Budget Sri Lanka

Package: The Budget Sri Lanka (08 Nights / 09 Days)

The main purpose of the tour is to explore the island’s ancient history, scenic hill country and the golden sand south coast. The Budget Sri Lanka would marvel at the ruins, architecture and the irrigation system that symbolizes the ancient civilization of Sri Lanka dating back to the 5th century B.C. The tour takes you to the salubrious hill capital of Kandy and picturesque Nuwara-eliya nestled in the heart of the hill country. The tour includes visits to the Elephant Orphanage and the Minneriya National Park. You will finish up with a stay at the beach in the surroundings of secluded Indian Ocean beaches.

 

Day 01Airport - Colombo

- Arrival at the Bandaranayke international airport.
- Meet with our representative who will page you and welcome you at the airport.
- Transfer to your Hotel in Colombo or Negombo
- Afternoon – do a city tour of Colombo.

 

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s commercial capital and sea-port is a blend of old and new. This is a city, which has many reminders of its European colonial past. Bustling bazaars, Buddhist and Hindu Temples and Muslim Mosques contrast with, smart modern Shopping Malls and multi-national chain hotels. Sightseeing highlights include the old parliament houses, Buddhist Temple, Town Hall, and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. Apart from excellent shopping, Colombo offers visits to one of the world’s leading tea auctions, , seasonal Buddhist and Hindu pageants, international cricket tournaments, plush casinos, enjoyable evening entertainment and excellent restaurants. State-of-the-Art communications and Cyber services are available in the hotels and other outlets.

Overnight: Hotel in Colombo/Negombo

 

Day 02Colombo / Pinnawela / Sigiriya

 

After breakfast, leave for Sigiriya en route visiting an Elephant Orphanage at Pinnawela.

PINNAWELA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE – Here you will find elephants of all ages, which were abandoned or orphaned. They are been looked after with loving care until such time they are ready to be freed back to the wild. The unique feature of this place is that visitors can feed the baby elephants with bottles of milk during the feeding times.

 

Proceed to Sigiriya and climb the rock fortress.

 

SIGIRIYA – A massive monolith of red stone rises 600 feet from the green scrub jungle to accentuate the lucid blue of the sky. How overpowering this rock fortress of Sigiriya must have been when a palace crowned it 15 centuries ago. At the brief height of its glory, a flowering of only 18 years in the late 5th Century, it was one of the loveliest royal cities that ever graced the earth. And today, it is perhaps the single most remarkable memory for visitors to Sri Lanka. Beautiful bare-breasted maidens still smile from incredible fresco paintings. Surrounding the foot of the rock, extending for several hundred meters, are Asia’s oldest surviving landscape gardens, incorporating lovely ponds around Sigiriya’s plinth of fallen boulders.

Check in at your hotel & relax.
Overnight: Hotel in Dambulla / Sigiriya

 

Day 03Anuradhapura

 

ANURADHAPURA – The largest and oldest of Sri Lanka’s ancient cities, Anuradhapura is a fitting climax to any tour of the Cultural Triangle. Arguably, it takes a bit more effort to imagine it as it was 2000 years ago, with palaces and huge dagobas standing up to nine floors high, a main processional avenue 24km (16 miles) long and the richly decorated, ostentatious mansions of Sinhalese nobles and wealthy foreign merchants. Founded by King Pandukhabaya in 437 BC, by the mid-3rd century BC Anuradhapura’s fame had spread as far as the Roman-Hellenistic world of the Mediterranean and by the 1st century AD it had established trade and diplomatic links with China. The Jetavana treasures unearthed over the past 20 years (some are now displayed in the partially completed Jetavanarama Museum on site) show evidence of these links to the east and west. Anuradhapura was the royal seat of more than 250 Buddhist and Hindu kings recorded in the royal genealogies, and the preeminent city on the island for some 1400 years. If time permits, also visit Mihintale, the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

If time permits visit Mihintale the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Return to your hotel & relax.

