THE LIGHT OF ASIA

Day 1 : Airport / Negombo (15 km of road) (- / L / D)

Arrival at Colombo International Airport. Welcome by our representative with frangipani garlands. Departure by road to Negombo. Arrival and installation at the hotel.

Evening: visit the city of Negombo, a major city in Sri Lanka, located on the west coast of the island and at the mouth of a lagoon. Negombo is the fourth largest city in the country after the capital Colombo, Kandy and Jaffna. It is one of Sri Lanka's main commercial centers, with about 128,000 inhabitants, about 37 km north of Colombo. Negombo is known for its very important fishing industry, its lively fish markets, and beautiful sandy beach

Included meals: lunch and dinner.

Day 2 : Negombo/ Pinnawala /Dambulla (170 km)  (B / L / D)

After breakfast, departure for Pinnawala to visit the elephant orphanage which houses sixty pachyderms: we will attend the meal of elephants and also their bath in the nearby river. This orphanage was created in 1975 to accommodate young elephants lost for various reasons: disruption of their natural habitat by planning projects, abandonment by parents when they fall into holes or ravines. Some animals are sick or injured when they arrive at the orphanage where they are then treated. Departure for Dambulla.

Afternoon: visit the rock temple of Dambulla. In Sri Lanka, there are many ancient cave-temples, but the golden temple of Dambulla is the most revered and best known. The temple includes five caves-sanctuaries that contain 157 statues, 153 images of the Buddha and 4 images of deities. It is believed that King Valagamba took refuge in the caves of Dambulla when he fled the Indian invaders. A Buddhist monk who was in these caves welcomed the king and protected him. When the king recovered his throne, he turned the caves into sanctuaries to show his gratitude to the monk. The second king who participated in the renovation of the caves is called Nissankamalla.

Of Indian origin, he wanted to win the acceptance and affection of his people. He gave great importance to Buddhism and committed to renovating old Buddhist temples and building new ones.

According to Mahavamsa, (a historical record about Sri Lanka,) King Nissankamalla donated 73 golden sculptures to the Dambulla Temple and ordered a major renovation. The Dambulla Temple was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991. Check in and check in at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 3 : Dambulla / Sigiriya / Hiriwadunna / Dambulla  (B / L / D)

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to visit the fortress of Sigiriya. Sigiriya is, still today, a prodigious place. A massive red stone monolith stands 200 meters above the green jungle and stands out against the bright blue sky. At the height of its ephemeral glory, eighteen years at the end of the fifth century, it was one of the most charming royal cities ever seen on earth. The ruins of this legendary palace are scattered all over the peak of the "Lion Rock", so named, because formerly the visitors had to, for the final hard climb, pass through the jaws of the throat of a lion carved in mid - path of the summit of the monolith.

Today only the gigantic legs remain. The main interest of the visit lies in the almost contemporary frescoes of the famous Indian paintings of Ajanta; but, here, there are real frescoes, paintings done on a fresh coating. These paintings consist of twenty-one female figures, represented half-way, gracefully bearing flowers. Beauty pure and striking, without sensitivity, they are one of the peaks of universal art. Afternoon: visit the village of Hiriwadunna to visit it by oxcart, and boat on the lake. Return to the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 4 : Dambulla / Matale / Kandy  (B / L / D)

Breakfast at the hotel, then departure for Matale. Visit of a spice garden in Matale. The Garden of spices in Matale offers all the native varieties to discover and sometimes to taste: bamboo, pepper, areca, banana, coffee, coconut, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom, etc. During this visit, each participant will receive a "massage of the head" with medicinal oils extracted from natural products.

Departure for Kandy. Visit of the city of Kandy. It is an ancient capital of the Sinhalese kings, the center of coffee and tea under English rule. Kandy, the "capital of the mountains", is 116 km from Colombo; it is surrounded by mountains and green hills. Its character and its history make it the rare pearl of the island. It is also the largest religious center and the capital of Sinhala Buddhism because the city is home, in a temple, sacred tooth, relic linked to the history of the country. The city is one of the most picturesque cities in Sri Lanka, both an administrative and religious city. It is also the capital of the central province. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1988.

Afternoon: visit of Buddha Tooth Temple in Kandy. The sacred tooth of the Buddha is the most revered relic among Buddhists in the country, it is at the temple in Kandy. In the Buddhist world, it is one of the most sacred places. According to legend, the tooth was recovered when the body of the Buddha was still in the funeral pyre. It was brought to Sri Lanka in 313 AD by the Indian princess Hemamali. In Sri Lankan history, the Sinhala kings did everything to protect it from invaders from South India. In the evening, show traditional and folk dances. Arrival and check-in at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 5 : Kandy / Nanu oya / Nuwara Eliya  (B / L / D)

After breakfast, departure for Kandy station to reach Nanu Oya by local train (the train will leave at 08:40 from Kandy station and it will arrive at 12:40 at Nanu Oya station). During the trip, you will enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery and tea plantations of this region. Visit of the city of Nuwara Eliya. Today this city is considered as 'Little England'. Everything is really English. The gardens, the architecture of the houses, the landscape and the rain! Arrival and check-in at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 6 : Nuwara Eliya / Bentota  (B / L / D)

Breakfast at the hotel, then visit a tea plantation and its factory. Tasting a real cup of Sri Lankan tea. Today, Sri Lankan tea is more commonly known as Ceylon tea, after the name of the country until 1972. Ceylon produces almost only black tea, recognizable by its beautiful amber color. Departure for Bentota, arrival in the afternoon and check in at the hotel. 

Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Included meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Day 7- 8 : Bentota  (B / - / -)

Free days at the beach.

Notes : The chauffeur services and the vehicle are not available during the seaside stay.

Included meals: breakfast

Day 9 : Bentota / Airport of Colombo (110 km, 3h of road)  (B / - / - )

Breakfast at the hotel, then transfer to the airport to catch your return flight.

Included meals: breakfast

End of the Tour