Highlights Of Sri Lanka with Jaffna

After breakfast you drive for approximately four hours to your next destination, Kandy. Known for its mild climate, colonial architecture and home to the sacred Temple of the Tooth , it was the capital of Sri Lanka and home of the venerated Kandyan kings, who fiercely and successfully defended their kingdom against Portuguese and Dutch invaders for 300 years. En route stop for lunch at a beautiful home situated on a plantation. See the cinnamon plot, the newly established vanilla vines, rubber tapping, and the many fruit trees. Arrive into Kandy by late afternoon. This evening, head to the Udawatta Kele Sanctuary, a historic forest reserve on a hill-ridge in the city of Kandy designated a forest reserve in 1856. During the days of the Kandyan kingdom, Udawatta Kele was known as ‘the garden situated above the royal palace’. The sanctuary is famous for its extensive avifauna. The reserve also contains a great variety of plant species, especially lianas, shrubs and small trees. There are several giant lianas. Many small and medium size mammals that inhabit Sri Lanka can be seen here. Several kinds of snakes and other reptiles might also be spotted. Overnight at hotel.

After breakfast, pay a visit to the Royal Botanical Gardens; first conceived as a Queen’s pleasure garden in the 14th century. The gardens were formally opened in their current guise in 1821. After lunch take a stroll around Kandy and its pretty lake. Early this evening your driver will take you to a performance of the famous Kandyan dancing before your visit to the sacred Temple of the Tooth. Tradition relates that a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka in 4th Century A.D. and was enshrined within the Dalanda Maligawa, or the Temple of the Tooth. This sacred relic has ever since been the symbol of sovereignty for the Sinhalese kings and always enshrined in great splendour. Kandy’s Dalada Maligawa is a magnificent shrine, with decorative walls, golden roof and fine woodwork. Religious services (pooja) are held daily at dawn, midday, and in the evening and can be viewed by visitors. The services are accompanied with traditional music and drumming. Overnight at hotel.

Transfer north to Sigirya located in Sri Lanka's cultural triangle. En route, stop at the impressive caves in Dambulla. Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples. The cave complex houses over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and ceilings, and over 150 images of the Buddha. The largest is a colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock spanning 14 meters. There are five separate caves, and for the energetic, a walk to the top offers an expansive view of the surrounding jungle and Sigiriya Rock in the distance. The largest cave dates from the 1st - 2nd century B.C. and is quite breathtaking. The paintings on the ceiling so closely follow the natural folds of the rock that many take the surface to be of cloth. Arrive into Sigiriya by evening. Overnight at hotel.

Get a head start to the day with a morning climb to one of the most astonishing sites in Sri Lanka. The 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress, a massive monolith of red stone rising 600 feet from the green scrub jungle below. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart, and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the ''Heavenly Maidens'' of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster. Continue on approximately an hour and a half to Pollonnaruwa, and spend the afternoon exploring the 2nd capital city of Sri Lanka. Have lunch at an old farm, bordering a large lake brimming with lotus fronds, where wild elephants sometimes stop for a drink during drier seasons. You will witness a lunch prepared in the old ways, served up on lotus leaves under a thatched roof hut. This afternoon visit Minneriya National Park. The park covers 8,890 hectares and consists of a mixed forest of evergreen shrubs, a favorite habitat for animals, which include leopards, deer and wild elephants. The park's main feature is the former reservoir or tank built by King Mahasen in the third century AD. You can also see huge flocks of birds, including cormorants and painted storks that come to fish in the shallow waters. Overnight at hotel.

After a slow morning check out, drive for approximately two and a half hours to Annuradhapura. Pass rice paddies and farm, which makes the route a great one to spot some local wildlife. Today afternoon you explore the Ritigala Wildlife Sanctuary and Monastery. The ruins of Ritigala monastery are located on the eastern side of the mountain at the foot of the gorge which separates the main peak from the northern ridge of the range. The ruins cover an area of 24 hectares (59 acres). The monastery precinct begins at the office of the on-site branch of Department of Archaeology of Sri Lanka close to the foot of the reservoir named Banda Pokuna. The ancient man-made reservoir is a feat of engineering with a bund of polygonal plan completing a circumference of 366 meters. The construction of the reservoir is credited to King Pandukabhaya (437 -367 BC). Overnight at hotel.

You have a full day guided visit of the ancient city of Anuradhapura. Anuradhapura is a major city in Sri Lanka. The city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lies 205 km north of the current capital Colombo in Sri Lanka's North Central Province, on the banks of the historic Malvathu Oya. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and one of the eight World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. It is believed that from the 4th century BC, it was the capital of the Sinhalese until the beginning of the 11th century AD. During this period it remained one of the most stable and durable centers of political power and urban life in South Asia. The ancient city, considered sacred to the Buddhist world, is today surrounded by monasteries covering an area of over sixteen square miles. Return to your hotel in the evening. Overnight at hotel.

