Best of Sri Lanka

 

Negombo	Beach Hotel	1 night
Sigiriya	Vil Uyana	3 nights
Kandy	Hunas Falls	2 nights
Nuwara Eliya	St Andrew's Hotel	2 nights
Yala	Yala Village	2 nights
Galle	The Lighthouse	2 nights

14 days from £1525

excluding international flights

DAY 1 - Depart UK.

Recommended flight from London: SriLankan Airways from London Heathrow (see below). If you are travelling from a country other than the UK we would be happy to give you guidance on your flight options.

DAY 2 - Arrive Colombo.  By road to Negombo.

Your World Discovery Sri Lanka holiday begins on arrival in Colombo, when you will be met by one of our representatives outside immigration and customs. You will then be taken by private car direct to your hotel in Negombo on the shores of the Indian Ocean.  The rest of the day is at leisure.

SRI LANKA RUSTIC EXPERIENCE

On this holiday you will be staying in first class hotels.  If you wish to experience a more rustic lifestyle for a night or two during the tour, the Mudhouse at Anamaduwa is the perfect solution, and can be added to your itinerary at the beginning of your tour, between Negombo and Sigiriya.

 

THE MUDHOUSE, ANAMADUWA

The Guardian newspaper has described this rustic retreat as 'one of the 100 most romantic destinations in the world'.  Enjoy fabulous food, grown on the Mudhouse's own organic farm, and join in a number of activities and excursions [Anamaduwa Mudhouse].

 

DAY 3 - Drive to Sigiriya via Pinnawela.  Dambulla.

After breakfast head off into the island's interior.  On your way to your hotel in Sigiriya visit the Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage.  There are more than 60 elephants at Pinnawela;  this unique project has proved the salvation of these threatened animals, but it has also resulted in their domestication.  Continue to Sigiriya for an afternoon at leisure.  In the early evening you can explore the rock temple at Dambulla (pictured), the largest cave monastery in Sri Lanka with a history going back to the 1st century B.C.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

 

DAY 4 - Sigiriya. Polonnaruwa.

In the early morning set off to climb the spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya, the 'Lion Rock'(pictured) to see the delightful frescoes depicting beautiful women, usually known as the 'Sigiriya damsels'.  After viewing the frescoes there is the option for the stout-hearted of continuing to the summit via the narrow stairway clinging to the rock's sheer face.  Little remains of King Kasyapa's 5th century fortress that once graced the summit (for some 18 years this was the royal citadel, impractical as it may seem), but the view over the surrounding plains is magnificent.  In the afternoon you will visit the ancient royal capital of Polonnaruwa, which flourished under the Chola Dynasty from the 11th to 13th centuries AD.  Built beside the extensive man-made reservoir known as the 'Sea of Parakrama', Polonnaruwa is the best preserved of Sri Lanka's ancient cities.  Some of the finest reclining buddha statues in the country are to be found here, carved from huge slabs of granite (such as the one pictured).  You will also see the ruins of the King's Council Chamber, the Royal Pavilion, the Kiri Vehera stupa, and the 'Quadrangle', the latter a compact group of ruins including a circular relic house decorated with a superb moonstone (not the jewel, but a traditional carved semi-circular stone step).
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 5 - At Leisure.  Optional visit to Anuradhapura.

A day to relax at your hotel.  For those who prefer to do some more sightseeing there is the option of a half day excursion to the ancient city of Anuradhapura, the earliest of the royal cities (founded in the 4th century B.C.), which was for more than a thousand years capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom.  Price based on 2 passengers: £40 per person.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 6 - Drive to Kandy via Matale Spice Gardens.

After breakfast leave your hotel for the drive to Kandy, Sri Lanka's second city, visiting en route the fascinating spice garden at Matale.  Spend the afternoon exploring Kandy, a lively city surrounded by rolling hills and forest (pictured) which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom, and is famous for its lake and the renowned 'Temple of the Tooth', Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic.  The sacred tooth of Buddha was reputedly snatched from the flames of his funeral pyre and eventually found its way to Sri Lanka towards the end of the 16th century.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 7 - Kandy.

A day at leisure at your hotel, located just outside the city.  If you wish you can organise a nature walk with the resident naturalist.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 8 - Drive to Nuwara Eliya.

