Day 1 – Arrival and Booking into a Hotel in Sigiriya
A representative from our company will be waiting for you at Bandaranaike International Airport when you land for your 10-day tour of Sri Lanka. After that, you’ll be driven to your lodging in the historic town of Sigiriya, where you can relax for the rest of the evening.
Day 2 – Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa, Minneriya, and Back to Sigiriya
On the second day of your trip, you will be brought to the ancient city of Polonnaruwa. The second-oldest kingdom in Sri Lanka is Polonnaruwa. Polonnaruwa served as Sri Lanka’s second capital following the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993. It also features the beautiful remnants of Parakramabahu’s exquisite garden city, which was built in the 12th century, together with the Brahmanic temples built by the Cholas. The city is home to several archaeological treasures, including temples, shrines, castles, and ruins. Discover all there is to know about King Parakramabahu I’s palace (1153–1186). There are still intact walls in the 50-room structure, which was formerly rather huge. The walls of the king’s audience chamber are flanked by intricately carved stone elephants, while lion statues keep guard. There are enormous freshwater-spitting crocodile mouth statues in the king’s bathing pool. The Shiva Devale No. 2 is a stone structure that is tucked away in a little woodland. It is Polonnaruwa’s second-oldest Hindu temple.
After touring the historic city of Polonnaruwa, we are moving toward the Minneriya National Park. Many people visit this wildlife reserve to see Sri Lankan elephants. 150–300 wild elephants may congregate near Minneriya Tank during the dry season. Numerous wild creatures, including the Sri Lankan Leopard, Sloth Bear, Sri Lankan Sambar Deer, buffalo, and indigenous monkeys, call the 888.4-hectare Minneriya National Park home. After that, you’ll be driven back to Sigiriya to spend the night.
Day 3 – Sigiriya to Kandy via Matale
On the third day, you’ll do rock climbing before traveling to Kandy, which is known for the Sigiriya Rock Fortress. Sigiriya, also referred to as the “lion rock,” served as King Kashyapa’s capital and seat of government. The 180-meter-high rock According to a local tradition, King Kashyapa built a gateway in the shape of a huge lion halfway up a cliff in Sigiriya. Due to its shape, it was referred to as the “lion rock” (Sigiriya). The king’s death led to the castle’s abandonment. In the fourteenth century, it was still in operation as a Buddhist monastery. UNESCO has named the fortress’s ruins, which are still visible today, a World Heritage Site.
The Dambulla Golden Temple, also known as the Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, will be our next location. The five-chambered building is the biggest and best-preserved cave temple in Sri Lanka. Murals are painted over a total surface area of 2100 m2. The shrine contains 157 statues in all. The massive 150 m-tall rock that serves as the temple’s roof makes its presence a natural wonder. The huge, 15-meter-tall golden statue and pagoda were built after extensive repairs. Additionally, the temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Our next stop will be at the town of Hiriwadunna. The small town is not far from the rural area. This charming tiny town of barely 2500 people acts as a time portal. Observing the peasants’ daily routines in this way is fascinating. You may also have a delectable traditional Sri Lankan lunch and take bullock cart and boat excursions.
The Spice Garden, a magnificent location bursting with fragrances and flora, will be our next stop. You will also get the chance to learn about all the different ways that spices are used in food and medicine. The Matale Muthumariamman Temple will be our next destination. The words Muthu, which means pearl, Mari, which means rain, and Amman, which means mother, are combined to form the name Muthumariamman. It is a shrine to Mariamman, the Hindu deity of rain and fertility. It’s fun to visit the temple. A lot of people visit the temple for religious events and marriages. The largest religious ceremony conducted in the temple throughout the month of March is the chariot festival, which is a joyful celebration. Then, we’ll proceed directly to Kandy, so you may dine and spend the night there.
Day 4 – Kandy City Tour
On your fourth day of travel, you will see the magnificent city of Kandy, and we’ll also take you to a few surrounding places. Our car will pick you up at the hotel after breakfast. One of the sites we’ll visit is the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of Sri Lanka’s most well-known tourist destinations. For all Buddhists across the world, it is a very important and cherished place. It is the temple where the left canine tooth of the Buddha is honored. In 1988, UNESCO declared it a treasure of world culture.
Your next stop will be the Bahirawakanda Temple on Bahirawakanda Hill, a well-liked tourist destination known for its spectacular Buddha sculpture. We’ll eventually make our way to the Kandy viewpoint, which provides a comprehensive perspective of the city. The next stop is the nearby market, where you may purchase a variety of items, including organic foods and gifts. Our next outing will take us to the National Gems and Gemmological Museum, a museum where you can learn about the gems in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, it offers in-depth information about Sri Lanka’s lengthy history, which spans back 4.6 billion years. Also on exhibit are some of the most amazing minerals ever found. Later, we’ll make our way to the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens. More than 4,000 distinct plant species may be found on this stunning 147-acre landscape. It is situated around 5.5 kilometers outside of Kandy. The renowned Mahaweli River borders this serene real estate property.
The Kandy Cultural Dance Show will be our next stop. The dance, passion, and cultural history of Sri Lanka are shown in this breathtaking performance. Since the dancers from the Kandy Lake club have been doing it since around 1982, you shouldn’t miss it. Its primary objective is to present each dance from Sri Lanka on a single stage. The final stop is the Kandy shopping center. After spending the whole day visiting each destination, you will be driven back to your accommodation in the late afternoon.
