DAY 01 AIRPORT / HABARANA
Arrival at Colombo International Airport. Here, you will be met by a designated chauffeur guide and escorted to your air conditioned vehicle and proceed to Habarana (Approx Travel Time - 03 to 04 Hrs)
On arrival, check in to the hotel and the rest of your day is free for leisure.
Overnight stay at Cinnamon Lodge or Similar
DAY 02 HABARANA / SIGIRIYA / MINNERIYA/ HABARANA
After breakfast leave for the Sigiriya Rock Fortress where you could climb the 1200 steps and admire the fabulous frescoes on the walls. (Approx Transfer time : 20 min drive)
The Sigiriya Rock Fortress is known as the 8th wonder of the world. This rock fortress was built by King Kasyapa in the 5th century A.D. and was a royal citadel for more than 18 years. In a sheltered a pocket, approached by a spiral stairway, are the famous frescoes. The summit of the rock, with an area of nearly one hectare was the site of the palace and the outer wall was built on the very brink of the precipice. The UNESCO sponsored Central Cultural Fund has restored Sigiriya 5th century water gardens to their former glory.
On completion stop for lunch at a local restaurant (Optional)
Afternoon proceed on a game drive at the Minneriya National Park (Sigiriya to Minneriya Travel Time Approx: 30 to 45 Mins.)
More spectacular than possibly any other wildlife event in Sri Lanka is what is known as the ‘The Gathering’. During the dry season (July to September) when water supplies start to diminish, more and more animals congregate around the Minneriya reservoir where grasses are rich and fertile. For several months of this drought season different herds of wild elephants gather at the reservoir. They come from the areas beyond  Minneriya, and at any one time it is possible to witness up to 300-400elephants.
They are not migrating, they simply ‘gather’, to socialize, bathe, feed and possibly mate. Minneriya National Park is also home to Sri Lankan leopards and Sri Lankan Sloth Bears. It is listed as one of the important bird areas in Sri Lanka. The wildlife here comprises of 26 species of mammals, 160 species of bird, 9 species of amphibians, 25 species of reptiles, 26 species of fish and 75 species of butterfly.
On completion return to your hotel, and spend rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight stay at Cinnamon Lodge or Similar
DAY 3 HABARANA / RITIGALA / MATALE / KANDY
After breakfast, check out from the hotel and proceed to Kandy.
En Route make a visit to Ritigala (Travel Time approx : 1 HR)
The enigmatic remains of the Ritigala Monastery are tucked away on a mountain in the middle of a strict nature reserve. Difficult to reach and largely skipped by tourists, the archaeological site is the kind of place in which it’s easy to imagine Indiana Jones hunting for a fabled, lost treasure.
Entering the site of ruins of the monastery, the visitors come to a huge man-made reservoir with a circumference of 1,200 feet constructed by means of a bound across a valley down which two streams flow from the mountain. The inside is lined with stones meant to protect it and also to serve as steps for bathers. The top of the bound is also paved with large stones. The path to the ruins runs along the southern bank of the reservoir, crosses a bridge, passes a circus and then leads to the first buildings.
A short climb off the foot of the mountain takes the visitors to the ruins at Ritigala that are scattered over an area of about 120 acres. Turning right the visitors come a large rectangular building with a sunken and paved courtyard in its center with pillars around it: the refectory with grindstones and a stone trough. Just near the refectory is a large area enclosed by a wall which like most of the structures at Ritigala is made of huge finely cut and dressed slabs of stone. Within this area are two pairs of double platforms with stones fitted together hard and fast.
On completion stop for lunch at a local restaurant (Optional)
On completion proceed to Kandy. En route stop by Matale spice garden to have a relaxing head & shoulder massage. (Travel Time Approx: 1½ - 2 Hrs )
Matale is famous for its batik production and spice gardens. Batik has been an ancient art of painting cloth and today Sri Lanka is among the world leaders in the design of batik. Batik galleries and factories offer batik from simple single-colored designs to intricate multi-colored masterpieces. For centuries, spices have been one of Sri Lanka's celebrated exports. Spices are mostly grown in home gardens (as a home industry) and used not only to flavor food but also for medicine and cosmetics.
