Sri Lanka

Flights from Australia are with either Singapore Airlines or Thai International and depart in the afternoon arriving in Colombo just after midnight.

Arrive early morning at 0100 and after clearing customs and immigration you will be transferred to your hotel.  Balance of morning free and in the afternoon a sightseeing tour of Colombo city. 

After breakfast depart for the Cultural Triangle via the Pinnewela Elephant Orphanage, where there will be an opportunity to see orphaned elephants being fed.  After the visit continue to Dambulla, where you will visit the spectacular Buddhist cave temples.  After sightseeing you will continue to your resort for a late lunch.  Balance of day free.

Morning visit to the spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya.  Constructed on a 200-metre high rock in AD473, it is one of the great historical sites of Sri Lanka.  In the afternoon we visit the ancient city of Polonnaruwa with a visit to the museum.

After breakfast depart for Kandy stopping en-route at the famous spice garden at Matale.  Arrive Kandy early afternoon for a 2-night stay.  Tonight is the Perahera Festival when replica of the sacred tooth of Lord Buddha will be displayed in a golden casket.  The casket is paraded through the streets of Kandy as part of a procession of more than 80 elephants.  On independent departures you will be taken to the Temple of the Tooth where the tooth relic is kept.

This morning you will visit the famous Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens, established by the British in the 19th century.  It also has an excellent Orchard House and we visit the Temple Relic Temple.  Afternoon free and there will be an opportunity to visit a jewellery manufacturer.  Sri Lanka is famous for Rubies, Emeralds and Moonstones. 

After breakfast we will travel through very scenic hill country and tea plantations to Nuwara Eliya.  En-route you will stop at a famous tea growing estate, and tea processing factory.  Some of the best teas in the world are sold here and we will arrive at our hotel mid-afternoon for a 2-night stay.

This morning you will be taken to the Hakgala Botanical Gardens which was founded in 1884 and has an interesting Japanese section.  Afternoon free to explore the town or to play a round of golf.

After a spectacular drive from the Highlands, we arrive at Yala West National Park.  The park contains 130 species of birds, as well as numerous mammals including elephant, bear and leopard.  After a ranger escorted game drive, we continue to our hotel for an overnight stay.

Today you will travel along the scenic south coast to the town of Galle.  Upon arrival we visit the 17th century Dutch Fort, which is the main feature of the town.  Lunch will be served inside the fort, and after lunch we continue to our hotel for an overnight stay.

After breakfast we depart for Colombo and en-route we will visit a Moonstone mine.  Arrive Colombo late afternoon for an overnight stay.

Morning free in Colombo where there will be an opportunity to explore this city.  Mid-afternoon check-out and in the evening you will be taken to a well known local restaurant for a farewell dinner before continuing to the airport.

Early morning departure for Singapore on Singapore Airlines.  Upon arrival you will be transferred to your hotel for an overnight stay.

Early morning transfer to the airport for your Singapore Airlines flight to your respective capital city where you will arrive in the evening.