Excursion Polonnaruwa – Sigiriya – Kandy – Nuwara Eliya – Yala. 5 days.

Day 1:

Pinnawala elephant nursery. Here you can watch, chat and feed the Indian elephants. The Pinnawala Elephant Nursery began in 1975 for five young elephants who had lost or been abandoned by their parents. Elephants cannot survive in the wild until they are about five years old. The shelter was opened by the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Department on the Maha Oya River. Now in Pinnavel live not only abandoned, but also wounded and mutilated elephants. There are about 80 elephants living in Pinnavel and the animals are in conditions as close as possible to the natural environment. At 09:15 and 13:15, elephant feeding begins. They are fed from the bottle with milk, releasing only 2-3 elephants into the enclosure for feeding, to avoid conflicts between them. From 10:00 and 14:00, elephants are taken to the river, where they bathe and are washed for about 3 hours. To visit the elephant nursery, you can also add elephant riding.

The Golden Temple of Dambulla is a Buddhist cave temple. The temple was built in the I century BC, its halls are carved into the rock. The temple has been a sacred place of pilgrimage for 22 centuries. The temple complex consists of 26 caves, they are located at an altitude of 350 meters, and of numerous niches, their surface is painted with Buddhist wall paintings of an area of 2100 m. 153 Buddha statues are preserved in various caves. The Golden Temple of Dambulla is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.

This is where the first day of travel ends and you will have a delicious dinner at the hotel.

Day 2:

Breakfast at the hotel.

Polonnaruwa is the medieval capital of Sri Lanka (1070-1293) and today one of the most important centers of cultural heritage of the country. Under King Parakramabahu the Great (1153-1186), Sri Lanka became known as one of the richest countries in the east. His philosophy was that not a single drop that falls from heaven should fall into the sea without benefiting a person. Huge forces and funds the king directed to the construction of a complex irrigation system in the arid area of Polonnaruwa and the terrain became favorable for human life. To this day, an artificial lake, canals, pools have been preserved. Archaeological excavations conducted since the beginning of the 20th century helped to see the remains of the ancient city. An unforgettable impression is made by the ruins of buildings, palaces and monasteries. But the main attraction of Polonnaruwa is the stone temple of Gal Vihara - the most famous temple of Sri Lanka. Four Buddha statues in different poses are carved in granite rock and date back to the XII century. Despite its enormous size, the sculptures are very realistic. Of great interest is the third statue depicting a 7-meter Buddha in an unusual pose with crossed arms on his chest. It is believed that the purpose of the sculptor of antiquity was to emphasize the humanity of the Buddha. The Archaeological Museum of Polonnaruwa has a collection of jewelry, household items, ancient coins, cult statues. Polonnaruwa is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.

Then we will go on a trip to perhaps the most mysterious place of the island of Sri Lanka - Sigiriya. Sigiriya - Lion's Rock is an ancient ruined fortress, on which the remains of the palace are preserved. The fortress is surrounded by the remains of gardens, pools, and fountains. Sigiriya is also known for its ancient frescoes depicting the concubines of the king. The fortress was built during the reign of King Kasapa (V in AD), who feared revenge for the murder of his father and erected this impregnable stronghold. Sigiriya is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka. To visit Sigiriya, you can also add elephant riding.

The second day of the trip ends with a delicious dinner at the hotel.

Day 3:

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Spice garden. Next, the tour route runs through the Spice Garden in Matala. In Sri Lanka, along with traditional medicine, there is a much more ancient and officially recognized traditional medicine - Ayurveda. Since 1985, Ayurveda has been recognized by the World Health Organization as the most effective alternative medicine system.

In the Spice Garden, a doctor of Ayurveda will tell and show how most of the plants that are used in Ayurveda medicines grow. Also in the Ayurverdic pharmacy, which is located here you will get the opportunity to purchase the necessary funds, both medical and cosmetic. Also, for a nominal fee, you will be offered an express massage for 15-20 minutes, using Ayurverdic oils.

The next stop in Paradenia is the Royal Botanical Garden. The Royal Botanical Garden of Sri Lanka is considered one of the best in Asia. It was created in 1821. The best gardeners of Sri Lanka, divided a huge hilly area into park areas, there are different types of tropical flora. Also in the Botanical Garden you will see the Orchid Garden. And an alley of memorial trees planted by heads of state and prominent people who visited the country. There are trees that were planted by Russian Tsar Nicholas II in 1891 and cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961.

