Day 1 – Dublin to Colombo

Depart Dublin for Istanbul and onwards to Colombo.

Day 2 – Colombo

On arrival in Colombo you will meet your professional tour manager and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Today you will enjoy a fully guided tour of fascinating Colombo, Sri Lanka’s largest city. Past traders and settlers – the Arabs, Portuguese, Dutch and British – have left in their wake churches, monuments, religions, cultures and languages making Colombo a happy blend of East & West with a charm of its own. Evening meal & overnight in Colombo.

Day 3 – Rangiroa Dambulla Cave Temple

After breakfast check-out and depart for Sigiriya. En route visit the Rangiriya Dambulla Cave Temple, located in the North Central Province. This UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back to the first century BC and is an amazing complex of caves. See magnificent carved images within the living rock, over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is a colossal figure spanning 15 meters & cave inscriptions from the second century BC. Also on the walls are many paintings most of which belong to the Kandy period (early 19th century). The temple is a perfect location to view the evolution of ancient Sri Lankan art! Continue to your hotel in Sigiriya for check-in. Afternoon at leisure. Evening meal and overnight at hotel.

Day 4 – Sigiriya Rock Fortress

After breakfast, you will take a journey to climb the spectacular Sigiriya Rock Fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Sri Lanka’s major attractions. At its base see the Water Gardens, the world-renowned frescoes of beautiful maidens & the Mirror Wall with ancient graffiti. Then climb the old spiral stairway rising 200m out of the beautiful jungle, climb past the huge paws of an ancient crouching lion to the remains of the royal citadel at the summit. The 1.6 hectares at the summit was completely covered by buildings during the period of Sigiriya’s glory (477-495 A.D). Afternoon at leisure. Evening meal and overnight at hotel.

Day 5 – Polonnaruwa

Breakfast at your hotel and set off to explore the medieval capital of Polonnaruwa. This UNESCO World Heritage Site, rose to fame as the capital of Sri Lanka in the 10th to 12th century AD. Its monuments are well preserved and give clear evidence of the glory of Sri Lanka’s past. Highlights include the Royal Palace complex, the Quadrangle with its concentration of ancient heritage, the spectacular Gal Vihare complex of four massive images of the Buddha plus intricate statues of Hindu Gods & fascinating Buddhist temples. Return to your hotel for the afternoon at leisure. Dinner & overnight in Sigiriya.

Day 6 – Kandy

After breakfast, depart Sigirya for the Last Kingdom of Sri Lanka – Kandy. En route you will have a stop to discover the Matale Spice Gardens. Enjoy the aroma of the spices as you explore the treasure garden & dabble in the homoeopathic remedies of the East! Continue to the city of Kandy. This exotic city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and retains an aura of grandeur that time has not affected. 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. Visit the famous Temple of the Tooth – the Crown Jewel of your experience in Kandy & the most sacred temple in the whole of Sri Lanka.

This evening you will enjoy a cultural show displaying the various kinds of arts practised in the island of Sri Lanka. Experience the acrobatics of the Kandyan Dancers, the grace and elegance of the Hill dances and the forceful energy of the Southern Dancers. Evening meal and overnight in Kandy.

Day 7 – Train journey from Kandy to Nanu Oya

Breakfast at your hotel & check-out. Today enjoy a magical train journey from Kandy to Nanu Oya. (Please note delays and cancellations are a common occurrence on the railway, the Railway Authority only issue tickets 20 days in advance so availability cannot always be guaranteed). Continue to Nuwara Eliya for check-in. Evening meal and overnight at your hotel.

Day 8 – Tea Plantation & Ella

After breakfast, you will visit a tea factory & plantation where one of the best teas in the world is produced. Learn about the process of manufacturing tea & if you’re lucky you may be invited to taste a cup of pure Ceylon tea which begins its journey as raw green leaves in the hills and ends up as a final golden-brown graded product which we all know too well!

Leaving the tea plantations behind, you will travel south through Sri Lanka’s stunning hill country to Yala. En route visit Ella, blessed with some of the most beautiful views you will find in Sri Lanka. Visit Ella Gap, Ravana Ella Falls, and Little Adams Peak. Continue to your hotel in Yala for check-in. Evening meal and overnight at your hotel.

Day 9 – Yala National Park

Breakfast at your hotel. This morning you will enjoy an early morning safari in Sri Lanka’s most famous national park – Yala National Park. View elephants, leopards, bears, crocodiles, wild boar & a large variety of resident and migrant birds amongst the grassland, shrub jungle and fresh water lagoons. The rest of the day is free to relax at leisure. Evening meal and overnight in Yala.

Day 10 – Galle

After breakfast check-out & proceed to the beach resort of Wadduwa. En route you will enjoy a city tour of Galle, the port where the Portuguese first landed in Sri Lanka & a former Dutch colony. Old Dutch churches and monuments, well-preserved forts, ramparts houses & narrow alleys along with an imposing crested gateway dating back to 1669 are some highlights of the city. Continue to Wadduwa for check-in, evening meal and overnight.

Day 11 – Wadduwa

Breakfast at your hotel. Today is free to enjoy the lush beauty of exotic Wadduwa, home to thousands of palm trees & coconut plantations. Experience its laid-back atmosphere as you walk its strip of golden sandy beaches, visit the fishing village & stroll through its traditional shops selling Sri Lankan handicrafts. Evening meal at your hotel and overnight.

Day 12 – Wadduwa

Breakfast at your hotel. Morning and afternoon at leisure before check-out at 3pm and transfer to the airport for your flight to Istanbul.

Day 13 – Arrive home

Connect with your flight to Dublin. Arrive home.