Serendib Tour Sri Lanka

Day 1: Airport / Negombo

Flight Arrival in Sri Lanka and landing at Colombo Bandaranayke International Airport.  After the completion of your Immigrations, Customs and Security procedures, please proceed to the Meeting Lobby of the arrival Terminal. Meeting with Assistance at the Lobby by our Representative, later your tour chauffeur will pick you at the Exit Gate of the arrival terminal to commence the Tour.

Transfer to Negombo predominantly Catholic & Christian population by faith and it is called “Little Rome” among the locals. It is apparent due to the large structured churches and large catholic community in the town and in the region.  A traditional rural Fishing community but later developed as fishing marketing centre. It is best time to visit the Fishing Village & fish market in the morning; to watch highly active local busy in hauling fish from the sea, also chatting price deals. Negombo also has an old Dutch Fort built in 1672 situated by the shore and shows Dutch colonial rule. However, the Fort is now in a state of disrepair.

Relax leisurely at the beach & stay overnight Negombo.

Day 2 Negombo / Yapahuwa / Anuradhapura

After breakfast leave for Anuradhapura en-route visit Yapahuwa. From the 13^th Century, has been a short-live capital of medieval era. The citadel of Yapahuwa nearby Kurunegala was built around a huge granite rock which has a quick rise almost hundred meters above the surrounding lowlands; built on a huge 90 meter high rock boulder similar in style to Sigiriya rock fortress. Due to South Indian Invasions it has been abandoned and was later inhabited by Buddhist monks as a  rock shelter/cave, indicating that earlier this site was used as a Buddhist monastery.

Check-in at the hotel in Anuradhapura PM, visit the World Heritage Anuradhapura, the first Royal capital founded in the 5^th century BC which is known to have the largest number of ancient monuments.  After visit the prominent sacred sites in the city, Sri Mahabodhi and Ruwanweli Mahaseya. There are many stone sculptures and some most popular stone Buddha Statues in this historical kingdom.

Return to the hotel in Anuradhapura for an overnight stay.

Day 3 Anuradhapura / Sigiriya / Polonnaruwa / Cultural Triangle

After breakfast leave for Polonnaruwa and en-route visit Sigiriya, located in the north-central part of Sri Lanka which preserves the architectural tradition of the country. The town is famous for the historical Sigiriya Rock Fortress which is over 1000 years older and has landscaped gardens, water fountains and the sanctuary. The famous “Sigiriya Apsara or Damsels of Sigiriya ” the frescoes of heavenly maidens add the charming art and the colour to the Rock.

PM, the final visit of the day will be Polonnaruwa – the second ancient capital city for over three centuries with many well-preserved ruins of palaces and monasteries. You will witness many brick structures and monuments in addition to the stone monuments, and Temples, Monuments, Lakes, Pagodas improved by ancient Kings. The Parakrama Samudra (means the Ocean of Parakrama) is a very large manmade lake in Polonnaruwa built during the rule of The King Parakrama Bahu the Great.

Enjoy stay with another overnight in the Cultural Triangle

Day 4 Cultural Triangle / Dambulla / Nalanda Gedige / Matale / Kandy

After breakfast leave for Kandy. En-route visit Dambulla.  The Dambulla cave complex also known as the Royal Golden Rock Cave Temple dates back to 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. in the Sri Lankan history. Even before the making of the complex it was well established as one of the largest monasteries in Sri Lanka. The Dambulla caves have been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The area is also known for bird watching.

You will next visit Nalanda Gedige the Abu Simbel of Sri Lanka. Nalanda Gedige is one out of a number of remarkable archaeological sites in Sri Lanka. Buddhist – Hindu hybrid Architecture and the Sculpture is prominent and unique feature of the site. Continuation to the cultural triangle zone.

En route visit a spice garden and a batik factory in Matale.

Later, PM, arrive at the hotel in Kandy. the last Kingdom of ancient Sri Lanka and the Royal Capital under the King’s Rule until the British Invasion in 1815. Then visit the most sacred Buddhist establishment in Sri Lanka – the Temple of Tooth at the evening ceremony.

