Simply Sri Lanka

Arrive Colombo International Airport Colombo - Negombo

Arrive Colombo by late evening international flight ex Europe. Meeting & assistance at Colombo international airport, and transfer to Hotel Negombo. Overnight stay at the hotel.

In Negombo

Breakfast at the hotel.
Morning proceed for the city tour in Negombo imcluding Fish Market / Negombo Town / Catholic church & Old Dutch Canal. Negombo: The major beach resort in the West Coast is Negombo. The wide sandy beaches and the safe sea are the major attractions of Negombo, a traditional fishing town. Besides the beach, the fish market is worth visiting where busy trading of a variety of fish including prawns, crabs and seer takes place in the mornings when the fishing crafts return to the shore with their catch. The most popular fishing craft is the outrigger canoe called oruwa dug out from a huge log and is seen in large numbers in the Negombo-lagoon. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Negombo - Anuradhapura

Breakfast at the hotel. Morning drive to Anuradhapura, upon arrival check-in at the hotel.

This afternoon proceed for the sightseeing tour of Anuradhpura.

Anuradhapura - is located in the north central part of the Island, it was the first capital and undoubtedly the grandest city of ancient Sri Lanka. It is the home of two world heritage sites. Many places of historical and archeological interest could be visited. Sri-Mahabodhi (sacred Bo-tree), brought as a sapling of the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment, it is over 2,200 years old and is the oldest historically documented tree in the world. Brazen palace (2nd cent. B. C.) the 1600 stone columns you see are all that is left of a magnificent multi-storied residence for monks. RuwanweliSeya (2nd cent. B.C). This is the most famous of all the Dagobas. It originally depicted the perfect “water-bubble” shape that modern restoration has not been able to accurately reproduce. Samadhi Buddha (3rd cent. b.c.), one of the most famous statues, depicting the Buddha in a state of “Samadhi” or deep meditation. Isurumuniya rock temple (3rd cent. b.c.) Well known for its rock carving of “the lovers”. Kuttam Pokuna - twin ponds (3rd cent. b.c.) used by the monks of old as a bathing pool. Thuparama Dagoba (3rd cent. b.c.), the oldest Dagoba in the island. It enshrines a relic of the Buddha. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Anuradhapura - Polonnaruwa - Dambulla

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning drive to Dambulla en route visiting Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa - is the 2nd capital of Sri Lanka. Built in the 11th and 12th centuries A.D, and is a world heritage site. Here you can see the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya (3 splendid statues of the Buddha in upright, sedentary and recumbent postures carved out of rock). The audience hall, the lotus bath, the Polonnaruwa statue (12th century) and the Parakrama Sam udra tank (lake) built by king Parakramabahu the great. There are also ruins of famous places of worship such as the Shiva temple, the Lankatileka, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vihare Dag oba and the remains of a former temple of the tooth.

Village Safari in Habarana Explore the rural village of Hiriwadunna on this half-day trip from Dambulla. Start with a Bullock cart ride near to the village pond & at there you will experience a boat ride to the next side of the rural village. After short walk within the paddy fields & vegetable cultivation you can reach village house. At the village house you can relax & taste a delicious Sri Lankan Lunch. Then take a Tuk Tuk ride to tour start location. After finish tour you will be take back to your hotel.

Visit to a Buddhist temple in Habarana
Visit to a Budhist temple. Buddhist monk will meet you at the entrance & will do a brief introduction about rituals. Will do a special blessing at the temple.
Overnight stay at the hotel.

Dambulla - Sigiriya - Minneriya - Dambulla

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning excursion to rock fortress in Sigiriya & Minneriya. Sigiriya sometimes also referred to as the eighth wonder of the world dates back from over 7,000 years ago, through Pre-Historic to Proto-Historic to Early Historic times, then as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the 3rd century BC, with caves prepared and donated by devotees to the sangha. The garden city and the palace was built by Kasyapa 477 - 495 AD. Then after Kasyapa's death it was a monastery complex upto about the 14thcentury. Sigiriya is a unique witness to the civilization of Ceylon during the years of the reign of Kassapa I. The site of the 'Lion Mountain' was visited from the 6th century AD, by passionate admirers. The frescoes of Sigir iya inaugurated a pictorial style which endured over many centuries. Halfway up the rock, within an inaccessible rocky shelter in the vertical wall of the western face these rock paintings can be seen which have brought universal acclaim to the site of Sigiriya - 'The Maidens of the Clouds', 21 non-identified female figures, comparable to the most beautiful creations of Ajanta. Though traces of plaster and pigments occur all over this area, only two pockets of paintings survive. These are in a depression of the rock face, about 100 meters above the ground level. These paintings represent the earliest surviving examples of a Sri Lanka school of classical realism, already fully evolved by the 5th century, when these paintings had been made. Earlier the Sigiri style had been considered as belonging to the Central Indian school of Ajanta, but later considered as specifically different from the Ajanta paintings. The ladies depicted in the paintings have been variously identified as Apsaras (heavenly maidens), as ladies of Kasyapa’s court and as Lightening Princess and Cloud Damsels.
Continue safari in Minneriya national park. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Dambulla - Matale - Kandy

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning proceed to Kandy en-route visiting Matale. En route visit a spice garden to see the different spices that Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed.

Kandy, founded in the 14th century, is the southern tip of Sri Lanka's 'Cultural Triangle'. The city became the capital of the kingdom in 1592, during a troubled time when many of the islanders were fleeing to the interior, away from the coastal areas the European powers were fighting over. Although taken several times, the city remained one of the bastions of Sinha lese independence until the British troops entered it on 14 February 1815. From Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591-1604) to Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (1798-1815), it was the last seat of royal power. It remains the religious capital of Buddhism and a sacred city for millions of believers. Enshrined in the Dalada Maligawa is the relic of the tooth of Buddha which has long been greatly venerated.
Later this afternoon enjoy a cultural dance show. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Kandy – Nuwara Eliya

Breakfast at the hotel.

Morning drive Nuwara Eliya en route visiting Tea factory. Tea Plantation - visit a tea plantation and a tea factory where one the best tea in the world is produced. You will be told all about the process of manufacturing tea and also see how tea is graded. Taste a cup of pure Ceylon tea in the factory.

Continue drive to Nuawara Eliya and check-in to the hotel. This afternoon proceed for the sightseeing tour in Nuwara Eliya. Nuwara Eliya - is Sri Lanka's premier hill resort with a fine bracing mountain climate. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka's tea country producing 50% of the world’s best tea. Sri Lanka's highest mountain Pidurutalagala (8282 ft) is located here. Nuwara Eliya is the location for one of the finest 18 Hole golf courses in Asia. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Nuwara Eliya - Kalutara

After breakfast drive to Kalutara, upon arrival check-in at the hotel. Balance day at leisure and explore beach área on your own. Overnight stay at the hotel.

In Kalutara

Breakfast at the hotel. Day at leisure on the beach.
Later this afternoon visit the little village of Kalasirigama and witness weaving mates with local family.
The little village of Kalasirigama, (formerly Henavala) in Menikhinna, in the Dumbara Valley of the Kandy district, a small group of families are engaged in their traditional craft of weaving Dumbara mats and tapestries. You can also learn how to weave mats from them. Overnight stay at the hotel.

Kalutara - Colombo International Airport

After breakfast at hotel, in time transfer to Colombo International airport to board flight for your onward destination.