The largest national park in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu covers an area of roughly 1085 square kilometres and is almost eight times the size of Yala National Park. This offbeat jungle destination has a more wild character as visitors are few, even during the peak season. In the Sinhalese dialect, Wilpattu translates as ‘Land of the Lakes’. With its open scrublands, wetlands and thick jungle, Wilpattu keeps you guessing, when on safari. One minute, you spot elephants and the next, water buffaloes. You may come across herds of deer drinking at the watering holes, or you may be lucky enough to even spot a leopard or two. All that water makes it a birding paradise and there are over 200 species. Return to your hotel by evening. Overnight at hotel.

Today is a travel day. Start after an early breakfast and set out for a long drive of approximately five hours to Jaffna in Northern Sri Lanka. For almost 30 years, Jaffna was cut off from travellers because of the civil war. The majority of the population comprises of Sri Lankan Tamils who have a different language, different religion and a different cuisine. Over the next couple of days you will get the opportunity to discover this city. This evening visit the Jaffna Fort, once a battlefront during the civil war. Buildings inside the fort include the Governor's residence, the Queen's House, Jaffna, the Garrison Parade Ground, Police quarters and several buildings from the Portuguese era. Overnight at hotel.

Wake up refreshed for a cultural day that will include a visit to the Nallur Kandaswamy Hindu Temple of Jaffna, one of the most significant Hindu temple complexes in the country, dedicated to God Murugan. A spectacular 25-day Hindu festival starting in July is hosted by the Temple, with parades of floats and displays of self-mutilation by entranced devotees. Inside the Temple, the architecture is magnificently-maintained and decorated with enormous murals and golden finishing that will leave you suitably impressed. Overnight at hotel.

The morning is at leisure. The Kadurugoda Temple is another site worth visiting during your stay. It is believed to be a part of an ancient Buddhist Monastery, which Lord Buddha himself visited during his travels through Sri Lanka. Start after lunch and drive approximately four hours to Trincomalee. The drive passes through some stunning scenery and some excellent areas for bird-watching. A prominent deep-water port on Sri Lanka's east coast, Trincomalee is also a major cultural center of Sri Lanka's Tamil minority. Throughout its long history, Trincomalee reputedly hosted such luminaries as Ptolemy and Marco Polo. In later years, both Dutch and British traders colonized the area, leaving behind landmarks such as Fort Frederick. In addition, Trincomalee is home to several delightful beaches and snorkeling, and is an excellent place to experience marine wildlife. Overnight at hotel.

You have a host of activities that are available to you today. Dolphin watching is popular here and you can watch these majestic creatures from an open-air boat as they glide effortlessly along the coast. Catch a boat before sunrise and enjoy the trip as great schools of dolphins break the surface of the water, tinged with orange as the sun rises over the horizon. Visit Fort Frederick, historically of strategic value to colonial powers because of Trincomalee’s natural deep-water harbor and Sri Lanka’s proximity to India. British fortifications more than a century old can be found around the grounds. Walk to the northern tip of Fort Frederick and the cliff known as “Swami Rock,” a sheer drop of 400 feet into the Indian Ocean. Perched on the summit of the rock is the Thirukoneswaram Hindu Temple; its site is believed to have been a major religious shrine dating back more than two millennia. Take a look around the 14th century Koneswaram Temple, built to honour the Hindu God Shiva. The temple is famous for its deep crevice that reveals a sheer drop down into the sea, also known as ‘Lovers Leap’. Explore the culture rich fruit and vegetable markets in Trinco where a vast array of fresh local produce can be purchased. The wholesale fish market showcases the exotic and diverse fish that inhabit the waters near the city and include tuna, barracuda and squid, all freshly caught by the local fishermen. Relax on Trincomalee’s pristine Nilaveli Beach and swim in its turquoise waters. Take a 10-minute boat ride to Pigeon Island, a few hundred yards offshore, where there is excellent snorkeling around the formation once used by the British Navy for gunnery practice. Explore the natural saltwater pools among the rocks that are the breeding site of the Blue Rock pigeon. Go whale watching, as the waters around Trincomalee are famous for sightings of various species, including the common blue whale, the Bryde’s whale and the Sperm Whale. Or, just opt to relax on the beach and soak in some sun and great weather. Overnight at hotel.

Today you take a domestic flight to Colombo. You are met on arrival and assisted with your transfer to your hotel. Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and colonial buildings and ruins. Due to its large harbour and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. It was made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815, and its status as capital was retained when the nation became independent in 1948. Colombo is currently experiencing an exciting revival after decades’ long stagnation during the war. Your host this afternoon is a local resident. In his company you discover the glory days of the Colombo Fort. The walk focuses on photography, architecture and history in two stages; stage one covers the Fort while stage two covers the Pettah markets. The walk ends at the Old Dutch Hospital. This evening enjoy a wonderful sunset drink and soak the atmospheric surroundings while the sun slowly lowers itself in the horizon, lighting up the skies in varies hues of orange and purple before disappearing completely and letting twilight take over. Overnight at hotel.

The morning is at leisure. Based on the timings of your international flight, our colleague will meet you in the hotel lobby and assist in your transfer to the airport. This itinerary is just a slice of what the island of Sri Lanka has to offer. To quote the legendary explorer, Marco Polo, “Sri Lanka is the finest island of its size in all the world” and we hope that you will return soon to discover more.