On completion, proceed to your hotel in Kandy and spend the rest of the day at leisure, enjoying the hotel amenities. (Approx Transfer time: 1 - 1 ½ HRS)
Overnight stay at Cinnamon Citadel or Similar
DAY 04 KANDY / PINNAWALA/ KANDY
After breakfast proceed to visit Millennium Elephant Foundation (Approx Transfer time: 1 - 1 ½ HRS)
Millennium Elephant Foundation was founded in 1999 as a charity in Sri Lanka for captive elephants.
Millennium Elephant Foundation has always offered people the chance to interact with elephants in a safe and responsible way for both the person and elephant, whilst learning about the plight of Asian Elephants.
What’s included :
Personalized educated guide for your whole tour
- Approx. 40 minutes walking with an elephant around the grounds watching and observing the way elephant behavior whilst learning about Sri Lankan elephants.
- Bathing the same elephant in the river, which will be a personal experience.
- Optional shower whilst standing next to elephant.
- Free entrance and tour of Maximus Elephant Dung Paper Factory.
On completion proceed to Kandy.
In the late afternoon, make a visit to The Temple of Tooth Relic. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha.
After that, witness a Cultural Dance performance in the evening. These classical dance forms are associated with the performance of various rituals and ceremonies which are centuries old and are based on the folk religion and folk beliefs going back to times before the advent and acceptance of Buddhism by the Sinhalese people in the third century B.C.
On Completion, return to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure, enjoying the hotel amenities.
Overnight stay at Cinnamon Citadel or Similar
DAY 05 KANDY / UDAWATTAKELE SANCTUARY / NUWARA ELIYA
After a night of experiencing the cultural richness of the Royal Capital and its surroundings today you will be amazed to see another side of the same city with its lavishness of flora and fauna at the UdawattaKele Sanctuary. (Kandy to Udawattakele Travel Time Approx: 20 Mins.)
The lush forest cover of Udawatta Kele Sanctuary behind Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy has a long history dating back to many centuries. It was declared Tahansikele or forbidden forest by the Sinhala kings who ascended the throne when Kandy became the capital city. It was a royal forest reserve where no one was allowed to venture. Located close to Sri Dalada Maligawa and the royal palace in this verdant jungle where among trees, creepers, lichen, mosses, ferns, grasses, fungi, and bacteria are found in abundance.
When the morning mist gently clears from the placid water of the pond in the middle of the forest glade, the shrill call of a bird from the nearby tree or a croak of a frog may disturb the stillness of the surroundings. One can notice monitor lizard swim lazily catching a glimpse of a prey in the water, disturbed by its movement a blue kingfisher flashes across with its widespread wings when it failed to catch a fish. With this panorama peace and tranquility continue to prevail throughout this panoramic kingdom of fauna and flora. Udawattekele is the only forest in the world found bordering a city. With the expansion of the city it has been reduced to the present size.
On completion checkout from the hotel and proceed to Nuwara Eliya.
On your way to Nuwara Eliya visit Ramboda Ella is the 11th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and located by the Pussellawa. Ramboda falls consists of three sections. You will get a good view of the middle section from the A5 highway, just above the bridge. This is very small in size with compared to other parts. You can get a far view of the top part from the main road, but not the complete view of the fall. You need to climb up to see the top part of the Ramboda falls and there is a pathway just before the bridge. You may find the climbing bit difficult, but you will be compensated with the great view of the top fall and the surrounding.
After Ramboda Ella, continue to Nuwara Eliya.
En route Visit a Tea Factory and a plantation where you would see how the world’s famous “Ceylon Tea” is manufactured. In 1824 a tea plant was brought to Ceylon by the British from China and was planted in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya for non-commercial purposes. James Taylor was a British citizen who introduced commercial tea plantation in Sri Lanka (Ceylon). He arrived to Sri Lanka in 1852 and settled down in Loolecondera estate in Kandy. Today even people who have never heard of Sri Lanka are familiar with Ceylon tea, which is known for its quality.
After visiting the Tea Factory & plantation, proceed to Nuwara Eliya and check in to the hotel.
Overnight stay at The Blackpool Hotel or Similar.
