Cultural Tour – Kandy, Matale, Sigiriya & Kitulgala ( 8 Days 7 Nights )

Day 1

Warmly welcome you to Bandaranayaka International Airport Travel to Negombo. Negombo city tour, Fish market, Dutch Fort, and check-in at your hotel. Overnight stay in Negombo.

Negombo

Negombo is very close to the Katunayake International airport of Sri Lanka, it becomes a place for a traveler comes to Sri Lanka, before traveling around the country, they can have a nice relaxed time with lovely food, relaxation, sea plus hot sun and other entertainments like visiting the city, boat rides, Dutch Fort, Negombo Fish Market, etc.

Day 2 

After breakfast leave for Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, Take breakfast at Pinnawala. Following this, you will drive to Dambulla and check in at your hotel. Sightseeing the city and proceed to the Dambulla Cave temple. Overnight stay in Dambulla

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage

Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage is established in 1975 with five orphaned elephants in an area of 25 acres of land at Pinnawala. Pinnawala is notable for being the largest herd of captive elephants in the world. Nearly there were 90 elephants. The Orphanage which serves as a conservation and breeding center as well as a place of informal education on elephants and their conservation is a world-famous attraction due to its unique way of maintaining such a large free herd of jumbos. Around 9:15 a: m starts the feeding Baby Elephants and fruit feeding get their milk. The Elephants Parade to the river to Barth around at 10:00 a: m. 12.00 noon Head returns from the river. Following this, you will drive to Dambulla,

Dambulla cave temple

Dambulla is a commercial town with Sri Lanka’s largest produce vegetable market and is most famous for the cave temple and also for the iconic golden temple. Dambulla heritage site with a history extending from prehistoric and proto-historic times, right down to the modern period, makes Sri Lanka’s heritage really splendorous, Sightseeing the city and proceeding to the Dambulla Cave temple. It is believed that when king VattaGamini was fleeing from his enemies in the 1st century BC.

Day 3

After breakfast, we start and climbing the Sigiriya lion rock. After Bullock cart Roding to see Sri Lanka real rural life and have Ayurveda massage. We drive to the Elephant riding place. You can decide to take a ride on an Elephant through the Jungle. After we proceed to the Polonnaruwa. Overnight stay in Dambulla

Sigiriya (Lion’s rock)

Sigiriya (Lion’s rock) is a wonderful ancient palace built atop 660 feet high rock column. This wonderful rock castle is a creation of King Kassapa (477-495CE). He built his Palace on the top of this rock and decorated its sides with colorful frescoes. The painting woods have covered most of the western face of the rock. An area is 140 meters long and 40 meters high. There are references in the graffiti to 500 ladies in these paintings However, most have been lost forever. Sigiriya is one of the most attractive historical sites in Sri Lanka and it is most famous for its stunning frescoes. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO-listed world heritage site. We start and climbing the rock. After we back from the top of the rock.

Polonnaruwa

Polonnaruwa alias Pulastipura is an ancient city that was home to Sri Lanka’s second Kingdom. When the Anuradhapura Kingdom fell to South Indian invaders in 993, the Sinhalese royal capital was relocated to Polonnaruwa as the second capital of Sri Lanka. Polonnaruwa was also the royal capital of the south Indian Chola dynasty but they were warded off in 1070 by King Vijayabahu (1) and then he kept Polonnaruwa as his capital. But it is known as one of the cleanest and more beautiful cities in the country.

The green environment, amazing ancient constructions, Parakrama Samudra (a huge lake built in 1200)Today the ancient city of Polonnaruwa remains one of the best planned archaeological relic cities in the country, standing testimony to the discipline and greatness of the Kingdom’s first rulers.  The ancient city of Polonnaruwa has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.

Day 4

After breakfast proceed to the Kandy En-route, you will visit the aromatic Spice Garden, Nalanda Gedige, Matale Aluvihara Rock temple, and Matale Muttumariyamman Hindu Kovil. Thereafter proceed to the beautiful and historical city, Kandy. You will really enjoy a Cultural Dance Program. And Check in your hotel Over Night stay in Kandy

Spice Garden

Matale is situated in the central province in close proximity to Kandy. This area is very famous for its spice which is considered to be the best on the island. Gardens are open to visitors and its atmosphere is superb to stroll in fragrant greenery and learn more about the spices. The spice gardens attract tourists as well as locals who visit this area. These spices are used for culinary, cosmetic, and indigenous medicinal purposes. Entrances to these gardens are free and children could learn about the origin of spices and identify each spice by its individual fragrance.

Nalanda Gedige

Nalanda Gedige is considered one of the best gediges in Sri Lanka .A Gedige is a hollow structure with thick walls. This 8th –century gedige which lies on a raised ground in paddy fields, picturesquely surrounded by low hills and wooded hamlets, is comprised of a mandapa, an entrance hall, a short passage to a bare cello, and an ambulatory. Finely decorated faced sections and mandapa seem to be of South Indian style. However, there are no signs of Hindu deities in gedige which is said to have been used by Buddhists.

Matale Aluvihara

Matale offers you several attractions from heritage sites to natural attractions. Matale Aluvihara Rock temple is the place where Buddhist monks wrote the Buddhist scriptures (Tripitakas) in Pali on Ola leaves. There is an influx of tourists both home and abroad flocking to this historic temple.

