Day 1
Arrival at Colombo Airport and transfer to hotel in Colombo.
Lunch at the hotel
Visits the Colombo City Touror alternative shopping en-route.
Dinner & overnight stay at a hotel in Colombo
Colombo -. History of the city, span over few centuries with the colonial invasions and three foreign rulings of the Portuguese the Dutch and lastly the British, and Fort area - a actual fort in colonial times, now except for a clock tower and some colonial-era buildings, has little to show for its origins.
Pettah - the busy Bazaar area and Market Place, Sea Street – the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, Gangarama Buddhist Temple, Town Hall and Cinnamon Gardens, Bandaranayake Memorial International Conference Hall, Old parliamentary Complex, the Galle Face greens, Hindu Temples, with elaborate stone carvings, Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749, replica of Avukana Buddha, and Independence square are some of the sites to visit.
Alternatively explore the shopping opportunities Colombo though not so modernized with a wide range of offerings, is known for good quality products at very attractive pricing. ODEL, Arena, Cotton Collection, Lakmedura, Paradise Road, Barefoot, Lanka Hands are some of the popular to visit
Day 2
Leave for Kandy, and visiting the Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela and Spice garden en-route.
Witness a cultural dance performance and also visit Temple of the Tooth Relic in the evening.
Dinner at the hotel.
Dinner and Overnight stay in Kandy
Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - Off Colombo-Kandy road is Pinnawela, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house abandoned and wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now, including baby elephants brought from various parts of the Island as well as those born as a result of the captive breeding programme. The best times to visit is the feeding time and bathing time - when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.
Kandy - The hill capital; venue of the annual EsalaPerahera (Local festival at Kandy); the last stronghold of the Sinhala kings, was finally ceded to the British in 1815. Surrounded by hills, the Mahaweli River and the virgin forest, it is the center of Buddhism, arts, crafts and culture in Sri Lanka. Kandy is an example of Buddhism’s influence in Sri Lanka today. Temples, shrines and monasteries keep Buddhist traditions alive. To Buddhists of Sri Lanka and the world, Kandy is one of the most sacred sites as it is the home of the ‘DaladaMaligawa’ - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha. One would always return a second time to this beautiful city.
Day 3
After breakfast, excursion to NuwaraEliya, and visiting Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya en route.
Lunch at a restaurant in NuwaraEliya.
Return to Kandy, visiting a tea plantation en-route.
Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Kandy
Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya – Started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the kings of Kandy, 147 acres in extent, it has more than 4,000 species of rare and endemic trees and plants as well as flora from the tropical world. This is a haven not only for scientists but to every nature lover too. The Spice Garden and Orchid House within the Gardens are popular with tourists.
NuwaraEliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of mountains, valleys, waterfalls and tea plantations and is 6,200 feet above sea level. In 1826 some British Officers out on hunting, discovered NuwaraEliya plains, and Sir Edward Barnes developed it. In 1828 a road was constructed over the ridge at Ramboda Pass and a station for convalescent soldiers was established. It was Sir Samuel Baker who fell under the spell of NuwaraEliya, brought hounds, horses, cattle, sheep etc. and started a typical English farm here. Flowers and vegetable were brought from England and planted. It is supposed to be one of the coldest places on the Island, but is really just like an England spring day although the temperature does drop at night. The Victoria Park, in the middle of the town, is a lovely place for a stroll or a picnic. Seasons may be absent elsewhere in Sri Lanka, but here you can read them by the flowers, which bloom during spring (March to May) and the fall (August and September).
Tea Plantations - Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839. In 1867, a Scottish planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings in 8 hectares of forestland in the Loolkondura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23 lbs. being shipped to London. Today more than 200,000 hectares in highlands and other areas are under tea and around 300 million kilograms (25% of world tea exports) are exported by Sri Lanka as the world’s largest tea exporter. Tea grows only on rolling terrain and is classified by elevation into Low Grown, Medium Grown & High Grown.
Day 4
After Breakfast leave for Bentota via Kitulgala. Brief visit at St. Clair"s andDevon waterfalls, proceed to Bentota a tourist resort in the South West coast with the most beautiful, wide and sandy beaches.
Lunch at a Restaurant in Kitulgala.
Evening at leisure.
Dinner at the hotel.
Overnight stay in Bentota.
Kitulgala- Where the Oscar Winning ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’ was filmed by David Lean in 1957. you can walk down a paved pathway to the site where the film took place along the banks of the Kelani Ganga. The pathway is signposted on the main road.
Drive through stunning scenery from NuwaraEliya, set 6,200 feet above sea level and filled with tea plantations and lush rolling hills, and enjoy a brief stop at St. Clair’s and Devon waterfalls on your way towards Colombo.
Bentota- One of the finest beaches, all year destination on the South West coast, and many places including Bentota Lagoon offer major water sports including swimming, water skiing on the rivers or estuaries, snorkelling, scuba diving, wind surfing, parasailing and fishing.
Bentotabeach remains pristine, its tranquil waters and idyllic beaches have earned it a position amongstForbesMagazine’s Best Beaches in Asia in 2010.
Bentota Ganga (river) has been an important tourist attraction since the 19th century. Boat tours can also be taken up the beautiful river that provide an ideal opportunity to observe a variety of fauna – from herons to crocodiles – associated with a wetland environment. In addition to Turtle hatchery and GalapataVihara.
Day 5
All day at leisure at Bentota.
Dinner at the hotel.
Spend the all day at leisure watching the waves, or experiencing fine spa treatment.
Overnight stay in Bentota.
Day 6
After breakfast, Beach stay extension or Airport for your onward journey