NATURE AND CULTURE - 4 Days / 3 Nights

Arrival at Mattala International Airport. Meet with the representative of Aitken Spence Travels.

TRANSFER TO YALA – HOTEL CHECK-IN

In the evening, continue with an exciting jeep safari in Yala National Park. Here you may see animals such as elephants, leopards, sloth bears, Indian buffalo, toque macaques, palm civets, red slender lorises, fishing cats and more. Other commonly seen small mammals include black-naped hares, grey, ruddy and striped mongooses, and porcupines.

The park is also renowned for its abundance of birdlife, with more than 140 species recorded. Frequently sighted birds include the crested serpent eagle, changeable hawk-eagle, Sri Lankan junglefowl, white ibis and black stork.

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Yala.

Breakfast at the hotel

TRANSFER TO ELLA

Ella is a charming hill-country village offering some of the most spectacular scenery in Sri Lanka and is ideal for leisurely hikes. During the day, explore tea plantations, temples and waterfalls. At night, enjoy clear skies, twinkling stars and the distant glow of the lighthouses along the southern coast. Although there are only a few guesthouses and hotels, warm and friendly Sri Lankan hospitality is readily available everywhere. The Nine Arches Bridge is the most popular attraction here.

TRANSFER TO NUWARA ELIYA

Misty, steep roads winding through lush green carpets of tea bushes in the cool climate remind visitors that they are within reach of the famous British colonial retreat of Nuwara Eliya. With an atmosphere reminiscent of the English countryside, the City of Light, once managed by English and Scottish planters, is still dotted with colonial bungalows, hedges and one of the finest 18-hole golf courses in the world.

A walk across the green lawns and along the red-brick walls offers captivating views of the lively rural landscape. Travel through green valleys and rolling hills, dotted with endless waterfalls and tea pickers dressed in colourful sarees.

Transfer to Kandy

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Kandy.

Breakfast at the hotel

CITY TOUR OF KANDY

Kandy was the last ancient capital of the Sri Lankan kings. Located in the hill country at an elevation of 488 metres above sea level, the city is extremely picturesque. The Mahaweli Ganga River, with its shady banks, forms a distinctive necklace around the city. An artificial lake, created by the last King of Kandy, lies in the centre of the city.

To the north of the lake is the ancient Udawattakele Forest, one of the few forests in the world located directly within a city. In the centre, on a small island, stands the Royal Summer Palace, where Sri Vikrama Rajasinha kept his harem.On the shores of the lake is the Dalada Maligawa – the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha. Walk through the city centre and visit the bazaar, the gem museum and a gem-cutting and processing studio.

Transfer to Matale

VISIT TO THE SPICE GARDEN IN MATALE

Here you will see various types of spices for which Sri Lanka is famous. You can observe how cinnamon, cloves, pepper, vanilla, cardamom and other spices are grown. Spices are used not only in food, but also in medicine and cosmetics. You will have the unique opportunity to see how these spices grow, hear a short explanation about their uses and, of course, purchase them.

Climb the Sigiriya Rock Fortress

Sigiriya, or Lion Rock, located in the central part of Sri Lanka, is one of the island’s most popular attractions. The ruins of the palace-fortress complex, with its parks, gardens, terraces, ancient pools and frescoes, are spread over an extensive area, located both on the plain and on the rock. The rock rises approximately 200 metres above a jungle-covered plateau.

Sigiriya was home to a Buddhist monastery from the 5th century BC and was transformed into a fortress ten centuries later, at the end of the 5th century AD, on the orders of King Kashyapa. The complex impresses visitors with its monumental structures, remarkable architectural solutions and unique frescoes; only 19 of the original 500 paintings have survived to the present day.

Transfer to the hotel in Dambulla

Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Dambulla.

Dambulla to Beach Hotel

Breakfast at the hotel in Dambulla

The Golden Temple of Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built into a 150-metre-high rock, the temple consists of five caves. It houses the largest collection of Buddha statues, many of which are more than 2,000 years old.

Visitors cannot help but admire the frescoes decorating the walls and ceilings – a true treasure of temple mural art. Remains of plaster with traces of paint outside the caves indicate that the temple once formed a continuous gallery of paintings. The temple dates back to the 1st century BC, with additions and restorations carried out in the 12th and 18th centuries.

Transfer to the beach hotel.