Day 01 – Colombo
Arrive at the Bandaranaike International airport, Katunayake (30 km, approx. 1 hour drive).
You will be met and assisted by our airport staff on arrival and transferred to Colombo, the commercial capital of the country. On arrival in Colombo, check in at the hotel. After a short break, commence a sightseeing tour of the city of Colombo. Drive through the commercial and city centre area known as the “Fort”, built by the Portuguese in the 16th century where grand colonial era buildings stand alongside modern office structures. See the busy markets and noisy bazaars of Pettah, the National Museum with its fine collection of lovely antiques and art of Sri Lanka. Drive past the Town Hall, Independence Square, the B.M.I.C.H (International Convention Centre) and Cinnamon Gardens residential area and visit a BuddhistTtemple and a Hindu Kovil, to experience the diversity of religion, ethnicity and customs of the people.On completion of the tour, return to the hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Colombo.

Day 02 – Colombo / Anuradhapura
After breakfast at the hotel leave for Anuradhapura. (206 km approx. 5 hour drive). On arrival, in Anuradhapura, visit the sacred ancient city founded in the 04th century B.C a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982. It has the largest number of ancient monuments of the great Sinhala civilization which flourished in this region. You will see some of the most famous as well as the tallest dagobas of Sri Lanka, Ruwanweliseya Dagoba, 2nd century BC with its famous elephant walls and the 3rd century BC Thuparama Dagoba. Ruins of ancient royal palaces specially the pillars of the Brazen Palace, which once had nine storeys, temples, the image of the Samadhi Buddha one of the finest pieces of Buddhist sculpture, monasteries, the twin ponds, guard stones and the moonstone. The ‘Sri Maha Bodhi’ or the sacred Bo tree is over 2200 years old grown from a branch of the very tree under which “The Buddha” attained enlightenment – the oldest historically documented tree in the world.

Continue to Habarana, a small village with excellent hotel accommodation which is a central location for all the ancient city sites. (57km, approx. 1 ½ hour drive)Overnight stay at a hotel in Habarana

Day 03 – Sigiriya / Polonnaruwa
After breakfast at hotel, leave for Sigiriya (24 km- approx. ½  hour drive) and climb the Rock Fortress (UNESCO World Heritage site - 1982) built by King Kassapa in the 05thcentury A.D. which was a Royal Citadel for more than 18 years.  The Lion Rock is a citadel of unusual beauty, rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle. The base of the rock is ringed by a moat and rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens. The majestic Lion’s Paw picturesquely guards the stairway of the palace on the summit. See the famous frescoes of the “Heavenly maidens” of Sigiriya in a sheltered pocket of the rock and the 10 foot high Mirror Wall.

Thereafter, leave for Polonnaruwa, UNESCO World Heritage site since 1982, the Capital of Sri Lanka from the 11th to 13th century. On arrival in Polonnaruwa visit the well-planned medieval city defended by enclosing walls (around 5 km. which still remain), graced by palaces, shrines, monasteries, pavilions, parks, ponds and irrigation lakes. Polonnaruwa is strewn with ruins in a resplendent state of preservation. Of these the ‘Vatadage’ and the ‘Thuparama Image House’ are the most spectacular. The ‘Gal Vihara’ which consists of statues of the recumbent, standing and seated Buddha have been cut from a single granite wall and rank among the true masterpieces of Sri Lankan art.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Habarana

Day 04 – Dambulla / Kandy
After breakfast at the hotel leave for Dambulla (25 km approx.1/2 hour drive) and visit the famous Golden Rock CaveTemple which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991. A sacred pilgrimage site for 22 centuries, this cave monastery, a vast isolated rock mass with its five caverns is the largest best preserved cave-temple complexes in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist mural paintings (covering an area of 2,100 sq. meters) are of particular importance as are the 157 statues including a 47 foot long statue of the recumbent Buddha. The ceiling of one cavern is fully illustrated with paintings that follow the natural folds of the rock so closely that it appears to be made of cloth. The complex of caves is one of the most impressive Buddhist Temples in the world.

Thereafter leave for Kandy (79 km – approx. 3 hour drive) a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. En route visit a Spice Garden in Matale. On arrival in Kandy, check in at the hotel. After a short break, commence a sightseeing tour of Kandy, the bustling hill country capital. Visit the pink painted famous Temple of the Tooth which houses the most sacred religious relic, the tooth of the Buddha. Kandy is also popular because of the annual festival known as the Esala Perahera where the inner casket covering the tooth relic of the Buddha is taken in a grand procession through the streets of the city held annually in the month of July or August. Also visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, where a rare collection of tropical exotic and indigenous flora including the famous Orchid House could be viewed. Late evening enjoy the Kandyan Cultural Show at the Kandyan Arts & Cultural Centre. The show features the graceful and rhythmic dancers and drummers culminating in an impressive fire walking display.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.

Day 05 –Pinnawela / Ratnapura
After breakfast leave for Pinnawela and visit the Elephant Orphanage. (50 km, approx. 1 hour drive). This orphanage was set up by the government to take care of baby elephants lost or abandoned in the wild. Witness the feeding of the elephants. The baby elephants being bottle fed with milk is a heartwarming sight. Thereafter observe them as they take their daily bath in the river nearby, which affords marvelous photo opportunities. Bath time is enjoyed by all elephants, young and old alike and it is a good time to closely observe their tightly knit family structure. The young elephants are protected and cared for, by the older ones in the group and the leader of the group is respected by all.  (Open from 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.  Daily feeding times- 9.15 a.m., 1.15 p.m. 5.00 p.m. Bathing times – 10.00 a.m., 2.00 p.m., 4.00 p.m.). 
Thereafter leave for Ratnapura, the Sri Lanka’s Gem city (142 km, approx. 4 hours). On arrival in Ratnapura commence a sightseeing tour of the city. Ratnapura is the world’s richest treasure house of gems. Rare sparkling precious and semi-precious stones are found in the rich soil that covers the entire district. A visit to this city of gems is a must for any visitor. It is a city set amidst a mix of paddy fields, rubber and tea plantations which give a scenic backdrop to this legendary city of a thousand gems. On completion, check in at the hotel.
Overnight stay at a hotel in Ratnapura

Day 06 – Ratnapura / Sinharaja / Galle
After breakfast leave for the Sinharaja Forest Reserve (22 km, approx. 1 hour). It is the least disturbed and biologically unique lowland rain forest remaining in Sri Lanka. It is a treasure trove of endemic species including trees, insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Because of the dense vegetation wildlife is not as easily seen as at dry zone national parks as Yala. Bird watching is particularly interesting as it is home to 95% of the endemic birds of Sri Lanka.

Afterwards proceed to Galle. (210 km, approx. 5 hour drive). Galle, the capital of the Southern Province lies 116 km south of Colombo. Its historic Fort 90 acres in extent was originally founded by the Portugese and later extended by the Dutch in 1663. It was nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. The Fort houses many important Dutch buildings including a Dutch period museum. Galle is famous for hand made lace, tortoise shell curios and ebony elephants.Overnight stay at a hotel in Galle.

Day 07 – Galle / Mt.Lavinia                                                                                         

After breakfast commence a sightseeing tour of Galle. Visit the Fort, a Dutch Church, the Natural Harbour, the Dutch Cultural Museum and the National Maritime Museum.Afterwards proceed to Mt Lavinia ( 104 km, approx. 3 hour drive).
Overnight stay at a hotel in Mt Lavinia.

Day 08

After breakfast leave to the airport for the departure flight (30 km, approx. 1 hour drive).