'The Original' Sri Lanka Island Tour 12 Days

'The Original' Sri Lanka Island Tour 12 Days

Tour can be customized after reservation. We are one of Sri Lanka's leading inbound tour operators, with over 20 years of experience in tailor-made travel experiences.
Fully licensed, Tourist Board approved and all our driver/guides possess the required guiding permit.
A 24h customer hotline (English, French & German) and a fully insured fleet of new a/c vehicles (limousines and mini buses) provides safety and travel comfort for our clients.

Itinerary

Day 1: Airport - Wilpattu National Park - Anuradhapura

Stop At: Wilpattu National Park, Putlam - Anuradhapura Road, Anuradhapura 50000 Sri Lanka
After meeting you at the airport, we'll drive to Anuradhapura with visiting the Wilpattu National Park on the way.
The Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary is located close to the historical city of Anuradhapura and was declared a National Park in 1938. Home to a population of roughly 50 wild leopards, it is also important for resident and migratory water-birds due to the natural lakes.
The history of the park is also of interest with ancient ruins pointing to a queen named “Kuweni” (considered to be the mother of the Sinhala race) who is said to have lived in a place known as Kalli Villu. Historical evidence also shows the fact that Prince Saliya, son of King Dutugemunu lived in Wilpattu over 2,000 years ago. 
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Gamodh Citadel Resort or Miridiya Lake Resort, Anuradhapura

Day 2: Anuradhapura - Trincomalee - Kanniya Hot Wells

Stop At: Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura Sri Lanka
Anuradhapura is the most celebrated of Sri Lanka's ancient ruined cities. This city is the repository of several priceless treasures of Buddhism and as a World Heritage site definetly a MUST to every visitor to Sri Lanka.
One is the dagoba of Thuparama, an immense spire-topped dome that is believed to enshrine the collarbone of the Buddha, himself. The base of the temple is surrounded by a frieze of elephants in bas relief. Another remarkable treasure in Anuradhapura is the sacred Bo Tree said to have been grown from a branch of the tree under which Siddhartha Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. As the story goes, a sapling of the ficus religioso that sheltered the Buddha was brought from the Magadha Kingdom of ancient India to Sri Lanka in a golden bowl 2,250 years ago and planted on this spot in Sri Lanka, bowl and all. It is said to be the oldest authenticated tree in the world.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Trincomalee Beach, Trincomalee Sri Lanka
Trincomalee is an important port city since ancient times. Set on a peninsula, Fort Frederick was built initially by the Portuguese and captured in 1639 by the Dutch. Within its grounds, the grand Koneswaram Temple stands on Swami Rock cliff, a popular vantage point for blue-whale watching. The holy complex contains ornate shrines and a massive statue of Shiva. Nearby Gokanna Temple has panoramic views over the city and the coastline.
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Kanniya Hot Springs, Kanniya, Trincomalee 31000 Sri Lanka
In the afternoon you will visit Kanniya Hot Wells. The seven hot water wells in Kenniya revolve around myth and legend of Ramayana. It is believed the springs appeared after King Ravana struck the ground seven times with his sword. The water in each well varies in heat and sometimes bubbles up like a pot of boiling water. The water is believed to contain healing properties which cure skin ailments and arthritis.
Duration: 30 minutes

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Anantamaa Hotel or JKAB Beach Resort, Trincomalee

Day 3: Whale Watching - Snorkeling - Beach

Stop At: Trincomalee Beach, Trincomalee Sri Lanka
Just off the coast of Sri Lanka swims the majestic blue whale, the largest creature on earth. Nowhere in the wold is it possible to see these ocean giants so close to shore.
Depending on the conditions, this gives you the opportunity to watch blue whales along with sperm whales, orcas, playful spinner and bottlenose dolphins, turtles and whale sharks in their natural environment. Whale Watching can be done from the shore or on-board an excursion boat.
Duration: 4 hours

Stop At: Nilaveli Beach, Nilaveli Sri Lanka
Time to enjoy the truly tropical beach. Nilaveli is facing the Pigeon Island Marine National Park and is perfect for snorkeling or scuba diving. Bright corals and colorful fish swarms can be seen directly through the crystal clear waters.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Anantamaa Hotel or JKAB Beach Resort, Trincomalee

