Meet, greet & assist on arrival at Colombo International airport by LUXE ASIA representative.

Transfer from airport to Colombo and check in to your hotel
In the afternoon, enjoy a city tour of Colombo which is the largest city and former administrative capital of Sri Lanka and is a busy and vibrant city with a mixture of modern life and remnants of a bygone colonial era. Due to its large harbor and its strategic position along the East-West sea trade routes, Colombo was known to ancient traders 2,000 years ago. However it was only made the capital of the island when Sri Lanka was ceded to the British Empire in 1815. The main city is home to a majority of the Sri Lanka’s corporate offices, restaurants and entertainment venues. On this tour you will visit many of the historical, religious and commercial sites of Colombo including the historic and bustling Fort and Pettah, the elite residential Cinnamon Gardens, the Galle face Green, Viharamahadevi Park and much more.

After the city tour, return to your hotel for dinner and overnight stay at Colombo Hilton 5* / Cinnamon Lake Side 5*

After an early breakfast, transfer from Colombo to Panduwas Nuwara via Kurunegala. Visit the first capital of ancient Sri Lanka.

The recorded history of the Island dates back 2500 years when an exiled prince from north India drifted into the shores of Sri Lanka to establish the first known civilization here. According the “Mahawansaya” the famous chronicle in Sri Lankan history, Panduwas Nuwara was the first place to be chosen as a capitol. According to its inscriptions, Panduwas Nuwara was used as a capitol by the country’s first king Vijaya. His son in law Panduwasudeva who later became the king of the country after death of the first king Vijaya, were the famous rulers in this era. Later this was used as a secondary kingdom under the king of Anuradhapura the well-known capitol of ancient Sri Lanka for about 1000 years. Later on Panduwas Nuwara was used as the capitol by “Parakramabahu the great” one of the remarkable rulers of the country from the Polonnaruwa era when he was the crown prince.

Ruins of an ancient Palace complex, inner & outer city are still stands showing the country’s proud history. The Palace complex here was constructed by King Parakramabahu the great and is one of the best examples of the skillful engineering work of the forefathers of Sri Lanka.

After site seeing, transfer from Panduwasnuwara to Yapahuwa and check in to your hotel for overnight stay.

Dinner and overnight stay at Yapahuwa Paradise Resort 3* / Ayurveda Kuren 3*

Early morning, start to climb Yapahuwa rock fortress.

In the latter part of 12th century A.D. Yapahuwa was first developed as a fortress by General Subha due to its strategic location. Invasions were a common occurrence during this time especially from south Indian kingdoms such as Chola and Pandya, which made this location even more important. Later on, this was used as the country’s capitol during the time of King Buwanekabahu.

After being abandoned to South Indian invaders, the ruins of this once great ancient city still remain. The site's outstanding feature is the marvelous stone stairway, which climbs with Maya-like steepness up to the palace. Statues of Elephants, Dragon arches, Dwarfs figure carvings, Goddesses and a pair of goggle-eyed stone lions flank the stairs, which are topped by a finely carved doorway and windows.

After site seeing, return to hotel for a late breakfast.
Transfer from Yapahuwa to Aukana. Visit one of the masterpieces of stonemasonry, one of the many magnificent Buddha statues on the Cultural triangle. The Aukana Buddha statue beyond doubt is the most magnificent, undamaged statue in Sri Lanka. It was built in the reign of King Dhatusena in the 5th century and is 39 ft. (12 meters) high. The Name "Aukana" means "Sun-eating".

After site seeing, transfer from Aukana to Anuradhapura and check in to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay at Palm Garden Village Hotel 4* or Similar.

Breakfast at hotel and transfer from Anuradhapura to Mihintale. Visit the ancient monastery complex. Mihintale is known as the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. It was here that Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka. This occurred in the 02nd century B.C.
 
Finally Mihintale became a very special monastery where more than 1000 Buddhist monks were practicing Buddhism under royal patronage. Mihintale is now famous as a sacred pilgrimage site & it’s ruined ancient monastery with a giant refectory (the place where Buddhist monks consume food) with many stone inscriptions that shows the country’s great history.

After site seeing, transfer from Mihintale to Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura is the first ancient capital of Sri Lanka from the 3rd Century BC to the 11th Century AD. At its height, Anuradhapura was one of the greatest cities of its age, functioning as the island’s center of both temporal and spiritual power, dotted with dozens of monasteries populated by as many as 10,000 monks - one of the greatest monastic cities the world has ever seen. The most extensive of all the ancient cities, Anuradhapura is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Dinner and overnight stay at Palm Garden Village Hotel 4*

After an early breakfast at the hotel, transfer from Anuradhapura to Ritigala. Visit the mysterious ancient monastery.

Ritigala’s history dates back to 164 BC – 140 BC, the time of the country’s greatest king Dutugemunu and pre-history dating back to the legend of Ravana from the Ramayana. The Ancient Buddhist monastery is situated in the middle of a mountain range with an amazing forest coverage consisting of 4 different climatic zones which is a true cross section of all climatic zones in Sri Lanka. This environment was a paradise for meditating Buddhist monks of the day. Paths for walking, meditation, refractory and long stone paths to the center of the monastery made of granite, monastery complex, ayurveda complex are still there as ruins.

