Sri Lanka Holidays : Sri Lanka Tour 5 - Duration: 15 nights and 16 days

Cultural Attractions: Anuradhapura (437 BC-845 AD), The Lion Rock Citadel, Sigiriya (479-496 AD), Polonnaruwa (846 AD-1302 AD), Golden Dambulla Rock Temple (76 BC-1778 AD), Kandy the Royal City (1469-1815 AD) (All are World Heritage sites) & Mihintale.

Colonial Heritage: Nuwara Eliya in the Central Highlands, VOC Galle Dutch Fort (WHS)

Beaches: Bentota Bay Beach Resort

Itinerary

Day 1: Colombo

+	We are at your service on arrival at Colombo International Airport. We will meet & assist you at the airport. And transfer to a hotel in the capital, Colombo.
+	We will enjoy a city tour: Colonial building of Old parliament, modern Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Town Hall & if the time permits Kelaniya Royal Temple of splendid paintings.
+	Overnight at a hotel in Colombo.

Day 2: Colombo / Anuadhapura

+	Breakfast at Hotel & then leave for Anuradhapura (437 BC-845 AD).
+	Anuradhapura is the first Capital of the glorious ancient Sinhalese civilization of Sri Lanka & the greatest monastic city of the world during 4th Century B.C. Buddhist temples, stupas, monasteries, Isurumuniya, Sacred Bo-tree, the Brazen Palace, Golden Sand Stupa, Samadhi Statue, Abhayagiri Stupa, Moonstone, Twin Ponds and The Jetavana Dagoba.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Anuradhapura.

Day 3: Anuradhapura / Mihintale / Polonnaruwa

+	Breakfast at Hotel and Leave for Polonnaruwa. En route visit Mihintale.
+	Mihintale is the site of first monastery of Sri Lanka, the world's first declared wildlife sanctuary & believed to be the first hospital in the world. The complex located on a hill consists of rocks caves ponds and stupas. The ascent is by way of grand staircase built of 1840 granite steps.
+	Overnight Stay at Hotel in Giritale close to Polonnaruwa.

Day 4: Polonnaruwa

+	Breakfast at Hotel. Leave for City Tour of Polonnaruwa (846 AD-1302 AD).
+	Polonnaruwa is the 2nd Capital of Sri Lanka, a glorious ancient capital with great monuments ranging from vast man made rainwater reservoirs to majestic rock statues, monasteries, stupas & Buddhist temples.
+	Overnight Stay at Hotel in Giritale or Habarana .

Day 5: Polonnaruwa / Sigiriya

+	Breakfast at Hotel. Leave for The Lion Rock Citadel, Sigiriya (479-496 AD).
+	En route Elephant Safari at Habarana. We will ride on an Elephant safely seated & secured. The ride takes around the bund of an ancient manmade rainwater reservoir named Girtala weva. We can even cross a part of the lake where you could get your feet wet whilst still seated on the elephant.
+	The Lion Rock Citadel, Sigiriya was the Royal Citadel of King Kasyapa who ruled in the 5th Century A.D. Moats, terrace gardens water gardens, fountain garden, boulder gardens, terrace gardens & Stone stairways. And the beautiful ancient frescos of heavenly maidens in a pocket of the rock. On the top of tock are ruins of the palace & two intact man-made pools of water.
+	Overnight Stay at Hotel in Sigiriya.

Day 6: Sigiriya / Dambulla / Kandy

+	Breakfast at Hotel. Leave for Kandy. En route visit the Golden Dambulla Rock Temple (76 BC-1778 AD).
+	Dambulla is a magnificent rock temple consists of 5 caves, on a hill 340 m high, containing 150 serene statues of Buddha, numerous carvings & murals. The fascinating & memorable site was founded by King Valagambahu during the 1st century BC in gratitude for the shelter he found in the caves during an invasion by marauding Dravidians from southern India.
+	We will visit a spice garden at Matale which grows spices and herbs used for Sri Lankan cuisine and medication. Spices of Sri Lanka attracted the early sea-faring merchants who made the long voyages to purchase this precious merchandise.
+	Also visit Art and Crafts centre and Gem Bureau, view a documentary film too on how Sri Lankan Gem mining is traditionally done. Sight seeing of Kandy the Royal City (1469-1815 AD) including a Lake Drive.
+	We will of course visit the The Holy Temple of the Tooth of the Buddha. This temple, the most important one for the Sri Lankan Buddhists was built in the 16th Century A.D. solely for the purpose of housing the tooth relic. Enjoy a typical Sri Lankan Cultural Show of Drumming, Dancing & music.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Kandy.