Overnight stay in Kandy

Day 5 Kandy / Pinnawela / Kandy

Breakfast at hotel and travel to Pinnawala about one-hour drive from Kandy to visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, one of the most popular attractions in Sri Lanka. It fosters the biggest herd of captive elephants in the world.  Pinnawala elephant Orphanage is home for about 85 elephants who are being taken cared, fed and trained by the wild life authorities. You can witness the elephants bathing in the nearby river in the morning and in the afternoon.

Later return travel to Kandy. PM, site seeing of Kandy City, the 2^nd highest tourists visiting city in Sri Lanka. A complete tour around the Bogambara lake is relaxing for its cool breeze and it also gives an insight to the way of life in Kandy. You can visit Kandy Museum too, which is located nearby Kandy Temple that was earlier the Royal Palace of the King and the Queens Quarters has been located in the present Museum. Mainly the Kandyan Handicraft historical and modern are at display including weapons, jewellery, tools and other artefacts. In the evening you can view a Cultural Dance. Then visit the most sacred Buddhist establishment in Sri Lanka – the Temple of Tooth at the evening ceremony,

Return to the hotel for the overnight stay.

Day 6 Kandy / Peradeniya / Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast visit the royal botanical gardens of Peradeniya which is best known for having the largest collection of orchids in Asia and many other varieties of plants.

Later leave for Nuwara Eliya – the centre of the hill country. Enjoy a plenty of eye-catching and heart-touching places and spend the evening walking in the cool climate.

The overnight stay at Nuwara Eliya.

Day 7 Nuwara Eliya / Ella / Buduruwagala / Yala

After breakfast leave for Tissamaharama region stop at Ella to admire the magnificent view.

This  small town Ella is used as a base for plenty of trekking expeditions to the surrounding countryside. Some of the places you could see in Ella are the Ella Gap, Rawana Ella Falls, Little Adams Peak and Bambaragala Peak among many other varied pleasant walks with stunning scenery. Trekking & Hiking of Little Adams Peak both for scenic beauty and as sport activity is popular among visitors to Ella. Later visit Buduruwagala, the seven colossal figures carved out of a rock face at Buduruwagala. The rock itself resembles a kneeling elephant with its head bowed and the end of the folded trunk is its mouth The term Buduruwagala means ”the rock with the statue of Buddha”, this is exactly what it is.  PM, you will travel by Private Jeep for a safari in the Yala National Park. The breath-taking view of the wild elephants are undoubtedly the best known attraction at Yala, seen in small and large herds. The park is also known for herds of spotted deer as well as monkeys like the Pinkish Rhesus and the Grey-faced Langur. You can see the other animals like Wild buffalo & wild boar , If you are lucky sight of a leopard and colourful Peacocks too.

Proceed to Tissamaharama or Kataragama and stay overnight at the hotel.

Day 8 Kataragama / Weligama / Galle / Beach Stay

After breakfast in the morning you would then pay a visit to the sacred city of Kataragama

Kataragama is where another great pilgrim shrine popular with Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and indigenous Vedda communities of Sri Lanka and of South India. Daily poojas are conducted in the morning and evening, which draw large crowds . Kataragama Esala Maha Perahara; a grand procession held on the Esala Full moon Poya Day which falls on July – August.

Later you will leave to South Coast, a Travel via Galle, en route view the stilt fisherman of Weligama as they fish. The visit to the Old Portuguese fort, later rebuilt and extended by the Dutch is still well preserved. Galle, the capital of the southern province is a city which is declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The Dutch Reformed Church; the significant of the building is, there are no pillars inside the building and the weight of the roof is supported by the walls. The Galle Fort is declared too as a World Heritage site; an earliest European administrative centre over 4 centuries of Sri Lanka was the major port and the largest city until the British shifted the port to Colombo. The journey includes a stay at a beach hotel.

In the evening relax, enjoy your beach overnight stay.

Day 9  Beach Stay

Relax at the beach hotel, overnight stay at the hotel.

Day 10 Beach / Colombo (Optional City Tour) / Airport

After breakfast transfer to the airport to connect to your flight for departure. Rooms till 12h00 in the afternoon.

The commercial and financial centre of Sri Lanka, links the past with the present. This is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins. You will witness several performing art centres such as the Lionel Wendt Theatre, the Elphinstone and the Tower Hall, the world trade centre, the Independence Square, St. Paul’s church – one of the oldest churches in Sri lanka, The National Museum – housed in a grand colonial building, the Colombo Fort and Pettah – Colombo’s bustling bazaar area.