Our airport representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to the hotel in Negombo. It would take only 20 minutes to get to your hotel. You can lie by the pool or visit the beach for the rest of the day. Here as elsewhere on the coast, the seafood is fantastic and so fresh - do try it, if you can. Overnight at Villa Araliya, Negombo.
Day 2
You will be driven to Dambulla and visit the magnificent cave temple. This is the largest painted cave temple in the world which was built in the 1st century BC. There are 5 caves here that were transformed by a King when he was forced into hiding here. There are over 200 statues of Lord Buddha and just about every surface of the caves (including the roof) are covered in the most intricate murals, the finest in Sri Lanka. Dambulla temple is one of the few living world heritage sites in the country. You have some free time in the late afternoon to relax by the fantastic pool of your hotel. Overnight at Thilanka Spa & Resort, Dambulla.
Day 3
In the morning, there is an excursion to Polonnaruwa which was the 2nd indigenous capital of Sri Lanka and is now the most visited ancient city in Sri Lanka. The temples, stupas and other monuments in Polonnaruwa were built between the 10th and the 12th century AD and includes some of the Island’s most famous monuments. The ruins are well preserved and offer a fascinating snapshot of medieval Sri Lanka when Sri Lankan civilisation was at a real highpoint. You will spend over two and a half hours here and then drive back to your hotel for lunch. There is a midday break of about 2 hours to lie by the pool. In the late afternoon, when it's cooler, you will climb the Lion Rock at Sigiriya which stands about 650ft high and was a capital of Sri Lanka in the 5th century AD. This was a rock fortress of a King who was hiding away from his brother. From the base, you will walk through the royal pleasure gardens comprising the magnificent water gardens, and moat. You will then make your ascent up its narrow staircases and walkways seeing the Boulder garden, mirror wall and oldest unpreserved frescoes (dating from the 5th century AD), to mention but a few. You will arrive at the two huge lions paws which is all that is left of a gigantic lion statue which was the final staircase to the summit containing the Royal Palace and ramparts. The views from the top are stupendous and will take your breath away. Overnight at Thilanka Spa & Resort, Dambulla.
Day 4
This is an easy day! After breakfast, you will do an elephant ride which will take about 2 hours. The elephant camp is situated next to Habarana Lake, a really beautiful spot where over 130 species of birds have been recorded. The elephants will walk beside the lake for a while and will then cross the river which as you can imagine, is quite an experience and will go in to the forest. The trekkers will spot some birds, lizards and if you are lucky, crocodiles, for you. Once you get back, you can watch the elephants having a bath and even give them a scrub if you wish. After the elephant ride, you will be driven back to the hotel for lunch. Rest of the day is free to lie by the fantastic pool at your hotel. Overnight at Thilanka Spa & Resort.
Day 5
After breakfast, you will leave for Kandy. On the way, you will drive through a fertile spice growing area with plantations of coffee, cacao and rubber.You can visit a Spice Garden where you will see how Sri Lankan spices and herbs grow. You can learn about ayurvedic medicine and you can buy some spices, if you so wish. Then, you will be driven to the beautiful town of Kandy to get there in time for lunch. The royal city of Kandy was the last indigenous capital of Sri Lanka which resisted capitulation for over 300 years despite the coastal areas having surrendered to European dominance. It is said to be the most picturesque town in Sri Lanka as it nestles in the hills beside a small lake.In the afternoon, you can visit the Gem Museum where you can see the products of the traditional (and rather scary) methods of gem mining, especially the famous Sri Lankan sapphires of cornflower blue. You then have the opportunity to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens which contain many of the indigenous trees of the country. The highlights being the orchid house and the amazing Ficus Benjamina, said to be the largest specimen in the world. You will have commonly seen this as a houseplant in the UK! In the early evening, you can go to watch the Cultural Show to see the Kandyan dancing with its magnificent costumes accompanied with the amazing drumming. This dates back to the 3rd century BC and was performed by witch doctors to cure patients. You will also see some self-mortification activities like fire-walking. There are lots of little restaurants in town to have dinner, if you wish. Overnight at Senani Hotel, Kandy.
Day 6
Visit Pinnewala Elephant Orphanage where will can see over 75 elephants playing in the Maha Oya River. These elephants have been rescued by the wildlife department and had it not been for the Orphanage, most of these elephants would have died. You can watch the elephants for about two hours before returning to Kandy. The free afternoon is yours to explore Kandy either walking by the beautiful lake enjoying the views or perhaps enjoying the hub-bub of the market and haggling for some prized purchase. Or perhaps you may just prefer to relax in the quiet by the pool of your hotel. Overnight at Senani Hotel, Kandy
Day 7
Today is a visit to the Temple of the Tooth which houses the tooth relic of Lord Buddha and is the most secret of the Buddhist temples. The visit coincides with the Ceremony (of offerings accompanied by drumming) so you can see the Casket of the Tooth. The tooth of Buddha was taken from the funeral pyre in the 5th century BC and thousands of worshippers visit the Temple every day to pay homage. You will spend about an hour at the Temple. Drive to Ella Gap passing through Nuwara Eliya. On the way, you can stop and view 2 waterfalls and drive through thousands of acres of beautiful tea plantations that blanket the hillsides. You can see the brightly clothed tea pickers moving over the hillsides with their huge sacks strapped to their heads! There is also the opportunity to tour a tea factory to see just how your English cup of tea is produced. It is a fascinating visit as much of the machinery is as it was in the 19th Century when it was first installed. You will have chance to try a fantastic cup of tea. Nuwara Eliya is described as a misplaced English village as many of the buildings are copies of English ones and were built by the English to escape the heat of the Sri Lankan summer. You have the late morning to explore the colonial buildings, racecourse, golf course etc. The altitude is about 6,500ft so the climate is much cooler. Of particular note is The Hill Club which is based on an English country house and is a real step back in time. Overnight at The Planter's Bungalow or View Point Villa, Ella Gap.
Day 8
You can take a short walk up Small Adams Peak (about an hour and a half) through the tea plantations. Ella Gap has amazing views (some of the best in Sri Lanka) of the coastal plain over 3,000ft below. It's a really stunning sight with lots of lakes and isolated hills rising out of the plain. Almost all of the southern part of the island can be seen on a clear day. If you are lucky, you would see the sea which is about 50 miles away. Free afternoon to explore Ella Gap. Overnight at The Planter's Bungalow or View Point Villa, Ella Gap.
After breakfast, you will do an elephant ride which will take about 2 hours. The elephant camp is situated next to HabaranaLake, a really beautiful spot where over 130 species of birds have been recorded. The elephants will walk beside the lake for a while and will then cross the river which as you can imagine, is quite an experience and will go in to the forest. The trekkers will spot some birds, lizards and if you are lucky, crocodiles, for you. Once you get back, you can watch the elephants having a bath and even give them a scrub if you wish.
After the elephant ride, you will be driven back to the hotel for lunch. Spend the rest of the day by the fantastic pool at your hotel.
