SUPER PROMO - EAST COAST - SUMMER 2021

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Airport - Colombo

  Welcome by your English-speaking driver-guide with flower garlands and departure to your hotel in Colombo (01h00 drive) Arrival and check-in at the hotel (room available around 14:00) PM: City tour of Colombo Overnight at the hotel

• day 2

  Colombo - Dambulla

  

  After breakfast, departure to Dambulla (04h00 drive) Arrival at the hotel and check-in Pm: Around 3:30 pm - visit of the Dambulla caves, refuge of King Valagambahu when he was driven out of Anuradhapura, his capital. After reconquering his capital, Valagambahu had the caves transformed into Buddhist temples. The Dambulla rock is a huge rocky outcrop that rises bare, black, exposed to the burning sun – except for a small part shaded by woods, it towers about six hundred feet above the surrounding plain. Inside this rock is a group of caves that house the historic Dambulla temple, one of the oldest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. In the Mahavamsa, the most important chronicle of the island's history, it is called the Jambukola Vihara. Return to the hotel and overnight

• day 3

  Dambulla - Hiriwadunne - Dambulla

  After breakfast, departure towards Habarana WALK IN THE RURAL VILLAGE “HIRIWADUNNA”. Guests will be accompanied by a naturalist who will explain daily life. After a journey of about 2 km from the hotel to the neighboring village, you will leave the main road and venture onto a secondary road that will lead you to the village of “Hiriwadunna”, located about 500 m from the main road. You will cross rice fields and may catch a glimpse of farmers at work, thus witnessing their daily life. The road will continue and then lead you to the Hiriwaduwa lake. You will cross the lake by "ORUWA" boat, then continue on to the village. Next, an ox cart ride awaits you. During this ride, the guide will explain the different crops and the daily life of the villagers. A short walk through lush vegetation. From the top of the hills, you can enjoy a superb panorama of the entire countryside and the large reservoirs of the region. Picnic lunch in Habarana OPTIONAL: at no extra charge for families with children Around 3:00 pm – CRICKET MATCH with children from the village. Introduced to Sri Lanka by the British, cricket has become the favorite sport of Sri Lankans and the whole nation supports its team during international matches. Economic and cultural barriers have fallen, and this sport, once reserved for the elite, has become completely democratized. Learn some basic rules and then play with the local team from this region: an enriching experience for both young and old. This 1-hour activity includes the loan of equipment and the assistance of the English-speaking driver-guide. Offer all the equipment to the children of the village as gifts for them. IF NOT, Climb the Lion Rock at Pidurangala Return to the hotel - Overnight at the hotel

• day 4

  Dambulla - Sigiriya - Dambulla

  

  (It is preferable to have breakfast as a picnic and leave early in the morning to avoid the intense heat and long queues.) Visit to Lion Rock and discovery of the Sigiriya Maidens frescoes (about 3h30 of visit). This site is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sigiriya is a massive rock located in the lush jungle, perhaps the most memorable place for visitors. Today, Sigiriya is famous for its frescoes painted on the rock, the Lion Staircase, the Mirror Wall, and the water gardens, which are the other highlights of Sigiriya. Discovery, during lunch, of some flavors of Sri Lankan cuisine. On the menu: different varieties of traditionally cooked Sri Lankan rice curries and fresh fried fish, accompanied by green salad and crispy papadum, all served on woven trays covered with lotus leaves. The dishes offered are traditionally cooked over a wood fire, in clay pots. This service includes a buffet lunch and a 500 ml bottle of water per person. Return to the hotel, with a stop on the way at an Ayurvedic center for a 30-minute foot treatment (reflexology) per person. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 5

  Dambulla - Kandy

  Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Kandy to discover the paradise surrounded by mountains. Visit of the Dambulla Cave Temple. Dambulla: Dambulla caves, refuge of King Valagambahu when he was driven out of Anuradhapura, his capital. After reconquering his capital, Valagambahu had the caves transformed into Buddhist temples. The Dambulla rock is a huge rocky outcrop that stands bare, black, exposed to the burning sun – except for a small part shaded by woods. It rises about six hundred feet above the surrounding plain. Inside this rock is a set of caves that house the historic Dambulla temple, one of the oldest Buddhist shrines in Sri Lanka. In the Mahavamsa, the most important chronicle of the island's history, it is called the Jambukola Vihara. Note: for the visit of this temple, it is required to wear clothing that covers the knees. On the way, stop at the Spice Garden in Matale for a real Sri Lankan spicy experience. Visit of the spice gardens offering all the indigenous varieties: peppers, cardamoms, nutmeg, cloves, chilies, etc. Free time in the shop to shop for spices and herbal products. Continue to Kandy. Kandy is beautifully situated at 350 m altitude and bordered by hills, naturally arranged around the lake. The cultural center of the country, the city fell into English hands as early as 1815. Nestled in a green valley (between the last rice fields and the first tea plantations), surrounded by low hills and encircled by the Mahaweli, the largest river in Sri Lanka, Kandy remains a center of crafts, music, and dance. Charm, splendor of the past, and serenity describe the city in a few words. Arrival in Kandy and check-in at the hotel. Visit of the city of Kandy. Walking tour of the local Kandy market and free time for shopping in the alleys lined with many stalls offering: silk, local crafts, jewelry, basketry, masks, umbrellas… In the evening, transfer to the Temple of the Tooth by tuk-tuk. Visit of the Temple of the Tooth, a pink building surrounded by a moat, clearly visible and almost solitary, on the edge of the lake. Since the tooth of the Buddha was brought, in the 4th century AD, in the hair of a princess from Orissa, to protect it from sacrilegious hands, the relic has become a renowned and sacred object of piety. It has become not only the most prized treasure of Sri Lanka, but also the seal of sovereignty. (Note: for the visit of this temple, it is required to wear clothing that covers the shoulders and knees. The visit is done barefoot.) Return to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 6

  Kandy - Passikudah

  

  After breakfast, visit to the botanical garden in Peradeniya (01h00 visit) And continuation to Passikudah. Arrival and check-in at the hotel – lunch. Afternoon: free time at the beach or by the pool. Night at the hotel.

• day 7

  Passikudah

  Free day at Paradise beach or at the pool Driver and vehicle are not at your disposal.

• day 8

  Passikudah

  Free day at Paradise beach or at the pool. Driver and vehicle are not at your disposal.

• day 9

  Passikudah - Negombo

  

  Breakfast Departure to Negombo Afternoon: free time at the hotel or possibility to visit the fishermen's village in Negombo. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 10

  Negombo Airport

  According to your schedule, transfer to the airport.