ETC/14DT/034
PROGRAMME : Dive to Explore
DURATION : 14 Days / 13 Nights.
PERIOD : Valid till 31-Oct-2006
Day 01 : Arrival and transfer to Colombo (HB)
Welcoming the guest at the airport and transfer to Colombo. Evening Colombo city tour.

COLOMBO
Like many capital cities in developing countries 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. As an example there is a 100-year-old clock tower and several British built colonial buildings. Other places of interest are the Pettah bazaar where one can shop for a bargains, the old Parliament in Fort, a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent and the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall - BMICH, an outright gift to Sri Lanka from the People's Republic of China.

SCHEDULE
• Arrival & transport to a hotel in Colombo
• Evening Colombo city tour.
• Dinner & night stay at Colombo. Value – Grand Oriental Hotel or similar / Standard – Galle Face Hotel or similar/ Deluxe – Trans Asia Hotel or similar.

DAY 02 : Colombo - Kandy (FB)
Leaving Colombo to Kandy via Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.

PINAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE
Visiting the Pinnawela elephant orphanage set up by Department of National Zoological gardens. This orphanage was established to feed, nurse and house young elephants found abandon by their mothers.

KANDY, Sri Lanka’s hill capital stronghold of the Sinhala kings, repository of culture, religious center is Sri Lanka’s most beautiful town. Focal point of this city is the Dalada Maligawa, were the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha is enshrined. Highlight of the year is the Kandy Esala Perahera, when a replica of the relic casket is paraded in the streets, accompanied by exotically costumed dancers, drummers and anything from eighty to a hundred gaily-caparisoned elephants, for ten littering festival nights. Once in Kandy you can’t miss the lovely artificial lake built by the last Sinhala king, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, in 1806.

SCHEDULE
• Leaving to Kandy via Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.
• Lunch at a hotel or restaurant.
• Finishing lunch proceed to Kandy & at leisure.
• Dinner & night stay at Kandy. Value – Gem Inn or similar / Standard – Suisse Hotel or similar/ Deluxe – Earls Regency or similar.
 
DAY 03 : Kandy - Kithulgala - Belihuloya (FB)
Leaving Kandy to Belihuloya via Kithulgala for white water rafting.

WHITE WATER RAFTING IN KITULGALA.
This thrilling adventure on the white water sections of Kelani River is suitable for amateurs as well as professionals alike. During the run you will experience the thrill of shooting rapids and euphoria of making it through. The river’s clear water is born in the heart of the peak wilderness reserve and tumbles through a rocky gorge just above Kithulgala.

Srilanakan lunch at Kitulgala. After lunch proceed to Belihuloya.

BELIHULOYA
Is a very picturesque and romantic hamlet situated about 160km from Colombo in the historical “Sabaragamuwa” province. This zone is a climatically transitional area linking the wet & dry zones and the hill country & the low country. This very important location has made it one of the places in the country with the highest bio-diversity.

RIVER BATHING IN THE NATURAL ROCK POOL IN “BELIHULOYA”.
This is a unique place where two streams namely “Belihuloya” and “Galagamaoya” meet together creating a natural bathing area with clear unpolluted water that flows down from “Horton Plains”, 2200 meters above the sea level.

SCHEDULE
• Leaving Kandy after breakfast to Kitulgala for white water rafting by 10 am.
• Lunch at the rafting centre.
• Finishing lunch proceed to Belihuloya.
• Dinner & night stay at Belihuloya. Value – camping / Standard – Cottages or similar/ Deluxe – Eco Lodge or similar.
 
Day 04 - 06 : Tangalle – Diving (HB)
After breakfast leaving to Tangalle.

optional: Turtle Watch at Rakawa.
Five out of 7 species of marine turtles come ashore to nest in Sri Lanka. The turtle Watch programme is a nature tourism initiative developed by the TCP (Turtle Conservation Project). “Rekawa” which is one of Sri Lanka’s most important marine turtle nesting where all 5 species come to nest throughout the year. The peak season takes place between February and July. Even though there isn’t any guarantee that marine turtles come to nest every night, you will be guaranteed an exiting nighttime adventure on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

SCHEDULE
• Guests will proceed to Tangalle after breakfast for a dive there & in the surrounding areas.
• On day 4 at leisure.
• Lunch own arrangements.
• On day five & six, 2 dives per person per day.
• Dinner & night stay in Tangalle. Value – Manahara Beach Cottage & Cabanas or similar/ StandardTangalla Bay Hotel or similar / Deluxe – Eva Lanka Hotel or similar.
Day 07 - 10 : Weligama – Diving (HB)
After breakfast leaving to Weligama.

