KANDY & THE TEA COUNTRY
Day 1
This tour begins with a visit to the elephant orphanage at Pinnewhala. An 8 am start will see us there by 11 am and in time for the daily washing and bathing of the herd in the nearby river. A great start to any trip. The journey continues on to Kandy with an optional elephant ride on the way.
Arrive at Kandy around 4pm for an evening show of the acrobatic & colourful Kandy Dancers and an exhibition of fire-walking. Supper & sleep.
Day 2
The day begins at around 8 am with a trip to one of the most sacred sites of Sri Lankan Buddhism – the Temple of the Tooth – before continuing on to the spectacular Botanical gardens at Peredeniya just outside the city. After a walk around the gardens & a little refreshment in the garden café, the trip continues on and upwards into the stunning Hill Country of the tea plantations. On the way to the hill capital of Nuraya Eliya we stop at a tea factory to see the whole process of tea-making from leaf to pot before enjoying a cup or two of the finished product. Delicious! Arrive at Nuraya Eliya. Supper & sleep.
Day 3
The morning is spent in Nuraya Eliya where the golf enthusiast can enjoy a round on the famous Victoria course built by the Royal Engineers over a hundred years ago and still one of the most beautiful in Asia. (Shoes & Clubs available for Hire.)
Others may just like to stroll around the picturesque town, maybe visit the Ascot race-course or do some shopping. Afternoon it’s back on the bus and a ride along the south coast to Hikkaduwa. A memorable trip.
THE CULTURAL TRIANGLE
This tour is a must for culture vultures and anyone with an interest in
History or Buddhism. The trip described here takes 5 days and 4 nights but can be combined with a trip to the Tea Country to extend it to 6 or 7 days.
Day 1
The tour begins with the drive to Anuradhapura - the first capital of the Buddhist kingdom of Sri Lanka which was built around 300 B.C. and was one of the largest cities on earth until its abandonment some thousand years later. Arriving mid-afternoon – the rest of the day is given over to relaxing.
Day2
Today is given over to the exploration of the ruined city – only rediscovered in the 19th century and the scene of major archaeological excavations likely to continue for another 20 years or more - and we are lucky to have the services as guide of Mr Edirisinghe, a retired archaeological officer with an encyclopaedic knowledge of the site where he has worked and lived for most of his life. About 4 pm we leave Anuradhapura for a short drive to our hotel for the night near the spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya. Supper & sleep.
Day 3
We start after breakfast at around 8am with a chance to climb the Sigiriya rock before the full heat of the day is upon us. Built around 480 A.D. the 200 metre rock is surrounded by moats and approached through water gardens but the real treat is at the top where lies the remains of a royal palace, complete with swimming pool, and affording impossible beautiful view for miles over the surrounding countryside. After the descent and refreshments, we continue with a short drive to our next stop, the beautiful cave temples of Dambulla.
From Dambulla we continue on to our next overnight stop at Polonnaruwa – the second capital of the Buddhist kingdom. Supper & sleep.
Day 4
Today we begin with a tour of the ancient city site of Polonnaruwa which was capital from around 1000 A.D. until the 15th century and is consequently somewhat better preserved than Anuradhapura. After the pure Buddhist architecture of the latter it is interesting to see the re-emergence of many of the old Hindu gods featured in the buildings of Polonnaruwa. The huge cliffside sculptures of the Buddhaare also particularly striking.
After our tour around Polonnaruwa we return to the road for the drive to Kandy, where we see an evening show of Kandy dance before supper and sleep.
Day 5
The day begins with a visit to the Tooth Temple followed by a walk around the superb botanical gardens at Peredeniya. A lunch stop and we return to Hikkaduwa for the evening with an optional elephant ride en route.
SOUTH COAST, KATARAGAMA AND YALA
This makes for a pleasant overnight trip and is a must for the wildlife enthusiast. Our journey takes us along the South coast to Matara where we stop to visit the Dutch ‘Star Fort’ and take some lunch. The journey continues on to Dikwella for a brief stop to see the famous ‘blow-hole’ before continuing to Dondra Head – the most southerly point of the island – and on through beautiful Tangalle to our overnight stop near Yala National Park. The evening is taken up with supper and a short visit to the temple complex at Kataragama – a sacred place to all Sri Lankans. Next morning we start early with a dawn land rover journey into the park where we can hope to see elephants, wild boar, crocodiles, deer and many more animals - maybe even the elusive Sri Lankan leopard! Lunch followed by a leisurely return drive to Hikkaduwa.
ADAM’S PEAK
For the really energetic (or maybe a little crazy) visitor, an overnight journey to the sacred mountain of Sri Pada or Adam’s Peak is highly recommended. During the pilgrim season from December to April, thousands of people climb the 2224 metre mountain to see the sacred footprint (variously believed to be that of Adam/Buddha/Shiva/Mohammed) and watch the most spectacular sunrise as the shadow of the mountain advances with the rising sun. The route is well-lit with tea/chai shops liberally spaced along the way and the climb should take the averagely-fit adult about 3 hours.
Leave Hotel: 10 pm
Arrive Sri Pada & begin climb: 2 am
Reach peak: approx. 5-5:30 am
Start descent: 7-8 am
Breakfast: 11 am
Return to hotel: approx. 3pm
The foregoing is only a selection of possible tours and by no means exhausts the possibilities for the adventurous traveller. Hot-Air ballooning and white-water rafting (both Nov-Apr) are also within striking distance of an A/C van ride. Most commonly, visitors sit down with our guides and plan their own tailored tour to take in the sights and activities that they please at the pace they choose.
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