Day 4: Sightseeing - Snorkeling - Beach

Stop At: Trincomalee Beach, Trincomalee Sri Lanka
Free Day to relax on the beach and/or enjoy some Trincomalee Sightseeing
Duration: 12 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Anantamaa Hotel or JKAB Beach Resort, Trincomalee

Day 5: Trincomalee - Sigiriya Rock Fortress - Optional Elephant Ride or Jeep Safari

Stop At: Sigiriya Rock, Rock Front, Sigiriya 21120, Sri Lanka
Climb the UNESCO World Heritage Site Sigiriya Rock in Sri Lanka’s ‘Cultural Triangle’, where you will have a chance to gaze over the stunning views of Central Sri Lanka. Sigiriya (sometimes called Lion’s Rock) is the ruins of an ancient palace in a 200m high rock fortress, overlooking the beautiful plains of North-Central Sri Lanka. Built for an exiled Indian prince, the breathtaking ruins are one of Sri Lanka’s main tourist attractions and date back to AD 477. Despite its age, Sigiriya still retains much of its former beauty and features some of the finest examples of ancient art in the form of wall paintings, as well as a network of attractive gardens and reservoirs, and Sigiriya’s namesake – a gigantic pair of lion’s paws cut into the rock. With its fascinating history and unerring beauty, Sigiriya is often referred to as the 8th wonder of the world and the UNESCO-sponsored Central Cultural Fund has even restored Sigiriya’s 5th century Water Gardens, so that you can get a glimpse of what Sigiriya might have been like thousands of years ago.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Minneriya National Park, Maradankadawala-Habarana-Thirukkondaiadimadu Highway, 50150 Sri Lanka
Optional Elephant Ride or Jeep Safari At the Minneriya National Park. Large numbers of Sri Lankan elephants are attracted to grass fields on the edges of the reservoir during the dry season. The Minneriya tank contributes to sustain a large herd. Elephants gathered here is numbering around 150-200. Some reports account number of elephants to as high as 700. They migrate here from Wasgamuwa National Park and benefit from food and shelter of the park's forest.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Kassapa Lions Rock Hotel or Wewa Addara Hotel, Sigiriya

Day 6: Sigiriya - Kandy - Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic - Royal Botanical Gardens

Stop At: Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Sri Dalada Veediya, Kandy 20000 Sri Lanka
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
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya Road, Peradeniya 20400 Sri Lanka
Established in 1816, these gardens are located about 6.5km before Kandy on the side of the Colombo-Kandy highway. Initially planted with Coffee and Cinnamon, now includes beautiful Sri Lankan and overseas species. No vehicle is allowed entry to this 147-acre garden. It is bounded on three sides by a loop of the Mahaweli River.
The Avenue of Royal Palms, Bamboo-fringed riverside drive, Bat drive, Spice garden, Orchard house, Cactus house and a Glasshouse of anthuriums, begonias, African Violets and other species and the giant Javan fig tree found on the great lawn attract locals as well as visitors from overseas. It covers an area of 1600 sqm. Keep your eyes open for an oxen driven lawn mover.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Thilanka Hotel or Casamara Hotel

Day 7: Kandy - Nuwara Eliya - Tea Plantations

Stop At: Victoria Park of Nuwara Eliya, A5, Nuwara Eliya 22200 Sri Lanka
Nuwara Eliya or City of Light is the tea capital of Sri Lanka at an altitude of 1889 m and is the most visited hill station of the island.
Nuwara Eliya was found by a group of British officers during the earlier part of the 19th century, who as the story goes, had gotten lost while elephant hunting. The British governor at the time, Sir Edward Barnes, was told about this little town and subsequently decided to take residence there, soon creating a health resort, which soon became internationally renown.
Nuwara Eliya is surrounded by a seemingly endless array of tea plantations populated by tea pickers who are almost exclusively Indian Tamils, who are distinct from the Ceylonese Tamils who live in the Northeast of the country.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Heaven Seven Hotel or Glenfall Reach Hotel, Nuwara Eliya

