Dickoya Hatton Hatton Ahungalle Ahungalle Unawatuna - Galle Galle Colombo Colombo Airport Visit Anuradhapura (2 Hrs drive) ; the 1 st Capital City of the ancient Sri Lanka and Mihintale. Go on site seeing. Mihintale is 30 mnts from Anuradhapura, Mihintale Amaya 2.hrs 15 mnts] Dambulla Sigiriya 30 mnts - Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Proceed to Polonnaruwa and go on site seeing - (Sigiriya Polonnaruwa 2 hrs one way) Visit Dambulla Golden Rock Cave Temple (15 mnts) Visit Matale Spice Garden Visit Temple of Tooth Relic& Kandy City Tour (Dambulla to Kandy 2 ½ hrs) Visit Peradeniya Botanical Gardens Witness the Kandy Perahera Visit a Tea Plantation & Factory en-route Nuwara Eliya City Tour Transfer from Langedale Hotel to Glencairn Bungalow 2 ½ hrs drive Climb Adam s Peak Evening Return to Glencarn Bungalow [Climb to Peak 3.5 to 4 hrs] Leave Glencairn Bungalow after Breakfast and proceed to Galle via Hatton,Ginigathena,Kalutara, Ahungalla. [5 Hrs] Visit Galle Fort and proceed to Unawatuna (45 mnts) Visit Rumassala en-route to Unawatuna Proceed to Colombo & go on a City Tour [ 3 hrs] Leave for Airport in time for the Flight SLA #312 (07:21AM -02:55PM) - [I hr Drive] 3 nights - Amaya Lake, Dambulla 2 nights - Amaya Hills, Kandy 1 night Langedale Hotel Nuwara Eliya 2 nights - Glencairn Bungalow, Hatton 2 nights Heritance Ahungalla 1 night - Galleface Hotel, Colombo Page 1
AYUBOWAN! Day One - 5 th August Arrival Meet our Agent at the Airport and proceed to the Hotel. Stay overnight at Galleface Hotel, Colombo - www.gallefacehotel.com Day Two & Day Three - 6 th & 7 th August Relax in the Hotel. Stay overnight at Galleface Hotel, Colombo - www.gallefacehotel.com Day Four 8 th August Accompanied by Mr. Ven Somasara proceed to Dambulla; Visit Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on the way to witness the Bottle-Feeding of orphaned Baby Elephants. This orphanage was set up by the government to take care of Baby Elephants lost or abandoned in the wild. The Baby Elephants being bottle fed with milk is a heartwarming sight. Thereafter observe them as they take their daily bath in the river nearby, which affords marvelous photo opportunities. Bath time is enjoyed by all Elephants, young and old alike and it is a good time to closely observe their tightly knit family structure. (Open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Daily feeding times- 9.15 a.m., 1.15 p.m. 5.00 p.m. Bathing times 10.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 4.00 p.m.). Overnight stay at Amaya Lake, Dambulla - www.amayaresorts.com Page 2
Day Five 9 th August After Breakfast leave to visit Anuradhapura; Anuradhapura, ( in Sinhala), is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-preserved ruins of ancient Lankan civilization. From the 4 th Century BC, it was the capital of Sri Lanka until the beginning of the 11th century AD. During this period it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist World, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles (40 km²). With the introduction of Buddhism, the city gained more prominence and the great building era began. The Mahavamsa states that King Kutakannatissa built the first city wall to a height of seven cubits with a moat in front of the wall. This fortification was further enlarged by raising the wall a further 11 cubits to 18 cubits by King Vasabha. The king also added fortified gatehouses at the entrances of which the ruins can be seen to date. The Mahavamsa also states that soothsayers and architects were consulted in the construction; The Sacred Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura is reckoned as the oldest surviving historical tree in the world. It was brought to Sri Lanka by the Theri Sangamitta, daughter of Emperor Asoka and was planted in the Mahameghavana Park in Anuradhapura in 249 BC by King Devanampiyatissa. It is said to be the southern branch of the Jaya Siri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya in India under which Prince Siddhartha attained Enlightenment. The Brazen Palace; a roof of copper over this primordial skyscraper bestowed upon it, its name. This work of Duttha Gamini is known to have burned down only 15 years after its building; which leads to the surmise that it was largely a wooden structure. The 1,600 pillars (40 x 40) that now mark the site are historically ascribed to King Parakrama Bahu the Great (1153 1186 A.D.) of Polonnaruwa. The original building was of 9 graded stories and is said to have had one thousand rooms. The Mahathupa (Great Thupa) is today known as the Ruvanveliseya Dagaba. This is the centre piece of The Maha Vihara (Great Monastery). The Maha vihara, because of it's long history of guarding the traditions of Theravada Buddhism, and because its monks kept the most sacred shrines at Anuradhapura, was the most important monastery of the city. Although not it's true height and original form, the fine white Ruvanveliseya Dagaba, guarded by a 'wall of elephants', still looks magnificent. A dagaba or thupa (relic chamber), is a dome which is built over sacred relics, the bodily remains of the Buddha. King Duttha Gamini had already built the Mirisavati and his magnificent Brazen Palace, but he wanted something bigger and better for his greatest work. It is said that this cost the king 6.4 million coins in wages, and that the workers received food and clothing and a considerable 'extras' for the work. On top of this beautiful 'bubble' shaped Mahathupa was a ruby as big as a man's fist, and today the Burmese people have donated a rock crystal, which is 2 feet high (60cm) to replace it. Page 3
