Your itinerary
1.
London to Colombo
Travel from your door to London Heathrow with our pick-up
service, and fly overnight to Sri Lanka's capital city with
SriLankan Airlines.
2. Colombo
Check in at the 4 diamond Cinnamon Grand or similar, your home
in the country's commercial centre. Later, get a feel for the city
on a short orientation tour.
3. Colombo to Habarana
Head to Habarana for two nights' relaxation at The Lodge (4
diamond) or similar. Explore the ruins of the medieval capital,
Polonnaruwa, this afternoon. B D
4. Sigiriya and Anuradhapura or Habarana
You've the chance to climb to the top of Sigiriya Rock Fortress
on this morning's trip, stopping part-way up to have a look at the
cave paintings. And you'll have an opportunity to visit ancient
Anuradhapura in the afternoon; alternatively spend the rest of the
day at your lakeside hotel, where you could join the naturalist for
some bird-spotting. B D
5. Habarana to Dambulla and
Kandy
Break today's journey with a stop at the Golden Temple of
Dambulla - a well-preserved cave monastery - and to take a walk
through a spice garden. Reaching Kandy, settle in at The Citadel (4
diamond) or similar for a two-night stay. B D
6. Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage
and Kandy
A real highlight today: see elephants close up and have lunch in
the sanctuary's riverside restaurant as they bathe. Take in the
sights of Kandy City this evening, including the Temple of the
Tooth, before ending the day at a cultural show. B L D
7. Kandy to Nuwara
Eliya
After a peaceful stroll through the Peradeniya Botanical
Gardens, set off into the mountains. Amongst the spectacular
scenery, you'll pass local people picking tea leaves; stop at a tea
plantation and factory to learn more on the way. At journey's end
in Nuwara Eliya, check into the 4 diamond Hotel Grand (or similar)
for the night. B D
8. Nuwara Eliya to Yala National
Park
Accompanied by more amazing views, continue through the
mountains to Yala National Park by the Indian Ocean. Once you've
made yourself at home at the Yala Village (4 diamond), look out for
leopards on a jeep safari. B D
9. Yala National
Park
Catch the early-morning life of the park on another jeep safari
before breakfast and a day at leisure. Round the day off watching
animals at the watering hole. B D
10. Yala National Park to
Bentota
Swap east coast for west today. You'll get to see the old
Portuguese town of Galle before you reach the resort of Bentota.
Unpack for two nights at the beachside Taj Exotica (5 diamond).
B
11. Bentota
Spend the day relaxing by the beach. B
12. Bentota to Colombo and
London
Returning to Colombo this morning, fly back to London Heathrow
where your door-to-door driver will meet you. B
Travel notes We want you to
be able to unwind on this tour, so the pace is relaxed with a
combination of one- and two-night stays. To fully appreciate the
Sigiriya Rock Fortress, it's best to climb right to the top; but
it's a hard climb so we'll leave it up to you. You'll also need to
be reasonably fit to get to the temple we visit in Dambulla. Make
sure you've got good shoes and suitable clothes for both days. The
Lodge in Habarana is a real haven for both guests and birdlife, so
we've given you a free afternoon on day 4: a perfect chance to
learn more about the ancient culture on the optional trip to
Anuradhapura. A wonderful opportunity to spot elephants and
leopards in the wild, Yala National Park is one of the biggest
highlights of this tour. As well as accommodation in luxury lodges,
we've included two jeep safaris.
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