Airport – Colombo (1 h 6 min -38.5 km)
Optional Tour – Visit Sri Lankan Rustic Village Tour – Ape Gama
COLOMBO – A drive through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street – the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazzar area, where is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carving and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. The historic Dawatagaha Mosque and the former Eye Hospital are two buildings in Cinnamon Gardens worth looking at. Also visit the BMICH, see the replica of Avukana Buddha and Indipendence Square, Archade, Dutch Hospital etc.
Colombo- Sigiriya (4 h 19 min -176.6 km)
Optional Tour – Dairy Village Tour- Camellia Dairy Farm Hatharaliyadda close by Elephant Orphanage- 24.6km 50mins
Sigiriya
Optional Tour– Village Tour, Elephant Riding
SIGIRIYA – is a “UNESCO World Heritage Site” and the 5th Century “Fortress in the Sky” which is perhaps the most fantastic single wonder of the Island. It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the Place on the summit of the 600-foot high rock. On its summit are the foundations of the Royal Palace, Water Tanks to supply water and all other buildings and at the edges the guardhouses. On one of the stairways the only known ancient work of Sinhala secular painting survived in the form of Frescoes of 21 life sized damsels still shining in their original colours. The water Gardens, Fountain Garden, Summerhouses, Boulder Gardens and the Caves within the enclosed area should not be missed.
Sigiriya – Kandy (2 h 36 min -90.4 km)
KANDY – The hill capital is another “World Heritage Site”. It was the last stronghold of the Sinhalese Kings during the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule and finally ceded to the British in 1815 after an agreement. To the Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the World, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the “Dalada Maligawa” – Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. Close by are the remains of the Royal Palace (“Maha Wasala”), “Palle Wasala” – where the Queens stayed-now used for the National Museum, “Meda Wasala” where other close relatives lived, Audience Hall, Natha Devala and Vishnu Devala are situated close by. The Bathing Pavilion (“Ulpenge”) is by the Lake and in the Center of the lake is the Island called “Kiri Samudraya” (Milk White Ocean) used by the kings as the summerhouse.
Kandy – Nuwara Eliya (2 h 34 min -75.6 km)
Optional – Horton Plains, Moon Plain, Bomburu Waterfalls.
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 coolest places in the Island, but it is really just like an English spring day, although the temperature does drop at night. All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence, houses like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions. The Victoria Park, in the middle of the town, is lovely place for a stroll or a picnic and is also good for Birding as you get some rare birds in this park. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but
here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom in the spring (March to May) and fall (August and September). These are the “seasons” when low-country folk flock to Nuwara Eliya to escape the sea level heat and humidity.
Kandy – Bentota (4 h 1 min (178.5 km)
Optional– Camellia Natural Moonstone Mine Visit- Meetiyagoda 17.7 km- 35 mins
BENTOTA – Bentota lies at the finishing end of “The Golden Mile” which is an hour’s drive from Colombo. Famous for it’s prime beaches Bentota is today one of Sri Lanka’s most sought after tourist destinations. The town of Bentota actually, sits on an estuary, where the river and the sea meet. This makes the area quite famous for water sports like windsurfing, scuba diving & snorkeling.
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