Sri Lanka Coach Discovery Long Stay

Discover both the modern and ancient worlds of Sri Lanka on a fascinating nine-day round trip. Starting in the capital city of Colombo, the tour takes you inland through the country’s main natural, cultural and historic sites. You’ll discover ancient citadels and temples, vast, lush landscapes and charming lakeside cities. Meet gentle giants at an elephant orphanage, explore fragrant spice gardens, and take in cultural shows as you journey through this unforgettable paradise.

DAY 1: AIRPORT – COLOMBO

You’ll be met at the Colombo Airport by your guide and transferred to your hotel to check in. You’ll be staying either at the Kingsbury Hotel or the Pegasus Reef Hotel. The capital city of Colombo is a vibrant and captivating place, which provides a fascinating contrast to the rest of the country with its bustling, colourful streets and skyscrapers that rise up high above old colonial buildings. We’ll explore the city, taking in the most famous sites, including the Pettah Bazaar, the upmarket residential area of Cinnamon Gardens and a host of stunning Buddhist and Hindu temples such as the Sri Kailawasanathan Swami Devasthanam Kovil and the Gangarama. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a local Colombo hotel

DAY 2: COLOMBO – PINNAWALA – DAMBULLA – SIGIRIYA

After enjoying a leisurely breakfast at the hotel, the tour departs the capital city and makes for the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, which has been caring for abused and orphaned elephants for almost 50 years. The orphanage cares for over 100 Asian elephants, providing them with food, socialisation and a safe, natural habitat. You’ll be able to watch them being fed, the adults with coconut leaves and the calves by bottle, before they enjoy a morning frolic in the Maha Oya River. Our tour then continues on to Dambulla’s Golden Temple, a 2000 year-old temple carved beautifully into the mountainside. The temple, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, consists of five caves, each decorated in a different era. Together, the system covers kilometres of cave that extends deep into the mountain. A tour of the complex will reveal awe-inspiring sites, including over 150 Buddha statues, one of which is 14 metres tall, and a cave whose frescoed walls include 1500 painted images of Buddha and kings. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a local Sigiriya hotel. (150km – 3.5 hrs)

DAY 3: SIGIRIYA – POLONNARUWA – SIGIRIYA

Our day’s activities begin with a climb to the enchanting Sigiriya Fortress, which was built atop a rock that rises dramatically high – over 200 metres – above the forest canopy. ‘Lion Rock’ as it’s called was once the innermost stronghold of a large city, but abandoned and forgotten, it was reclaimed by the forest over the centuries. British explorers rediscovered it and an immense excavation of the ancient city began. We’ll tour the amazing complex, with its terraced gardens, vast ‘Mirror Wall’ and stunning ancient frescoes of the ‘heavenly maidens’. We’ll pass right through the ‘belly’ of the lion and climb the snaking staircase to the summit of Lion Rock, where you can enjoy the stunning views across the forest and beyond. Later in the afternoon, the tour continues to the ruins of Polonnaruwa City; a beautifully preserved complex that features ingenious feats of early engineering, including an irrigation network which is still in use to this day, supplying water to several buildings via underground canals. We’ll visit the Gal Viharaya and admire its four stunning Buddha images carved from rock, Audience Hall, the statue of King Parakramabahu and the Lotus Bath. Our last sights for the day include the stunning Shiva Temple, the Waterdage, Lankathilake and Galpotha amongst others. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a local Sigiriya hotel. (140km – 3.5 hrs)

DAY 4: SIGIRIYA– MATALE – PERADENIYA – KANDY

Our tour begins on a sweet note with a visit to Matale’s spice and herb gardens, where you can enjoy a traditional Sri Lankan cookery demonstration and learn about the uses of Sri Lanka’s spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, lemon grass and turmeric. From the gardens, we continue on to the city of Kandy where we visit the beautiful Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, which date back to the 14th century. Under British care, the gardens were transformed into what they are today, with fields of stunning orchids that bloom year-round and a tree planted in 1901 by Queen Mary and King George. We take a walk through the impressive Avenue of Palms to the vast green lawn that is home to a giant solitary java willow. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a Kandy hotel. (100km – 2.5 hrs)