Matale Muttumariyamman Hindu kovil, Muthumariamman Temple or Arulmigu Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil is a temple in Matale, Sri Lanka. The prefix “Muthu” literally means “pearl”. “Mari” means rain and “Amman” means mother. On completion proceed to a historic sacred city in Kandy. And Check in your hotel. You will really enjoy a Cultural Dance Program. Overnight stay in Kandy.

Day 5

After breakfast visit Temple of tooth relic, if you need shopping, Kandy is one of the best places to buy gems, Handicrafts, silk act. And the Peradeniya Botanical garden, after driving to Ademspeak. Overnight stay Nallathanniya.

Dalada Maligawa

Temple of Tooth, Sri Dalada Maligawa, or the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex of the former Kingdom of Kandy, which houses the relic of the tooth of the Buddha. The most sacred place of Buddhist worship in Sri Lanka and perhaps the world’s most sacred Buddhist shrine is venerated by millions of Buddhists all over the world. The temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic or Dalada Maligawa is a monumental palace built in the heart of the city of Kandy to house the sacred relic of the tooth of Gautama Buddha. Brought from Kalinga in India during the reign of Sri Meghavanna.

The sacred relic of the tooth was taken from the funeral pyre of Gautama Buddha in 483 BC. Later on, the princess Hemamali with her husband prince Danta smuggled it into Sri Lanka hidden in her hair on the instructions of her father Guhasiva a during the 4th Century AD and it was first enshrined in Isurumuniya Temple in Anuradhapura. The first established kingdom in ancient Sri Lanka. Then it moved through a number of kingdoms across the country from time to time and in the end, it was brought to Kandy by Hiripitiya Diyawadana Rala and Devanagala Ratnalankara Thera. during the reign of king Wimaladharmasuriya 1(1591-1604)who built a two-story building to place the sacred relic of the tooth. After that, it was improved by various kings who ruled the Kandyan kingdom, and the last improvement was done by King Sri Wikrama Rajasinha (1798-1815).

Peradeniya Botanical Gardens

The Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya occupies a horseshoe-shaped peninsula and the scenic splendor of the garden has been raised to greater heights by the longest river of Sri Lanka, The Mahaweli which flows through its fringes. The total area is 147 acres (about 60 hectares) containing about 4500 plant species. It is situated in the serene hill capital; it is near the Mahaweli River. It is renowned for its collection of orchids.

Day 6

After breakfast, we start climbing Adams Peak and after that, we drive to Kitulgala. Rest & Overnight stay in Kitulgala.

Adams Peak

Adams Peak is a 2243 meters (7359 ft) tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka. All Four major religions claim Adam’s Peak as a holy mountain. Buddhists call the mountain Sri Pada (the sacred footprint) and believe the Lord Buddha has visited this mountain and set his sacred footprint. Hindus say it is Lord Shiva’s and Muslims believe that it is the place where Adam first set foot on earth. Catholics say it is St. Thomas’s the Christian apostle who preached in South India. The pilgrimage season is from December to April. Looking down from the mountain summit the panoramic view of the mist-covered hilltops and the forest-covered low-lying valleys unfold as far as the eye can see. The sunrise seen from the top of Sri Pada is an unforgettable sight and the journey an exhilarating experience.

Day 7

After breakfast getting a famous film for white water rafting in the Kelani river. After lunch leaves for Hikkaduwa. Hikkaduwa is one of the most popular tourists destinations in Sri Lanka you can enjoy & relax on the beach.

Overnight stay in Hikkaduwa.

Kitulgala

Kitulgala is a Rain Forest patch that attracts many residents and foreign tourists for its natural beauty. The Academy Award-winning movie The Bridge on the River Kwai was filmed on the Kelani River near Kitulgala, although nothing remains now except the concrete foundations for the bridge. Kitulgala is the base for white-water rafting in Sri Lanka, but there are myriad leisure and adventure activities that can be done in Kitulgala.

At Sri Lankan Expeditions, suggests following things to do if you are planning a trip to Kitulgala,

• White Water Rafting in Kelani River
• Flat Water Rafting for Kids in river branches in Kitulgala
• Jungle walks to see beautiful rivers and waterfalls
• Mountain biking on the roads or in the forest
• River bathing in the shallow branches of the main river in Kitulgala
• Visit remote Waterfalls and streams
• Waterfall Jumps and Waterfall Abseiling
• Bird Watching
• River expeditions

Hikkaduwa  

Hikkaduwa is a small coastal town in the south situated 99 km south of Colombo a. Well-known for its beach, the subaqueous world of coral gardens with shoals of brightly colored fish, and nightlife, Hikkaduwa is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka the coral sanctuary replete with colorful fish quite fascinating and you can explore these fantasies in a glass-bottomed boat or by diving. This is also a better place for sunbathing, snorkeling, board-surfing, and many other pastimes. One of the great attractions among worldwide travelers. A surfing point, perfect snorkeling locations with gold.

Day 8

After breakfast Enjoy a glass-bottomed boat, diving, and snorkeling.  After that, we visit Mask Museum at Ambalangoda. That you are at end of your journey with us. We will comfortably take you to the international airport well in advance for your departure flight.