Itinerary of
18 Days 17 Nights Tour
DAY 01 : Airport / Negombo
Visiting & Activities: Proceed to the Negombo Hotel
DAY 02 : Negombo / Anuradhapura
Visiting & Activities: On the way visit Fish market / Muthurajawela Marsh Boat Tour
Visit Negombo Fish Market: Each day, fishers take their oruvas (outrigger canoes) and go out in search of the fish for which Negombo is famous. They’re a fine sight as they sweep home into the lagoon after a fishing trip.
Muthurajawela Marsh Boat Tour: Muthurajawela is the largest saline coastal peat bog in Sri Lanka. The Marsh together with the Negombo Lagoon form an integrated coastal wetland eco-system with marsh lagoon complex itself estimated to have originated around the year 5000 BC. The northern section of the marsh covering an area of 1,777ha was declared a sanctuary in July 1996 under the fauna & flora protection ordinance. The marsh is a major local and tourist attraction, primarily used for sightseeing and boating tours, and the area also supports local agriculture and forestry. Visitors to the region are guided through the sanctuary areas by the staff of the Muthurajawela Marsh Centre to avoid serious harm to the marsh ecosystem.
DAY 03 : Anuradhapura
Visiting & Activities: Anuradhapura Historical City sightseeing
The ruins of Anuradhapura are one of South Asia’s most evocative sights. The sprawling complex contains a rich collection of archaeological and architectural wonders: enormous dagobas (brick stupas), ancient pools and crumbling temples, built during Anuradhapura’s thousand years of rule over Sri Lanka. Today, several of the sites remain in use as holy places and temples; frequent ceremonies give Anuradhapura a vibrancy that’s a sharp contrast to the museum-like ambience at Polonnaruwa.
Visiting Spots in Anuradhapura:
Anuradhapura Ruins, MahamevnawaDhammachethiya Buddhist Monastery/ Jetavanarama monastery, RatnaPrasada/Jewel palace and guard stone, Abhayagiri Dagaba/Vihara/Monastery Complex and Moonstone, Samadhi Buddha Statue, KuttamPokuna(Twin Ponds), Gal Palama (Stone Bridge), Thuparamaya, RuwanwelisayaSthupa, Brazen Palace, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Sri Maha Bodhi Mawatha, RanmasuUyana, Isurumuniya RajamahaViharaya, The Royal Botanical Gardens, Mihintale peak, Mihintale Archaeological Museum
DAY 04 : Anuradhapura / Jaffna
Visiting & Activities: Wilpattu Sanctuary / Wilpattu National Park Jeep Safari to see Leopards, Bears and etc./ Proceed to Jaffna
Wilpattu National Park is a park located on the island of Sri Lanka. The unique feature of this park is the existence of “Willus” – Natural, sand-rimmed water basins or depressions that fill with rainwater. Located in the Northwest coast lowland dry zone of Sri Lanka.
DAY 05 & 06 : Jaffna
Visiting & Activities: Jaffna Town: Dutch Fort , Kopay Cementary / Nailur Hindu Temple and Bazar Area / Punkuduthiv / public ferry from Punkuduthiv to Naagadeepa / Visit islands like Delft / Beach Stay
Jaffna is North Edge of Sri Lanka. A bastion of Hindu tradition, art and creative culture, Jaffna welcomes visitors warmly. It’s intriguing, unimposing, slightly off the beaten path and a thoroughly rewarding place to discover Sri Lankan Tamil culture. Inescapably, decades of war, emigration, embargoes and loss of life and property deeply affected this historic town, but the city is surprisingly green and leafy, with attractive palm-shaded colonial-era suburbs and beautiful temples and churches. Physically, new projects and upgraded transport connections show that Jaffna’s days of isolation are long past. Ancient sights both in the centre of town and on the outskirts make for compelling attractions. And while there is enough to do after dark to create a nascent buzz, it’s still mellow enough that you won’t get run over while walking. The city is an ideal base for forays to the idyllic islands just to the west and trips along the coastline and lagoons of the surrounding peninsula.
