Kandy Perahera Festival Tour

Tour Itinerary

ARRIVAL – SRI LANKA – COLOMBO (Arrival flight TBA)

Arrival in Sri Lanka. Meeting and assistance at the airport and transferred to your hotel in Colombo.

(Normal check in time at hotel 1400 hours)

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – TAJ SAMUDRA (DELUXE OCEAN VIEW ROOM)
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COLOMBO

Late morning, visit the National Colombo Museum.

Then enjoy a city tour of Colombo – a quaint oceanside capital, with a drive through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree lined residential area of Cinnamon Gardens. Visit Sea Street with its Goldsmith’s quarter in Pettah. The bazaar area, a Hindu Temple, the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1794, the historical Davatagaha Mosque, the Clock Tower and the old Parliament. Also visit Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara (Buddhist Temple) believed to be the site visited by Lord Buddha 2500 years ago. The temple, richly decorated is perhaps the most important temple in the Colombo area.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – TAJ SAMUDRA (DELUXE OCEAN VIEW ROOM)

COLOMBO – KEGALLE – DAMBULLA

Morning, leave for the Millennium Elephant Foundation at Kegalle. Enjoy the elephant walk experience. millenniumelephantfoundation.com

Then proceed to Sigiriya.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – ERITANCE KANDALAMA (SUPERIOR ROOM) heritancehotels.com

DAMBULLA – SIGIRIYA – DAMBULLA

Morning embark on a Village tour where can enjoy a catamaran (boat) ride, a bullock cart ride, visit a village house, see a local vegetable garden, cookery demonstration on traditional Sri Lankan food, have a local lunch and take a tuk-tuk ride. (tour will take approximately 2 – 3 hrs)

In the evening, climb Sigiriya, the 5th century. Declared by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and identified as the 8th Wonder of the World by Sir Arthur C Clarke, science fiction writer. The vision of a patricidal king named Kasyapa transformed an awesome monolith into a cloud swept city which presents a focus on 5th century urban planning, architecture and art. The mirror wall which protects a series of exquisite murals (frescoes of celestial maidens using natural pigments) shows a close resemblance to the paintings seen in the Ajanta caves in India. The most important aspects are the gardens and is among the oldest landscaped gardens in the world once again presenting hydraulic technology and engineering. All these features and the Lion’s Paw, the entrance to the ruined palace on the summit are well worth the effort of the ascent.

Afternoon at leisure (Enjoy a nature walk or Spa treatments – optional)

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – HERITANCE KANDALAMA (SUPERIOR ROOM)

DAMBULLA – ANURADHAPURA – DAMBULLA

Morning, leave for Anuradhapura, a UNESCO World Heritage site and the capital of Sri Lanka 3rd century BC. It is the city of stupas and monasteries, steeped in antiquity. Visit Ruwanweliseya and Thuparama Dagobas and the Samadhi Buddha. Visit the oldest historically documented tree in the world. This is a branch from the Original peepul or Bo tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. The tree continues to be venerated today after an unbroken period of 23 centuries. The ruins of the “Brazen Palace”, the twin ponds, the queens’ baths and other relics of a bygone age speak of an ancient grandeur that is almost tangible even today.

Evening return to your hotel

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – HERITANCE KANDALAMA (SUPERIOR ROOM)

DAMBULLA – POLONNARUWA – HABARANA – DAMBULLA

After b’fast leave for Polonnaruwa, a former capital of Sri Lanka 11th to 12th century. A.D., and a UNESCO World heritage site has a great history of invasions and struggle. An obvious South Indian influence on the architecture is noticeable but did not dominate the style of the Sri Lankan architecture significantly. The Gal Vihare comprises of four colossal statues of the Buddha carved out of the living rock stand testimony to the skill of master craftsmen. Visit also the Tivanka Pilimage with its priceless murals and the vast man-made lake that is the Sea of Parakrama – a feat of ancient engineering.

Late afternoon, enjoy a half day safari by jeep at the Minneriya National Park to see “The Gathering” a phenomenon of over 100 elephants converging towards the Minneriya Reservoir in search of water during the dry season.
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Evening enjoy a half day safari by jeep at the Hurulu Eco Park in Habarana which is carved out of the edge of the Hurulu Forest Reserve.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – HERITANCE KANDALAMA (SUPERIOR ROOM)

DAMBULLA – MATALE – KANDY

Morning leave for Dambulla, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to visit the rock cave temple, which is comprised of a series of 5 caverns with ceilings of natural rock covered with intricate paintings. The natural folds of the rock have been skilfully used to given the illusion of cloth. Forty-eight statues of the Buddha and images of the various deities can be seen inside the cave.
Then leave Kandy en route visiting for the spice gardens at Matale.

