Scenic Sri Lanka
SCENIC SRI LANKA - 9 DAYS TOUR
Enjoy a snapshot experience of Sri Lanka, from wildlife safaris to visiting revered temples as well as walking in tea-carpeted hills.
Your journey features one night in the capital Colombo, two nights exploring the Cultural Triangle, a night each in the cool hills of Kandy and then Nuwara Eliya, followed by a night in the jungles of Yala, culminating at Hikkaduwa for a night—all together an exciting eight nights.
Day 1
- Route : Airport > Negambo
- Drive : 30 Minutes
- Hotel : Star category hotel (As your request) – Overnight stay at Negambo
- Vehicle : Private car or van (air conditioned)
- Highlights: Enjoy a city tour of Negombo
At the airport, you will be greeted by your chauffeur from Sri Lanka Travel Tours, who will take you to the fishing village of Negombo. Drive past the mini-port of Negombo to get to the hotel. Once in the comforts of your hotel, relax and recover from any jet lag.
Enjoy your stay at the hotel overlooking the lagoon or sea view
Day 2
- Route : Negambo > Pinnawela > Sigiriya
- Drive : 4.30 Hours
- Hotel : Overnight stay at Sigiriya
- Highlights : Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage and Sigiriya Rock Fortress
Set off from coastal Negambo to experience the inland delights of Sri Lanka.
To begin, drop by the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage to get your first introduction to Sri Lanka’s most infamous inhabitants. Home to the highest number of captive elephants, here you can watch these giant animals up close as they feed and bathe in the shimmering waters of the Ma Oya River.
After lunch, our sightseeing tours of Sri Lanka continue to the town of Sigiriya, within the country’s rich cultural triangle. In the evening, mount the mesmerizing rock fortress of Sigiriya, a 5th-century “Fortress in the Sky.” Admire the architectural marvel of how a king’s fortress was carved from a massive rock in the 5th century A.D.
Day 3
- Route : Sigiriya > Polonnaruwa > Sigiriya
- Drive : 4 Hours
- Hotel : Overnight stay at Sigiriya
- Highlights : Discover the ancient city of Polonnaruwa and indulge in an elephant safari.
Today, learn about the better-kept ruins of ancient Ceylon—the UNESCO World Heritage City of Polonnaruwa, which was a medieval capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to the 13th centuries A.D. Take a walking tour of one of the ruins of ancient Ceylon, which includes a visit to Lankathilaka, Thuparamaya, the Royal Palace, Rankoth Vehera, and Gal Viharaya.
On your return late in the afternoon, take an exhilarating jeep safari with the company of an expert naturalist guide to the Minneriya or neighboring Kavdullah National Park. The Vast Sanctuary is home to about 250 wild elephants, buffaloes, sambar deer, crocodiles, sloth bears, and more.
Day 4
- Route : Sigiriya > Kandy
- Drive : 3 Hours
- Hotel : Overnight stay at Kandy
- Highlights : Visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic & witness a cultural dance performance.
Today you will arrive in the hill capital of Kandy, surrounded by greenery and the great Mahaweli River. Eminent as the center of Buddhism and the capital of the last Sinhalese kingdom, the name Kandy evokes romantic notions in people of a lost hill kingdom, a lake, tea plantations, and a famous temple.
At your convenience, become acquainted with the city of Kandy and pay your respects to the golden-roofed Temple of the Tooth Relic, which houses Sri Lanka’s most sacred relic, a tooth of the Lord Buddha. Admire the delicate hill-country breezes that urge the mist to gently part, revealing colorful houses amid Kandy’s forested halo. Visit the lively market places, Upper Lake Drive, and the grandeur of the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens. To step up the tempo, attend a dance performance featuring traditional dances from the different regions of Sri Lanka.
Day 5
- Route : Kandy > Nuwara Eliya
- Drive : 3 Hours
- Hotel : Overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya
- Highlights : Enjoy an exhilarating train ride, visit a tea plantation and factory & explore Nuwara Eliya town.
Hop on board the morning train and journey through the tea carpets of Ceylon to Nanu Oya. The slow descent through the tea fields and hill country, with its winding tracks and misty panoramas, offers an unmatched perspective and wonderful experience.
Welcome to Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka’s tea-growing region! Visit a tea estate and factory to see how Ceylon tea is made.
Afterwards, drive around the town to see the same. Often referred to as “Little England, this genteel highland community does have a rose-tinted, vaguely British-country-village feel to it, with its colonial-era bungalows, Tudor-style hotels, well-tended hedgerows, and pretty gardens. Do also indulge in a guided stroll of the town; pass the 18-hole golf course, the colonial members-only Hill Club, and English-styled country homes.
Day 6
- Route : Nuwara Eliya > Yala
- Drive : 4 and 1/2 Hours
- Hotel :Overnight stay at Yalla
- Highlights : Enjoy a leopard safari at the Yala National Park.
From the hills of Nuwara Eliya, descend to the jungles of Yala. One of the foremost places to visit in Sri Lanka, Yala National Park is famous for the elusive leopard and has one of the highest densities of leopards in the world. The sloth bear and Asian elephant that are also part of Sri Lanka’s Big Five can be spotted. With some good luck, you will witness all these creatures and more on an evening jeep safari accompanied by a naturalist guide.
Day 7
- Route : Yala > Galle > Hikkaduwa
- Drive : 4 Hours
- Hotel : Overnight stay at Hikkaduwa
- Highlights : Discover the Dutch Fort of Galle
Drive southward toward the southern coast of the island to Galle. Galle is the country’s oldest living city and is sure to capture your interest with its historic sites and its unique fusion of European and Arabic cultural and architectural influences. In the afternoon, explore the Galle Fort with its low-lined streets and history behind its rampart. The Fort remains a hive of activity and is one of the few World Heritage-listed sites in which a bustling population continues to thrive. Walk through the alleys lined with stores and restaurants. After you have explored the city, you could proceed to do some shopping in the very heart of Galle. You will come across shops with a fine variety of gems and jewelry, antiques, art galleries, and design stores.
Day 8
- Route : Hikkaduwa
- Drive :
- Hotel : Overnight stay at Hikkaduwa
- Highlights : Relax on the beach
Beach Stay with many choices for spending your time. Leisurely strolling on the golden beaches, enthralled in the magical atmosphere. Lazing on a sun deck, reading a book of your choice, and sipping a cool, fresh tropical fruit drink of pineapple, mango, or banana
Day 9
- Route : Hikkaduwa > Airport
- Drive : 2 and 1/2 Hours
As all good things must come to an end, we bid you farewell as our chauffeur transfers you to the airport to meet your departure flight home.