| Day 01 |
| Arrive in Sri Lanka to be met by a representative of DTSL and transfer Colombo. |
| Afternoon at leisure. |
| Overnight : In Colombo |
|
| Day 02 |
| After
breakfast visit Kelaniya Buddhist Temple-dating to 6th C.B.C. a site
sanctified by the visit of The Buddha. On completion visit the
Wolvendaal Dutch Church, remains of Portuguese & Dutch
fortifications in the Fort, Kayman's Gate and walk in the Fort area. |
| After lunch visit the Independence Memorial hall and Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple. |
|
| Day 03 |
| After
breakfast leave for Anuradhapura via Dambadeniya, the Capital of Sri
Lanka from 1232-1282 A.D. See the remains of the Moat, Wall, Royal
Palace & other buildings of the Fort. |
| Visit
Vijayasundararamaya Temple to see the well preserved Temple of the
Sacred Tooth Relic, the murals, Dagoba with a tile-covered roof above
it, the Sacred Bo-tree etc. |
| Proceed to
Yapahuwa (capital for 12 years-1272-1284 A.D.) Fortress to see the
inner & outer moats & walls, Tooth Relic Temple and the
exquisitely carved staircase leading to the Palace and the summit of the
rock. See the Shrine room in a cave with murals and the small museum at
the site. |
| Continue on the journey to Anuradhapura. |
| Arrive and check in at the hotel in Anuradhapura. |
| Evening
see some monuments including the Sacred Bo-tree, Ruvanweliseya Dagoba,
Thuparama Dagoba and Issurumuniya Buddhist Temple. |
| Overnight : In Anuradhapura |
|
| Day 04 |
| Breakfast
at the hotel and continue to explore Anuradhapura. Visit Abhayagiriya
Monastery including the Alms Hall and the Museum, Jetavanarama
Monastery, Western Monasteries, Museum, Royal Palace, (old) Temple of
the Sacred Tooth Relic, Samadhi Statue, Twin Ponds, Vessagiriya caves,
and other monuments. |
| Return to
the hotel to freshen up and leave for Mihintale - the "Cradle of
Buddhism in Sri Lanka". Climb 1840 steps and see the Ambastala Dagoba,
Aradhanagala, Maha Thupa, Kantaka Cetiya, Naga & Kaludiya Pokuna,
Indikatu Seya, and Old Hospital etc. |
| Continue to Sigiriya |
| Overnight : In Sigiriya |
|
| Day 05 |
| After
breakfast, leave for Polonnaruwa and explore this ancient city. See the
monuments including the Royal Palace & Audience Halls of King
Parakramabahu I (1153-1186 A. D.) and King Nissankamalla (1187-1196
A.D.). Thuparama, Vata-da-ge, Heta-da-ge, Pabalu Vehera, Siva Devala,
Rankot Vehera, Baddhasima-prasada, Lankatilake, Gal Vihara - to see the 4
rock-cut Buddha statues, Tivanka Image House-for beautiful 12th C.A.D.
murals on the walls etc. and the old Hospital where surgical instruments
were found. |
| Return
to Habarana, visiting Sigiriya - -the "Fortress in the Sky" and see the
remains of the Palace on the summit, Lion-staircase, Sigiri Graffiti-
the verses written on the Mirror Wall, Paintings of the Damsels-Light
coloured (Vijjulatha) and Dark coloured (Megalatha) in "fresco-en-secco"
and the beautifully designed Pleasure Garden (Water garden, boulder
garden), the caves with pre-Christian inscriptions, remains of inner
& outer fortifications. |
| Evening :
Indulge in an Herbal Body massage for Stress Relief and Muscle
relaxation at the Ayurveda Centre of the Hotel (Optional) |
| Overnight : In Sigiriya |
|
| Day 06 |
| Morning leave for Kandy. En route visit the following places: |
| Gedige
Temple at Nalanda- a unique Buddhist Temple constructed in the style of a
Hindu Temple with a "Gopuram", using crystalline limestone for the
building and the statues. |
| Dambulla
Cave Temples (5 caves) dating from 1st C.B.C. to 18th C.A.D. These
Temples contains the largest painted surfaces of 21,000 square feet of
Buddhist murals covering all the walls and ceilings of the 5 caves,
large number of Buddha statues (more than 150), statues of Gods and
Kings in the caves. |
| Arrive in Kandy and check in at the hotel. |
| Late
afternoon get ready to go to the Town to see the Kandy Perahera and be
at the reserved seat to view the famous Kandy Perahera. On the 7th day
of the procession when it is almost at its highest level of splendor
with more than 80 Elephants caparisoned with all the beautiful colours,
more than 1,000 Dancers & Drummers, Torch bearers illuminating the
nightly sky with the High dignitaries in the ancient splendor in royal
