A Glimpse of Royal Culture
Day 01
Airport to Kalutara
82kms approx.
2hrs.
Arrival at the Colombo international airport, a warm welcome by Royal Holidays Sri Lanka. Transfer to Kalutara.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 02
Kalutara to Yala via Galle
280kms approx.
4 ½ hrs
Places of interest : Galle Fort , Yala national park .
Breakfast at the hotel En route, visit the ancient city of Galle. Visit the Dutch Fort of Galle. The Galle Fort, also known as The Dutch Fort or the “Ramparts of Galle”, withstood the Boxing Day tsunami which damaged part of the coastal area of Galle Town. It has since been restored. The Galle Fort also houses the elite Amangalla resort hotel, located near the Dutch Reformed Church. It was originally built in 1684 to house the Dutch Governor and his staff. It was then converted into a hotel and named the New Oriental Hotel in 1865, which catered to the European passengers traveling between Europe and Galle Port in the 19th century.
Yala National Park Safari is located in the southeastern corner of the island, approximately 1259 kilometers south of Colombo. The landscape is varied, with flat plains interspersed with rocky outcrops. The vegetation varies between open parkland and dense jungle. An abundance of elephants is the local specialty. Yala is Sri Lanka’s largest national park and home to wild elephants, wild boar, wild buffalo, leopards, bears, deer, and crocodiles. Large flocks of migratory and indigenous birds can also be seen by visitors.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Yala.
Day 03
Yala to Ella
126kms approx.
3 ½ hrs
Places of interest : Little adam’s peak, Ravana Water Falls , 9 arch bridge in Demodara.
Breakfast at the hotel Proceed to Ella. Visit surroundings of Ella.
Climbing up the Little Adams Peak in Ella is one of the favorite activities of tourists where they can enjoy the view of the valley, relax, and connect with other travelers. The drive from Ella Town to the foothills of Little Adams Peak takes about 45 minutes, and the summit takes about 15 minutes. While some might find the climb a bit tiring, the whole journey is very pleasing while passing through the local villages and tea plantations.
Ravana Waterfall When it comes to Ella sightseeing, it is a must to visit the famous Ravana Waterfall. It is one of the main waterfalls to see in Ella and is located at a distance of just 10 minutes from the city center. One can also find tent accommodation being set up along with snacks as well as souvenirs near the waterfall site. While the views are breathtaking indeed, it is a perfect spot to enjoy some quality time with friends and family.
Dinner & overnight stay at the hotel in Ella
Day 04
Ella to Kandy via Nuwara Eliya
130 kms
5 ½ approx.
Places of interest : Tea Factory , Nuwara Eliya , Ramboda Water Fall
Breakfast at the hotel En route, Visit a tea factory in Nuwara Eliya on the way. Visit a tea plantation and a tea factory, where some of the world’s best tea is produced. You will learn about the tea manufacturing process and see how tea is graded. In the factory, try a cup of pure Ceylon tea. In Nuwara Eliya, take a city and sightseeing tour. Nuwara Eliya is the premier hill resort in Sri Lanka, with a fine, bracing mountain climate. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of tea country in Sri Lanka, producing half of the world’s best tea. Pidurutalagala, Sri Lanka’s highest mountain, is located here. Kandy’s surroundings are worth seeing.
Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Kandy
Day 05
Enjoy Esala Perahera
Temple of tooth relic
Breakfast at the hotel, in the evening, enjoy the Perahera Festival in Kandy.
The Kandy Esala Perahera (the Esala procession of Kandy) is a grand festival celebrated with elegant costumes and is held in July and August in Kandy, Sri Lanka. This historical procession is held annually to pay homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of Lord Buddha, which is housed at the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy. A unique symbol of Sri Lanka, the procession consists of many traditional local dances such as fire-dances, whip-dances, Kandyan dances, and various other cultural dances, in addition to the elephants, who are usually adorned with lavish garments. The festival ends with the traditional diya-kepeema ritual, a water cutting ceremony which is held at the Mahaweli River at Getambe, Kandy.
Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 06
Kandy to Sigiriya
93 kms approx..
3 ½ hrs
Places of interest : Spice Garden , Rock cave temple in Dambulla
Breakfast at the hotel Proceed towards Sigiriya. En route, visit a spice garden to see the different spices that Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed.
Visit Dambulla Rock Temple: It was built by King Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. 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 ceilings is the largest area of painted walls in the world. The caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha, of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha, carved out of rock and spanning 14 meters.
Overnight stay at the hotel in Sigiriya.
Day 07
Places of interest : Rock fortress in Sigiriya, Village safari – Catamaran ride , Traditional Village Lunch
Breakfast at the hotel Enjoy a Jeep Safari in Minneriya National Park. Minneriya National Park in view of the famous gathering of the wild elephant herds. The gathering is documented as the largest known meeting place of Asian elephants in the world. During the dry season of August to September each year, herds of up to 300 elephants are seen within a few square kilometers of the vast Minneriya Reservoir. This elephant gathering is a thrilling spectacle that will be remembered for the rest of the lives of all those who were fortunate enough to witness it. Over 24 species of mammals and over 170 species of birds have been recorded here, and of the 25 species of reptiles recorded in the park, eight are endemic.
Afternoon Enjoy a village safari in Hiriwaduwna . The trek begins with an awesome walk along the bank of a wewa, or manmade reservoir. The reservoir itself, the surrounding scrub jungle, marshland, and village are a hive of early morning or evening activity. The amazing birdlife, butterflies, and possible sightings of crocodiles only add to the charm of seeing the villagers as they go about their early morning tasks of fishing or washing clothes at the periphery of the lake.
01 Hour Catamaran Safari
The sense of adventure increases when you need to obtain a Chena Cultivation via a slightly larger tributary that must be crossed on a catamaran!
At the Chena cultivation, you will stop to enjoy the farmer’s humble hospitality. Perhaps enjoy a drink of sweet King Coconut/Aromatic ginger tea or some other seasonal fruit. While on the catamaran, you may see peacocks, green pigeons, comorans, green bitters, kingfishers, eagles, and many other birds, as well as land and water monitors.
Traditional village lunch at a local house
Finally, after experiencing the cart ride and the catamaran safari, the next is the traditional lunch at a local house prepared by the village women.
This is arranged in a typical and traditional buffet style (clay pots – buffet), served on a lotus leaf and a cane thatched flat holder. (Guests could be invited to participate in cooking the meals) . Overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 08
Sigiriya to Negombo
175kms approx.
4 ½ hrs
Places of interest: Fish Market / Negombo Town / Catholic church & Old Dutch Canal.
Breakfast at the hotel and proceed to Negombo. In the evening, do a city tour of Negombo. The major beach resort on the West Coast is Negombo. The wide sandy beaches and the safe sea are the major attractions of Negombo, a traditional fishing town. Besides the beach, the fish market is worth visiting, where busy trading of a variety of fish, including prawns, crabs, and seaweed, takes place in the mornings when the fishing crafts return to the shore with their catch. The most popular fishing craft is the outrigger canoe called the oruwa, dug out from a huge log and seen in large numbers in the Negombo-lagoon.
Dinner & overnight stay at the hotel in Negombo.
Day 09
Negombo to Airport
12 kms
15 mins
We wish you farewell as our Chauffeur Guide drives you to the airport to catch your return trip home because all wonderful things must come to an end.