Day 8: Nuwara Eliya - Ella - Optional by Scenic Train Journey

Stop At: Ella Rock, Ella Main Street NECS-Nature Exploration and Conservation Society Sri Lanka, Ella 90090 Sri Lanka
This hill country part of the tour can be undertaken with your car or by a train journey from Nuwara Eliya to Ella. Your driver will follow with the car and pick you up again at Ella's Railway Station.
Ella is a beautiful small village in Sri Lanka's hill country with little more than a handful of shops, hotels and guesthouses, but it has an almost perfect climate and occupies a very scenic vantage point, with views on a fine day stretching right across the South Coast of Sri Lanka.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Red Rock Hotel or Flower Garden Hotel, Ella

Day 9: Ella - Yala National Park

Stop At: Yala National Park Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is one of the best places in Asia for seeing wildlife. The island’s isolation from the mainland, the heavy rainfall of the two diagonally blowing monsoons, and the country’s wide range of altitudes have given Sri Lanka a variation in climate and biodiversity normally found only across an entire continent.
The top draw is the Sri Lankan leopard, a sub-species endemic to the country; in certain areas of the park, the average leopard density is as high as one cat to every square kilometre. During the fruiting of the palu trees in June and July, sloth bears are often observed.
Other animals you might spot include sambar (a large deer), spotted deer, buffalo, wild pig, stripe-necked and ruddy mongooses, langur monkey, toque monkey, golden jackal and Indian palm civet.
The combination of freshwater, marine, scrub and woodland areas ensures a high diversity of birds. Indeed, the park hosts 220 different types, and serious twitchers have recorded 100 species in a single day.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hibiscus Garden Hotel or Okrin Hotel, Yala

Day 10: Yala - Unawatuna - Turtle Hatchery - Bentota

Stop At: Unawatuna Beach, Unawatuna Sri Lanka
Unawatuna is a beautiful and quiet beach resort just 5 km south of Galle.
While Unawatuna offers many hotels and guesthouses for all travelers, it is still an uncrowded, authentic Sri Lankan beach resort.

The name Unawatuna derives its name from the Singhalese words, Onna-wetuna, which translates into "there it fell". Over a period of time, Onna-wetuna became Unawatuna.
A golden beach which is protected by coral reefs, safe swimming, wreck & reef diving and some surf points making Unawatuna a more and more popular travel destination.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Galle Fort, Church Street, Galle 80000 Sri Lanka
Galle is the best example of a fortified city built by Europeans in south and southeast Asia, showing the interaction between European architectural styles and south Asian traditions. The Galle Fort is a world heritage site and the largest remaining fortress in Asia built by European invaders. Other prominent landmarks in Galle include the St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests.
Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Bentota Beach, Bentota 80500 Sri Lanka
Facing the Indian Ocean, a tropical lagoon and a major river, Bentota Beach offers water sports possibilities nowhere else to be found in Sri Lanka.
Apart from swimming, body-surfing or diving in the sea, you can jet-ski, windsurf, parasail or enjoy a romantic river safari on the river and lagoon. Being one of the most established beach resorts in Sri Lanka, Bentota is known for its professional touristic infrastructure.
The many star-class hotels are often build in fantastic locations and even if you don't stay there drop in for a tea and enjoy the scenery.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Coco Royal Beach Hotel or Joes, Bentota

Day 11: Bentota - Colombo

Stop At: Colombo Fort, Galle Buck, Colombo Sri Lanka
Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital city, cosmopolitan and filled with many-starred international hotels, shopping centers and surprisingly westernized, yet with its own unmistakable Sri Lankan character.

Colombo, the commercial and political heart of Sri Lanka is a fascinating mix of old and new, with a central cluster of high-rise office blocks and hotels overshadowing red-tiled colonial-era buildings and sprawling street markets which overflow with high piled fruit and vegetables, colourful silks and cottons, and deliciously fragrant spices.
The colourful street markets, colonial-era buildings, museums and galleries, churches, mosques and temples of Colombo can easily be explored with your driver/guide.
The suburb Mount Lavinia is well known for its beach since the colonial time. The sea is a safe and popular bathing spot. Its clean sandy beaches are jutting into the waters of the Indian Ocean with softest sand and the calm and clear water.
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Grand Oriental Hotel or Pegasus Reef Hotel, Colombo

Day 12: Colombo - Airport - or your next destination in Sri Lanka

Pass By: Bandaranaike International Airport, Canada Friendship Rd, කටුනායක 11450, Sri Lanka
Transfer to the airport or you next destination on Sri Lanka's west coast

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.