Negombo

Approximately 37 km north of Colombo at the mouth of the Negombo lagoon. The economy of this town is based on tourism and its centuries-old fishing industry. The name Negombo was first used by the Portuguese and was a trading port during the Portuguese and Dutch colonization. Negombo offers some of the best beaches on the West coast of Sri Lanka and draws tourists who stop over on their way to or from the airport.

Negombo Lagoon and City tour

The Negombo Lagoon has an area of 3164 hectares and is part of a much larger Muthurajawela Marsh – Negombo Lagoon coastal wetland. The fishermen of the Negombo lagoon live in object poverty in small, thatch palm villages on the water's edge. For generations the lagoon has provided the fishermen with a plentiful supply of crabs, shrimp and many of the native species of fish.
The Dutch Canal was the supply route to the Dutch Administration, old Churches and fishing villages. The 100 km long Canal running through the town is still used and is an attraction for those who want to see the country from a different perspective.

Anuradhapura

Anuradhapura is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, famous for its well-known preserved ruins of ancient Lanka civilization. The city, now a UNESCO ''World Heritage Site'' and situated in Northern Sri Lanka and the capital of the North Central Province. Established in 4th century B.C it was the first capital of Sri Lanka and remained until 8th century A.D. ''THE SACRED BO TREE'' grown a sapling under which Lord Buddha attained enlightenment is the oldest living tree in the documented history. The city is considered very sacred to Buddhists and home to some of the largest DAGABOS in Sri Lanka.
Three main monasteries Mahavihara, Abayagiriya, Jetawanarama was started with Royal patronage. Those monastery and King helped to develop civilians’ lifestyle, economy and health. According to ''MAHAWANSA'', Anuradhapura kingdom was self-sufficient. Most of were engaged in Agriculture, life was very simple and less worries

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa was mediaeval capital of Sri Lanka, and today it is one of the most beautiful centers of our cultural heritage. Polonnaruwa succeeded Anuradhapura as capital of the island now called Sri Lanka at the end of the 10th century. The Indian Chola Dynasty ruled the island at that moment but after they were driven out Polonnaruwa remained the capital. The city had its cultural heyday under the leadership of King Parakramabahu 1 in the 12th century, the buildings, parks and the large tank date from this period.
Visit the ancient ruins and the Gal Vihara Complex, where three very large Buddha statues are carved out of a single rock.

Minneriya National Park or Kaudulla National Park

Minneriya National Park is located at the center of the Cultural Triangle. The dry season from June to September is best time to visit the 8890-hectare park when the ancient tank dries out. During this time, it is possible to see herds of up to 150 elephants feeding and bathing. Minneriya closest by car to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa, was upgraded from a Natural Reserve to a National Park because of the increased number of tourists arriving to see the elephants.
Kaudulla National Park is around the ancient Kaudulla tank and provides a 6656-hectare elephant corridor, only 6 km from the main Habarana-Trincomalee road. Herds of Elephants up to 250 could be seen mainly in the month of October.

Sigiriya

Climb the 5th century Sigriya Rock Fortress – which is a UNESCO ''World Heritage Site'', built by 'King Kashyapa (477-495 AD)'. The ''Lion Rock'' is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the green scrub jungle, Its perhaps the most memorable place for visitors to Sri Lanka. The site was known from ancient times as a hermitage for Buddhist monks. A well-planned monastic complex includes caved temples, bathing pools, lovely ponds and Asia's oldest surviving landscaped gardens. Today Sigiriya is famous for its ''Frescos Painted'' in the pocket of the rock. The ''Lion Stairway’’, the ''Mirror Wall'' and the ''Water Gardens'' are the other highlights of Sigiriya.

Dambulla Rock Cave Temple

Visit Dambulla rock Cave temple also known as the Golden temple of Dambulla. Dambulla rock temple was built by 'King Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C and it is UNESCO ''World Heritage Site''. Comprised of 05 caves and a picturesque facade carved into the side of a steep rock face, the Dambulla Cave Temple houses ancient statues and paintings depicting Lord Buddha and his life. This is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.

Kandy

Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan kings which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name “Kandy” conjures visions of splendour and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Evening visiting the Kandyan culture show.

Peradeniya Botanical Garden

Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya is about 5.5 km to the west from the city of Kandy in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It attracts 2 million visitors annually. It is near the Mahaweli River (the longest in Sri Lanka).It is renowned for its collection of orchids. The garden includes more than 4000 species of plants, including orchids, spices, medicinal plants and palm trees. Attached to it is the National Herbarium of Sri Lanka. The total area of the botanical garden is 147 acres (0.59 km2), at 460 meters above sea level, and with a 200-day annual rainfall. It is managed by the Division of National Botanic Gardens of the Department of Agriculture.

