Classic Tour with Kithulgala and Horton Plains
Enjoy amazing hill country tours Sri Lanka has to offer from Leoland Travels.
DAY 01 – AIRPORT / PINNAWALA/ KANDY
The representative of Leoland Travels will meet arrival at Bandaranayaka International airport, on arrival clients. Thereafter they will be introduced to the local tour guide/ Chauffeur who will be accompanied them around the Island.
PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE
App. 55 miles from Colombo, off the Colombo - Kandy road is Pinnawela, where an orphanage was started in 1975 to house the abandoned and the wounded elephants. The number of elephants has increased to more than 65 now; including Baby Elephants brought from various parts, as well as some of the more than 25 babies born, as a result of the captive breeding program. The best time to visit is the feeding time from 0930-1000 hrs and 1330-1400 hrs and the bathing time from 1000-1030 hrs and 1400-1430 hrs when all the elephants are taken to the river close by.
Dinner & overnight stay at selected Hotel.
DAY 02 – KANDY
After breakfast city tour of Kandy, including Upper Lake Drive, Market Square, Arts & Crafts Centre, Gem Museum and Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Kandy - The hill capital, venue of the annual Perahera. The last stronghold of the Sinhala Kings was finally ceded to the British in 1815. Kandy is an example of the Buddhism's influence in Sri Lanka today. Temple's shrines and monasteries keeping alive Buddhist traditions are everywhere.
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
Ever since 4th Century A.D, when the Buddha's Tooth was brought to Sri Lanka hidden from sacrilegious hands in an Orissan princess' hair, the Relic has grown in repute and holiness in Sri Lanka and throughout the Buddhist world. It is considered Sri Lanka's most prized possession.
Royal Botanical Gardens - 147 acres in extent: started in 1374 as a pleasure garden of the King’s of Kandy. There are more than 5000 species of tree and plants. Some and endemic as well as flora from the tropical world. Spice garden and Orchid House are popular with Tourists.
Dinner & overnight stay at selected Hotel.
-DAY 03 – KANDY /HORTON PLAINS / NUWARA ELIYA
After breakfast, proceed to Horton Plains
HORTON PLAINS NATIONAL PARK– 20 miles (32 km) from Nuwara Eliya via Ambewela and Pattipola, is the Horton Plains only 3160 hectares in extent. Known to Sri Lankans as Mahaeliya, it became Horton Plains after Sir Robert Horton, British Governor from 1831- 1837. Horton Plains became a Nature Reserve in 1969 and upgraded as a National Park in 1988 due to its unique watershed and bio-diversity values.
Its flora has high level of endemism. The hills are covered with diverse wet low evergreen forest with even large trees grown flattened to the ground on the higher windswept slopes. Horton Plains harbors 52 species of resident birds and 11 species of migrant birds.
“World’s End” and “Little World’s End” falling from the Horton Plains 1000 feet and 3000 feet respectively, to the land below and the Baker’s Falls are places you should visit.
This is the only National Park where visitors could walk on their own in the designated tracks.
Return to Nuwara Eliya check in the hotel and leisure.
In the afternoon city tour in Nuwara Eliya .
Nuwara Eliya - The ‘Little England’ of Sri Lanka, is set against beautiful backdrops of Mountains, Valleys, Waterfalls and Tea Plantations. It is supposed to be one of the coldest places on the island, but is really just like an England spring day although the temperature does drop at night.
All around Nuwara Eliya you will see evidence of the British influence. Houses are like country cottages or Queen Ann style mansions.
Dinner & overnight stay at selected Hotel.
DAY 04 – NUWARA ELIYA/ KITHULGALA/ COLOMBO
After breakfast proceeds to Bentota via Kithulgala
Kitulgala - It is one of the most famous places for White Water Rafting adventures. However there are many more reasons why this spot, just 100 kms from the capital Colombo, is well worth visiting. Chief among these are the historic Beli Lena Caves where the pre-historic Balangoda Man supposed to have lived. The caves are reached after a short 10km drive from the main road through the Kitulgala tea estate.
David Lean’s epic war film “Bridge on the River Kwai” was filmed in this area of the Kelani River, which runs through Kitulgala, and the ruins of the bridge still remains.
Dinner & overnight stay at selected Hotel.
DAY 05 – COLOMBO / AIRPORT
After early Breakfast at the hotel, and If we have enough time to the Departure flight! Then, we do Colombo city tour. There after proceed to the Airport to connect departure flight.
Colombo - a drive through the city taking you to the busy commercial areas as well as the tree-lined residential, Cinnamon Gardens.
Visit Fort, the former British administrative center and military garrison, Sea Street - the Goldsmith’s quarters in the heart of Pettah, the Bazaar area, where is also a Hindu Temple with elaborate stone carvings and the Dutch Church of Wolfendhal dating back to 1749. Also visit the BMICH, see the replica of Avukana Buddha and Independence Square.
