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Sri Lanka Extension Tour

5 Days / 4 Nights
Departures: Daily from Colombo
(Minimum 2 persons travelling together)

DAY 1

On arrival at Colombo airport, you will be met and transferred to the TransAsia Hotel or similar. Afternoon, enjoy a sightseeing tour of Colombo visiting ‘Pettah’, a noisy Oriental bazaar with a selection of mosques, temples and shopping bargains, followed by the Hindu Temple, Jumi-UL Alfar Jumma Mosque and numerous historical sites. Evening, return to hotel for dinner and overnight. (D)

DAY 2

After breakfast, drive to Polonnaruwa, which was the 2nd capital city of Sri Lanka, built in the 11th and 12th centuries AD and is a world heritage site. Here, you can view the ruins of the Royal Palace, the Gal Viharaya, where 4 splendid statues of the Buddha in various postures are carved out of rock. There are also monuments of famous places of worship such as the Shiva Temple, the Lankathilake, the Watadage, the Galpotha, the Kiri Vehera and the remains of a former Temple of the Tooth Relic. Proceed to Dambulla. Check in at the Culture Club Hotel or similar for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

DAY 3

After breakfast, drive to Sigiriya. Climb the 5th century Sigiriya rock fortress, a world heritage site built by King Kashyapa, visiting the ‘Lion Rock’ a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 metres from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the large fortified town, with a moat, rampart, extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens. This is followed by a visit to the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya, located in a sheltered location of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. The frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster. Continue on to Kandy and en-route visit the Dambulla Rock Temple, where you can climb up to the temple, donated by King Walagambahu in the 1st century BC, to Buddhist monks. Dambulla is also a world heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples, with over 2000 square metres of painted walls and the ceiling has the largest area of paintings in the world. These caves also contain over 150 images of the Buddha, of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock spanning 14 metres. Also visit a spice garden in Matale to see the different spices Sri Lanka is famous for. Check in at Mahaweli Reach Hotel or similar. Late afternoon, depart on a sightseeing tour of Kandy including the Royal Botanical Gardens, the Temple of the Tooth Relic and finally enjoy a cultural show featuring traditional Sri Lankan dancing. Return to hotel for dinner and overnight stay. (B, D)

DAY 4

After breakfast, visit the elephant orphanage in Pinnawala, home for about 60 elephants cared, fed and trained by the wildlife authorities and have the opportunity to view the baby elephants being bottle fed or accompanying them to a near-by river for their daily bath. Proceed to visit a tea plantation and a tea factory, where the best tea in the world is produced. Finally, proceed to Nuwara Eliya, because of its stunning scenery and mountain climate is Sri Lanka’s most popular hill resort. Nuwara Eliya is also the heart of Sri Lanka’s tea country producing a significant share of the world’s best tea. Check in at the Grand Hotel or similar. Evening at leisure. Dinner and overnight. (B, D)

DAY 5

After breakfast, depart for Colombo airport or to your choice of our 4 beach resort hotels. (B)

B = Breakfast. L = Lunch. D = Dinner.

PRICE INCLUDES:
  • Accommodation as indicated or similar.
  • Meals as indicated.
  • Tours and transfers with English speaking guide.
  • Entrance fees to visit Gangarama Temple, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, Temple of the Tooth and the Royal Botanical Gardens.
  • Porterage, service charges and Government taxes.
PRICE EXCLUDES:
  • International flights.
  • Optional tours and meals not specified.
  • Departure airport tax.
  • Items of a personal nature.
Prices

Price per person sharing
 01 Jan - 31 Oct €495 (Single supplement - €175)
01 Nov - 15 Dec €555 (Single supplement - €195)

To request a quote for your specific dates, please call us on 01 648 0800 or click here to use our request a quote form.