The Samadhi Buddha; Samadhi is a state of deep meditation, and the Lord Buddha is represented in this position after gaining enlightenment. This 4th Century AD statue of the Buddha in meditative pose is acknowledged worldwide as a masterpiece. The Indian Nationalist leader, Nehru, derived strength from contemplating his statue, during his imprisonment by the British The Twin Ponds are a magnificent example of landscape architecture built on a grand scale. The ponds are in fact not twins at all, pond (b) being longer by 40 feet than pond (a). The stone molding of the baths and the flights of steps leading to the water are graceful and austere, but above all natural. Apart from their beauty, the twin ponds are very functional. Water which is fed through an inlet is cleaned and purified several times over; before the cool water gushes out into the pond through a lions-head spout. Besides this spout is a Naga stone, perhaps the best in Sri Lanka. The water eventually drains away from pond (b). The other structures which you will be seeing in Anuradhapura are Isurumuniya, Magul Uyana, Vessagiri Rathna Prasadaya, Queen's Palace, Dakkhina Stupa, Sela Chetiya, Naka Vihara, Kiribath Vehera, etc Mihintale which is the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka is located only 12 km east of Anuradhapura, close to the Anuradhapura Trincomalee Road. Here on a rock 300 m in height is one of the peaks of a mountainous range known as Mihintale. Legend has it that Thera Mahinda came to Sri Lanka from India on the Full moon Day of the month of Poson (June) and met King Devanampiyatissa. The traditional spot where this meeting took place is revered by the Buddhists of Sri Lanka. Therefore in the month of Poson, Buddhists make their pilgrimage to Anuradhapura and Mihintale. Overnight stay at Amaya Lake, Dambulla - www.amayaresorts.com Day Six 10 th August Leave to climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress after Breakfast. Sigiriya (Lion's Rock) is an ancient Rock Fortress and Palace ruin situated in the central Matale District of Sri Lanka, surrounded by the remains of an extensive network of gardens, reservoirs, and other structures. A popular tourist destination, Sigiriya is also renowned for its ancient paintings (frescos), which are reminiscent of the Ajanta Caves of India. The Sigiriya Page 4
was built during the reign of King Kassapa I (AD 477 495), and it is one of the seven World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. Sigiriya may have been inhabited through prehistoric times. It was used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 5th century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the Buddhist Sangha. According to the chronicles as Mahavamsa the entire complex was built by King Kashyapa, and after the king's death, it was used as a Buddhist monastery until 14th century. Proceed to Polonnaruwa after Sigiriya; the island s medieval capital (11c & 12c) rose to fame after the decline of Anuradhapura. The city in its day was fortified with three concentric walls, beautified with parks and gardens and sanctified by many shrines. Polonnaruwa shows the interesting blend of the influence of the South Indian Hindu Culture on the Sinhala Buddhist Art and Architecture in the scattered shrines and monuments still venerated daily by devotees. Parakrama Samudraya; one of the largest man made inland lakes in the world, called the Sea of Parakrama owing to the waves that play on its surface due to its immense size. Build by Parakramabahu the Great in the 12 th Century A.D. It is a unique irrigation complex which waters the city as well as the surrounding plains and in use even today. The embankment rises to an average height of 12m. and stretches over its entire length of 13.7 km. Rankoth Vehera was built by Nissanka Malla, who ruled the country from 1187 to 1196. The Rankoth Vehera has been built according to the tradition of the stupas of Mahavihara of the Anuradhapura period, and bears a close resemblance to the Ruvanveliseya stupa. In fact, a stone inscription situated close to the stupa even identifies it by the name "Ruwanweli". However, it has later come to be known by the currently used name, Rankoth Vehera. In Sinhalese, ran means gold, kotha is the name given to the pinnacle of a stupa, and vehera means stupa or temple. Thus, the name Rankoth Vehera can be roughly translated to English as "Gold Pinnacled Stupa. Along with the Kiri