Day 7: Kandy / Pinnawela / Peradeniya / Kandy

+	Breakfast at Hotel. Leave for Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.
+	Pinnawela is the home of elephants of different age and size feeding, bathing, playing together and even mating. These have been found injured or left abandoned in the wilderness. There are even little baby calves born in captivity.
+	We will visit Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens. It was a pleasure garden of a Kandyan King of the 16th Century and later made in to a Botanical Garden during the British regime.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Kandy.

Day 8: Kandy / Nuwara Eliya

+	Breakfast at Hotel. Leave for Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya, the misty city is located over 5960 feet above sea level.
+	The drive of Kandy - Nuwara Eliya Road is refreshing with endless, seamless tea plantations covering the hills like carpets and cascading waterfalls to mesmerize you.
+	Kandy - Nuwara Eliya Road is one of the most scenic roads in Sri Lanka. We will be driving along a winding ascending road amidst seamless tea plantations covering hills from top to bottom to skirt the road all the way up to the destination interspersed by cascading waterfalls.
+	We will visit a Tea Plantation and a Tea Factory en route. We drive through Ramboda mountain pass & view Ramboda waterfalls. Arrive in Nuwara Eliya, also known as "Little England" to be greeted by the fresh wintry atmosphere, the cottage type bungalows and the colonial air.
+	City tour: we drive through the town of Nuwara Eliya observing the well-maintained buildings of colonial Architecture. Busy market, Lake Gregory, golf course, race course, vegetable cultivation, tea plantations.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 9: Nuwara Eliya / Horton Plains / Nuwara Eliya

+	Early morning we leave for Horton Plains National Park to reach the escarpment before the mist descends clouding the panoramic view. The Horton Plains are located in the highest plateau of Sri Lanka at an elevation of 7,200 feet above sea level. The highlight of the Plains is the terrific escarpment, The World's End, which drops vertically for about 700m. On a very clear day, one could view the east horizon too.
+	Rare species of fauna and flora are found here.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Day 10: Nuwara Eliya / Ella / Ruhuna Yala National Park

+	Having taken the breakfast at Hotel, we leave for Ruhuna Yala National Park.
+	En route stop at Ella to enjoy the view of the famous Ella gap & Rawana waterfalls. We descend from the Central Highlands to lowlands through enchanting scenery & waterfalls.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Yala.

Day 11: Ruhuna Yala National Park

+	Breakfast at Hotel.
+	We are at Ruhuna Yala National Park. This will include a Safari tour by jeep with a jungle tracker, where we can enjoy wildlife including Elephants, Bears, Wild boar, Dear, Buffalo, Monkeys and many other animals if you are lucky, leopards too. You also could see different types of birds.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Yala.

Day 12: Ruhuna Yala National Park / Kirinda / VOC Galle Dutch Fort / Bentota

+	Breakfast at Hotel. Leave for Bentota. En route Visit Dutch Fort at Galle port (WHS) built on a peninsula.
+	VOC Galle Dutch Fort, an ancient city is now a modern and buzzing town though the Dutch Fortress remains as it was during the Dutch period. Galle was the most important sea port at the crossroads of Far East & Middle East since the days of the Romans. The sea-faring merchants arrived to trade and barter, in exchange of western goods, eastern silk & spices, gems & ivory, peacocks & elephants. This is also where the Portuguese first set foot in the year 1505 and built a fortress, which was later captured and fortified by the Dutch. The fortress is one of the best preserved in the island. The oldest Protestant church in the country called the "Groote Kirk" built by the Dutch among many other buildings, villas, bungalows, mosques is located inside the Fort fortified with massive ramparts & bastions.
+	Our next visit is one of the Turtle Hatcheries in the southern coast. The turtle digs a hole on the Beach, Lays hers eggs and covers it with sand where it is supposed to incubate by the heat of the sun. Fishermen, in their haste to make a living, used to dig out the eggs to sell to consumers. Now the eggs are bought by private & conservation projects & are hatched the natural way in enclosed areas.
+	The Boat Safari on the River Madu (Madu Ganga Wetlands) is something that words would not justify. Birdlife, mangroves, islands in the river, traditional fishing & prawn trapping.
+	Overnight stay at Hotel in Bentota.

Day 13/14/15: Bentota Bay Beach Resort

+	Breakfast at Hotel.
+	Bentota - Magnificent beach, lagoon, river. Shopping in shopping arcades & shops on the main street.
+	Enjoy Skiing, Wind surfing, Board surfing, snorkeling, and Scuba Diving. Delicious Sea Food served steaming, Crisp or sizzling. Excellent sea food, western, eastern & traditional Sinhalese food. Delicious local fresh fruits including pineapple & cocktails.
+	Shopping in shopping arcades & shops on the main street. Gems & jewellery, batik, antiques & masks.
+	Overnight stay at a Hotel in Bentota.