DAY 1 | ARRIVAL – PICKUP / COLOMBO
Arrival in Sri Lanka, will be met by a representative and transfer to Colombo.
Check in at the hotel and simply relax after your flight!!!
If time permits you may visit Pettah where you have the vegetable & fruit markets & visit Textile shops as well.
If interested visit the Collepity local market and the main bus and train terminals, Wolvendhaal Dutch Church, Gotami Vihara, Independence Hall, Hindu Kovil at Slave Island, Colombo Municipal Council, Viharamahadevi Park and other city sites.
Overnight Accommodation – Galle Face Hotel
DAY 2 | COLOMBO / PINNAWALA / HABARANA
After a very good night’s sleep and an early breakfast, you may proceed to the cultural city to explore and the island’s ancient highlights. On your way, you can peep in to the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage to get your first introduction to Sri Lanka’s most eminent population.
After your visit to Pinnawela, continue to your hotel in Habarana, check-in and enjoy the surroundings.
You also have the option of climbing the Sigiriya Rock Fortress , the rock rises 200 meters above ground and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is also known as King Kasyapa’s “palace in the sky”. Fifth century creativity and skill produced a luxurious royal citadel with ramparts, moats, gateways, and a well laid out city, inclusive with bathing pools and gardens. The Mirror Wall, which still produces a glass-like reflection 1500 years after it was first created. Also on the top you can see the famous Sigiriya frescoes – beautiful images of bare-breasted maidens painted on the rock face thousands of years ago.
Return to the hotel and simply rest.
Overnight Accommodation – Aliya Resort & Spa
DAY 3 | HABARANA / ANURADHAPURA / HABARANA
Breakfast and thereafter drive to Anuradhapura and visit some of the sites at Anuradhapura including the Sacred Bo-tree, Ruvanweliseya, Thuparama dagoba, few other monuments of Sri Lanka.
Thereafter proceed to Mihintale, the “Cradle of Buddhism “ in Sri Lanka, which is the earliest declared Sanctuary (declared in 247 B.C.) in the World and still a sanctuary.
The wide staircase with 1840 steps, with the flowering Temple Trees is a beautiful site for a photographer especially with a Buddhist Bhikkhu in yellow robes climbing the steps.
Also visit Mahakanadarawa Tank bund at Mihintale to see a well preserved, beautiful stone bridge 100 feet long, 10 feet wide and 8-9 feet high constructed in the 4 th C.A.D. connecting Anuradhapura with Trincomalee Harbour.
Proceed to Habarana for your overnight stay.
Overnight Accommodation – Aliya Resort & Spa
DAY 4 | HABARANA / POLONNARUWA / HABARANA
Today you could opt to explore Polonnaruwa, visit the monuments in the medieval capital including the Royal Palace, Audience Hall, Thuparamaya, Lankatilake & Tivanka Image Houses, Pabaluvehera, Rankothvehera and Kirivehera dagobas, Vata-da-ge, Ata-da-ge & Heta-da-ge Shrines and the beautiful 4 rock-cut Buddha statues at Gal Vihara Temple.
You also have the option of enjoying a bicycle ride to see the ancient city. (need to inform early in order to arrange the same)
Return to the hotel.
Overnight Accommodation – Aliya Resort & Spa
DAY 5 | HABARANA / DAMBULLA / KANDY
Afternoon visit Dambulla Cave Temples to photograph more than 21,000 Sq. feet of paintings on the walls and ceilings of the 5 caves, more than 150 Buddha Statues, and statues of Kings and gods.
Thereafter leave for Kandy.
En-route visit a Spice Garden, Alu-vihara Buddhist Temple and a Batik Factory on the way. You could photograph different types spice trees, plants & creepers (only if time permits).
Overnight in Kandy.
Overnight Accommodation – Earl’s Regency
DAY 6 | KANDY
After Breakfast, morning visit to the Peradeniya Royal Botanical Gardens. And leave for Gadaladeniya & Lankatilake Buddhist Temples dating to 14 th Century. You can visit a place where brass work is done near Gadaladeniya Temple. If interested you can visit Embekke Devala close to Lankatilake, where woodcarving is found in all the pillars in the main open hall. More than 500 separate designs are found dating to 14th Century.
