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Treasures of Sri Lanka
14 days, Negombo to Colombo
Itinerary
Day 1Negombo
Arrive at any time and transfer to the hotel.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Please look for a notice from the Chief Experience Officer (CEO) for the location of the meeting and any other important instructions.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Day 2Negombo
Explore Negombo and the busy fishing village. Then take a serene boat ride through the Dutch canal lining the marshy lands of Negombo.
Fishing is a main export of Sri Lanka and there is nothing better than to go to the seaside and watch the fishermen going about their daily work. Get a closer look at the lives of people living here; see toddy tapping, cultivations, and coconuts being collected by the locals.
Orientation With CEO
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
Negombo Lagoon Boat Ride
Get a closer look at daily life while cruising calmly along the Dutch canal, one of many canals in the city linking estuaries and lagoons together. Watch as Negombo's residents collect coconuts, and keep an eye out for the multitude of bird species in the area.
Fishing Market Walking Tour
Take a walking tour of a fishing market. There's no better way to learn about the life of the locals than to head to the sea to take in the action. Watch the fishermen bring their boats to shore, clean their nets, dry the fish, and sell to waiting buyers.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 3Negombo/Sigiriya
Spend 3 days exploring the ruins and monuments scattered throughout the Sigiriya region. The first visit is to the rock fortress of Sigiriya - a World Heritage Site.
Travel through the countryside to Sigiriya in Dambulla, the central province of Sri Lanka.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Yapahuwa Fortress Visit
Visit the most important local ruin in the region – the splendid though short-lived rock fortress of Yapahuwa, which some consider to excel Sigiriya. Explore the ruins with a guide and climb to the top for an excellent view. Learn about Yapahuwa's history as the seat of government in the 13th century.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 4Sigiriya
Take an excursion to the Sigiriya rock fortress, which dates back more than 5,000 thousand years to the Mesolithic period.
Sigiriya Rock Fortress Visit
Be mesmerized by this rock fortress, which captivates every visitor with its well-laid out gardens, caves, monasteries, and palaces adorned with beautiful wall motifs. Start at the water gardens and climb more than 1,200 steps to reach the top. Pass caves with frescoes and boulders to find the ruins of a palace on the flat surface of the old volcanic magma rock. The rock rests 370m (1,213 ft) above sea level with a shear drop on all sides.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Sigiriya
Visit the ruins of Polonnaruwa, the second ancient capital city. Its unbelievable beauty will take your breath away. In the afternoon, go on a walking tour of a Sri Lankan village and enjoy lunch prepared by the families of the community.
Polonnaruwa Ancient Capital Visit
Visit Polonnaruwa, the second ancient capital city (for three centuries), and home to many well-preserved ruins of palaces and monasteries. Don't feel like walking around? Opt to rent a bike and cycle through the ruins instead.
Sri Lanka Village Tour
Wander through a typical Sri Lankan village to learn more about its residents and their way of life. Enjoy some local cuisine prepared by locals of the town and get a chance to interact with the community.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Sigiriya/Kandy
In the morning, visit the Dambulla cave complex - a UNESCO World Heritage Site - as well as the archaeological site of Nalanda Gedige. Also visit a batik factory and a herbal centre for demonstrations.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Dambulla Cave Temple Visit
Visit the ancient Dambulla cave temples at one of the most well-preserved temple and cave sites in Sri Lanka. See Buddhist mural paintings that line the walls of the seventh-century caves as well as a collection of hundreds of statues of Buddha in different poses.
Nalanda Gedige Visit
Discover combined Buddhist and Hindu architecture on this visit to Nalanda Gedige, a small and less-visited ancient site. Some of the designs are clearly Hindu, yet no Hindu gods are depicted. Also see some erotic, but eroded, Tantric Buddhist carvings, reminiscent of the famous Khajuraho Temple in India.
Spice Garden Visit
Visit a herbal centre where students of Ayurveda learn the traditional medicinal uses of various spices for massages and treatments. Enjoy demonstrations and learning about the different plants and their uses.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Kandy
In the morning, the CEO will take the group for a stroll around Kandy Lake. Also visit the famous Temple of the Sacred Tooth, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kandy Museum, and take in a cultural performance.
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Tour
Enjoy a tour of the Temple of the Tooth, which houses an important relic – a tooth of Lord Buddha kept in a well-preserved golden casket. Learn about the importance of this site from local guides.
