This Mini Cultural tour of 04 days, Sri Lanka Holiday tour package, is well designed to cover cultural triangle sites within short period. You will certainly enjoy this tour during your holiday in Sri Lanka, and will realize that Excellent Lanka Tours & Travels have done a great job to make your tour success in Sri Lanka
Hotels Category: Economy / Standard / Luxury
Duration: 03 Nights / 04 Days
(Areas: Sigiriy, Polonnaruwa, Minneriya, Dambulla, Kandy, Peradeniya, Airport)
Day 01 – Air Port / Sigiriya
Arrival at the Colombo Airport You will be met by our English speaking chauffeur Guide /Representative and will offer assistance. Thereafter leave for Sigiriya (170 km – transfer time approx. 04 hours)
Pm. Climb the Rock Fortress of Sigiriya. Sigiriya, a massive monolith of red stone rises 600 feet from the green scrub jungle to accentuate the lucid blue of the sky. How overpowering, then, this rock fortress of Sigiriya must have been when a palace crowned it 15 centuries ago. Sigiriya was no gloomy and forbidding fortification, as many other citadels are. At the brief height of its glory, a flowering of only 18 years in the late 5th Century, it was one of the loveliest royal cities that ever graced the earth. Sigiriya built by the patricide king Kashyapa in the 5th century A.D today it’s a treasure trove of rare art. In a pocket of the giant rock are the famous frescoes of the heavenly maidens of “Sigiriya”
Overnight stay at hotel in Sigiriya
Day 02 – Sigiriya / Polonnaruwa
After breakfast leave for Polonnaruwa (55 km – transfer time approx. 01 1/2 hours)
The city of Polonnaruwa, 2nd capital of Singhalese kings dating back to the 11th & 12th century A.D the entire landscape of the region is punctuated by huge man-made reservoirs, the most Famous of which is the “Parakrama Samudra”. Numerous monuments are found in this city and “Galvihara” complex is one of the best among them with the fine sculptures of the recumbent, standing and seated Buddha’s. also the ruins of the King’s Council Chamber, the Royal Citadel, the Kumara Pokuna, Royal Pavilion, the Vatadage Relic House , Kiri Vehera – the best preserved of all Sri Lanka’s un-restored dagabas.
(3:00 pm) Minneriya National Park Wild Life Safari by Jeep
Located between Habarana and POLONNARUWA, the 8890 hectares of MINNERIYA NATIONAL PARK is an ideal eco tourism location in Sri Lanka. The park consists of mixed evergreen forest and scrub areas and is home to Sri Lanka's favorites such as sambar Deer andElephants.However the central feature of the park is the ancient Minneriya Tank (built in 3rdcentury AD by King Mahasena). During the dry season (June to September), this tank is an incredible place to observe the elephants who come to bathe and graze on the grasses as well as the huge flocks of birds (cormorants and painted storks to name but a few) that come to fish in the shallow waters.
Overnight stay at hotel in Sigiriya
Day 03 – Dambulla / Kandy
After breakfast leave for Kandy (90 km – transfer time approx. 02 hours)
En-route visit the Rock cave temple of Dambulla a vast isolated rock mass 500 ft and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was here that King Valagambahu took refuge in the 1st century B.C. The view from the top of this rock is breathtaking 350 ft. above are a series of five caves which was later turned into a magnificent rock temple by King Valagambahu. In the first cave is a recumbent image of the Buddha 47 ft, long, cut out from the rock there are images of deities associated with Buddhism. The frescoes on the walls and ceiling could be dated to the 15th – 18th centuries. In the second cave, the finest and the largest the ceiling too is covered with frescoes, which depict great events in the life of the Buddha, and landmarks in the history of the Sinhala. On the way visit Spice Garden, Batik Factory (optional)
At 5:00 pm witness a Cultural Performance. Traditional Kandyan and Low Country Dances of Sri Lanka (Blowing of the conch-Shell and Drum Orchestra, Pooja Dance, Panteru Netum, Cobra Dance, Mask Dance, Mayura Vannama, Raban Dance, Ves Dance, Fire Dance, Fire Walking)
Overnight stay at hotel in Kandy
Day 04 – Kandy / Peradeniya / Airport
After breakfast leave for Airport (115 km – transfer time approx. 03 hours)
En-route visit the Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic Puja ceremony at 9.30 am. Dalada Maligawa. The Temple of the sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy is the most venerated place of worship for Buddhists throughout the world. Built in the 16th century this temple houses the sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha brought to Sri Lanka from the Kalinga province in ancient India in the 4th century AD. Several buildings have been added to the temple complex by successive rulers, the latest being the Golden Canopy over the inner shrine where the Tooth Relic is placed. Originally the Temple was within the King’s palace complex as it was the Symbol of Royal Authority
Next visit Royal Botanical Garden the most beautiful in the world and begun as a pleasure garden by a Sinhala King. Every variety tropical and temperate tree and flower is cultivated here and special houses with orchids and e cacti are too beautiful to be true.
Thereafter transfer to the Airport for the connecting Flight. (Departure)
