ITINERARY 01

Birding, Camping and Trekking with Cultural Tour - 10 Days / 9 Nights

01
  • Check in at the hotel in Colombo – 5-star accommodation is provided, with overnight stay where applicable.
  • Arrival at the Bandaranaike International airport Katunayake.
  • Meeting you on arrival – Our airport staff members will meet you and provide all assistance.
  • Transfer to Colombo – You will be taken by luxury bus to the commercial capital, Colombo, which is approximately an hour’s drive from the airport
  • Check in at the hotel in Colombo – 5-star accommodation is provided, with overnight stay where applicable.
02
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Leave for Elephant Orphanage, Pinnawela. (110 km, approx. 2 ½ hour’s drive).
    Conservation and protection of orphaned elephants, in natural surroundings.
  • Travel to Dambulla Cave Temple. This is a 1st century BCE cave temple complex with over
    150 statues and murals
  • Overnight stay at a camping site in Dambulla
03
  • Leave early to Kadalama Bird Sanctuary.
  • Over 145 species of birds can be found here.
  • Boat safari in Kandalama in the evening
  • Overnight stay at a camping site in Dambulla
04
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Leave for Sigiriya (25 km, approx. ½ hour drive).
  • 5th century CE rock fortress with remains of a city, palace, water gardens and rock paintings.
  • Leave for Polonnaruwa (67 km, approx. 1 ½ hour drive).
  • 11th century CE city with ancient irrigations system, palaces, temples, monasteries,
  • Leave for Dambulla (67 km, approx. 1 ½ hour drive).
  • Overnight stay at a hotel in Dambulla.
05
  • Breakfast at hotel
  • Leave for Knuckles trekker’s camp, (125 km, approx. 3 hour drive).
  • Visit the peaceful surroundings in the evening for a refreshing time out
  • Overnight stay at the Trekker’s campsite.
06
  • Breakfast at the camp
  • Full day birding covering the nature trail at Knuckle’s forest.
  • Over 200 species of birds, including 15 which are endemic to Sri Lanka.
  • Overnight stay at the Trekker’s camp.
07
  • Breakfast at camp
  • Leave for Kandy (45 km, approx. 1 ½  hour drive).
  • Sightseeing tour of the city of Kandy.
  • Established around1357–1374 CE, Kandy was the last capital city to fall to the British. More…
  • Visit the famous Royal Botanical Gardens in Peradeniya. View a rare collection of tropical exotic and indigenous flora including the famous Orchid House.
  • Drive past the University of Peradeniya
  • Visit the Market Place and Arts & Crafts Showroom.
  • Drive along the Upper Lake road for a view of the Kandy Lake built in 1807 which is an attractive centerpiece to the town.
  • Visit the famous Temple of the Tooth in the evening. This building houses the most sacred Tooth Relic of the Lord Buddha.
  • Enjoy the Kandyan Cultural Show at the Kandyan Arts & Cultural Centre. Performance by graceful and rhythmic dancers and drummers, ending with a fire walking show.
  • Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.
08
  • Breakfast at the hotels
  • Travel to Nuwara Eliya ( 77 km – approx. 3 hour drive). Stop en-route at a tea estate and factory to watch the manufacturing process.
  • Located at an altitude of 1,868 m (6,128 ft) in the heart of the Tea Country, Nuwara Eliya is a picturesque town known as ‘Little England’
  • Walk around the Nuwara Eliya Town, Market place, Golf Course, the Hill Club, view Lake Gregory.
  • Visit Hakgala Botanical Gardens and Victoria Park.
  • Evening stroll through the Galway Forest for birding.
  • Overnight stay at a hotel in Nuwara Eliya.
09
  • Early breakfast at the hotel
  • Leave for Horton Plains (40 km – approx.1½ hours drive).
  • Leave for Colombo. Overnight stay at a hotel in Colombo.
10
  • Breakfast at the hotel
  • Leave for the airport for your departure. Our staff will accompany you to the Bandaranaike International Airport and help you complete all formalities.