Day 1 – Airport to Kandy
You are expected to arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport today in accordance with your itinerary, which calls for a three-night stay and a four-day journey. A representative from Lanka Budget Tours will meet and greet you at the airport. From there, drive to Kandy, stopping en route to see the Pinnawala elephant orphanage.
A unique location to watch elephants is Pinnawala in Sri Lanka. The facility was built in 1975 by the Sri Lanka Department of Wildlife Conservation to care for juvenile elephants that had been abandoned and lost in the untamed forests. These cute animals are taken in, raised, and fertilized in captivity. It is situated 13 kilometers northeast of Kegalle town in Pinnawala village. The world’s largest herd of captive elephants resides at the Pinnawala orphanage. The orphanage is best visited between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Young elephants are thus bathed and fed milk at this period each day. It is fantastic that travelers have the opportunity to witness these trained elephants enjoying themselves and bathing in the adjacent river.
Day 2 – Kandy to Nuwara Eliya through Ramboda
On the second day, you’ll go to Nuwara Eliya, a picturesque town situated in the central province’s hills. After breakfast, our car will take you up to the hotel. The Damro Labookellie Tea Centre and Tea Garden is the first place we visit. It is one of the tea farms we pass on the way to Nuwara Eliya. It was once known as the Mackwoods and is now Sri Lanka’s oldest tea shop. A massive 5000 hectares of opulent tea plantations are there. Given that each type of tea has its own production procedure, you will get to learn about both black and white tea manufacturing. A complimentary taste of tea is offered at the conclusion of the factory tour.
The Ramboda Falls are the next destination; they are located just off the Nuwara Eliya highway and roar down a cliff with a multi-tiered granite face. The Ramboda Falls, which plunge from a height of 358 feet (109 meters), are the eleventh highest waterfall in Sri Lanka. The Panna Oya River, a Kothmale Oya tributary, is what feeds the waterfall. This is wonderful because an emerald forest frames it, giving it a breathtaking appearance. Then we swiftly travel to Nuwara Eliya City to see Lake Gregory, which is situated at the southern end of the town and offers a tranquil setting and beautiful views. It was given Sir William Gregory’s name in 1873; it is a distinctive tourist destination. Visitors may take horseback or boat excursions, stroll leisurely along the paths, or enjoy a picnic in the lake park.
The Nuwara Eliya post office, which lies in the heart of the city, is the next pretty peculiar tourist destination. The post office is special because it is one of the oldest post offices in Sri Lanka. The British built the Tudor-style, two-story redbrick edifice with a clock steeple in 1894. A hotel is located in the post office’s upper level. The Sita Amman Temple, which is the last stop before reaching Kandy, lies at Sita Eliya, about 10 minutes from Nuwara Eliya. It is the sole Hindu temple in Sri Lanka dedicated to Princess Sita. It is among the most significant Ramayana locations in Sri Lanka. It is claimed that Lord Hanuman burned this place before leaving Sri Lanka since the soil in the area’s immediate vicinity is black in color. In a nearby creek, Lord Hanuman’s footprint is still discernible. It’s a really intriguing place to go. Finally, we make our way back to Kandy for the evening.
Day 3 – Kandy to Sigiriya through Dambulla
On day three, we will be heading to the historic city of Dambulla. After the guests have finished their hotel breakfast for the night, the Matale Hindu temple is the first stop on the trip, which also includes many other wonderful locations. The name “Muthumariamman Temple” for the Hindu temple in Matale is a combination of the names “Muthu” for “pearl,” “Mari” for “rain,” and “Amman” for “mother.” The goddess Mariamman, regarded as the patroness of rain and fertility, is the subject of the temple that was constructed in her honor. This temple is visited by both Buddhists and Hindus, and Hindu wedding ceremonies frequently take place in the temple’s wedding hall. The chariot festival, which is celebrated in March and is a tremendously lively event to watch, is the biggest religious celebration in the temple.
The trip then takes you to the spice garden in Matale, which is a lovely location to stroll among the fragrant foliage and learn some interesting facts about spices and how they can be used to improve food, cosmetics, and medicine. The Sigiriya and Pidurangala rocks are the next stops after the spice garden. The traveler can choose which of the two places to visit first. King Kashyapa chose the historic remains of a castle known as Sigiriya (Lion Rock) to serve as his new capital. The 180 m-tall rock is located close to Dambulla city. Then, Kashyapa erected an entrance halfway up King that had the appearance of a huge lion; this construction gave the big rock its name. The palace was left in ruins when the king died and was afterwards used as a Buddhist monastery until the fourteenth century. A UNESCO-designated world heritage site is Sigiriya.
Even though it is less well-known than the Sigiriya rock, the Pidurangala rock is situated a few kilometers to the north of Sigiriya. The Sigiriya rock and surroundings may be seen from the Pidurangala rock, which is more natural and gives a tranquil view. With a height of 199 meters, it is only 1 meter short of the Sigiriya rock in height. It has a lengthy history; it is thought that before King Kashyapa acquired control of Sigiriya, the monks were relocated to the Pidurangala rock. The climb up the Pidurangala rock is significantly more dangerous. The Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple, also known as the Dambulla Golden Temple, which has been a revered pilgrimage site for more than 22 centuries, will be reached after that. It is thought to be Sri Lanka’s largest and best-preserved cave temple. There are 157 different murals, totaling up to 2100 m2, that are painted on the walls. Five caverns make up the cave. The caverns are constructed beneath a 150-meter-tall hanging rock. The cave temple is an amazing piece of geology. Following the restoration project, a 15-meter-tall monument and pagoda were constructed in 1982. In order to preserve the temple, UNESCO recognized it as a historic site. After that, we’ll return to Kandy for the night.
Day 4 – Kandy City and drop off to Airport
On your fourth and final day of travel, you’ll get the chance to visit the lovely city of Kandy, and we’ll also transport you to a few nearby locations. Our car will pick you up at the hotel following breakfast. Among the places we’ll visit is the Temple of the Tooth Relic (Sri Dalada Maligawa), one of Sri Lanka’s most popular tourist attractions. It is a revered and significant destination for all Buddhists worldwide. It is the temple where the Buddha’s left canine tooth is revered. It was designated a treasure of global culture by UNESCO in 1988. Your next visit will be the popular tourist site noted for its magnificent Buddha sculpture, the Bahirawakanda Temple on the Bahirawakanda hill. Eventually, we’ll arrive at the Kandy viewpoint, which offers a complete overview of the city.
The following stop is a local market where you may buy a range of goods, including organic food and presents. The National Gems and Gemmological Museum, a museum where you may learn about the gems in Sri Lanka, will be the destination of our upcoming excursion. Additionally, it provides comprehensive details about Sri Lanka’s extensive history, which dates back 4.6 billion years. Also, on display are some of the most amazing minerals ever discovered. The Peradeniya Royal Botanical Garden will be our next stop. Beautiful Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens’ 147 acres are home to more than 4,000 distinct plant types. It is roughly 5.5 kilometers outside of Kandy. The location is calm and beautiful due to the gorgeous Mahaweli River running through it. Then we will be heading to Colombo where you will be dropped at the airport, Colombo or at a beach side town as you prefer.