Day 5 – Kandy to Ella
On the sixth day, you will visit the wonderful Ella, a charming town located in the Central Province’s highlands. On the way towards the highlands, you will come across mountains, waterfalls, and lovely greenery. Along the journey, you’ll stop at a few places, like the 109-meter-tall Ramboda Falls, Sri Lanka’s eleventh-tallest waterfall (358 ft). The Damro Labookellie Tea Centre and Tea Garden, the oldest tea institution in Sri Lanka, will be the destination of our next excursion. A free factory tour and tastings of tea are available.
We’ll stop at a few well-known locations en route to the charming town of Nuwara Eliya, including Gregory Lake, where you may have a pony ride and savor a delicious lunch. After that, we’ll proceed to the Nuwara Eliya post office. It is one of Sri Lanka’s oldest post offices and has a distinctive design. You’ll then be driven to the Nanu Oya Railway Station, where you’ll board the train for the most amazing ride to the gorgeous city of Ella. It is one of the most romantic rail journeys in Sri Lanka. Taking in the stunning vistas of Sri Lanka’s beautiful green tea farms, mountains, bridges, valleys, and dense wilderness is a must-do activity. It’s also the best way to learn about Sri Lankan culture. Chat with other commuters, wave to kids running by the tracks, and eat the hot delicacies sold by the vendors who board the train at each station. After the train ride, you’ll be escorted to your overnight location.
Day 6 – Ella City Tour
We’re supposed to take a tour of Ella on day six. The Nine Arch Bridge, which you might have previously seen on your train trip but is still worth visiting for its vistas and architecture, will be our first stop after breakfast. The Nine Arch Bridge is also known as The Bridge in the Sky. It is a Colonial-era construction with a viaduct bridge design. You saw the Nine Arch Bridge on your train ride, but it is worth viewing again for the beauty and the bridge’s architecture. After that, we’ll head to Little Adam’s Peak. Little Adam’s Peak, also known as Mini Adam’s Peak, received the prestigious Adams Peak title as a result of the peaks’ similarity (Sri Pada). A magnificent mountain covered in tea plantations can be reached after a short ascent to Little Adams Peak, where you can see workers harvesting tea. The scene amid the dense bush is magnificent. This climb is one you won’t soon forget.
Next, we’ll head to the Flying Ravana. This is the first enormous twin zip-line to be built in Sri Lanka, and it is located amidst the beautiful green estates of Ella. The two-wire zip-line is more than 550 meters long, flies at a top speed of 80 kph, and offers a bird’s-eye view of the breathtaking mountains of the island. After that, we’ll be going to Ella Rock. High above the town of Ella, at a height of 1041 meters (3415 feet), lies the well-known cliff known as the Ella Rock Hike. When you reach the top, you are rewarded with the most stunning view of the country’s hills. The Ella Rock trek is only 8 kilometers long and takes around two hours. The grade isn’t too steep either. As you rise, you pass characteristic tea plantations, train tracks, and the stunning Sri Lankan countryside. After that, we’ll return to the hotel to spend the night.
Day 7 – Ella to Yala through Tissamaharama
On the seventh day, you’ll embark on an adventure to Yala National Park. We’ll stop at the Ravana Falls, also known as Ravana Ella and named for the fabled king Ravana, on the way to Yala. King Ravana, who later hid her in a cave beneath the waterfall, reputedly took captive Princess Sita. It is the thickest autumn in the nation. In the rainier months, the waterfall resembles an areca bloom.
For your safari tour, we will next proceed directly to Yala National Park, the second-largest in the country and one that is bordered by the Indian Ocean. The public has access to just two of the park’s five blocks, Ruhunu and Kumana national parks. Yala was established as an animal sanctuary around 1900. After the safari, you will be taken to the hotel for supper and a night’s stay.
Day 8 – Yala to Mirissa
On day eight, you’ll be driven straight to Mirissa. Come on, let’s head to Coconut Tree Hill when you get to Mirissa. It could be Mirissa’s most well-known location. There is a mineralized headland that faces the Indian Ocean close to Mirissa. Walking along the beach from the street takes around 10 to 15 minutes. When you get to the top, which provides a spectacular view of the beach and Mirissa Bay, you have to snap a photo in this gorgeous frame. After that, you might wander the town before retiring to your overnight lodging.
Day 9 – Mirissa to Bentota
We have scheduled a whale-watching trip for the ninth day, giving you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe whales. You can get really close to these amazing creatures. One of the most exhilarating water sports in Sri Lanka is whale and dolphin watching, which is offered at Mirissa. In addition to blue whales, killer whales, sperm whales, fin whales, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, spinner dolphins, striped dolphins, and Risso’s dolphins, the warm seas around Sri Lanka are home to a diversity of marine species. From November through April, when the seas are calm and warm, is the whale-watching season. Then we’ll travel to Bentota. On the way to Bentota, we will pass via Galle and make a stop to view the renowned Galle Fort, which is situated on the Galle Coast. It was constructed by the Portuguese in 1588, and the Dutch refurbished it beginning in 1649. Even though it has been standing for more than 432 years, it still has a lovely appearance and is now regarded as a significant architectural monument.
Our following excursion will be to see the Turtle Hatchery Farm in Galle, which seeks to improve the toughness of the young turtles. A guide, who will meet you at the main entrance, will give you a tour of the structure. Then, we’ll make our way to the charming Madu River in Balapitiya town for a boat ride. The neighboring creek creates a number of islands, and the area’s biological system also results in a gorgeous wetland. It is the conclusion of the day, so you will be transported to the hotel.
Day 10 – Departure
On day ten of your fantastic 10 day Sri Lanka Tour, our guide will pick you up from the hotel and take you back to the airport in time for your flight out. The 10-day trip that you planned with Lanka Budget Tours would be magnificent and