Overview
During this 5-day Sri Lanka cultural, historical, wilderness and entertaining highlights of Sri Lanka, you will have loads of exciting wildlife encounters, visits to historic attractions and plenty of delicious cuisines!
On arrival you will transfer to Sri Lanka’s second biggest national park of Wilpattu and explore the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Sigiriya, Dambulla and Polonnaruwa and jeep safari for south asian largest elephant gathering and visit hill country, the city with romance. In between, witness the worship at the Kandy Temple and the busy capital city.
Your accommodation will consist of handpicked hotels and glamping campsites, designed to minimize time spent in travel. This will allow you to have the maximum time to focus on your wildlife holiday in Sri Lanka and enjoy your accommodation, destinations, and the amazing cuisine.
Highlights at a glance
- Discover the diversity of Wilpattu National park with private jeep safaris.
- Stay at Tented Safari Camps bordering the National Parks in Sri Lanka and experience guided safaris, candlelight dinners under the stars, night walks and delicious BBQ served by roaring campfires.
- Take in the ancient engineering marvels of the 5th century Sigiriya Rock Fortress.
- Visit the 13th century mediaeval capital Polonnaruwa and discover the ruins of palaces and temples where the award winning movie “Monkey Kingdom”was also filmed.
- You will also be witnessing the biggest Asian Elephant gathering.
- Explore the historic city of Kandy, a Unesco World Heritage site, and witness age-old Buddhist rituals.
- Colombo City exploration and great shopping experience prior to your departure.
Itinerary
Welcome to Sri Lanka!!! Your chauffeur will be waiting for you at the arrival lobby at the airport with a Paging board with your name on it. You will drive to Wilpattu soon after your arrival. Depending on your arrival time, you can decide how you want to spend the rest of the day.
Among things to do in Sri Lanka, Wilpattu National Park is a multi-faceted treasure: on your evening jeep safari, you will get a sense of this sprawling landscape.
At the end of the safari, a delicious BBQ dinner under the stars awaits you at the campsite. After dinner, you will set off on an exciting night walk where you will get to know the nocturnal wildlife and even possibly catch sight of the elusive Slender Loris! Stay night at Big Game Campsite Wilpattu.
After enjoying your breakfast, visit the Cultural Triangle, a notable feature of things to do in Sri Lanka. Sigiriya, Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa form the epicentre of Sri Lanka’s golden era, in the fields of: engineering, agriculture, literature, politics and social development.
We will reach Sigiriya, a World Heritage Site, by evening and you will get to climb the famous Lion Rock or Sigiriya Fortress, once home and safe haven to an ancient king Kashyapa. But you will be awed by the comprehensive planning of a palace and quarters for subjects and even landscaped gardens – executed in the 5th century BC! Stay the night at Amaara Forest Hotel.
Hotel Wewa Addara
After enjoying your breakfast, today you will travel to Polonnaruwa which is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The Gal Vihara temple cut from one slab of granite stone possesses a jewel of Sri Lankan art: the statues of Buddha in the recumbent, seated and standing positions.
Then, we’ll head for the Minneriya National Park. Annually, in August/ September during the dry season, wild elephants migrate from Wasgamuwa National Park to Minneriya National Park in search of food and shelter. It’s a wanderlust dream to see over 350 majestic mammals, migrate across the expansive parks. Stay night at Amaara Forest Hotel.
Hotel Wewa Addara
Leaving for Colombo, en route to Kandy and Steeped in historical and religious significance, Kandy is full of legends, mediaeval palaces, spice trails and sacred temples. Even though its days as a royal city have long since passed, it is reverently known as the hill capital.
the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. A melting pot of cultures and commerce, Colombo is a lively city with the most fascinating history. Ancient Arab sailors frequented these ports to trade with the Portuguese, Dutch and British colonists that occupied the city. Today, Colombo has something from everyone! Visit impressive cultural sights, Buddhist Temples and Hindu Kovils scattered throughout the city and experience the diversity of religion, ethnicity and customs of the people. Drive through the city’s commercial center known as the “Fort”, where grand colonial era buildings stand alongside modern hotels and office structures. Explore the vibrant markets and bazaars in Pettah. Discover the Museums and Art Centers with their fine collections of antiques, arts and crafts of Sri Lanka. Or indulge in shopping and tasting Sri Lankan delicacies. Stay night at Fairway Colombo.
