Sri Lanka discover tour – Day 1

On arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport, you will get your first taste of warm Sri Lankan hospitality and a representative from Ceylon My Dream (Pvt) Limited will Welcome you and transfer you to Habarana. En Route you get to visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, established in 1975, commenced with seven orphans. Today some of these orphans enjoy the fortune of seeing their grandchildren born in the same location. T

the original objective of establishing the orphanage inclined more towards tourism, but it soon became a conservation and educational center. With the help of local and foreign elephant experts, Pinnawala started a scientific captive-breeding program for elephants. The free movement of the herd enhanced the chances for respective individuals of both sexes to get together and mate. The nearby river played a dominant role in this regard, and in 1984, the first baby of Pinnawala was born. The success story of Pinnawala has drawn the attention of scientists from all over the world. A considerable number of books and research articles on Pinnawala have been published in several languages. The members of the Pinnawala herd have been filmed, videoed and photographed thousands of times by professionals. Depending on the time of the visit, you will get to experience a range of activities such as special shows, feeding & bathing. Next, the journey to Habarana will be continued.

In the afternoon, we will set off to discover the 8th wonder of the world; the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress built into 477 – 495 CE and is now a world heritage site. This astounding ‘city’ on the summit of a high outcrop was the royal citadel of King Kassapa for over 18 years. A miraculous feat of artistry and engineering, its unique features and exquisite frescoes continue to amaze all who visit it, even today.

Overnight stay at a Hotel in Habarana/Dambulla.

Sri Lanka discover tour – Day 2

After having breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the hill capital of Kandy. En Route you will get to visit a Spice Garden at Matale.  Our spices have been sought after for centuries, and continues to be a celebrated export, even today.

The famous Dambulla Cave Temple also known as the Golden Temple of Dambulla is a destination not to be missed if you visit Sri Lanka. There are 05 caves and the first 03 caves are better, older and larger than the other two. This complex dates back to the first century BCE. All the 5 cave walls and ceilings are covered with Buddhist murals and there are more than 130 Buddha statues. Statues of Gods and Kings are also found here.

In the afternoon you will be engaged in a Kandy City Tour. Kandy is the capital city of the last independent kingdom in the island after the coastal regions were conquered by the Portuguese. The journey includes taking in the sights of the Upper Lake Drive and the Market Square on the way to pay homage to one of the most sacred religious sites in Sri Lanka; the Sri Dalada Maligawa also known as the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is believed to house the ‘tooth relic’ of the Lord Buddha.  A walk around the town will let you indulge in some souvenir hunting with intricate treasures in wood, copper, silver, brass, ebony, bronze, ceramics, lacquer work, hand-looms, batiks, jewellery and reed ware to choose from.

Finally you can round off your day in the evening with a Cultural Show, where the vibrant costumes and pulsating rhythms of traditional dance forms from centuries old rituals will enthrall you.

– Overnight stay at a Hotel in Kandy.

Sri Lanka discover tour – Day 3

After breakfast at the hotel, the next visit will be to the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden. This botanical garden was first built as a pleasure garden by an ancient Sri Lankan king and was expanded by the British.  It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers. After experiencing the Botanical Garden, the journey will continue to the upper country.

A visit to the Ramboda Falls and a Tea Factory is planned along the way.

In the afternoon you will be engaged in a Nuwara Eliya City Tour. As the old Colonial Outpost still referred to as ‘Little England’, Nuwara Eliya certainly lives up to its name. Perched 6200 feet above sea level, the climate too, adds to the illusion of one stepping into an old English town, where neat hedges, quaint cottages and beautiful old buildings stand as serene as they did well over a century ago and the magnificent Grand Hotel presiding over them all. The golf course, race course, tea estates and lake Gregory are only some of its attractions Nuwara Eliya has to offer.

Overnight stay at a Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

Sri Lanka discover tour – Day 4

The Journey to Ella will commence after having breakfast at the hotel. Ella is a quiet hill country town that draws visitors to its cool climate and its picturesque setting deep in the heart of the ‘up country’.  Steeped in the ancient legend of Rama and Sita from the Indian epic; the Ramayana, most significant natural landmarks are named after King Ravana; the local god who kidnapped the Indian princess. The myriad locations connected to the legend are well worth visiting and the cascading torrent of Ravana Ella waterfall too is a breath-taking sight.  The towering mass of Ella Rock presides regally over the area and the mountain pass known as Ella Gap offers spectacular views right across the distant valleys all the way to the South Coast.  The little town of Ella is far from a scenic stopover, but a truly charming and beautiful haven to relax & enjoy the fresh mountain air and unforgettable vistas.

Transfer to Yala & Overnight stay at Yala.

Sri Lanka discover tour – Day 5

Morning Safari at Yala National Park is from 05.30 AM to 09.30 AM. Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. Yala is situated in Sri Lanka’s south-east region, hugging the panoramic Indian Ocean. Yala was dseesignated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was designated as a national park in 1938. Ironically, the park was initially ud as a hunting ground for the elite under British rule. The park has a protected area of nearly 130,000 hectares of land consisting of light forests, scrubs, grasslands, tanks and lagoons. Yala is the home to 44 varieties of mammals and 215 bird species. Among its more famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards.  Yala has been divided in to 05 blocks and out of those, 02 blocks  currently opened to arethe public.

Next, you can return back to the hotel for breakfast and thereafter proceed to one of the Beach Resorts in down South. With nearly 1600 km of palm -fringed coastline baked to perfection surrounding the country Sri Lanka is the ideal destination for beach bums worldwide.  May it be windsurfing, kayaking, yachting, water skiing, scuba diving or just lazing around for the perfect tan, Sri Lanka offers it all.

En Route you can experience the heritage city of Galle. For centuries Galle has stood strong against invasions from colonial powers and nature’s volatile outbursts.  The famous Dutch Fort was first built by the Portuguese, fortified by the Dutch and preserved by the British. Battered daily for over 400 years by the ocean it even survived the onslaught of a tsunami and is enjoyed today by residents and visitors alike. The colonial architecture of the walled city too has resisted the advance of modernity and holds tightly to its past glory.