After site seeing, transfer from Ritigala to Ibbankatuwa - Dambulla
Visit the pre-historic tombs which are more than 5000 years old. This well preserved site near a giant manmade reservoir is easily accessed from Dambulla.

After site seeing, transfer from Ibbankatuwa to Dambulla to visit the Golden rock cave temple
Dambulla rock temple was built by king Walagambahu in the 1st century B.C. and is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is the most impressive of Sri Lanka’s many cave temples. The complex of five caves with over 2000 sq. meters of painted walls and ceilings is the largest area of paintings found in the world. It contains over 150 images of the Buddha of which the largest is the colossal figure carved out of granite rock and spanning 14 meters.

After site seeing, transfer from Dambulla to Habarana and check in to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay at a Chaaya Village 4* or similar.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer from Habarana to Medirigiriya via Polonnaruwa. Visit the Medirigiriya temple, famous for its 7th century Vatadage Temple which is on top of a low rocky point. There are three concentric rows of pillars, making a total of 68, surrounding four large seated Buddhas facing the four directions.

After site seeing, transfer from Medirigiriya to Polonnaruwa to visit the mediaeval capital of ancient Sri Lanka
The ruined capital of Polonnaruwa is one of the undisputed highlights of the Cultural Triangle and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The heyday of the city in the twelfth century represented one of the high watermarks of early Sri Lankan civilization. Polonnaruwa’ s extensive and well-preserved remains, offer a fascinating snapshot of medieval Sri Lanka, including some of the island’s finest monuments and it is compact enough to be thoroughly explored in 3 hours. The Gal Vihara, a collection of magnificent Buddha statues carved out of sheer rock is not to be missed and a prime example of the craftsmanship of that era.

After site seeing, transfer from Polonnaruwa to Habarana. Relax at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay at a Chaaya Village 4*

Breakfast at hotel. Check-out and transfer from Habarana to Sigiriya. Visit the Sigiriya rock fortress.

Climb the 5th century Sigiriya Rock fortress which is a UNESCO world heritage site, built by King Kashyapa (477-495). The spectacular citadel of Sigiriya rises sheer and impregnable out of the plains of the dry zone. It is the country’s most memorable single attraction, a remarkable archeological site made unforgettable by its dramatic setting. The rock was the innermost stronghold of a 70 hectare fortified town. A moat, rampart and extensive gardens including the renowned water gardens ring the base of the rock. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the 'Heavenly Maidens' of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway.

After site seeing, transfer from Sigiriya to Nalanda via Dambulla. Visit Nalanda Gedige
Nalanda is considered to be in the exact center of the island.  Nalanda Gedige is found here which was earlier known as the "All-stone building" in Sri Lanka, dating back to the 8th century.  It is one of the most remarkable examples of the amalgamation of Hindu and Buddhist architectures.

After site seeing, transfer from Nalanda to Matale
Visit a spice garden in Matale to see different spices for which Sri Lanka is famous for. Here, clients could see different spices and how some of these spices are grown and processed. Witness a Cookery demonstration.

A Sri Lankan village style lunch will be hosted by LUXE ASIA at Spice garden premises.
After lunch, transfer from Matale to Kandy. Check in. Relax at the hotel.
Dinner and overnight stay at Chaaya Citadel 4*

Breakfast at hotel. Relax at the hotel. Later in the morning, transfer from Heeressagala - Kandy.

Enjoy a sightseeing tour of Kandy which is a UNESCO world heritage site. The historic city about 480m above sea level surrounded by mountains was known to Sri Lankan as Kanda Uda Rata, which means the hill country. Kandy was home to Sri Lanka’s last independent Kingdom, which survived two centuries of colonial incursion before finally falling to the British at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Catch a panoramic view of the picturesque town from Upper Lake Drive.

Transfer from Kandy to Peradeniya. Visit Peradeniya Royal botanical garden
Set 6km southwest of Kandy in a loop in the Mahaweli Ganga lie the expansive Peradeniya Botanical Gardens, the largest and finest gardens in Sri Lanka, covering almost 150 acres and stuffed with a bewildering variety of local and foreign tree and plant species.

Kandy is also famous for its shopping, gems and jewelry, handicrafts, batiks, silks etc. And you will have the opportunity of browsing to your heart’s content.

Return to hotel. Relax at the hotel. Early evening, you will visit a Kandyan Dance performance and be treated to a spectacular fire walking finale. Visit the temple of the sacred tooth relic of the Buddha.

Dinner and overnight stay at Chaaya Citadel 4*

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer from Kandy to Labukele - Nuwara Eliya via the world famous Peradeniya University complex. Visit a plantation and a factory en route here and witness how the famous "Ceylon Tea" is brewed.

