On arrival you will be met by your Walkers driver guide for a city tour of Colombo including visits to the Commercial, Residential and Bazaar areas. Colombo has long been the traditional gateway to the Orient and the original traders and settlers - the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and the British have all left in their wake churches and monuments, names and religions, costumes and food influences. Today Colombo is a fascinating city - a happy belnd of east and west, past and present with a charm off its own. Enjoy your drive seeing the key sights before checking into your hotel for your first night’s stay. Dinner included.

Accommodation: Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel (Superior Room) or similar

After breakfast leave for Habarana driving through typical village scenery, rice fields and coconut plantations. Check into your hotel at Habarana. Then in the afternoon enjoy a Jeep Safari at Minneriya National Park. Minneriya reservoir and its surrounding wetland habitat is inhabited by a large number of aquatic bird species in addition to elephants. Sambar and Spotted deer are other wild animals roam the park. The park is located between Habarana and Polonnaruwa. Breakfast and Dinner are included.

Accommodation: Cinnamon Lodge Hotel (Superior Room) or similar

Travel time approximately 4.5 hours.

After breakfast take an excursion to Sigiriya – this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a spectacular Rock Fortress, is one of Sri Lanka’s major attractions. The most impressive facets of the unique complex are the Water Gardens, the Frescoes of beautiful maidens, the Mirror Wall with ancient graffiti, the Lion platform and the Summit of 1.6 hectares, which was completely covered by buildings during the period of Sigiriya’s glory. Built by King Kashyapa (477-495 A.D), the “Lion Rock” is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200m from the scrub jungle. Afterwards visit a Batik workshop and watch the complicated and time consuming home industry of handmade batik.

Then in the afternoon there is a choice of two optional excursions:-

Polonnaruwa Ancient City (US$35 Per Person. Minimum 2 pax)– this medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, rose to fame as the capital (10th - 12th century AD) after the decline of Anuradhapura. The entire landscape of the region is punctuated by huge man-made reservoirs, the most famous of which is the Parakrama Samudra or the Sea of Parakrama, larger in size than the Colombo harbour.  The monuments are relatively well preserved and give clear evidence of the glory of Sri Lanka's past. Highlights are the Royal Palace complex including the Kings Palace and Audience Hall, the Quadrangle with its concentration of ancient heritage and the spectacular Gal Vihare complex of four massive images of the Buddha, cut from a single slab of granite - a highlight of ancient Sri Lankan rock carving. Some of the best examples of the Hindu influence – the Temples of Shiva, intricate statues of Hindu Gods, fascinating Budhist temples, the Lankatileka and Watadage, the Galpotha, the Lotus bath, the Kiri Vihare Dagoba and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth are other impressive sights.

Hiriwadunna Village Tour (US$ 20.00 Per Person. Minimum 2 pax)
 - enjoy a tranquil evening walk, catamaran ride and a tour through the village of Hiriwadunna. Experience the calmness of a tropical village as you enjoy a cup of tea. This is a super jungle and village experience which is popular with most clients. Embark on a scintillating walk over village paths, a tank (ancient reservoir) bund and forest. Cross a little jungle rivulet by catamaran to reach a farmers simple "wattle and daub" house where you can have an authentic Sri Lankan lunch. The villager will provide some tea and maybe a few sweetmeats. Walk approximately half an hour by foot to a point where your vehicle meets you

Accommodation: Cinnamon Lodge Hotel (Superior Room) or similar

After breakfast enjoy an excursion to Dambulla Rock Caves, another UNESCO World Heritage Site which dates back to the 01st century BC. An amazing complex of 05 caves, first used as a refuge by an ancient king who on regaining his throne, commissioned magnificent carved images within the living rock. Later kings made further improvements and the caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is a colossal figure spanning 15 meters. After, visit a Spice Garden en route to Kandy to see spices growing in their natural habitat and learn about their use in Sri Lankan cuisine. Check in to your hotel in Kandy late afternoon for two nights.

Optional add on:-

Cooking Class with a Sri Lankan Lunch (US$40pp. Minimum 2 people) - enjoy a short cookery demonstration with the chef, who will explain the intracacies of the unique Sri Lankan cuisine, taking you step ny step through the process of a signature Sri Lankan dish.