Vehera, it is one of the most revered stupas in Polonnaruwa. The Gal Vihara, also known as Gal Viharaya, is a rock temple of the Buddha situated in the ancient city of Polonnaruwa in north-central Sri Lanka. It was constructed in the 12th century by Parakramabahu I. The central feature of the shrine are four images of the Buddha, which have been carved into the face of a large granite rock. The images consist of a large seated figure, another, smaller seated figure inside an artificial cavern, and standing figure and a reclining figure. These are considered to be some of the best examples of ancient Sinhalese sculpting and carving arts, and have made the Gal Vihara one of the most visited monuments in Polonnaruwa. There are also monuments of famous places of worship such as the Shiva Temple, Lankathilake, Watadage, Galpotha, Kiri Vehera, Demala Maha Seya, Sath Mahal Prasadaya, etc Overnight stay at Amaya Lake, Dambulla - www.amayaresorts.com Page 5
Day Seven 11 th August After Breakfast leave for Kandy. Visit Dambulla Rock Caves Temple & Matale Spice Garden en-route. Dating back to the 1st century BC, this is the most impressive cave temple in Asia. It has five caves under a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep the interiors dry. Inside the caves, the ceilings are painted with intricate patterns of religious images following the contours of the rock. There are images of the Lord Buddha and bodhisattvas, as well as various gods and goddesses. The Dambulla cave monastery is still functional and remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka. After Dambulla Temple, proceed to Matale spice Garden to see many different types of spices Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed. Visitors may buy spices, traditional remedies and cosmetics, taste an herbal brew and in some venues, enjoy the full flavours of Sri Lankan spices over lunch or an Ayurveda massage based on natural products from the garden. Witness a Cookery Demonstration conducted by the Spice Garden Staff. Visit the Temple of Tooth Relic; a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy is a UNESCO world heritage site partly due to the temple. Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last King Sri Wickramarajasinghe in 1806; Kandy is the last capital of the Sri Lankan Kings, which is a world heritage site. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Visit the Kandy Town Bazaar, the Arts and Crafts Center and a Gem Museum & Lapidary. Overnight stay at Amaya Hills, Kandy - www.amayaresorts.com Day Eight 12 th August Page 6
Proceed to Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya which was established in 1821, easily one of the best of its kind in the world. This Botanical Garden was first built as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala King and was expanded by the British. It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers. Witness world famous Kandy Esala Perahera in the evening; Esala Perahera (the festival of the tooth) is the grand festival of Esala with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances like the fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandian dances and others. The elephants are ornately decorated with lavish garments. The Esala Perahera in Kandy is believed to be a fusion of two separate but interconnected "Peraheras" (Processions) The Esala and Dalada. The Esala Perahera which is thought to date back to the 3 rd century BC, was a ritual enacted to request the gods for rainfall. The Dalada Perahera is believed to have begun when the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from India during the 4 th Century AD. The TOOTH RELIC was taken in procession to Sri Lanka by Princess Hemamala & Prince Dantha. The festival ends with the traditional 'diya-kepeema' Overnight stay at Amaya Hills, Kandy - www.amayaresorts.com Day Nine 13 th August After Breakfast leave for Nuwara Eliya Hills. Enjoy the picturesque journey through mountains; Nuwara Eliya is the land of peace, and silence was called the hill station by the English Tea Planters during the colonial era. This is a very picturesque location almost 1,950 meters above sea level with its soft English spring climate. You can see nostalgia of the British Colonial era in the town decorated with buildings ranging in style from Georgian to Queen Anne, with parks, Trout Streams, 18 holes Golf Course. Visit a Tea Plantation & Factory on the way to Nuwara Eliya from Kandy. Stay overnight at Langedale by Amaya Nuwara Eliya a deluxe Boutique Hotel www.amayaresorts.com Page 7