Kandy City Tour

Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. Visit the Bazaar area, Arts & Crafts centre, a gem museum and a lapidary etc, you could visit a Gem Museum & shops in the area which is famous for so many years about the gems & Jewellery industry. Ceylon Gems brings you the highest quality natural gems for provide a wide range of gemstones that include blue, white, sapphires, chrysobery cats eye, tourmaline, garnet, topaz.

Kandyan Culture Show

Witness the Kandyan Dance a pageant of traditional Sri Lankan dance that flourished in the hill country during ancient times. The dancers are attired in frilled costumes with glistening head-dresses and breastplates. They skip and whirl to the beat of the drums executing astonishing acrobatics in mid-air. The highlight of the performance is the fire-walking at the end of the pageant.

Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa)

Visit the ''Dalada Maligawa'' – where the sacred Tooth Relic is placed and preserved is undoubtedly the greatest attraction of the city. It is one of the most sacred places for Buddhists all over the world. Watch the traditional rituals performed daily by the religious dignitaries of the temple in keeping with the cultural heritage of county. Next you will visit the ''Raja Wasala'' – the Royal Palace complex adjoining the Temple of Tooth where the Council Chamber known as the ''Magul Maduwa'' is seen. This is a unique wooden pillared hall dating back to 1784 and the Devale complexes are housed inside.

Gadaladeniya temple, Lankathilaka, Embekke temple

Gadaladeniya temple, Lankathilaka temple and Embekke temple are three temples dedicated to the teaching of Buddha. These are some of the most important places for tourist, who visit the city of Kandy during their Sri Lanka road trip. These three temples are considered as 3 major important Buddhist temples with historical background. The temples believed to be originated during the Gampola period. The temples showcase the highly advanced construction methods of the ancient craftsmen of Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the temples are decorated with intricate floral designs and wood carvings. Especially the Embekke Devala is considered as a masterpiece of Ancient artisans.

Kithulgala

The Academy Award-winning movie The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge Kitulgala is the base for white-water rafting in Sri Lanka but there are myriad of leisure and adventure activities that can be done in Kutulgala
Experience White Water Rafting in the picturesque Kelani River. Covering 5 major rapids and 4 minor rapids. This activity is for anyone above the age of 10 years with safety gear, modern rafts, and a comprehensive safety briefing will be given by the white-water rafting instructors beforehand. The distance covered is around 5 KMs. The river and its surrounding will make you feel enchanted, with a memorable Experience during your WhiteWater Rafting Tour in Kitulagala

Adam's Peak

Adam's Peak is a 2,243 m (7,359 ft) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. It is well known for the Sri Pada, i.e., "sacred footprint", a 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) rock formation near the summit, which in Buddhist tradition is held to be the footprint of the Buddha, in Hindu tradition that of Shiva and in Islamic and Christian tradition that of Adam, or that of St. Thomas. (Please note that from the full moon day of December to the full moon day of May it is possible to climb Adams Peak. This is optional and you need to be very fit to attempt this. You would leave at midnight on day 8 From here it is a strenuous 4 hour climb to the top in time for sunrise. We then return to hotel in the morning on day 9).

Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya which means the ''City of Lights'' is also known as the city of eternal spring, where the air is pure, cool and distilled up through 1884 meters. The city established by the British in the 19th century and known as ''LITTLE ENGLAND'' and is a popular holiday resort for Sri Lankans & tourists due to its cool climate and quaint colonial feel with its little bungalows surrounded by hedgerows.

Afternoon Visit Ceylon Tea plantation and Factory

Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of the tea country and you can visit a plantation and a factory en route here and witness how the famous ''Ceylon Tea'' is brewed. A journey through narrow passes, beside deep ravines and over gushing streams to the hill country of Sri Lanka is a very enjoyable one.

Horton Plains National Park

Around 05:30 hrs after bed tea and geared with picnic breakfast leave for Horton Plains National Park. This park covers an extent of 3162 hectares and 7200 ft above sea level. An hour's drive from Nuwara Eliya will bring you it these Plains which is the only one that could be toured by foot. Endemic Sender Loris and purple monkey are among the important animal species in addition to Sambhur and the occasional Leopard. Wild elephants have been found in the very early days. This park is a habitat for many endemic birds and butterflies.
Trek to World's End a vertical drop of 1312 meters and the Baker's Falls is an experience. From here you could see the surrounding hills and the mountain ranges. The best period to visit is during the months of April to August.
Please note that at times, particularly in peak season, the train may be extremely busy and as a result we cannot guarantee that the group will be allocated seats together for this train ride. We get off at Ella, a town relatively untouched by tourism.

Train trip

Train trip from Nanu Oya to Ella is the most beautiful and picturesque train trip in Sri Lanka
Leave for Nanu Oya Railway Station to board the train to Ella, which leaves at 12:35 hrs. This is a beautiful scenic train ride through tea plantation, many waterfalls- an experience never to forget. Most of the time you have to travel in the train standing, along with the local people. The train will reach Ella Railway Station around 15:15 hrs
The driver will pick you up from Ella Railway Station and take you to the Hotel.