DAY 6 NUWARA ELIYA / HORTON PLAINS / NUWARA ELIYA
Today, Leave the hotel with a pre-ordered packed breakfast to go on an early morning trek in Horton Plains. You will first go on a vehicle from the Hotel to the Entrance and then proceed on a trek in Horton Plains.
Horton Plains, 6500ft above sea level lies Sri Lanka’s highest and most isolated plateau. Nature lovers will revel in this wide, patna-grass covered plain, the haunt of many wild, yet harmless, animals and the home of many species of birds. Bridle paths will take you to the precipice known as World’s End – a sheer drop of 1,050 meters. Waterfalls are seen and heard everywhere in this hill country.
On Completion, return to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure, enjoying the hotel amenities.
Overnight stay at The Blackpool Hotel or Similar
DAY 07 NUWARA ELIYA / ELLA / UDAWALAWE
After Breakfast, check out from the hotel and Proceed to Udawalawe via Ella. (Approx Travel time: 3 HRS - 4 HRS)
Ella is a small sleepy village positioned high in the mountains, on the southern edge of Sri Lanka's Hill Country. Most visitors happy to be there many days. But if you are willing to pass through out of town, you can find plenty of things to do to keep you occupied.
It's situated in the middle of beautiful countryside, with small vegetable plots in the valleys, tea plantations on the hill slopes and forests on the tops.
On Completion, Check in to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure, enjoying the hotel amenities.
Overnight stay at Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort or Similar
DAY 08 UDAWALAWE
Today after breakfast proceed to visit transit home at Udawalawe “ Ath Athuru Sewana”
The main objective of this facility is rehabilitation of orphaned baby elephants to ultimately release them back into their natural habitat. Up to three elephants per week are killed in Sri Lanka due to conflicts with humans, often leaving behind orphan calves.[1] The elephants are kept at part of the Udawalawe National Park to maintain familiarity with their habitat, but have access to both food and medical care.
All care at the facility is by trained staff, and efforts are made to minimize contact between elephants and humans to keep the elephants from becoming acclimated to humans. Although visitors can watch the elephants being fed, they are not allowed to touch or otherwise interact with them.
There is also an Information Centre set up and maintained by Dilmah Conservation at the facility. The centre houses an extensive collection of information on elephants, from their origins and evolution to their social behavior and threats.
It was established to give visitors a better understanding of elephants and their plight. Additionally, a solar heater was set up at the facility by Dilmah Conservation to heat the water used to make the milk fed to the orphaned elephants.
On completion in the evening proceed on a Jeep Safari at Udawalawe National Park
Udawalawa, Located approximately 200 km south-east of Colombo city and is a major eco tourism destination in Sri Lanka. The 30,821 hectares dry zone game park has an annual rainfall of 1524 mm and an average temperature of 29.4°C. It is most famous for the many elephants that live there (about 400 in total). During a visit, it is not unusual to see whole herds of adults and young elephants feeding or bathing and playing in the water! In addition to this main attraction, the park is home to many water buffalo, water monitor lizards, sambar deer, monkeys and the occasional leopard, as well as being an exciting location for bird enthusiasts.
On completion, return to your hotel and relax.
Overnight stay at Grand Udawalawe Safari Resort or Similar
DAY 09 UDAWALAWE / SINHARAJA / COLOMBO
After breakfast checkout from the hotel and Proceed to Sinharaja Rainforest . (Approx Travel time - 2 to 3 Hours)
This majestic rainforest was deemed an International Man and Biosphere Reserve in 1978 and deservedly designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1989. This could be described as a tropical lowland rainforest or a tropical wet evergreen forest which in turn makes it a major eco tourism destination.
More than 60% of the trees are endemic and many of them are considered rare. There is much endemic wildlife, especially birds, but the reserve is also home to over 50% of Sri Lanka's endemic species of mammals and butterflies, as well as many kinds of insects, reptiles and rare amphibians. Furthermore the word 'Sinharaja' means, Lion (Sinha) King (Raja), and it is popular belief that the legendary origin of the Sinhala people is from the union between a princess and the lion king who once lived in the forest!
On completion, proceed to Colombo. (Approx Travel time - 2 to 3 Hours)
Overnight stay at OZO Colombo or Similar
DAY 10 COLOMBO / AIRPORT
Today after breakfast you will be transferred to Colombo Airport to catch your flight back home.