Today you will be driven into the higher hill country, famous for its extensive tea plantations as well as its natural delights - beautiful gardens, cascading waterfalls, lakes and sweet smelling mountain air.  Your destination is Nuwara Eliya (pronounced Noo-REL-ya), located at 6,500 feet/1980m.  This former British hill station is full of colonial buildings, one of which is your hotel, built more than a hundred years ago as a golf club bungalow, and full of the style and atmosphere of that bygone era.
Pictured: In the tea fields near Nuwara Eliya.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 9 - Nuwara Eliya.

Rest and relax in these peaceful surroundings or take a walk through the countryside.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAYS 10 AND 11 - Yala National Park.

Your next destination, Yala National Park, Sri Lanka's premier wildlife destination, is the best place in the country to see leopard, although this is not guaranteed.  You will also witness crocodiles basking in the sun, herds of spotted deer, sloth bears, porcupines, buffaloes, macaque monkeys and many more species of mammals, including a large number of elephants (left).  Enjoy morning and evening jeep safaris in the park, experiencing a wide variety of habitats including scrub jungle, water tanks, brackish lagoons and rivers.
Meals included: Full breakfast each day.

 

DAYS 12 AND 13 - Galle. 

Morning drive to the city of Galle on the south west coast of Sri Lanka.  Your hotel is located on a lovely stretch of beach just outside the city.  You have 2 days to relax in this delightful spot.  Galle has always been one of Sri Lanka's most historic cities, the gateway to the sandy coves of the south.  Galle is also home to the magnificent 300 year old fort, like Kandy a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is the largest and best preserved colonial sea fortress in Asia, constructed during the Dutch occupation in the 17th century.  From December to April there is the possibility of spending a morning whale-watching, with excellent chances of seeing both blue whales and sperm whales.  Whale watching excursion based on 2 passengers: £70 per person.
Meals included: Full breakfast each day.

DAY 14 - Drive to Colombo for your homeward flight.

Drive along the western coast of Sri Lanka to Colombo Airport (approximately 4 hours) for your homeward flight.
Meals included: Full breakfast.             

 

EXTEND YOUR STAY IN SRI LANKA

Many people combine a a touring holiday in Sri Lanka with a few days of relaxation at a top beach resort.

 

VIVANTA BY TAJ, BENTOTA

There are many resorts to choose from, and World Discovery would be delighted to quote for any of them, depending on your own preferences and budget.  Our recommended first class resort is the Vivanta by Taj in Bentota on Sri Lanka's west coast some 60 kilometres south of the capital Colombo.

 

International Flights.

We recommend the services of SriLankan Airways from London Heathrow. Flights are non-stop and have a choice of classes. Current timings (subject to possible change) are as follows (see note below):
Heathrow/Colombo. Depart at 21.25; arrive Colombo at 15.35 (next day)
Colombo/Heathrow. Depart at 13.15; arrive Heathrow at 19.45

Sri Lanka Holidays: Best of Sri Lanka (Tour Reference: WDSL002)
2012 Departures
Price per person based on a minimum of two persons travelling together:

Departures on Thursdays, Saturdays or Sundays (see note below)	Price
1 Apr to 20 Jul	£1525
21 Jul to 30 Sep	£1655
1 Oct to 14 Dec	£1698
15 to 31 Dec	£1925

Flights are available on most days of the week, but the timings differ each day and a Thursday, Saturday or Sunday departure offers the best option (see timings above).  On some days, for example, you would need to leave Galle in the very early morning in order to reach Colombo in time for your homeward flight.

Single Room Supplements on request.

The price includes:

• Hotel accommodation as listed above in double or twin-bedded rooms (please advise us which you prefer) with private facilities.
• 12 full breakfasts as shown in the itinerary.
• Private transportation throughout.
• All sightseeing as shown (unless indicated as ‘optional’), including entrance fees.
• The services of a private English-speaking driver/guide throughout.

Not included in the price:

• International flights (see our recommendation above). We are happy to discuss the flights with you and give you further guidance.
• Optional sightseeing.
• International airport taxes.
• Tipping. We will be pleased to give guidance in this often sensitive matter.
• Sri Lankan online visa.  This should be purchased in advance via the Electronic Travel Authorization System’ (ETA) website - http://www.eta.gov.lk/slvisa/ .  The current cost for UK citizens is US$20 for a double entry visa which is valid for 30 days.  There is no charge for children under 12 years of age.
  

A deposit of £250 per person is required at the time of booking. The balance of the price for your Sri Lanka holiday must be paid at least 8 weeks before your departure date.