Granbell Hotel
We’ve reached the end of your 04-night short break in Sri Lanka and it is time to depart. Your Guide will take you to Colombo Airport in time to catch your departure flight. Or we could arrange you to private departure transfers depending on your flight schedule.
Includes/Excludes
Includes
- 04 nights accommodation.
- Bed & Breakfast basis at All hotels & Half board basis at campsite.
- Transportation in an Airconditioned Vehicle with an English Speaking Guide throughout the tour including Airport Transfers.
- Jeep Safaris in the above mentioned National Park in a Private Jeep including the entry permit costs & government tracker fees.
- Service charges at the hotels & current applicable taxes by the Sri Lankan Government.
Excludes
- Any International or Domestic flights.
- Any Visa fee or ETA fee. (Electronic Travel Authorization)
- Christmas & New Year Eve dinner supplement. (24th & 31st December)
- Entry Permits to all the sites, temples, museums & monuments & activities.
- Any additional beverage or food.
- Early Check-in or Late Checkout Charges at Hotels.
- Any tips to the staff.
- Any expense of personal requirements telephone, laundry, hotel extra bills etc.)
- Any additional expenses , other than mentioned in the inclusions list above.
When it comes to the accommodation, all the reservations are subject to availability at the time of confirmation, and as soon as we have received the payment, our Tour Operations Team will take in charge of your tour and proceed with the reservations. In case a hotel mentioned in your itinerary has no availability, we will find you an alternative. No changes will be done without your approval!
We will make a rough day-by-day schedule for your tour, but won’t set you exact timings for each and every activity – unless there is a an activity which start at a specific time. Since you will be traveling by private vehicle, with a knowledgeable driver-guide, we want you to have your part in decision making. With the help from him, you may tune the schedule to your rhythm.
Along the destinations included in your itinerary, you are free to take as many stops as you want to. When it comes to additional visits and destinations that are located out of the original route, the extra kilometers will be taken in consideration. For your journey, we will calculate a total mileage that is sufficient for the whole tour and mentioned in your itinerary. If this limit is exceeded, we will charge a supplement according the extra mileage.
We’ll do our best to accommodate the programme in your needs and wishes, if something urgent occurs during your tour. In a situation that requires changing the accommodation, the cancellation policies of the hotels concerned are to be taken on account.
Since the 1st of January 2012, all travelers must be in possession of a visa when arriving in Sri Lanka. Citizens from Singapore and The Maldives are the only exempt. Visitors can apply for the official Electronic Travel Authorization (visa) via www.eta.gov.lk, or upon arrival at the airport. There is a small fee to pay, and you must have at least six months left on your passport at the time of travel to obtain one.
MasterCard and Visa are widely used and accepted by many local shops, restaurants and hotels, but it’s always better to double check. Other major cards such as AmEx and DinersClub are accepted often also.
The important stuff
Sri Lanka is a nation where religion and culture occupy an important place in the day-to-day lives of the local people. It is important to be aware of the customs and practices that are particular to the location you are visiting, so here are a few general tips to keep in mind during your travels. Your chauffeur will assist you with more detailed information.
- If you plan on visiting any temples, ancient or current, you should wear clothing that covers your body from your shoulders down to your knees. Head coverings such as caps or helmets should be removed and shoes must be taken off at the entrance. White coloured clothing is generally a good choice to go with here.
- Some religious places do not allow photography or videography without prior permission and some may not allow it at all. Refer to signage or ask your chauffeur guide about the policy or protocol. Don’t try to photograph or take videos without permission.
- If you have any tattoos associated with Buddhism, Hinduism or Islamism, it’s best that you cover them completely in public places.
- Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places, workplaces and on public transport.
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