The Nagadeepa Purana RajamahaViharaya is one of the sixteen most sacred places of worship by the Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Pilgrims have been coming to the Nagadeepa since about the 1st century AC to worship at its famous Rajayathana stupa. The Rajayathana stupa was constructed by two warring Naga kings, Chulodara and Mahodara, at the site where Lord Buddha during His second visit to the country on a Bak Maha AmawakaPoya Day, five years after attaining Enlightenment, intervened and mediated in settling a dispute over the possession of a gem-studded throne. The precious throne was offered to the lord Buddha, was returned to the Naga Kings and was later enshrined in this Rajayathana stupa.
Sections of this vast complex overlooking the Jaffna lagoon have been recently restored, though much work continues. Once one of the greatest Dutch forts in Asia, it was built in 1680 over an earlier Portuguese original, and defensive triangle were added in 1792 to produce the classic Vaubanesque star form.Jaffna’s fort has been fought over for centuries. Today you’re free to explore its walls, admire its gateways and moats, study some exhibits and view the city from its ramparts.
DAY 07 : Trincomalee
Visiting & Activities: Proceed to Trincomalee Hotel
Trincomalee (Trinco) sits on one the world’s finest natural harbours. This historic city is old almost beyond reckoning: it’s possibly the site of historic Gokana in the Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle), and its Shiva temple the site of Trikuta Hill in the Hindu text Vayu Purana. Most people just pass through the city on their way to the nearby beaches of Uppuveli and Nilaveli, but the town has some charm, plenty of history and an interesting melange of people.
Evening Beach Stay at the Hotel.
DAY 08 : Trincomalee
Visiting & Activities: Visit Pigeon Island / Hot Water Springs / Koneswaran Hindu Temple / Fort Frederick / Swami Rock / Dolphin& Whale Watching
The Kanniya Hot Springs is a site with hot wells located in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. There are seven wells in a square shape. Wells are only 3–4 feet deep and you can clearly see the bottom. The temperature is considerably high but vary slightly from one spring to another. Wells run out of water, when 10-15 buckets of water are taken out.
Koneswaran Hindu Temple is a classical-medieval Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Trincomalee, Eastern Sri Lanka. The temple is situated atop KonesarMalai, a promontory that overlooks the Indian Ocean, the nearby eastern coast (the Trincomalee District), as well as Trincomalee Harbour or Gokarna Bay.
Evening Beach Stay at the Golden Beaches in Sri Lanka.
DAY 09 & 10 : Pasikuda (Batticaloa)
Visiting & Activities: Beach Stay
With the resorts stretching into the distance, Pasikuda’s extremely shallow water heats up to bathtub temperatures on sunny days (you’ll have to wade out some distance for a good swim). There’s also lots of sharp coral mixed in with the sand, so take care if barefoot. On weekends, the public beach at the south end draws busloads of locals ready to buy sugary treats and have a frolicsome day out.
DAY 11 : Kandy
Visiting & Activities: Visit World Famous Blue Sapphire Gem Museums / Traditional Cultural Kandyan Dance with Fire walk / Temple of the Tooth Relic / Kandy View Point
Temple of Tooth Relic: According to legend, the tooth was taken from the Buddha as he lay on his funeral pyre. It was smuggled to Sri Lanka in 313 AD, hidden in the hair of Princess Hemamali who fled the Hindu armies besieging her father’s kingdom in India.
It immediately became an object of great reverence and was enshrined in a series of nested jeweled reliquaries. The tooth was brought out for special occasions and paraded on the backs of elephants, which are sacred to the Buddha. where it survived numerous attempts to capture and destroy it.
When the capital was moved to Kandy, the tooth was taken to the new city and placed in temples built to honor it. The temple was originally built under Kandyan kings between 1687 and 1707, but later severely damaged during the 18th-century colonial wars against the Portugese and Dutch. After the wars, the original wooden structures were restored in stone.