“WELIGAMA BEACH”
Yala Rock is a rocky area with Big rocks of 15 meter high reaching till 5 meter under the surface. The dive site lays 15 min. by boat from Bay Beach Hotel. What can we see in this beautiful area. Besides massive rocks there are small caves with sometimes big Potato Groups or big Murrains inside, but luckily there are not the only fishes we can see, there are many different species. to see especially in the neighbourhood of the big rock. Even we may see Rays. Turtles and Napoleon Parrotfish. Besides fish we find different kinds of Corals on the rocks and with night diving we will see Lobsters walking cross the bottom.

We can enter the caves and there are many that give us the possibility to pass under the rocks.

All activities are conducted by well trained and experienced UDI and PADI instructors with very special attention to your safety.

SCHEDULE
• Leaving to Weligama after breakfast.
• On day 7 a dive per person.
• Lunch own arrangements.
• On day 8, 9 & 10, each guests will do 2 dives per day in Weligama & surrounding areas.
• Dinner & night stay at Weligama. Value – Crystal Villa or similar / Standard – Weligama Bay Beach Hotel or similar / Deluxe – Weligama Bay Beach Hotel (Suite) or similar.
Day 11 - 13 : Hikkaduwa – Diving (HB)
Leaving Weligama to Hikkaduwa. Diving activities at Hikkaduwa (surrounding areas).

Hikkaduwa is well known for its beautiful corals & clear blue water, which is excellent for diving. Diving sites such as shipwrecks and coral reefs are found for exploration.

“Madagala” – Galle.
A site where some of the ship wrecks could be seen. The area is surrounded by tropical fish & corals. A site worthwhile to watch for divers who love & like see life. This is also an area where some wonderful kind of marine creatures such as “Dolphin, big Groupers” could be seen. Travelling time 45 min. Depth 20 – 28 meters.

“Wreck of Ship Earl of Shaftsbury” – Hikkaduwa.
An English ship sank in the year 1847(1 piece) a site worth watching because of the historical value. The area is studded with beautiful corals grown over last few centuries. Full of tropical fish. Travelling time 15 min. depth 15 meters.

“Wreck Conch” – Hikkaduwa.
An oil tanker that sank in 1903.(Acclaimed to be the worlds 1st oil tanker) Apart from the wrecks of the ship the site is full of marine life & magnificent corals of the famous Hikkaduwa Coral Reef. Travellinf by boat 20 min. Depth 14.22 meters.

All activities are conducted by well trained and experienced UDI and PADI instructors with very special attention to your safety.

SCHEDULE
• Leaving to Hikkaduwa after breakfast.
• On day 11 at leisure.
• Lunch own arrangements.
• On day 12 & 13, each guests will do 2 dives per day in Hikkaduwa & surrounding areas.
• Dinner & night stay in Hikkaduwa. Value – Coral Sands Hotel or similar/ Standard – Coral Gardens Hotel or similar / Deluxe – Coral Gardens Hotel or similar.
Day 14 : Leaving to the Airport
Leaving to the Airport after Breakfast
- End of Tour -
Our Rates
No of Pax
01 Pax
02 Pax
03 Pax
04 Pax
Value
        
Standard
        
Luxury
        
 

Naturally our ready made programmes will come cheaper than the tailor make programmes. How ever we are flexible enough to do minor changes to the ready made itineraries, with out any charge. ? Please write to us.

Do you own programme – Visit the location and activity pages on our site and you will come across mini tours in all of those pages. By combining them you can design your own tour. We will complete it by adding on the hotels and other cultural locations you may require.

Your tour will be handled by an experienced travel consultant who will provide a personalized service.

Our programmes are offered in the following 3 standards. Accommodation options have been selected after careful evaluation.

Standard -Value: Basic but clean. With a typical Sri Lankan touch , relaxed atmosphere and personalized service at Small family / enterprise run operations.

Standard - 3 Star equal: Better comforts and facilities with extra comforts. Mostly large establishments with Standardized service.

Standard - Deluxe: High standards of quality, décor, service and much more, with many extra comforts and activities to indulge yourself. We have offered locations with a unique Sri Lankan individuality, measuring up to international standards.

Please inquire for our special group rates for more than 4 pax.
Tour operators/agents & tourism related web portals may contact with all information for special rates.

Please read Expectations ours and yours before confirming a tour.