DAY 5: KANDY

The city of Kandy is famed for its picturesque lakeside setting and backdrop of lush, rolling hills. It seems that everywhere you look, the city provides something of exceptional beauty, but nothing can compare to the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. The stunning 16th century complex was built solely to house a canine tooth of Lord Buddha, which is ritually cleansed by monks using scented holy water every week. The temple itself is located in the innermost section of the complex, surrounded by a walled moat. Other notable structures to look for during your visit include the Royal Palace, the New Palace, the Golden Canopy and the Queen’s Bathing House, amongst others. Be sure to spend some time just taking in the serene atmosphere of the complex. Our day comes to an end with a cultural show, which features a series of 12 traditional and folk dances, accompanied by a drum orchestra. The show culminates in a daring fire walk performance. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a Kandy hotel

DAY 6: KANDY – TEA PLANTATION – NUWARA ELIYA

We spend the morning learning more about Sri Lanka’s most famous produce, tea. We visit a tea plantation and factory, where we’ll observe the production process, from harvesting the tea leaves, grading and selection, to the manufacturing of the dried leaves for drinking. Our tour of the factory ends with a Ceylon tea tasting. We then set off for Nuwara Eliya, a beautiful lakeside town, which is known as Sri Lanka’s ‘Tea Capital’, as well as ‘Little England’, which is home to Victoria Park, a racecourse, an 18-hole golf course and expansive rose-lined lawns. It was in these surrounding hills that the production of tea was introduced to Sri Lanka by the British in the 19th century, which came to be the world-renowned variety known as Ceylon. We’ll also visit some of the surrounding attractions, including the ‘Lovers’ Leap’ waterfall and Pidurutalagala Mountain, which at 2500 metres is the country’s highest. . Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a Nuwara Eliya hotel. (95km – 2.5 hrs)

DAY 7: NUWARA ELIYA– BUDURUWAGALA – YALA

Our tour takes us south east, through beautiful landscapes and extensive tea plantations to the temple of Buduruwagala, near which the seven famous statues of Buddha and other figures were carved into a rock over 1000 years ago. At 15 metres tall, the Buddha image carved here is the tallest in Sri Lanka. We leave the highlands en route to the Yala National Park, where you’ll enjoy a Jeep safari. We’ll explore the beautiful wilderness which extends from the highlands to the sea and features grassy plains, sand dunes and forests, which combine to provide refuge for thousands of different species. Possible sightings include buffalo, elephant, sloth bears, boars, crocodiles, deer and the rare Sri Lankan leopard. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a Yala hotel. (180km – 5 hrs)

DAY 8: YALA– GALLE – KOSGODA – KALUTARA

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, we set off for a scenic coastal drive to Galle, a stunning coastal city with a long colonial history. The city has been under Portuguese, Dutch and British rule, and displays a fascinating, diverse colonial heritage. The Dutch-built fort in the city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Marvel at the bastions which guard the fortified sea wall, and enjoy the more serene buildings of the Dutch reformed Church and Meera Mosque. Our journey then departs Galle and continues north to Kosgoda. Here, a turtle hatchery and refuge is working hard to protect the endangered hawksbill turtles that nest on nearby beaches. You’ll be able to see the hundreds of turtle hatchlings, which are fed and taken to the ocean to be released once they are a few days old, when they have a significantly better chance of surviving. Overnight on a bed-and-breakfast basis in a Kalutara hotel. (275km – 5.5 hrs)

DAY 9: KALUTARA – COLOMBO AIRPORT

After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to Colombo Airport for your flight. (80km – 1.5 hrs)

• Tour guide
• Operated with English-speaking guides
• Accommodation
• Eight nights in either three or four-star hotels on a bed and breakfast basis
• Transport
• Air-conditioned transportation and transfers as stated in the programme

Services not included:

• Expenditures of a personal nature, beverages and meals not explicitly stated in the programme
• Lunch and dinner throughout the programme
• Gratuities
• Entrance fees for sights and attractions: USD 110.00 per person
• Optional tours
• Compulsory festival/peak season surcharges (if stated separately)
• Video camera/ photography permits at the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy; video camera permits at Elephant Orphanage