Sri Lanka: Ancient Kingdoms, Nature and Wildlife

Upon arrival at Colombo International Airport, complete immigration and customs formalities and meet your chauffeur guide at the arrival gate. You can obtain electronic travel authorization ETA online in advance and get an actual visa sticker on your passport upon arrival!

From the airport, take a scenic half an hour drive to Negombo- a beach town. Check-in hotel and the rest of the day is at leisure. Negombo is a historically a commercial town, and there is not much cultural or archaeological importance to see. But it has a fascinating network of canals teeming with rural life and vast, sweeping beach of Indian Ocean. Spend the first day leisurely walking along the coastline and watching the fishermen's boat or strolling through the street and getting familiarized!

If time permits, ask your driver to take you to Negombo's Fish Market. The fish market visit can be a slippery, smelly, and also noisy affair, but it's exciting. It's the largest fish market right on the beach and sells the fresh catch from the ocean that includes the lobsters, crabs, and prawns. Make your way through the stalls piled with a shark, squid, barracuda, and unheard of sea creatures as the sellers yell out for their catches.

After breakfast in the hotel, we set off for Sigiriya (80 miles, 4.5 hours). Check-in, your hotel in Habarana. You will have time to settle into your room and take some rest. After that, we proceed for a jeep safari in Minneriya National Park (Entrance fee and Jeep cost are exclusive. Pay on the spot).

Minneriya National Park was created to preserve the massive ancient reservoir built by King Mahasen of Anuradhapura in the third century AD. Initially, the reservoir covered 4670 acres. The reservoir and the area around now makes a great ecosystem and habitat to the diverse wildlife that includes elephants, deer, leopards and various species of birds such as storks, pelicans, hornbills, cormorants, herons, bulbuls and more!

In three hours long safari, we can see several herds of elephants-adults and calves, gathering and grazing in the shores of the reservoir during the dry season.

Overnight hotel in Habarana.

After breakfast, we proceed to the famous Lion Rock Fortress of Sigiriya. This rock citadel of King Kasyapa on a 660 ft high rock culminating dates back to the 5th-century, and it is ideally the engineering wonder of ancient Sri Lanka.  Ramparts and moats surround the Lion Rock are also coated by frescoes that relate to Gupta style paintings found in the Ajanta caves of India. We walk in the shade of an eminent 'mirror wall' embracing the western face of Sigiriya, representing an artistic hundred meters laminated with graffiti.

There are 1200 steps up to the top and can take about 2 hours for a total trip up and down. The spiral staircase upward the Lion's Paw is strenuous and is not for faint-hearted and people with height issues.

Afternoon time is for the excursion to Polonnaruwa (approximately 1.5 hrs.)- the capital of Sri Lanka between the 11th and 13th centuries AD. The ancient kingdom contained royal castles, bathing pools, temples, monasteries, and dagabas- reflecting a combination of Sinhalese and South Indian culture and architecture. Ravaged much by invasion at different times, the ancient capital now exists in ruins but still with former grandeur.

We walk across the spread walls and admire the ancient Sri Lankan engineering wonders of this World Heritage Site. We will see stupas with resting Buddha statues, irrigation canals. And also fantastically carved Hindu sculptures while observing the relic house Watadage that boasts of beautiful stone carvings.

Overnight hotel in Habarana.

After breakfast, we leave for Kandy- the largest city in central Sri Lanka and the last capital of Royal Sri Lanka. Shortly after, on the road, we stop to visit the magnificent Dambulla Caves. It is located high on a cliff face, and the caves house many Buddha images, frescoes, and paintings. Each of them tells the history and religion and leaves you with a unique sense of spirituality. We avoid the mid-day heat as it requires good 30 or 40 minutes of a challenging climb through the stone stairs. Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka, dating back to the first century BCE.

On the way, at Matale (44 miles), we will stop in one of the several spice gardens that we can see along. Sri Lankan spices and herbs are world-renowned. And here, you will be amazed to learn that they aren't just used in food but also on many cosmetics and ayurvedic medicines. We will have an in-house spice and herb specialist guide who will lead us through the various plants that include cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves, and what not! They also have a small showroom, but the price offered is inflated. It's not obligatory to purchase here, but the tour gives an insight into Sri Lankan spices.

Overnight hotel in Kandy.

After breakfast, we begin our city exploration from the Temple of Sacred Tooth that enshrines the sacred tooth relic of Buddha. The relic has been significant since ancient times not only for a religious reason but also in local politics as whoever owned the relic, also held the governing power of the country!

Next, we visit the International Buddhist Museum- the world's first International Buddhist Museum built with contributions of the world's 17 countries. These countries are Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Japan, China, Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Bhutan, and Afghanistan!

Nearby is Kandy Lake- an artificial lake built in the early 19th century. We will take a scenic drive around and stop to visit a local bazaar. We walk through the market to see stalls filled with fresh fruit, produce, and other merchandise; and eating Sri Lankan street food such as koththu.

Optional: Cultural Program.

The cultural program showcases the traditional songs and dances of Kandy. The show lasts about an hour and includes several different items and end with fire-eating and fire-walking shows outside the hall! While the songs and dances are great, do not expect much on the hall ambiance and decoration part.

After breakfast, we leave for Nuwara Eliya (4.5 hours), which is amidst the tea country hills of central Sri Lanka. Situated at an altitude of 6128 ft., Nuwara Eliya has a temperate and cool climate and is the most cooling area in Sri Lanka.