Traditional Cultural Kandyan Dance with Firewalk: With elaborate costumes, gyrating dance moves and show-stopping, fire-breathing stunts, a Kandyan dance performance is one of the defining experiences of a stay in Kandy. Calling it a traditional Kandyan dance performance is something of a misnomer as the shows are very much aimed at audience entertainment and contain dance routines and costumes from across the country, including the famous ‘devil’ dances of the west coast.
DAY 12 : Kandy to Ella
Visiting & Activities: Train Journey from Kandy to Ella
The Ella Train tour from Kandy gives you a very special chance to spend a spectacular day in the ‘Little England’ of Ceylon, Ella. Enjoy the views of rolling green fields of tea as you travel in a scenic train journey from Peradeniya to Ella. Travel up the tightly winding mountain roads to the City of Ella. Go on a tour of this city that was once the holiday resort town of the British.
DAY 13 : Ella
Visiting & Activities: Nine Arch Bridge / Adisham Bungalow / Rawana Water Fall / Mini Adams Peak
The Nine Arch Bridge also called the Bridge in the Sky, is a bridge in Sri Lanka. It is one of the best examples of colonial-era railway construction in the country.
Adisham Bungalow A 4 km drive from Haputale will lead you to Adisham, a monastery run by Benedictine Monks. Wrapped in the tranquility of the misty hills, Adisham Bungalow attracts every eye that falls on it. The pages of history reveal that the creator of this enthralling place is Sir Thomas Lister Villiers in 1931.
DAY 14 : Yala / Bundala
Visiting & Activities: Yala National Park Evening Half day safari
Yala National Park: Yala combines a strict nature reserve with a national park. Divided into 5 blocks, the park has a protected area of nearly 130,000 hectares of land consisting of light forests, scrubs, grasslands, tanks and lagoons. Two blocks are currently opened to the public.
Situated in Sri Lanka’s south-east hugging the panoramic Indian Ocean, Yala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1900 and was designated a national park in 1938. Ironically, the park was initially used as a hunting ground for the elite under British rule. Yala is home to 44 varieties of mammal and 215 bird species. Among its more famous residents are the world’s biggest concentration of leopards, majestic elephants, sloth bears, sambars, jackals, spotted dear, peacocks, and crocodiles. The best time to visit Yala is between February and July when the water levels of the park are quite low, bringing animals into the open.
DAY 15 : Bundala / Udawalawe / Galle
Visiting & Activities: Bundala Bird Sanctuary / On the way visit Udawalawa Elephant Transit Home to see baby elephants milk feeding event
Bundala Bird Sanctuary is an internationally important wintering ground for migratory water birds in Sri Lanka. Bundala harbors 197 species of birds, the highlight being the greater flamingo, which migrate in large flocks. Bundala was designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and redesignated to a national park on 4 January 1993. In 1991 Bundala became the first wetland to be declared as a Ramsar site in Sri Lanka. In 2005 the national park was designated as a biosphere reserve by UNESCO, the fourth biosphere reserve in Sri Lanka. The national park is situated 245 kilometres (152 mi) southeast of Colombo.
The ETH has become quite popular and crowds flock, to watch the baby elephants being fed milk three times a day at 9 am, 12 noon and 3 pm. They are well disciplined and are expected to come into the feeding enclosure two by two. However, there is always a mischievous guy, who will try to jump the queue, and has to be chased back in to the line.
DAY 16 : Galle
Visiting & Activities: Mirissa Whale (Blue, Fin, Shark & Humpback) & Dolphin Watching / Stilt fishing / Beach Stay / Galle Dutch Fort / Beach Stay
The Mirissa sea area where the whales are quite commonly found is known as the Weligama and it has been made charming by the local people too. The people have named it in relevance to the country of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is named as Whales Lanka to specify that it is a place ‘Lanka’ where ‘Whales’ live or reside. The area is beautifully placed naturally and the weather conditions are so perfect for the whales to stay and live there for many seasons and long times.There are some other rare species and sea life that you can see in this Whales Lanka located near Mirissa. The presence of dolphins also attracts many people who are looking to play and interact with them too.
