Sri Lanka is an exciting holiday destination, with beautiful landscapes, spicy culinary traditions, and amazing wildlife, not to mention the colourful festivals in this multi-cultural nation.
Tour Overview
Arrival in Colombo
Upon arrival at the Colombo International Airport, our tour manager will welcome and guide you to the hotel. Complete the check-in formalities and spend some time relaxing in the hotel. Later, head to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to spend quality time with the elephants.
The Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage was opened in 1975 to provide shelter to baby elephants abandoned by poaching, hunting, or deforestation. Visitors can learn firsthand how the centre cares for these animals and enjoy watching them bathe in the nearby river.
You can also feed the elephants if you visit them during their feeding time, which is from 9.15 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and from 14.15 p.m. to 14.45 p.m.
Later, head to Kandy, which is about two hours from Pinnawala. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day exploring the area. Spend the night at a luxury hotel in Kandy.
Kandy City Tour
After breakfast, head out to explore Kandy City. This medieval city has several cultural and historical attractions, including the Temple of the Tooth Relic, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Begin your Kandy city tour with a visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, or the Temple of the Tooth Relic, which is believed to hold a tooth of the Buddha. Every year, Buddhists celebrate the Kandy Esala Perahara, an annual procession in which the sacred tooth is paraded on a majestic elephant adorned with a majestic golden casket.
Other attractions in Kandy include the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Bahirawakanda Temple, Kandy Lake, and the Ceylon Tea Museum. The Royal Botanical Garden was founded in 1371 and was once only allowed to royalty. The garden has thousands of flora and fauna, including orchids, bamboo, weeping figs, and an extensive spice garden. The Botanical Garden is also home to the exclusive coco de mer, the world’s largest seed, popularly called double coconut.
Spend the night in Kandy.
Kandy – Colombo
After breakfast, check out of the hotel and head to Colombo. The drive takes around 4 hours and is very scenic. Check into your Colombo hotel to spend the rest of the evening at leisure. Some attractions you will visit in the capital city include the Viharamadevi Temple, Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihariya, and the Cathedral of St Lucia.
Don’t miss the Pettah market to shop for unique souvenirs, including handcrafted masks, porcelain tableware, Ceylon tea, and the BMICH to see the replica of the Avukana Budda statue.
Spend the night at a Colombo hotel.
Colombo Day Two
Today, after breakfast, you will spend the day shopping at the many street markets and malls in Colombo. You can buy gemstones, Ceylon tea, spices, wooden masks, handloom textiles, and even saris in Sri Lanka.
Some of the best places for shopping include Pettah Market, Galle Face Green Fair, Liberty Plaza, and the Arcade Independence Square.
Depart Colombo
Bid adieu to Sri Lanka as you check out of the hotel and head to the Colombo International Airport to catch your flight home.
