Ceylan Trail

Overview

Sri Lanka’s has a lot of World Heritage sites at Sigiriya – the Rock Fortress, Polonnaruwa – Ancient Buddhist city, Dambulla – Cave Temple. Continue to explore Sri Lanka off the beaten path with treks through Sri Lanka’s pristine landscapes at Knuckles mountains. Visit the city of Kandy to see the Temple of the Tooth as well some smaller temples that can be visited by a short trek. Visit the Botanical Gardens and then proceed to Nuwara Eliya to see the famous tea plantations of Ceylon. Finally visit Kitulgala for an exciting end to your adventure with a white-water rafting expedition.

Itinerary

• Day
  1

  ARRIVAL – COLOMBO / SIGIRIYA

  Welcome on arrival at the Colombo International Airport by our representative, and transfer to Sigiriya and arrive at your hotel. Have lunch at a restaurant en route. Late afternoon proceeds to visit Pidurangala hermitage which was built in 5th century AD, and climb up to the top of the rock to see the sunset with a beautiful view. Dinner and overnight at hotel

• Day
  2

  SIGIRIYA /POLONNARUWA / SIGIRIYA

  In the morning transfer to Sigiriya and visit the 8th Wonder of the World, the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, it is a World Heritage Site, and it is a palace built on top of a rock rising up to 200 meters. This rock fortress was built by the parricide King Kasyappa in the 5th century AD. On the ascent to the summit of the rock see some of the marvels of this ruined palace, such as the rock paintings or “frescoes” and from the summit one will have a panoramic view of the surroundings. Have lunch at a restaurant. Continue towards Polonnaruwa to visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. This is an ancient Buddhist City and was the 2nd Capital of the country from the 11th century AD and the well-preserved medieval city has several archaeological sites to view, ‘Galvihara’ is one such remarkable site with 3 statues of Lord Buddha sculptured in 3 different positions out of a single big rock. Dinner and overnight at hotel

• Day
  3

  SIGIRIYA / DAMBULLA / KAWDUPELELLA / KNUCKLES

  Morning proceed to visit the Dambulla Cave temple at Dambulla – a serene and scenic temple tucked under a rock that is decorated in the interior by wall murals that cover almost 23,000 sqft of rock surface. This is also a World Heritage Site. Then leave for Matale – a cool hill area where you will visit a spice garden – here you can see all the various types of spices used in local cuisine and have a local lunch at a restaurant en route. Arrive at a beautiful village to do a trek, visit a village with paddy fields, spices and small river. You will be able to meet local people and see the daily life of villagers during the trek. Continue towards a forest lodge which is situated in the calm environment among the villages. The rooms at the lodge are sharing rooms in a dormitory style Dinner and overnight at lodge

• Day
  4

  KNUCKLES / MANIGALA / KNUCKLES

  Morning proceed to Atanwala village and climb up to Manigala rock, which offers a beautiful scenery with different climate. It is a conserved forest, where can be found many endemic flora and fauna. Arrive at the summit and climb down a deep cliff up to the river, here you can have a bath. You will have a picnic lunch at this spot. Return to the lodge for dinner and night

• Day
  5

  KNUCKLES / KANDY

  Morning proceed to do the tea trail trek through villages, where you can see Hindu temples and the cultural heritage of the people who live here. Have lunch at a restaurant. Continue your journey to the hill capital of Kandy and in the evening time visit the Temple of the Tooth known as the “Dalada Maligawa” where the tooth relic of Lord Buddha is enshrined in a casket at this temple. Many Buddhist pilgrims pay homage and offer flowers in the morning and evening. The relic is taken in a procession with elephants, drummers and dancers along the streets for 10 days in July or August, this parade is called the Esala Perahera. Kandy is situated at an altitude of 500m and the 2nd biggest city, you can visit the market and the shops. Dinner and night over at the hotel

• Day
  6

  KANDY / PERADENIYA /GADALADENIYA / KANDY

  In the morning continue to visit the Royal Botanical Gardens once the pleasure gardens of the queen of Kandy, the garden has one of the finest collections of tropical flora and orchids. Have lunch at a restaurant on the way. Continue towards Gadaladeniya to do a trek between three temples which were built in the same era with different materials and aspects. You will pass idyllic villages, paddy fields, spice gardens. Return to Kandy and rest of the day at leisure to walk in the city and around the lake as you wish. Dinner and night over at the hotel

• Day
  7

  KANDY / RAMBODA / NUWARA ELIYA

  Morning leave for Nuwara Eliya- the hill city of Nuwara Eliya is the center of the tea growing district. We drive along the rolling tea estates seeing women in colorful saris pluck two tea leaves and a bud. Visit the factory where the fresh tea leaves are dried, crushed, fermented & fired using the same age-old machinery used to make the world-famous Ceylon Tea. You can enjoy a very good cup of hot fresh Ceylon Tea. This hill town is known as “Little England” as the British tea planters constructed all the buildings in the old British colonial style. Take the lunch at a restaurant on the way. Arrive at the city to visit including market and Artificial Lake. Dinner & night at hotel

• Day
  8

  NUWARA ELIYA / KITULGALA

  Morning continue towards Kitulgala and rest of the day you can do a really adventurous water rafting expedition in a very famous river of Sri Lanka, this would be an unforgettable experience in your life. Have lunch at a restaurant. Dinner and overnight at a camp in the bank of the river

• Day
  9

  KITULGALA / NEGOMBO / COLOMBO – End of the Trip

  Breakfast and leaving towards Negombo and arrive at the airport for the return Flight – End of the Trip