Sri Lanka With Tea, Safari & Buddha Relics

After breakfast, leave for Anuradhapura and take a city tour of this ancient capital. Leave for Anuradhapura (a World Heritage Site), the first capital and undoubtedly the grandest city of ancient Sri Lanka. Sri Maha Bodhi (Sacred Bo-Tree) was brought as a sapling of the main tree under which Lord Buddha had attained enlightenment. It is over 2,200 years old and is the oldest historically documented tree in the world. At Lovamahapaya, also called the Brazen Palace (dating 2nd Century B.C.), with its 1600 stone columns see the remains of a magnificent multi-storied residence for monks. Proceed to see the Buddhist sites of Ruwanweliseya stupa (dating 2nd century B.C.) contains sacred Buddhist relics, and the Isurumuniya rock temple (dating 3rd Century B.C.) is known for its rock carvings.
Visit Mihintale temple on a mountain peak, the place believed by Sri Lankans to be the site of a meeting between the Buddhist monk Mahinda and King Devanampiyatissa, which inaugurated the presence of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. This is now a pilgrimage site and the site of several religious monuments and abandoned structures. Annually in June around and on the full-moon Poson Poya festival is held here in a grand way. Proceed to your hotel of choice in Anuradhapura for the overnight stay.

After breakfast, visit Sigiriya to climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress and palace complexSigiriya Rock Fortress was built by King Kashyapa (473 – 491 A.D). Sigiriya (meaning lion rock) is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. The rock was the innermost stronghold of the 70-hectare fortified town.
Proceed to Polonnaruwa to your hotel for the overnight stay.

After breakfast, take a city tour of Polonnaruwa. Take a safari at the Minneriya National Park in the afternoon. The park is Sri Lanka’s best place to spot the wild elephants in their natural habitat amidst the vast expanse of the verdant surroundings.
Return to your hotel in Polonnaruwa for the night.

After breakfast, leave for Kandy. En route visit the Dambulla rock cave temple (the Golden Temple of Dambulla), which was built in the 1st century B.C. Dambulla cave temple is a world heritage site and is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and ceilings is the largest area of paintings found in the world. The caves contain over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure of the Buddha carved out of rock and spanning 14 meters.
Also, visit the spice gardens in Matale. See many different types of spices Sri Lanka is famous for. You will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed. Gardens are open to visitors, a delightful place to stroll in fragrant greenery and learn about nutmeg, pepper vines, clove trees and curry, cinnamon and the precious cardamom.
Check in to the hotel for the overnight stay in Kandy.

After breakfast, visit Pinnawela Iperanigama which depicts Sri Lankan life in the 17th and 18th century. Return to Kandy for an afternoon city tour which concludes with a cultural dance performance. Head back to your hotel in Kandy for the overnight stay.

After breakfast, proceed to Nuwara Eliya. Visit a tea plantation and factory and enjoy the breath-taking scenery as you proceed to your hotel of choice for the overnight stay in Nuwara Eliya.

Take a packed breakfast with you as you proceed to Horton Plains for a 4-hour trek. Horton Plains (also known as the World’s End) is a protected area in the central highlands of Sri Lanka where amazing panoramic views await. After your trek, take the train to Nanu Oya where your vehicle will meet you off the train. Alternatively, drive to Ella after you complete your trek. Check in to your hotel in Ella for the overnight stay.

After breakfast leave for Tissamaharama and check in to your hotel of choice. Take an afternoon safari of Yala National Park or Bundala National Park. Yala National Park’s terrain is varied, flat plains alternating with rocky outcrops. The vegetation ranges from open parkland to dense jungle. The specialty here is the large numbers of Elephants. Yala is the largest national park in Sri Lanka and is the home of wild elephants, wild boar, wild buffalo, leopard, bear, deer, and crocodiles. Visitors can also see large flocks of migratory and indigenous birds.
Return to your hotel in Tissamaharama for the night.

After breakfast, take a drive around Tissamaharama (the town is dotted with ancient buildings dating to as early as the 3rd century B.C.) and Kataragama (an important holy pilgrimage town to Buddhist, Hindu, Muslims and indigenous Veda people of Sri Lanka) to visit the places of interest before proceeding to Colombo. Continue drive to Colombo and take a brief tour of Colombo in the afternoon. Proceed to your hotel in Colombo for the night.

Your tour ends this morning after breakfast and your transfer will be provided to the airport in time for your departure flight.
Alternatively, you can choose to extend this tour with a stay at any of the options available in Sri Lanka or the Maldives.