Kandy, the seat of the Kandyan Kings from the 14th century A.D. and is a repository of Sinhala culture.

Afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Kandy – drive around the beautiful lake and the upper lake drive. Visit the Arts and Crafts centre where you can buy Kandyan silver and brass ware, Metal work, Lacquer work, Wood and bone carvings, Pottery and Hand-woven fabrics. Demonstrations of artisans at work.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – MAHAWELI REACH HOTEL (DELUXE ROOM)
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KANDY

Morning, visit the Dalada Maligawa or the Temple of the Tooth, the most venerated sacred Buddhist shrine in the world. A once-in-a-life time experience, tonight join locals for an evening Pooja — an offering session to their gods. The sacred city of Kandy has been inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage partly due to this Temple.

Thereafter, visit the Gadaladeniya, Lankatilaka and the Embekke Temples belonging to the 14th century. Gadaladeniya is built of stone and reminds us of the South Indian influence of the period. Lankatilaka temple is a magnificent brick building in white and in the shrine-room is found a superb seated image of the Buddha. Embekke temple is famed for its carved wooden pillars with intricate designs.

After early dinner view the Kandy Perahera, the annual pageant of gaily caparisoned Elephants, rich in colour and agile in their movements, the Kandyan dancers, drummers, torch bearers, whip crackers, torch spinners and firewalkers evoke images of pageantry and traditions past.
The Maligawa Tusker carries the bejewelled, golden relic casket; stepping gracefully on the yards of white cloth laid on the road.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – MAHAWELI REACH HOTEL (DELUXE ROOM)

KANDY – NUWARA ELIYA

Morning, visit the Royal Botanical Gardens at Peradeniya, a formerly the pleasure gardens of the Sinhala Queens. The gardens contain over 4000 species of plants. The avenue of the Royal Palms, the bamboo fringed Riverside drive, the Bat drive with a vast collection of flying foxes who spend the daylight hours hanging upside down, are some of the special features of this lovely garden. There is also an Orchid house, a Spice garden, a Herb garden and Glass house of Anthuriums, Begonias, African Violets and other greenhouse plants.

Thereafter leave for Nuwara Eliya in the heart of the tea country, established by the British as a replica of a little English village reminiscent of the Lake District. Even today Tudor and Victorian style houses with trim English gardens speak of a gentler age. An 18 – hole golf course and the picturesque lake are a year-round attraction. Tour this unusual little city and en route visit a tea factory where you can see the intricacies that go into the manufacture of the world’s best loved brew.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – GRAND HOTEL (DELUXE ROOM)
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NUWARA ELIYA – YALA

In the morning leave for Yala.
Evening, a half day safari at the Yala National Park or the Ruhunu National Park which is a sanctuary for a variety of wild life. The Ceylon elephant roams freely here and close encounters are not uncommon. Leopards, deer, sambhur, wild buffalo, crocodiles and monitor lizards are among the larger mammals that can be observed in their natural habitat.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – JETWING YALA (SUPERIOR ROOM)
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YALA – GALLE – AHUNGALLA (BEACH)

Morning, leave for Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to visit this seafarer’s capital with its natural harbour and the Dutch Fortress with its towering ramparts and the mediaeval Dutch buildings. Galle is the largest remaining Fortress in Asia built by the European occupiers.

Visit the Galle Maritime Museum (optional as you can visit if open)

Stroll around the Fort with its paved driveway, alleys, shops, restaurants and guest houses. Galle Dutch Fort has a magical feel to it taking you back in time, perhaps 400 years ago.

Then leave for the beach, en route visiting the Mask carving centre at Ambalangoda. If time permits at Balapitiya visit the Puppet Museum, and enjoy a short puppet show by the Puppeteers of Lanka.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – HERITANCE AHUNGALLA (DELUXE OCEAN VIEW ROOM)
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AHUNGALLA (BEACH)

Day at leisure on the beach.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT WITH BREAKFAST – ERITANCE AHUNGALLA (DELUXE OCEAN VIEW ROOM)

AHUNGALLA (BEACH) – DEPARTURE

Check – out time from hotel 1100 hours.

Departure to the airport for your flight home (Flights TBA)