Transfer from Labukele to Nuwara Eliya. Drive through Nuwara Eliya the “Little England”
Nuwara Eliya meaning "the city of dawn" is the town at the highest elevation (about 2000m above sea level) in Sri Lanka and its tallest peak, Piduruthalagala (2555m) could be seen from here. The city established by the British in the nineteenth century, and known as "Little England" and is a popular holiday resort for Sri Lankans & tourists due to its cool climate and quaint colonial feel with its little bungalows surrounded by hedgerows.

Continue drive from Nuwara Eliya to Bandarawela
Midway between Ella and Haputale, lies the lovely little town of Bandarawela. Check in. Relax at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight stay at Bandarawela Hotel-Colonial Deluxe /Orient Hotel 3*

After breakfast at Bandarawela Hotel, transfer from Bandarawela to Buduruwagala via Ella.

Ella is famous in Sri Lankan folklore for its Ramayana connections: according to one tradition, the demon king Rawana brought the captive Sita here and hid her away in a cave couple of kilometers outside the present-day village. Rawana's name is now memorialized in the names of various guest houses, as well as in the Rawana Ella Falls, which plunge magnificently down a series of rock faces 6km from Ella.

20 minutes from Ella is Demodera, the home of the famous Demodera Loop Railway, an engineering feat achieved by the British when they were ruling the country.

Visit Buduruwagala hermitage
Just south of Wellawaya lies the magical archeological site of Buduruwagala, located in a patch of beautifully un-spoilt dry-zone forest, dotted with rocky outcrops and populated by abundant birds and butterflies. The site is home to a series of seven figures carved in low relief into the face of a large rock out-crop. The figures are some of the largest in the island, and are thought to date from the 10th century.

After site seeing, transfer from Buduruwagala to Kataragama via Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama is one of the most pleasant towns in the southern coast. The beautiful man-made tank (reservoir) in Tissa, Tissa Wewa with its remarkable bird life provides the scenic backdrop to the town. Tissa was the sanctuary in the Deep South, where Sinhalese patriots fled to rally support against marauding Dravidian invaders from Southern India. Known by the name of Mahagama (great town), it was one of the principal settlements of the southern province of Ruhuna. Mahagama was founded in the third century BC by a brother of the King Devanam Piya Tissa of Anuradhapura, & later rose to prominence under King Kavantissa, father of the hero of the nation, King Dutugamunu of Ruhuna.

Continue drive from Tissamaharama to Kataragama
Early evening, visit the ancient shrine dedicated to god Katharagama. The shrine was built as a result of a vow that King Dutugemunu promised to god Katharagama to win the Great War he faced against the Indian invader, Elara. The king’s royal tusker Elephant’s tasks that helped him win the war, were later donated to the shrine after it’s death & can still be seen on display today.

Witness the rituals of this holy shrine believed & worshipped by people who believe in all four major religions in the country. Kirivehera pagoda which is about 300 meters away from the shrine is one of the most sacred places for Buddhists in the country.

Dinner and overnight stay at Mandara Rosen Hotel 4*
 

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer from Kataragama to Kirinda.

Kirinda is a small but beautiful village on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 10 km south of Tissa & close to Kataragama. It has a beautiful beach and a Buddhist shrine built on a huge round rock. The area is also close to the Great and Little Basses reefs which provide some of the most spectacular scuba diving in the country. Kirinda was used as a land base by Arthur C. Clarke's party when diving for the Great Basses wreck (Treasures of the Reef).

One of the most well-known attractions in Kirinda is the statue of Queen Vihara Maha Devi, the heroine of the nation & mother of the hero of the nation, King Dutugemunu. This is situated on the spot where she is said to have landed after being set adrift on the sea from Kelaniya.

After site seeing, transfer from Kirinda to Hambantota via Tissamaharama

Dinner and overnight stay at Peacock Beach Hotel 4*

After an early breakfast at the hotel, transfer from Hambantota to Matara. Drive through the historical city of Matara.

The town is an important transport hub and a major center of commerce and a lively place given a youthful touch by the presence of students from the Ruhunu University; 3km east of the town. Matara preserves a few Dutch colonial buildings like the diminutive Star Fort, a quaint little hexagonal structure built by the Dutch. And also the Nilwala Ganga, a fine swathe of water, runs straight through the middle of the bustling town center. The area around Matara boasts a couple of mildly interesting and little-visited sites, including the giant Buddha and unusual underground temple at Weherahena and the town of Dondra, whose slender lighthouse marks the island's southernmost point.

Transfer from Matara to Galle. Drive through the historical city
The old part of the city within the Dutch Fort built in the 17th century has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO. A walk on the ramparts from Point Utrecht bastion to Flag Rock bastion will give you an excellent view of the ancient harbor which was known as Tar shish in the Bible. We will pass the District Court and the original entrance to the Fort en-route to the Dutch Reformed Church built in the 17th century. The New Town to the north of the Fort was badly affected by the tsunami in 2004 and is the home of the famous International cricket stadium which has been re-built.

Continue drive from Galle to Kalutara. Check in. Relax at the hotel. Dinner and overnight stay at Ramada Resort Kalutara 4*

Breakfast at hotel and full day at leisure. Dinner and overnight stay at Ramada Resort Kalutara 4*

Breakfast at hotel and transfer to the airport for your departure.