Royal Botanical Gardens Visit
Enjoy a leisurely walk in the colourful Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya. See 300 varieties of orchids of Sri Lanka as well as a range of other plants.
Kandy National Museum Visit
Take in some culture at the National Museum of Kandy, which is located in a section of the former Royal Palace. Find the main exhibit building in the Palle Vahala, which originally housed the King's harem. Exhibits include a selection of historic jewels, weapons, tools, and artworks.
Kandyan Cultural Dance
Be swept away by an entertaining performance that will provide insight into the local culture in Kandy.
Kandy Orientation Walk
Walk through the city and around Kandy Lake to get a better feel for the place.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Ayurvedic Center
Visit an Ayurvedic Center to learn about the history behind Ayurveda and the role it plays in Sri Lankan society. Gain an understanding of Ayurvedic oil massage treatments and its various benefits.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Kandy/Nuwara Eliya
Explore a traditional tea plantation in the central highlands and gain insight into the process of growing tea and its effect on the Ceylon region. Later, step back in history and have High Tea at the Grand Hotel.
Nuwara Eliya is a town founded by Sir Samuel Baker, a British officer who explored Lake Albert and the Nile. The town produces the finest Orange Pekoe Ceylon tea and is inhabited mainly by tea planters and plantation workers. The town, also known as 'Little England', offers a lot of options such as nature trails, golfing, and horse riding.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Tea Plantation Visit
Visit the tea plantations with the workers to learn how to pick tea. The plantation families will allow the group to visit their homes and explain the hardships of the industry.
High Tea at the Grand Hotel
Step back in time and enjoy high tea at the historic Grand Hotel. Enjoy a lovely setting with Elizabethan-era architecture and beautiful gardens. The building was the former mansion of Sir Edward Barnes who was the Governor of Sri Lanka during 1830-1850.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Nuwara Eliya/Yala
Drive to Buduruwagala and visit this ancient Buddhist temple complex. Continue to Yala National Park and embark on a safari wildlife safari drive. Famed for its elephants, the park is also home to monkeys, deer, leopards, and wild boars.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Buduruwagala Temple Visit
Visit Buduruwagala, an ancient Buddhist temple complex. The site dates back to the 10th century and is famed for its seven rock-cut Buddha statues.
Yala National Park Safari
Head out on a safari in Yala National Park. Keep an eye out for leopards, elephants, jackals, sloth bears, sambars, spotted deer, crocodiles, and more than 200 bird species. Learn about its diverse wildlife and the history of the park.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 10Yala
Take a second safari wildlife-drive in Udawalawe National Park to see more elephants as well as jackals and crocodiles.
Udawalawe Reserve Safari
Drive through this massive nature reserve and keep an eye out for the mighty Sri Lankan elephants – they live in abundance here and often wander along the road. Make several stops to observe these beautiful animals.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 11Yala/Meda Wadduwa
Visit Weligama and learn about stilt fishing — a tradition founded and practiced in this area. Experience the cultural history of Sri Lanka's south coast at the colonial Galle Fort. Following the tour, head to the beach.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Stilt Fishing Demonstration
Learn about stilt fishing in the Kathaluwa region near Galle – an age old practice still being followed by about 500 families. Head to the area to see fisherman already on their poles, waiting patiently to catch their fish.
Galle Fort Tour
Visit the Galle Fort, a 16th-century fort first built by the Portuguese, and later occupied by the Dutch. The ramparts are still standing even after being battered by Mother Nature, including the 2004 tsunami.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 12Meda Wadduwa
Pristine beaches offer a perfect setting to relax and unwind. Opt to go windsurfing, snorkelling or get an Ayurvedic spa treatment.
Free Time
Relax in a tropical paradise or get active, the choice is yours.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 13Meda Wadduwa/Colombo
Enjoy the morning at leisure then travel to the capital, Colombo where the CEO will provide an orientation walk of the fort area and Pettah Bazaar.
Free Time
Relax at the beach before heading back to the big city.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Pettah Bazaar Visit
Visit the Pettah district of Colombo and wind your way through a series of open-air bazaars and markets. The area is home to Jami Ul-Alfar Mosque, one of the oldest and most visited mosques in Colombo, and also hosts Kayman's Gate, Colombo Town Hall, and the Khan Clock Tower.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 14Colombo
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.