Single Traveller Sri Lanka Heritage Tea Trail Jungles and Beaches

Meet on arrival at the Bandaranayke International Airport by an antiquity Representative & transfer to Dambulla.
Dinner and Overnight stay at the Hotel

Breakfast at hotel – Proceed to Sigiriya - Climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress which is a world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495 AD). The ‘Lion Rock’ is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.

Want to try something traditional and completely different? A delightful evening Local Tractor ride is just the ticket, which will take you to some of the nicest places on the island. It’s pretty unconventional and definitely an adventure. Riding in the shade of the forests, you will see the country’s historic sites and some of the lovely scenery as well.
What makes this ride exceptional is that you will visit a Sri Lankan village and enjoy a cookery demonstration and home-cooked meal from the local women and then top it off with a canoe ride across a beautiful lake! This tour will make your holiday that much more unforgettable!
Once completed, return to the hotel for Dinner & Overnight stay.

Breakfast at hotel – Proceed to visit the Dambulla Rock Temple. Climb up to the temple, which was donated by king Walagambahu in the 1st century BC to Buddhist monks. Dambulla is a World Heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and the ceiling is the largest area of paintings found in the world. These caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock spanning 14 meters.
Thereafter return to the hotel.
Afternoon proceed on a jeep safari to visit the Minneriya National Park - The Park is famous for being the best place in Sri Lanka to get close to free-ranging elephants. Bordering the Minneriya tank and the Giritale tank, the 7,529 hectare park attracts hundreds of elephants during the dry season, as surrounding water source dries up. Watching them travel in herds of 10 to 20, it is impossible not to be impressed with the sheer bulk of a fully grown adult, but equally spectacular is seeing how they interact. There is also a host of water birds, both large and small, so keep your eyes open for delicately hued storks, slender and elegant grey herons, and great white pelicans.

Breakfast at hotel – Leave for Kandy – En route visit a Spice Gardens in Matale to see the different types of flavours the island is famous for and how they are grown. Lunch and a cookery demonstration at the Spice Garden will make you appreciate just what a feast for the senses Sri Lanka can be.

Proceed to Kandy

After breakfast, proceed on a sightseeing tour of Kandy - Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings, and is a World Heritage Site. The name Kandy conjures visions of splendor and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. Visit the Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts & crafts center and a gem museum and a lapidary.
In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic and thereafter witness a cultural show featuring traditional Sri Lankan dancing. Return to hotel for Dinner and Overnight stay.

After breakfast, Leave for Nuwara Eliya via Road (Since due to Dithwa cyclone the train trek from Kandy to Nano Oya is still under construction) enroute visit a Tea Plantation & Factory.

Nuwara Eliya is a city tucked away within the hill country of the Central Province. The town is renowned for its lush tea plantations, waterfalls, red-roofed English country style houses, a golf course and a manmade lake. Nuwara Eliya is nicked named “Little England” because it was established by the British in the 1840s as a base for the colonists and still retains some distinctive English features, like the red post box and the Queen’s Cottage.

Dinner & Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel Transfer to Nano Oya Railway station to board on the senic train journey by 0930 to Ella - Train Station to board the Train leaving for Nanu Oya – It is an unforgettable train ride to Nuwara Eliya. Sit back in the comfort of the train, where every seat has its own picture window, so you can catch jaw-dropping views as the train powers up through the tea plantations, into the clouds and then weaves in and out of the many mountain tunnels. The railway in Sri Lanka was first introduced by the British Colonial government in 1864, to transport tea from places like Nuwara Eliya to the capital, Colombo.

On arrival at Ella Railway Station leave for Koggala - En route we visit the town’s Turtle Hatchery. Koggala is one of Sri Lanka’s most important breeding spots for the endangered Sea Turtles. The sandy beaches serve as sanctuary for several types of marine turtles including Loggerheads and the Leatherback Turtle. The small turtle hatchery first opened in 1996, in an effort to promote responsible tourism and conservation. The hatchery buys turtle eggs off fishermen, in an attempt to discourage them from poaching and selling the eggs. You will be educated on the importance of protecting turtle life, via the hatchery’s facilities that care for new born turtles until they are ready to be released back into the ocean, an experience that you may even have the opportunity to do yourself first-hand!

Dinner and Overnight stay at the hotel

Breakfast at hotel – Spend the day at leisure on the beach – Dinner and Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel – Spend the day at leisure on the beach – Dinner and Overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at hotel – Leave for the airport to connect with the departure flight