ARRIVAL / PINNAWALA / MAWANELLA / KANDY

Meet on arrival at the Bandaranayake International Airport by an Holidaysom Representative and

transfer to Kandy. En-route visit the Elephant Orphanage in Pinnawala. This orphanage is the home for about 89 elephants, out of which some are baby elephants found abandoned or orphaned in the wild. They are being cared, fed and trained by the wild life authorities. The best time to visit is during the feeding times, when one will have the opportunity of seeing the baby elephants being bottle-fed. Also could accompany the elephants to a river close-by and see them having their daily bath.

Also visit the Spice garden in Mawanella to see the different spices, which Sri Lanka is famous for, you will be introduced to different spices and shown how some of these spices are grown and processed.

On completion check in at the hotel. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.

After breakfast at the hotel proceed on a city tour of Kandy. Kandy was the last capital of the Sri Lankan

kings, and is a World Heritage Site. The name Kandy conjures visions of splendor and magnificence. Many of the legends, traditions and folklore are still lovingly kept alive. Drive around the Kandy Lake built by the last Sinhala king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe in 1798. Visit the Kandy town and Bazaar, the arts & crafts centre and a gem museum and a lapidary.

Thereafter visit the Royal Botanical gardens. This botanical garden was first built as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala king and was expanded by the British. It is 147 acres in extent and provides an amazing variety of trees, plants and flowers.

Evening witness the cultural dance show in Kandy. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kandy.

After breakfast at the hotel leave to Nuwaraeliya via Ramboda waterfalls. Visit a tea plantation & factory, where the best tea in the world is produced. You will be told all about the process of manufacturing tea. You can also see how

tea is graded. Taste a cup of pure Ceylon tea in the factory.

Also do a city tour of Nuwaraeliya. This town situated at an elevation of 1890 meters. This town was the most popular hill station of the British during their rule.

You will see their influence as you pass

through areas very much reminiscent of the countryside of England which has earned Nuwaraeliya the name “Little England”. This is also the very centre of the Tea Growing regions of the island. The golf club of Nuwaraeliya has an excellent 18 hole course.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Nuwaraeliya.

After breakfast at the hotel leave to Bentota via Kitulgala. Check in at the hotel.

Optional – White water rafting in Kitulgala. The white-water rafting will take place in Kitulgala on the Kelani River. This is an adventure sports that increase your adrenalin rush. The sides of the Kelani river is surrounded by bamboo trees and you will paddle and past very stunning surroundings. The white-water rafting is done with five rapids and it takes around two hours to complete the White water rafting tour and you will paddle around 5 – 8 Km in Kelani river.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Bentota.

After breakfast at the hotel proceed to visit and tour the Dutch Fort in Galle. Galle fort was

built first by the Portuguese, then modified by the Dutch during the 17th century. Even today, after 400 years of existence, it looks new and polished with reconstruction work done by Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. Today Sri Lankan government and many Dutch people who still own some of the properties inside the fort are looking at making this one of the modern wonders of the world. The Dutch fort also known as Ramparts of Galle withstood the Boxing Day tsunami which destroyed the Galle town. There are many Moor families who live inside this fort along with Sinhalese, Dutch,

English, Portuguese and Germans. More details regarding the history of the fort can be found at the visitors centre and at the Dutch period museum inside the Fort.

Optional – Madhu river safari. Proceed to do a picturesque boat trip on the ‘Madhu Ganga’ river. The primitive life style of the inhabitant of the island of the Madu River is only a boat ride away. The boat ride takes us through the thick mangroves and abundant the bird life, to reveal the primitive style of fishing and prawn trapping still practiced by the inhabitants of the islands.

Optional – Turtle Hatchery visit. Turtle eggs are collected or bought from local villagers and buried in the sand hatchery. If there is lot of sunshine they

hatch after 48 days. If it is raining it can take up to 60 days before the turtles emerge from the eggs. They are then placed in the tanks and for first 3 days remain without food to cleanse them of material ingested form the eggshell. They are then given small pieces of fish for a further 7 days. Learning to dive down into the tank to take the food. When they an do this. They can be safely released into the sea where they can fish for themselves on the coral reefs. Turtles are frequently injured at sea. Many get caught in fishing nets. Others are attacked by people

attempting to catch and kill them for their meat. Surviving turtles are cared for by the Turtle Farm and those who make a good recovery can be re-released back the sea.

Overnight stay at a hotel in Bentota.

After breakfast at the hotel leave for the airport to connect with your departure flight