13-Day Sri Lanka Adventure

Welcome to Sri Lanka! You’ll be picked up at the airport and driven to the hotel in Habarana. Spend the rest of the day resting or exploring.

After an early breakfast, take a tour around a village that lies sprawled around a reservoir located off the main Habarana road. Make your way along a narrow, shady path that cuts through a banana plantation until you reach a clearing in which stands the home of a chena farmer and his family. Enjoy a cool, sweet drink of king coconut before you begin the next phase of your trek, which will lead you through vegetable plots and into a scrub forest, where a waiting bullock cart will transport you through jungle and past rice fields. Lie back and enjoy the flashes of blue sky through the cover of the trees as the carter expertly guides his animals.

In the evening, set off for an exciting safari at Minneriya National Park. The dry season, preferably from June to September, is the best time to visit the 8,890 hectare park when the lake that dominates the area dries out and the grasses and shoots push through. During this time it is possible to see herds of up to 150 elephants feeding and washing, as well as toque macaques, sambar deer, and leopards. The hungry bird flocks include cormorants and painted storks.

Pidurangala is an enormous rock located a few minutes north of Sigiriya. Sigiriya might steal the show, but Pidurangala Rock is the one to hike in Sri Lanka with its spectacular 360-degree view and amazing spot to enjoy the beauty of sunset and sunrise overlooking the valleys and the majestic Sigiriya Rock. The two rocks have an interlinked history: whilst King Kashyapa was building Sigiriya Rock Fortress in the 5th century, he moved monks living around Sigiriya to a new monastery on Pidurangala Rock. An ancient cave temple still houses objects from various vintages that reflect Buddhist, Hindu and western beliefs, and the stupa to the left of the temple entrance is believed to mark the spot where King Kashyapa was cremated.

Return to the hotel for breakfast and spend a few hours at leisure. In the late afternoon, proceed to Sigiriya to climb the great rock fortress. Climb this magnificent masterpiece consisting of 1200 steps carved out of the rock. Once you reach the top you will be able to see a fabulous view. Be amazed by the legendary story of a young prince who fled his father’s kingdom to build his own which even to date is considered an engineering marvel.

This morning, head off to Parakrama Lake. It’s a very mystical way to start the day as the plains are covered in mist. Parakrama Lake is known as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest man-made lakes and you can watch the changing hues as the light comes up. These man-made lakes are known as 'wevas' to the Sri Lankan people and were created to provide irrigation. It’s a fun, friendly experience as you wait alongside the wives and young children of fishermen, who’ve gone out to retrieve their fishing nets laid out the night before - a great way to get to know the locals!

After the fishermen have sorted their catch, it’s time to head out on a catamaran across the lake. You may even be able to spot white bellied fish eagles, brahmini kites, ibis, cormorants and other native birds as you travel. In the middle of the lake is a small island, a rocky outcrop that provides great 360° views of the lake and forests beyond. Bidding the fishermen and their families farewell, you'll continue to Passikudaha.

Take a well-deserved rest day, enjoying the fabulous water and sand of the Indian Ocean at Amaya Beach.

One of the oldest and holiest sites in Sri Lanka. It is said that Gautama Buddha visited Mahiyangana to settle a dispute among two clans of people living here. It is mentioned that he had levitated, terrifying the people, and he had expelled the Yakshas of one clan to a site called Nagadeepa-identified at Nainativu Island in Jaffna and settled the dispute. Mahiyangana is an all in one destination with national parks, waterfalls, cultural sites, and ocean. The Mahiyangana Stupa is the most prominent cultural attraction, where a vast plain with the Mahaweli River running through provides access to several national parks, bird sanctuaries, and aborigine lands. It is a city devoted by many Buddhist devotees in Sri Lanka and the temple is visited by Buddhists around the country.

In the early morning, you will proceed to Danigala with a packed breakfast. Mystery surrounds this land as vegetation found on the mountain looks suspicious to both travelers and historians. Explore this strange mountain, known as the Alien Mountain.

Return to the hotel and rest of the day at leisure

After breakfast proceed to Rathna Ella Village. Visit the village and witness the weaving of “A Pan Padura”, which translates to “a reed mat”, a staple in every household in rural Sri Lanka. Each intricately designed mat is woven by hand for over a month using reeds harvested from the local fields. Using the practices shared by the local villagers, try your hand at creating a reed mat of your own. Next, there is no better teacher to explain the art of pottery than the local villagers in Mahiyangana. Join them to learn the secrets of the trade and make your own pottery souvenir.