court dresses, Buddhist Bhikkhus from many a Temples, group of Buddhist
devotees carrying Banners and Flags, the 4 different Peraheras from the
Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, Natha Devala, Vishnu Devala,
Kataragama Devala and Pattini Devala walking in gaily dresses costumes
make the Kandy Perahera a "Mid Summer Nights Dream". |
| Overnight : In Kandy |
|
| Day 07 |
| Morning at leisure. |
| Afternoon :
Visit the Royal Palace of Kandy (now a museum), Vishnu Devala, Natha
Devala, Audience Hall of the Kings of Kandy, other buildings used by the
Queens and Ministers. Visit the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic for
the 11. A.m. Offerings. |
| Evening :
Visit the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens to see more than 4,000 different
species of trees, plants and creepers, the 5 Palm avenues and the
beautiful Orchid House |
| Overnight : In Kandy |
|
| Day 08 |
| Morning
leave leave for Nuwara Eliya via Pilimatalawa, visiting Gadaladeniya
Temple with sculptures of Dancers, Drummers & Musicians in the stone
built structure dating to 14th Century, and Lankatilake Temple - one of
the most beautiful Temples in Kandy dating to 14th Century and Embekke
Devala with 517 different designs in wood carvings on pillars. |
| At Pussellawa see the giant Monkey statues of God Hanuman - the Monkey God of the Indian epic "Ramayanaya". |
| En route to Nuwara Eliya see Ramboda Falls (329 ft. high) and visit a Tea factory to see the processing of tea. |
| Arrive in Nuwara Eliya and check in at the hotel. |
| Late
afternoon visit the Market, Victoria Park, drive round the Lake and see
the building constructed in the style of a British city including the
old Post Office and Golf Club. |
| Overnight : In Nuwara Eliya |
|
| Day 09 |
| After
breakfast leave for Yala via Ella - Wellawaya. Visit the quaint little
"Sita Kovil" at Seetha Eliya, Dowa Buddhist Temple at Bandarawela with
an 8th C.A.D. rock-cut Buddha Statue and murals in the cave Temple. |
| View the
monument at Randeniwela to commemorate the battle King Senerath (1604 -
1635 A.D.) won against a Portuguese army of 700 soldiers and 13,000
mercenaries (Lascarins). |
| Visit
Buduruwagala to see the tallest (51 ft. high) rock-cut Buddha statue
dating to 8th C.A.D. and 6 other statues of Mahayana Bodhisattavas with
Tara-the Consort of Natha carved on a rock. |
| Continue to Yala. |
| Evening relax at the hotel. |
| Overnight : In Yala |
|
| Day 10 |
| After late breakfast leave for Galle, en route visit Matara Dutch Fort. |
| At the
Dondra Temple the 1 week festival is about to start from this day ending
up with three days of Perahera. You will see the area decorated with
many shops lining the side streets for the festival. |
| Visit the
Buddhist Temple with a large replica of the Avukana Buddha Statue Shrine
room with the murals and visit the Vishnu (Upulvan) Devala which was in
existence from about the 8th or 9th Century A.D. |
| Arrive and check in at the hotel. |
| Overnight : In Galle |
|
| Day 11 |
| After
breakfast proceed to the Dutch Fort- "A World Heritage Site" and visit
the Old Dutch Church c. 1752 constructed as a thanksgiving by the wife
of the Commandeur Casparous de Jong, for the gift of a child. |
| Visit
the Bastions including the Sun, Moon, Star, Zwart (with the old
water-gate and hidden entrance identified as the Santa Cruz Bastion of
the Portuguese), Akesloot (where the first Breadfruit tree was planted
by the Dutch), Old Gunpowder Magazine, Aeloes, Triton, Neptune and other
Bastions. |
| Walk in
the narrow streets, including the Lighthouse Street (Zeeburg Street),
Leyn-Baan Street (Lijnberg meaning rope walk), and Modarabaay Street
(Modder-baai meaning Mud bay) see the Old Dutch Houses, private Museum
where Dutch period antiques could be seen and part of the Old Sewer
system that emptied to the sea with the high/low tide. |
|
| Afternoon go to Unawatuna Beach for sea bathing and snorkeling. |
| Evening return to hotel. |
| Overnight : In Galle |
|
| Day 12 |
| After breakfast leave for Mount Lavinia. Visit Kalutara Dagoba on the way. |
| Rest of the day at leisure. |
| Overnight : In Mount Lavinia |
|
| Day 13 |
| Day at leisure or optional shopping. |
| Overnight : In Mount Lavinia |
| Transfer to Airport for departure |