Galle is a jewel. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this historic city is a delight to explore on foot, an endlessly exotic old trading port blessed with imposing Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, grand mansions and museums. Wandering its rambling lanes, you’ll pass stylish cafes, quirky boutiques and impeccably restored hotels owned by local and foreign artists, writers, photographers and designers.
Built by the Dutch, beginning in 1663, Galle’s core is the Fort, a walled enclave surrounded on three sides by the ocean. A key part of the Fort’s appeal is that it isn’t just a pretty place. Sure, tourism now dominates the local economy, but this unique city remains a working community: there are administrative offices and courts, export companies, schools and colleges.
Most travelers are utterly seduced by Galle’s ambience, and its undoubtedly southern Sri Lanka’s one unmissable sight.
DAY 17 : Galle / Colombo
Visiting & Activities: Visits Sea Turtle Hatchery / Madu River Safari with crocodile visit /Colombo City Tour: Galle Face Green / Light House / BMICH / Town Hall / Gangarama Temple / Sima Malaka / Beira Lake / World Trade Centre / independence Square / Lotus Tower / Lotus Theatre / Old Parliament / Fort City etc.
The Madu River area surrounding the river are all swampy marshlands covered in mangrove forests. The forest covers over 61 hectares, that is over 150 acres. 14 of the 24 species of mangroves are found in this area. It is interesting to note that mangroves play a huge part in preventing erosion. The Madu River Safari is popular activity that has to be on the ‘to do’ list of any respectable Sri Lankan holiday goer. This unforgettable activity last for over two hours and gives a visitor a chance to travel the secretive passages through the mangrove forests and see the ecology.
Visits Sea Turtle Hatchery : Located south of Bentota near Hikkaduwa, a beautiful resort town on the southwest coast of Sri Lanka, the turtle hatchery is a big hit for families with both adults and kids finding the trip fun, engaging and informative.
There are only seven species of margin turtle in the world and five are found in the warm, clear waters off Sri Lanka’s coast. The five species; Hawksbill turtle, Loggerhead turtle, Green turtle, Leatherback turtle and the Olive Ridley turtle are bred at the turtle hatchery in Bentota, so you will get to see the variety of turtle Sri Lanka has to offer.
The baby turtles are very small, much smaller than the palm of a hand, and are released by the hatchery into the sea at night. You can carefully handle and touch the baby turtles and see first-hand how vulnerable they are. The people who run the hatchery are passionate about the conservation of these beautiful creatures and provide visitors with lots of useful information about the different varieties and their preservation.
Colombo City Tour: Although it’s unlikely it will reclaim its 19th-century moniker ‘the garden city of the East’, Colombo has nevertheless emerged as a must-see stop in Sri Lanka. No longer just the sprawling city you have to endure on your way to the beaches, it has become a worthy destination in its own right and makes an excellent start – or finish – to your Sri Lankan adventures.
The legacies of colonial Colombo’s garden roots are still very much intact along its often-shady boulevards. Fort is a compelling place thanks to ongoing restoration of its landmark colonial architecture, while Pettah brims with markets and rampant commerce. Even traffic-clogged Galle Rd is getting spiffier with glossy new hotel complexes. Colombo’s cosmopolitan side supports ever-more stylish eateries, galleries and shops. Surprises abound: with a little exploration you’ll find great local food, characterful shops and tiny, convivial cafes. Meanwhile, a building boom like no other is transforming the city’s skyline.
DAY 18 : Airport
Proceed to Bandaranaike International Airport in time to flight with wonderful memories of an unforgettable vacation.
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