ANURADHAPURA/ TRINCOMALEE / MINNERIYA/ HABARANA/ DAMBULLA/ KANDY /PINNAWALA/ NUWARA / ELIYA/ BERUWELA / COLOMBO

DAY 01 - BEIRUT / AIRPORT/ COLOMBO

On the start of the journey you will depart from Beirut to Colombo in Sri Lanka, where you will be met at arrival by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Colombo. Overnight.

 DAY 02 - COLOMBO

Spend the day at leisure. Optional Lunch and afternoon visit of Colombo city.  In Colombo you will drive through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens. Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area, which has a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. The historic Dawatagaha Mosque and the former Eye Hospital are two buildings in Cinnamon Gardens worth looking at. Also visit the BMICH, see the replica of Avukana Buddha and the Independence Square. Dinner and overnight at your hotel .

DAY 3 COLOMBO/ ANURADHAPURA/ TRINCOMALEE   

After breakfast proceed to Anuradhapura. (Approximate Duration – 5 ½ hours – Distance – 203Km) 

Anuradhapura was the ancient capital of Sri Lanka, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site - the city could be labeled as the islands most celebrated. When it seemed as if the rest of the world were far behind, this magnificent city during its former days, was well ahead of its time, most notably in its use of Hydraulic Technology.  Though most of this ancient city is in ruins today, it’s most awe-inspiring structures still stand tall. Only second to the pyramids in Giza, the Dagobas - some of them intact and some restored, are amazing monuments to the art of masonry prevalent at that time. The Jetavana Dagoba is the most spectacular of them all. 

The sacred Sri Maha Bodhi Tree in Anuradhapura is a sampling of the sacred Bo tree in India (in whose shelter prince Siddhartha attained enlightenment and became Buddha). It is the oldest (2,250 years) recorded tree in the world. The Anuradhapura Archeological Museum, the Abhayagiri and the Jetavanarama Museums, offer an in-depth insight and a greater understanding of this dynamic civilization.  Optional Lunch at a local restaurant. Thereafter, proceed to Trincomalee (Approximate Duration 3 hours – Distance 104Km). Check-in at the hotel.  Spend the evening relaxing at leisure at the hotel.  Dinner and overnight in Trincomalee.  

DAY 04 -  TRINCOMALEE/ MINNERIYA/ HABARANA                  

After breakfast proceed to the Minneriya National Park to conduct an optional 4x4 Jeep Safari. (Approximate Duration 2 hours – Distance 85Km). Thereafter, proceed to Habarana. (Approximate Duration 30 minutes – Distance 25Km). Check-in at the hotel. Optional Lunch at local restaurant. Spend the evening relaxing at leisure at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay in Habarana.  

DAY 05 -   HABARANA/ DAMBULLA/ KANDY            

After breakfast proceed to visit the Dambulla Cave Rock Temple & a Spice Garden in Matale. (Approximate travel time 30 minutes – Distance 18 km)   Dambulla Cave Temple is home to one of Sri Lanka’s seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites; the richly painted cave temple complex is the islands largest and best preserved. Though there are more than 80 documented caves in the area, the most significant are spread over 5 caves, which comprise of statues and paintings related to Lord Buddha and his life. The latest archeological site of significant historical importance is the Ibbankatuwa Prehistoric Burial Site. It is also found in this great city, within 3 km of the cave temple. At this site, bones of 2700 year old human skeletons were found, which according to scientific analysis, is evidence of civilizations existing long before the arrival of the Indians to the island. Ancient history aside, Dambulla is home to the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium, well known for being built in just 167 days. Its Iron Wood forest (Namal Uyana) and the largest Rose Quartz mountain range in South Asia make this city special. 

Matale Herbal & Spice Garden  As you proceed to Kandy you will have a short visit to a Spice Garden in Matale that mark the destination in the ancient Spice Trails. Sri Lanka has been ever so famous in its aromatic cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and pepper which lured many ancient traders to the Island. Even at present, Sri Lanka produces some of the best quality cinnamon in the world. Proceed to Kandy.  (Approximate travel time 2 ½ Hours – Distance  73 km). Check-in at the hotel. 

 In the evening visit the Kandy Temple of the Tooth Relic.  Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy. 

DAY 06 -  KANDY/PINNAWALA/PERADENIYA /KANDY

After breakfast visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage in time to witness the bottle feeding of baby elephants followed by the bathing of elephants in the river. (Approximate travel time 1 Hour – Distance 40 km). Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo - Kandy road is Pinnawala, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 40 now, including baby elephants brought from various parts, as well as the babies born, as a result of the captive breeding program. Return to Kandy. Visit Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden.

Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy.   

DAY 07 -  KANDY/NUWARA ELIYA                

After breakfast, depart to Nuwara Eliya via Ramboda Falls (en route visiting a tea plantation & a factory). (Approximate travel time 2 ½ Hours – Distance  82 km).  

Tea Plantation & Tea factory visit. Tea was first planted in Sri Lanka in 1824 at the Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, when a few plants were brought from China. More were introduced from Assam in 1839. In 1867, a Scottish Planter named James Taylor planted tea seedlings on 8 hectares of forest land, in the Loolkandura Estate. In 1873, the tea export industry of Sri Lanka began with a modest 23lbs being shipped to London. Tea will grow only on rolling terrain and is classified by elevation into low grown, medium, grown, high grown. In 1996 Sri Lanka has produced 258 million Kilograms of tea.

Afternoon, a brief city tour of Nuwara Eliya. Dinner & overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya. 

DAY 08 -  NUWARA ELIYA/ BERUWELA      

After breakfast proceed to Beruwela via Kitulgala. (Approximate travel time 5 Hours – Distance 210 km).  Morning visit to  a Strawberry farm in Nuwara Eliya. Afternoon check in to hotel and spend the rest of the day at Leisure. Dinner & overnight stay in Beruwela. 

DAY 09 -  BERUWELA

Breakfast at hotel. Conduct an optional boat ride excursion on the Madhu River. 

Visit Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery. Kosgoda is famous for its sea turtle conservation project operated by the Wild Life Protection Society of Sri Lanka. It was established in 1988 to protect Sri Lanka’s turtles from extinction. Since then it has released about 3.5 million baby turtles into the wild. The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along the long sandy beach. Although October to April is the main laying season, some eggs (mostly green turtles) can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year. The hatchery buries the eggs in sand, and when they hatch around 50 days later the baby turtles are released into the sea at night. Only about one in 1,000 turtles survive to maturity. Kosgoda turtle hatchery also has tanks for injured or disabled turtles, including albino turtles that would not survive in the wild. Dinner & overnight stay in Beruwela.  

DAY 10 - BERUWELA/ COLOMBO AIRPORT / BEIRUT

Transfer to the airport on time for departure to Beirut .

End of services.