Day 1

Route: Airport > Negombo
Drive Time: Approx: ½ hr

Upon arrival you will be greeted by your chauffeur guide. Thereafter proceed to Negombo.

Negombo is a famous fishing village located north of Colombo with easy access to the airport.

In the evening go on a Negombo sightseeing tour.

Have dinner out at one of the many dining options available.

Return to your hotel for overnight stay.

Day 2

Route: Negombo > Pinnawala > Habarana
Drive Time: Approx: 4 ½ hrs with a break at Pinnawala

After breakfast leave for Habarana for two nights.

En-route visit Elephant Freedom Project in Pinnawala. This is a unique place with No riding, no 24/7 chaining, no abuse; only happy & healthy elephants playing together in the river and their special enclosure. Experience a special elephant encounter which is suitable for families. This is your chance to get a memorable impression of a day in the life of a Sri Lankan captive elephant who is not being used for working nor riding.

In the evening climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress (A UNESCO World Heritage site) which is undoubtedly one of the most magnificent archaeological sites in Sri Lanka.

It is also known as Lion Rock because of the huge lion that used to stand at the entrance to the Palace 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.

Dinner & Overnight stay at the Hotel.

Day 3

Route: Habarana > Hiriwadunna > Polonnaruwa > Habarana
Drive Time: Approx: 1 ½ hrs each way

After breakfast at the hotel leave for an interesting traditional rural village tour.

The tour begins with a beautiful trek to a manmade reservoir. After a catamaran boat ride over serene waters blanketed with lily pads, hop into a bullock cart alongside paddy fields and rural vegetable plantations to a traditional village house, where you will enjoy an authentic Sri Lankan lunch.

Look out for birds, butterflies, and perhaps even a crocodile as well as the villagers fishing or washing clothes at the periphery of the lake.

On your return set out on a jeep safari to Minneriya National Park to witness the largest gathering of elephants in Asia known as ‘The Gathering’. In addition to wild elephants there are 160 species of birds, 09 amphibian species, 25 reptile species, 26 fish species and more than 78 butterfly species that have been found in this area.

Return back to your hotel for a mouthwatering dinner & overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 4

Route: Habarana > Matale > Kandy
Drive Time: Approx: 3hrs

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel.

Thereafter leave for the Hill Capital Kandy for one night.

En-route visit a Spice Garden in Matale.

Cinnamon, Cardamom, Pepper Creepers and all other spice trees, plants and creepers are planted for visitors to see them. Spice products are also available for those who would like to buy them. At all Spice Gardens visitors are taken round explaining each tree and plant and at the end explaining the use of them in food preparations.

Enjoy an authentic Sri Lankan rice & curry meal at the Spice Garden.

Afterwards continue to Kandy and visit a Batik Factory, where you can see the manufacture of beautiful Batik prints. These shops contain a wide variety of Batik items.

In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth followed by a Cultural Show.

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.

Dinner & Overnight stay at Hotel

Day 5

Route: Kandy > Peradeniya > Nuwara Eliya
Drive Time: Approx: 3 hrs

After breakfast leave for Nuwara Eliya for two nights. The scenery is spectacular and as the road winds higher, we pass picturesque waterfalls tumbling down hillsides and vantage points which afford views of rugged hills stretching far into the distance.

Visit a tea factory where the world’s best tea is being produced.

In the evening take a short walk around this mountainside town known as ‘Little England’ among the locals. 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 the town you will see evidence of the British influence, houses like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions.

Dinner & Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 6

Route: Nuwara Eliya > Horton Plains > Nuwara Eliya

Take a packed breakfast and drive up to Horton plains national park to go on a 8km trek to the famous World’s End, a stunning viewpoint, which is a sheer drop of 870 meters hidden in clouds. This is the only national park in the country where visitors are allowed to walk freely inside.

The hills are covered with diverse wet low evergreen forest with even large trees grown flattened to the ground on the higher windswept slopes.

Return back to your hotel in Nuwara Eliya and spend rest of day at leisure.

Dinner & Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 7

Route: Nuwara Eliya > Ella > Yala
Drive Time: 5 hrs

After breakfast in the mountains descend to the southern coast of Yala. As you descend you will notice the change of the landscape around you; in a matter of few hours the climate, flora & fauna changes as you enter the dry zone.

En-route visit Ravana Ella Falls which is of 1080 feet high.

In the afternoon jeep safari to Yala National Park and experience the best of the wildlife it has to offer.

After an adventurous safari return to your hotel for Dinner & Overnight stay.

Day 8

Route: Yala > Galle > Bentota

After breakfast, travel up the coast towards Bentota.

During the drive you could see stilt fishermen in Weligama. Stilt Fishing is one of the most interesting traditional fishing methods of Sri Lanka. Records indicate that it came into being just after World War II. The tradition of stilt fishing will always be practiced by those who cannot afford to invest in modern fishing equipment. Over the years this practice of fishing has slowly died off. Now this is more of a demonstration of how people used to fish in the past.

Visit the Galle fort which has been preserved from the colonial eras.

Walk in the narrow streets, including the Lighthouse Street (Zeeburg Street), Leyn-Baan Street (Lijnberg meaning rope walk), and Modarabaay Street (Modder-baai meaning Mud bay) see the Old Dutch Houses, private Museum where Dutch period antiques could be seen and part of the Old sewage system that emptied to the sea with the high/low tide.

Have lunch at one of the many dining options in the fort.

Thereafter proceed to Bentota.

Rest of evening at leisure.

Dinner & Overnight stay at the Hotel.

Day 9 – 10

Route: Bentota

Day 9 visit a Turtle Hatchery in Kosgoda.

The waters around Sri Lanka are teeming with sea life. Five out of the seven types of sea turtles call nest on Sri Lanka’s beaches. All of them are on the endangered list. The centre functions mainly as a hatchery and makes huge efforts to increase the rate of hatching, and survival of baby turtles in their very initial stages. They also treat sick or injured adults; treating them and releasing them back into the ocean.

Thereafter boat safari at Madu river.

Day 10

Spend the day at leisure.

Day 11

Route: Bentota > Colombo

After breakfast leave for the commercial capital Colombo for one night.

In the evening go on a city tour of Colombo which is the business and commercial centre. The remains of the buildings during the period of the Portuguese, Dutch and British rule are found in every area of the city.   

Colombo is also a shopping paradise for shoppers who always enjoy a good bargain on quality clothes and fashion accessory items. Many of the malls have the latest creations from Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Longchamps and Prada to name just a few. Of course you have to pay more for the real thing, which is also available at selected stores, but if you don’t mind a look-alike, some excellent options are available.

Enjoy your last Sri Lankan meal having dinner at an authentic Sri Lankan restaurant.

Overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 12

Route: Colombo > Airport

Breakfast at the hotel and say goodbye to memories as you will be taken to the airport for your departing flight.