Day Ten 14 th August After Breakfast leave for Hatton and check in to the Glencairn Bungalow, Dickoya. Overnight stay at Glencairn Bungalow, Hatton, Dickoya. Day Eleven 15 th August Proceed to Adam s Peak in the morning; It is an important pilgrimage site, especially for Hindus and Buddhists. Pilgrims walk up the mountain, following a variety of routes up thousands of steps. The journey takes several hours at least. The peak pilgrimage season is in April, and the goal is to be on top of the mountain at sunrise, when the distinctive shape of the mountain casts a triangular shadow on the surrounding plain and can be seen to move quickly downward as the sun rises. Climbing at night can be a remarkable experience, with the lights of the path leading up and into the stars overhead. There are rest stops along the way. The mountain is most often scaled from December to May. During other months it is hard to climb the mountain due to very heavy rain, extreme wind, and thick mist. Buddhists believe that the footprint mark is the left foot of the Buddha, left behind as he strode away, the right footprint being (depending on legend) in Amphoe Phra Phutthabat, Saraburi Province, located about 150 kilometers northeast of Bangkok, Thailand. This place is called in Thai Phra Bat or Phra Phutthabat. Tamil Hindus consider it as the footprint of Lord Shiva. It is also fabled that the mountain is the legendary mount Trikuta the capital of Ravana during the Ramayana times from where he ruled Lanka. Muslims and Christians in Sri Lanka ascribe it to where Adam, the first Ancestor, set foot as he was exiled from the Garden of Eden. The legends of Adam are connected to the idea that Sri Lanka was the Page 8
original Eden. A shrine to Saman, a Buddhist "deity" (People who have spent spiritual life during their life on earth and done pacificism service to regions are deified by Sri Lankan Buddhists) charged with protecting the mountain top, can be found near the footprint. Overnight stay at Glencairn Bungalow, Hatton, Dickoya. Day Twelve 16 th August Leave Hatton and proceed to Galle Via Hatton Ginigathena Kitulgala Awissawella Kalutara Galle ; In Kitulgala stopover for a break at the Restaurant Plantation Hotel. This is the place where the academy award winning Hotel Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed. Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in South and South-East Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. The Galle Fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining Fortress in Asia built by European occupiers. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the Natural Harbor, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit Priests, one of the main Shiva Temples on the island. Galle is the main city in the most southerly part of the island, with a population of around 100 000, and is connected by rail to Colombo and Matara. Galle offers a unique opportunity to create a visible demonstration of the conservation of its inheritance. Galle is also an exciting, internationally famous visitor destination. Rumassala in Unawatuna is a large mound-like hill, which forms the eastern protective barrier to the Galle Harbor. Local tradition associates this hill with some events of the Ramayana. Overnight stay at Ahungala Heritance Hotel www.heritancehotels.com Day Thirteen 17 th August Page 9
After Breakfast visit Galle Fort; Galle Fort is a UNESCO protected world heritage site. Wander through the old buildings of the Fort with a history dating back to 1587 when the Portuguese took Galle from the Singhalese Kings. After Galle Fort proceed to Unawatuna. Visit Rumassala en-route; Rumassala, known to colonialists as Buona Vista, is the subject of many legends. It features in the Ramayana, as the home of the beautiful queen Sita, hidden in the jungle nearby. Hanuman, who was sent to fetch a medicinal plant for a wounded soldier, was unable to find it and brought the Himalayan Mountains on which it was said to grow. He dropped a chunk at Unawatuna ('here it fell') to form the present mountain, where many medicinal plants still grow. There is a major magnetic anomaly near Unawatuna, which Arthur C. Clarke attributes to a meteorite strike, and it is said that satellites lose their orbits with unusual frequency overhead. The Portuguese had a dreadful reputation in Sri Lanka as looters and pirates, and are said to have given false light signals from Rumassala to lure unsuspecting Arab trading ships onto the rocks. Proceed to Unawatuna and enjoy the time at beautiful Unawatuna Beach. Overnight stay at Ahungalla Heritance Hotel www.heritancehotels.com * * * * * Day Fourteen 18 th August After Breakfast leave for Colombo. Enjoy a City Tour; Colombo with a history of over 600 years continued to grow under the Dutch and British, and today shows the marked influence of all those cultures from the Islamic mosque, the Catholic, Dutch Reformed and Anglican churches. The Dutch colonial style of architecture is very much in evidence, as are the special quarters for separate trades in the Colombo Fort and Pettah areas. You can see a 100-year-old clock tower and several British built colonial buildings, Hindu and a Buddhist temple, residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH)- an outright gift to Sri Lanka from the People's Republic of China, etc Stay overnight at Galleface Hotel, Colombo - www.gallefacehotel.com Day Fifteen/ End of Tour 19 th August Leave for the Airport in time for the Flight. Page 10