Ella

Ella is a little village paradise in the central highlands of Sri Lanka. This sleepy mountain village, with a view, is the perfect base for relaxing, whilst also offering lots of fantastic walks through tea plantations to temples and waterfalls. Some of the places you could see in Ella are Ella Gap, Ravana Ella Waterfall, Little Adams Peak and Bambaragala Peak among the other many varied pleasant walks with stunning sceneries and through the clean and cheap restaurants and many of small shops.
Ella with its perfect climate soothes your mind and makes your day to day anxieties feel a world away. It reminds one of a hot English summer, hot during the day and cool at night. Most foreign tourists would like to spend a couple of days there. When you are travelling out of town you could find plenty of things to keep you occupied

Nine Arch Bridge

This viaduct was built at Gotuwala between the two railway stations – Ella and Demodara during the British Colonial period is the largest in Sri Lanka. Located almost 3100 feet above the sea level, this 99.6ft high bridge is called “Ahas namaye palama” (Nine skies bridge) in Sinhala. When one stands underneath it and looks up there is a beautiful sight of ‘nine skies’ through the nine arches, hence the Sinhala name. This bridge is also called ‘The Bridge in the sky’ due to the sheer height. This massive bridge is built entirely of solid rocks, bricks and cement without using a single piece of steel. The bridge was finally commissioned in 1921.

Ravana Ella

The Ravana Falls is a popular sightseeing attraction in Sri Lanka. It currently ranks as one of the widest falls in the country. This waterfall measures approximately 25 m (82 ft) in height and cascades from an oval-shaped concave rock outcrop. During the local wet season, the waterfall turns into what is said to resemble an area flower with withering petals. But this is not the case in the dry season, where the flow of water reduces dramatically. The falls form part of the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary and is located 6 km (3.7 mi) away from the local railway station at Ella.

Yala National Park

Yala National Park is the most visited and second largest national park in Sri Lanka. The park consists of five blocks, two of which are now open to the public, and adjoining parks. The blocks have individual names such as, Ruhuna National Park (block 1) and Kumana National Park or 'Yala East' for the adjoining area. It is situated in the southeast region of the country and lies in Southern Province and Uva Province. The park covers 979 square kilometres (378 sq mi) and is located about 300 kilometres (190 mi) from Colombo. Yala was designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and, along with Wilpattu was one of the first two national parks in Sri Lanka, having been designated in 1938. The park is best known for its variety of wild animals. It is important for the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants, Sri Lankan leopards and aquatic birds.

Stilt Fisherman Waligama

The fishing village of Weligama is famous for the fishing technique used by the fishermen of the village. They cast their lines out while balancing themselves quite cleverly on a 20-50-meter pole in the shallow waters, which gives its name, stilt fishing. Even though the origins of this strange way of fishing is yet unknown, this may be a good opportunity to chat up a few fishermen who take pride in this unique technique where the fishing poles are guarded with their life and handed down from one generation to another. (20 min visit)

Galle

Galle was the center of the Dutch regime in the 17th century and the majestic Galle Fort bears testimony to this fact. The City of Galle is one of the well-preserved colonial-era cities in Southeast Asia and has been declared a '' World Heritage City ''. The Dutch Museum, Groote Kerk (Great Church) and the National Maritime Museum are two famous tourist attractions in Galle. International Cricket Stadium has also contributed to enhance the image of the city as a sports destination.

Turtle Hatchery

This Hatchery, run by the Wildlife Protection Society of Sri Lanka, was started in 1981 to protect local turtles from extinction. The hatchery pays fishermen for eggs that they collect at night along the sandy beach. Visitors can see large glass tanks full of newborn turtle hatchlings. After being fed, the baby turtles are taken to the ocean and released, at the age of 2-4 days. Although October-April is the main laying season, eggs can be found at Kosgoda throughout the year.
The five species of marine turtles found in Sri Lanka are, the Green Turtle, the Leatherback, the Hawksbill, the Loggerhead and the Olive Ridley. Marine turtles have been roaming the seas for about 190 million years now, but among the numerous types of species there once were, only eight of them exist today.

Colombo

Colombo is the largest city and commercial capital of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte. Colombo is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life, colonial buildings and ruins. Due to its large harbor and strategic position along the East West sea-trade routes. Colombo was known to ancient traders 2000 years ago. In 1978 administrative functions were moved to Sri Jayawardanapura and Colombo was designated as the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. The population of the Colombo District is 2.25 Million and famous landmarks include Gall Face Green, Viharamahadevi Park, Old Parliament, Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, Independence Square, Buddhist and Hindu Temples and the Town Hall.