Accommodation: Earls Regency Hotel(Deluxe Room) or similar

Travel time approximately 3.5 hours.

After breakfast visit the Royal Botanical Gardens.

The Botanical Gardens is 147 acres in extent, stated in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the Kings of Kandy. There are more than 5000 species of tree and plants. Some rare and endemics as well as flora from the tropical World. Spice Garden and Orchid House are popular with tourist. This is haven not only for Scientist but to every nature lovers as well. (02 hours Excursion)            

Afternoon sightseeing of Kandy including visit to the Temple of the much-revered Tooth Relic of the Buddha, Arts & Crafts Workshop, Oriental Market Place, Bazaar and a Gem Lapidary where clients can see how rough gems (particularly the famous Blue and Star sapphires) are mined, cut and polished using traditional methods.

In the evening, witness a Cultural Show with a display of several ancient and modern dance forms, exorcism and drum rhythms.

Accommodation: Earls Regency Hotel (Deluxe Room) or similar

After breakfast travel into the scenic mountains passing waterfalls and tea plantations on your way to Nuwara-Eliya, Sri Lanka's premier hill resort with a fine bracing mountain climate. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka's tea country, producing some of the world’s best tea.  The mountain slopes and valleys are a carpet of velvety green tea plantations, interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. Red or green roofed plantation bungalows, English country style homes and hotels with lovely flower gardens, a fine 18 hole golf course and a racecourse gives Nuwara Eliya a decidedly British character.

Afternoon visit a Tea Plantation and Factory and see how tea is made and take a walk through the plantation. Breakfast and Dinner are included.

Optional – Train Ride to Nuwara-Eliya instead of car (US$ 15.00 Per Person)

Take the scenic train journey to Nanu Oya, slowly winding its way up through vast tea plantations– pre booking necessary (1st class Air-conditioned cabin or 2nd Class reserved cabin). Guests will be picked up from Nanu Oya railway station and will be driven to the hotel in Nuwara Eliya.

** Please note that the train transfer cannot be guaranteed as the ticket sale only opens 21 days before travel. In the eventuality that no tickets are released the transfer will be done by road instead (3 hours) Whilst we will endeavour to purchase tickets for the morning train, it might be that clients will travel on the afternoon train instead. **

Accommodation: Golden Ridge Hotel (Deluxe Room) or similar

Travel time approximately 3.5 hours.

After breakfast descend from the hill country to Yala and enroute visit the Elephant Transit Home at Udawalawe, which is supported by the “Born Free Foundation”. This facility was established by the Sri Lankan government in 1995 with the purpose of rescuing and rehabilitating baby elephants that have become separated from their herd – and then returning them to the wild. This means that the wellbeing of these orphans is the primary objective of the facility, and visitors have to work around the demands of the rehabilitation programme. Continue onto Yala for a two-night stay.

Accommodation: Cinnamon Wild Hotel (Jungle Chalet), or similar

Travel time approximately 4.5 hours.

Enjoy an early morning jeep safari at Yala National Park. Yala is Sri Lanka’s most well known national park and is most famous for its elephants and also home to bear, crocodile and wild boar. Plus over recent years it has received fame through publicity by the National Geographic and the Discovery Channels which focussed on a leopard research / conservation and identification project. Claims have been made that Yala also has the highest concentration of leopard per square kilometre.

Enjoy a further jeep safari at the Yala National Park in the afternoon.

Accommodation: Cinnamon Wild Hotel (Jungle Chalet) or similar

After breakfast drive along the coast passing golden beaches on your way to the city of Galle, the port where the Portuguese first landed in Sri Lanka in 1505. Captured and fortified by the Dutch who ruled maritime Sri Lanka in the 17th and 18th centuries, the city still retains the air of old Holland. Within the well preserved 90 acre fort and ramparts built in 1663 are old Dutch churches and monuments with armorial bearings, an imposing crested and monogrammed gateway dated 1669, many well preserved Dutch houses and narrow alleys still beaaring Dutch names. After continue onto to Beruwela. Breakfast and dinner are included.

Accommodation: Cinnamon Bey Beruwala (Superior Room) or similar

Travel time approximately 4.5 hours.

After breakfast return to the airport for your flight home or continue on to your beach resort (transfer supplement applies for East Coast, Negombo or Waikkal area). Breakfast is included.