It's a scenic drive through tea estates. We will enjoy the hill country scenery and waterfalls, appreciate the nature-friendly trail abundant with green filled mountains and waterfalls wrapping the mountains with scenic beauty. And also beautiful tea plantations that are draping down from the sides of the mountains as you pass by. We will stop in a tea factory to learn about the world-famous Ceylon Teas production. 

In Nuwara Eliya, enjoy the beauty of Gregory Lake, constructed during the period of British Governor William Gregory. There are quite a few activities offered by locals like canoeing, boating, games if you wish to partake in or gaze the beauty of the area from one of the restaurants on the shore.

Another attraction of Nuwara Eliya is the Haggala botanical garden, where you can take a stroll and learn about the wondrous flora. The garden is located at an altitude of 1745m above sea level under the shadow of the Haggala Rock and offers scenic views of Madulsima and the Namunukula mountain range. The garden has more than 1000 different species that include orchids and roses.

Optional: Excursion of Horton's Plains National Park (There is no jeep and entrance fee included).

Horton Plains is a beautiful highland plateau famous for hiking to the fabled viewpoint of the World's End.

The entrance of the park is 20 miles from Nuwara Eliya, and one needs a 4WD vehicle to get there due to adverse road conditions. From the trailhead, the World's End is about 2.5 miles, but the trail makes a nice look via Baker's Fall and then back to the entrance (3.5 miles) in approximately 3-hours. We walk on a relaxed pace on a well-trodden path through cloud forests and grasslands and arrive at the World's End- the main attraction of the park. World's End is a spine chilling 2854 ft sheer drop with a view across the green mountains of the island country to clear blue coastline and beyond! We need to leave early morning so that we arrive at the trailhead around sunrise and make to the World's End before the clouds start rolling in and blocking the view.

The other attraction of the park is the Baker's Falls- named after Sir Samuel Baker- a famous explorer. Waters cascading down from the height of 66 and the environs creates a beautiful scene!

Back to the entrance of the park, we meet our transport and drive back to the hotel. After wash up and change, proceed for a scenic 2.5 hours drive to Ella.

Upon arrival, check into your accommodation and after wash up and change, proceed to Nine Arch Bridge, which is a leisurely walk of less than half an hour. The Nine Arch Bridge is on the Demodara loop of the railway line and spans nearly 300 ft. long and 78 ft high. The bridge is a very picturesque spot located in a dense jungle and agricultural setting, especially when the train is passing. Built without the use of steel, it's one of the iconic bridges and engineering marvels of the world! The legend goes that when this bridge was being planned, World War I broke out, and the steel consignment was diverted to the weapon factories, and so the engineers came up with the plan to build the bridge with brick and cement only!

After breakfast, leave for Yala National Park, which is less than three hours of drive. (The park is closed from 01 Sep to 15 the Oct for infrastructure repair and maintenance).

Yala is the second largest national park in Sri Lanka and has the reputation of frequent sightings of leopards! Afternoon time is for jeep safari (jeep and entrance fee not included, book with your guide in advance) that takes you through the tropical wilderness and allows you to witness the awe-inspiring moments of wildlife and magnificent nature! Capture the glimpses of elusive leopards and enjoy as you watch the mud-bathing playful elephants. Other wildlife you may encounter is exclusive sloth bear, wild boar, water buffalo, spotted deer, sambar, and golden jackal. And many birds, such as peacocks, Flamingos, Pelicans, Spoonbills, Painted Storks, rare Black-necked Storks, Grey Herons, Purple Herons, Night Herons, Darters, Garganeys, Whimbrels, Pigeons, Flycatchers, etc. The afternoon safari usually starts at 3 p.m. and lasts in three hours.

After breakfast, proceed on a long day drive to Bentota (approximate travel time 5.5 hours, 140 miles).

About 40 miles before Bentota, we stop to visit the Galle Fort. Initiated by Portuguese in 1588, the fort was later extensively modified and fortified by the Dutch. Then the British added a large gate at the main entrance, making it one of the most important archaeological, architectural, and historical monuments to illustrate the European influence in South East Asia! On three sides surrounded by the gorgeous ocean view, this UNESCO heritage site is a relaxing place. Visit the most impressive museums that include churches and museums. Browse through the beautiful shops- probably the best place to buy souvenirs for your friends and relatives back home, ocean views. And the Fort includes churches or walk to the Clock Tower from where you’ll have a beautiful view over the Fort and on the other side, Galle city.

Spend the day at leisure in the coastal town of Bentota. Enjoy time at the famous beach, step into the sun sand and sea and wrap yourself with the warmth of tropical beaches of Southern Sri Lanka! You may visit the Turtle Hatchery Project that gathers turtle eggs and safeguard them until they hatch. After hatching, the babies are then safely released to the ocean. This increases their chance of survival.

After breakfast, transfer to Colombo; the journey of 37 miles takes about 2 hours. In Colombo, we visit the Gangarama Temple- an important Buddhist temple with a blend of Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, and Chinese architecture. Then the British colonial Old Parliament building that houses the President's secretariat, the lighthouse at the harbor, and Independence Square with a memorial hall that was built to celebrate Sri Lanka's independence from the British, cafes, and shops. Enjoy the rest of the day with a relaxed stroll on the Galle Face Green- a 12 acres ocean-side urban park that stretches 1600 ft along the coast. This is a popular place for locals to hang out and very busy, especially during the weekend evening.

The airport is nearly 1.5 hours' drive from the city and so plan to leave in time to the airport for your flight to the next destination.