Overnight: Hotel in Dambulla / Sigiriya

 

Day 04Polonnaruwa / Minneriya

 

POLONNARUWA – Located in the North Central province, was the capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13th century A.D. Along with Anuradhapura and Kandy, this ancient city forms one of the points of the “cultural triangle” of Sri Lanka, and contains a wealth of remarkable sites and monuments. Once a favorite country retreat of the royalty of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa was a key settlement even before the medieval period, largely due to its strategic location near the river crossings of the Mahaweli river. It was King Vijayabahu I who first established Polonnaruwa as the capital of his kingdom in 1055. The Visitor who travels the city from the south to the North will find the following monuments of particular interest: Library Monastery, The Citadel and the palace complex and Vatadage.

Proceed to Minneriya.

-Enjoy a jeep Safari at the Minneriya National Park

 

MINNERIYA – Located between Habarana and Polonnaruwa, the 8890 hectares of this national park is an ideal eco-tourism location in Sri Lanka. The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas and is home to Sri Lanka‘s favorites such as the samba deer, leopards and elephants. However the central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya tank built in 3rd century A.D. by King Mahasena. During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an incredible place to observe elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grass as well as the huge flocks of birds, cormorants and painted storks to name a few that come to fish in the shallow waters.

- Proceed back to Dambulla.

Overnight: Hotel in Dambulla / Sigiriya

 

 Day 05Dambulla / Kandy

After breakfast, leave for Kandy en route visiting Dambulla cave temple

 

DABULLA – This World Heritage Site is one of the foremost centers of Buddhist pilgrimage as well as one of the largest cave temple complexes in South Asia. It is a major attraction for tourists and locals, who flock to see the dazzling and numerous rocks and wall paintings of Lord Buddha. The monastery was discovered in the 3rd century B.C. Of the numerous chambers found in the shelter, only five are in use today, the best known of which is the Maharaja Vihara.

 

KANDY – The last capital of the Sri Lankan kings is a World Heritage Site. The name “Kandy” conjures visions of splendor and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. Visit the Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts and crafts center, a gem museum and a lapidary.

- Evening visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic and witness a beautiful Cultural show.
- Check in at your hotel & relax.

Overnight: Hotel in Kandy

 

Day 06Kandy / Nuwara Eliya

After breakfast, leave for Nuwara eliya en route visiting Royal botanical garden in Peradeniya.

 

ROYAL BOTANICAL GARDENS – This Botanical Garden was first built as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala king and was expanded by the British. It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers.

 

NUWARA-ELIYA – A cool green mountain valley, the heart of Sri Lankan hill country boasts rolling hills interspersed with gushing streams and tumbling waterfalls. It is also acclaimed for its golf courses and amazing tea plantations.

- Check in at your hotel & relax.

Overnight: Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

 

Day 07Nuwara Eliya /Horton Plains

HORTON PLAINS – Horton Plains National Park is in the highlands of the country belonging to the central province. This is the highest plateau in the country. This was declared as a National Park in 1988. The park area is 3160 hectares. The second & third highest mountain of the country namely Kirigalpotta & Thotupola respectively are found within the borders of the park. The park receives rainfall from both northeast & southwest monsoons as well as inter-monsoonal rains. Frequently occurring mist and clouds are one main source of precipitation. With annual precipitation of about 5000mm. Horton Plains is the most important catchments area of the country. Park consists of montane cloud forests embedded in wet montane grasslands. Horton Plains has a rich biodiversity. Most of the fauna and flora found in the park are endemic and furthermore some of them are confined to the highlands of the island.

- Check in at your hotel and relax.

Overnight: Hotel in Nuwara Eliya

 

 

Day 08Nuwaraeliya / Hikkaduwa

After breakfast, leave for Hikkaduwa beach

 

HIKKADUWA-Popular for its beach and corals, Hikkaduwa is primarily a tourist attraction serving as a place to snorkel, surf and simply enjoy the sun amongst other activities. It is located in the Southern Province, about 20 km north-west of Galle. Hikkaduwa has a reputation for its vibrant nightlife. It is also well liked for board surfing and is known as an international destination for board-surfing. It is especially well known as a surfing destination on the international circuit and annually attracts surfers from all over the world. There are plenty of good surfing points as the wave size ranges up to 3 meters during the season. Dive in the beautiful paradise island with hundreds of fabulous dive sites. Come dive the dozens of famous ship wrecks dating back to the colonial era and also visit coral reefs, under sea caves & rock formations all around our island.  

 

Day 09Hikkaduwa / Airport

 

After breakfast, transfer to Colombo airport for the departure flight.