Early morning you will be leaving for Sigiriya, visiting a roof tile factory, pineapple plantation as well as Pinawella Elephant Orphanage. The roof tile factory would offer you a sneak a peek at the unique industrial practices and techniques of the country while the pineapple plantation brings out the agriculture of Sri Lanka. The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage is one of the popular attractions, established as a sanctuary for stranded elephants. Here, the visitors are invited to observe and assist the baby elephants as they are fed from giant feeding bottles before they plod down to the river for their daily bath.
As the final destination for day #1, you will visit the Sigiriya Fortress, which was the royal palace of King Kassapa in 477-495 A.D. This is an architectural masterpiece which boasts of skilled engineers of the old. Dinner and the overnight stay will be at an excellent hotel in Sigiriya.
After having breakfast, you will be proceeding to Anuradhapura. The ancient city has much to offer in cultural as well as religious aspects. You will visit the Sri Maha Bodhi (the oldest tree in the world with a written history and it is a sapling from the original tree under which Lord Buddha got enlightened), the Brazen Palace, the Ruwanveli Seya Dagoba (biggest dagoba in Sri Lanka), the Thuparama Dagoba (oldest dagoba), the Lankarama Dagoba, the Elephant Pond, the Abhayagiriya Monastery Complex, the world famous Samadhi Buddha Statue and the Isurumuniya Temple.
Anuradhapura would offer for your taste buds as well. The tropical fruits available will provide you a culinary sensation of locality. Having visited these monuments, you will come back to the hotel in Sigiriya.
Polonnaruwa is also a historical city claimed as a World Heritage site. After breakfast, you will be visiting the monuments of Polonnaruwa which was the Capital of the country in 10th-12th century A.D. A majority of locations has religious importance while the ruins themselves boasts of a flourishing heyday Polonnaruwa.On the way back, you will enjoy a jeep safari at the Minneriya National Park. This would be a thrilling experience that brings you close to Sri Lankan wild life. You will sight many species that are endemic. After your safari, you will be coming back to the hotel in Sigiriya for the dinner and overnight stay.
After the morning elephant ride through the jungle, you will continue your tour to Kandy, visiting Dambulla Cave Temple, batik factory and spice garden in Matale on your way. Dambulla Cave Temple is a place dedicated for religious observances in ancient times, its specialty being a cave improvised by man to suit their purpose.
The batik factory offers a glimpse of the colorful industry of Sri Lanka, and the Spice Garden is a sight for sore eyes. The most outstanding would be the visit to the Temple of The Tooth Relic. This is a major tourist attraction with significant religious importance. The day would end with a traditional cultural dancing show in the evening and dinner and overnight stay at one of the finest hotels in Kandy.
On your last day in Sri Lanka, you will visit a wood carving factory, a gem museum and the Peradeniya Botanical garden, all within the outskirt of the Kandy city. While the wood carving factory would be a novel experience to you that boasts of preserved wood craftsmanship, the gem museum would offer a sight at many of the precious endemic minerals that Mother Nature has rewarded the Sri Lankans.
Peradeniya Botanical Gardens is sure to be the highlight of the day, adding that happy note at the end of the tour before proceeding to the hotel in Negombo. The Royal Botanical Gardens, Peradeniya paints a vivid picture of royalty in the world of flora. Ranging from rare orchids and other endemic flowers and plants, it consists of all kinds of roses and flowers from different countries, making it a center for worldwide florists. The mildness of the gardens has much to offer to your physique as well your soul.