Kandy is the cultural capital of Sri Lanka. Further on arrival in Kandy, the guide will take you to the theater, where you can enjoy the national dances of Sri Lanka, performed by professional dancers, in beautiful national costumes. Seats in the front row are provided, and after the dance program, the artists will show a small fire show and even walk through hot coals.

The Temple of the Tooth of Buddha in Kandy is the main temple of the country. The most sacred place of Sri Lanka you will visit during the offering of food to the Buddha, only at this time for a few minutes you can see the sacred stupa in which the tooth of the Buddha is stored, which remained after his cremation. Kandy is one of seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.

This is the end of the program of the third day of travel, and you will have a delicious dinner at the hotel.

Day 4:

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Highland Tea Plantations. On the way to the Tea Factory you will see the famous Tea Plantations of Ceylon, which are located on the Central Highlands. Tea was introduced to the island from China in 1824. Sri Lanka has the first place in the world in the export of tea and the third place in the world in the production. Sri Lanka provides about 25% of global demand. Ceylon tea is recognized as the best in the world for its unique characteristics.

Waterfalls. Also on the way you will find several stops where you can admire the waterfalls. The rivers of Sri Lanka flowing from the mountains turn into waterfalls, there are more than a hundred of them on the island. You can see some of them with your own eyes.

Tea factory. Also, after visiting the existing Tea Factory, you will see how the process of tea production takes place. You won’t believe it, but it’s using the same technology that the British brought here a hundred years ago. And even the equipment is the same: Also, in the store at the factory you can buy tea, at prices lower than in the tourist area.

The city of Nuwara Eliya is called Little England. The city lies in the mountains at an altitude of 2000 meters above sea level - higher than other mountainous settlements of Sri Lanka. Therefore, the climate of the area is characterized by a lack of humidity and heat, which so exhausts tourists and residents of other regions. This is a special place, when visiting which it seems to a tourist that he is not in the outback of Sri Lanka, but in a small town in the UK. The second name of Nuwara Eliya, given by tourists, is "Little England". And this is not surprising, because the architecture of the city is executed in the style of George IV and everywhere you can see golf courses and gardens typical of England. Nuwara Eliya is isolated from other towns and villages due to its natural fencing. Being here, it is impossible to believe that it is only a few hours to travel to the capital of Sri Lanka.

This is the end of the fourth day of travel, and you will have a delicious dinner at the hotel.

Day 5:

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Yala National Park. Sri Lanka is not a large country, but it has a very rich flora and fauna. The International Environment Organization has officially recognized Sri Lanka as one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world. In Sri Lanka, the main religion is Buddhism, and Buddhism encourages to honor all living things. Therefore, Sri Lanka pays great attention to environmental protection. Safari in the national park will give you the opportunity to see up to 91 species of mammals (16 of them live only in this region). Zambara deer, spotted deer, elephants, wild pigs, leopards, wild boars, sponge bears, mouse and barking deer, porcupines, civets (wild cats), anteaters, giant squirrels, lemurs, monkeys, buffaloes, mongoose, coyotes. Yala National Park has the largest concentration of leopards in the world. The trip to the park will take about 3-4 hours and will take place on a specially equipped jeep.

At this, the excursion program ends and the transfer to the desired place of subsequent stay follows.

For this tour you need to have a passport to check in at the hotel. Clothing covering the knees and shoulders for visiting the temples in Polonnaruw and Dambulla and the temple of the Tooth of Buddha. To climb Sigiriya, you will need comfortable, non-slippery shoes and sunscreen. Also in hotels there are swimming pools, if you wish, you can swim in them, so you can take swimming accessories with you.

Friends, the cost for all excursions is calculated individually.

To calculate the cost, we need to know:

1. Place of departure for the excursion (airport, Negombo / Colombo, place on the coast).

2. Place where you need a transfer at the end of the tour.

3. The number of people who want to go on a tour (if there are children, their age).

We organize individual excursions, and do not engage in group recruitment.

We organize mainly package tours, where the price includes entrance tickets, hotel accommodation, breakfast and dinner at the hotel, transport, guide.