Afternoon spend the time in Kandy City and walk to the Market (This is an excellent place to photograph fruit stalls selling varieties of Sri Lankan fruits, vegetable stalls with nicely arranged items or go to the open market area for vegetable sellers and the main street for payment Hawkers & for
open shops selling all items) visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic and proceed to the city center for a cultural show late in the evening.
Return to the hotel for your overnight stay.
Overnight Accommodation –Earl’s Regency
DAY 7 | KANDY / NUWARA ELIYA
Morning leave for Nuwara Eliya via Gampola and Ramboda.
On the way you are passing Tea plantations, factories, Tea Pluckers (Tell your Guide to speak to the Kangani and arrange few Pluckers for photographing the plucking of “two leaves & the bud” and waterfalls.
Stop at the Glenloch or Labookele Tea Factory to see and photograph the processing of tea.
See Ramboda Falls (329 feet high) on the way.
At Nuwara Eliya see the houses similar to houses & mansions in England, same type of flowers and vegetables and walk in the Victoria Park & the Market where you can see local fruits, vegetables and flowers kept for sale.
Check in at the hotel and relax .
Overnight Accommodation – Grand Hotel
DAY 8 | NUWARA ELIYA
After an early breakfast leave for Horton Plains via Ambawela and Pattipola. Horton Plains National Park is in an elevation of 7200 feet above sea level and is called a “Cloud Forest”. It is the only National Park in Sri Lanka where visitors can walk in the jungle to observe wildlife.
Look for birdlife including Yellow-eared Bul-bul, Ceylon Hill White Eye, Dusky Blue Fly-Catcher, The Wood Pigeon, Ceylon Warbler, Spotted-winged Thrush, The Whistling Thrush (Arrenga), Blue Magpie, Layards Parakeet, Green-billed Coucal, Orange-billed Babbler, endemics and other birds.
Proceed to ‘World’s End’ and “Little World’s End” for the fantastic view for photographers and look for the ‘Bear Monkey’ (Purple-faced Leaf Monkey), Sambhur (more than 3000 in the plains), and other animals.
The stunted trees, the jungle cover interspersed with the Patna grasslands, the crystal clear streams, flowering trees such as Rhododendron (Rhododendron Zeylanicum), Niloo or Strobilanthes, Forget-me-not with their small blue flowers, ground orchids and tree orchids including Wesak Orchids and dwarf Marsh Bamboo are some of the flora interesting for photography.
Return to Nuwara Eliya.
Overnight Accommodation – Grand Hotel
DAY 9 | NUWARA ELIYA / BANDARAWELA / ELLA / YALA
After breakfast drive to Yala via Ella (most beautiful place in the Island), Wellawaya and Wirawila.
Visit Buduruvagala to see the tallest Buddha Statue (51 feet in height) and 6 other statues dating to 8th Century A.D. You will be passing many interesting village scenes for photography.
Overnight Accommodation – Jetwing Yala
DAY 10 | YALA
Early morning go for a Safari by Jeep to Yala National Park, with a Tracker.
Visit places frequented by Leopards (Panthera Pardus Kotiya) in the Park, including visits to “Koti gala”, “Kottamba-gas-wewa”, “Pandi-kema”, “Wepandeniya”, “Meda para” and “Wal-mal-kema” where leopards are found frequently. Stay in one of the places recommended by the Tracker to get an award winning photograph of a Sri Lankan Leopard.
Then go for Wild Elephants, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Wild Boar, Wild Buffalo, Crocodiles, Sambhur, Jackal, other animals and birds including Sri Lanka Jungle Fowl, Brown-capped Babbler, Stone Curlew, Great Thick Knee, Black-necked Stork, (the largest bird in Sri Lanka) Lesser Adjutant, Painted Stork, Sirkeer Malkoha, Blue-faced Malkoha, Brahminy Myna, Orange-Breasted Green Pigeon, Grey Hornbill, Malabar Pied Hornbill, Cormorants, Darters, Herons, Bitterns, Lapwings and other birds.
Return to hotel and spend the evening.
Overnight Accommodation – Jetwing Yala
DAY 11 | SINHARAJA FOREST / KALUTARA
Today morning you may proceed to Kalutara for your beach stay.
Overnight Accommodation – The Blue Water