Embark on an adventure from Rathna Ella to witness the majestic Kaluwa Wetuna Ella waterfall. This 30-meter waterfall lies deep in the jungle and makes for a great hike that’s loved by all nature enthusiasts. The final destination of the day takes you through the lush forests of Mahiyangana to reach the Rathna Ella waterfall. The 101-meter waterfall is the highest in the Kandy region and one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Sri Lanka.

After indulging yourself in an authentic Sri Lankan lunch, proceed to Kandy to your accommodation situated on a golf course. If you fancy a round of golf, you can arrange one at your own expense.

After breakfast, enjoy a city tour, including a visit to the much revered Temple of the Tooth, the utmost holy place of worship for the Buddhists. Kandy, a lovely exotic city, the Hill Capital and last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site which retains an aura of grandeur. Encircled by hills, with a tranquil lake in its centre, it is the site of the renowned temple that enshrines the Tooth Relic of the Buddha and the Royal Botanical Gardens – home to one of the world’s best collections of orchids. A cultural sanctuary where many legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive, Kandy and its satellite villages are the centre of the island’s handicraft industry.

Thereafter, proceed to Maskeliya and check in to your hotel. In the evening, rest at a nearby lodge and prepare for the night's climb. Begin climbing at approximately two hours. Climb through the night in order to reach the summit by dawn to witness a once in a lifetime sunrise. The pilgrim season for Adams Peak is December to May. During this time thousands of pilgrims climb to the summit every night, with the pathway lit. During the rest of the year you will use battery operated torches for the climb.

The afternoon will be at leisure to relax after the strenuous climb of the previous night or to explore on your own. Also visit a tea plantation and factory to witness the process of turning raw green leaves into the familiar finished product. Home to the world-renowned Ceylon tea, Nuwara Eliya is considered the capital of the tea industry. Be guided through the tea manufacturing process which will no doubt be an add on to your experience during your stay in the tea country.

Leave after breakfast for Horton Plains National Park and walk to World's End and Bakers Falls.

This national park is on Sri Lanka's highest plateau over 2100m above sea level in the central mountains. It is a strange and tranquil region with an astounding variety of scenery – from misty mountains to grasslands, from marshes to ice cold streams, lakes, and waterfalls. Sri Lanka's best flavoured “high grown” teas are from estates in the surrounding areas. Two highlights are the spectacular view from World's End, where the plateau plunges almost 1000m in a sheer drop, and the beautiful “Bridal Veil” Bakers Falls. Distinctive flora with a high level of endemism, colourful butterflies, many rare endemic, resident, or migrant birds and several species of animal including sambhur, bear monkey, barking deer, giant squirrel, fishing cat, wild boar, hare and even a few very rare sightings of leopards are recorded.

Then proceed to the railway station for a scenic train journey to Bandarawela.

Transfer to Yala for a safari experience at Yala National Park, Sri Lanka’s most known national park. This park is popular for elephants, leopards, bears, crocodiles and wild boar. At 97,800 hectares in size, this is the second largest of Sri Lanka’s national parks. Its open undulating terrain made it famous for elephants for many years, but recently the park has also received much fame through publicity by National Geographic and the Discovery TV channels, which focused on a leopard research/conservation and identification project. Claims have subsequently been made that Yala National Park has the

world’s highest concentration of leopard per square kilometre.

After breakfast proceed to Galle. Take a stroll around the Galle Fort, where the streets are laid out in a rectangular grid and the low gabled houses and terraces in the Dutch colonial style give a feeling of quaint nostalgia. If you are a lover of history and archaeology, or looking for a peaceful and fun holiday, the Fort of Galle has much to offer you with its ruins and monuments, boutique hotels, art galleries, eateries and pretty little shops.

Thereafter proceed to Colombo. Like many capital cities in developing countries Colombo is fast changing its face. Almost overnight, skyscrapers arise from where old buildings once stood, yet in some parts, the old world charm is retained. A 100-year-old clock tower and several British built colonial buildings are still to be seen in the city.

After breakfast, you’ll be taken to the airport for your return flight.