Tour of Sri Lanka - Guesthouse explorer trail and holiday

Welcome to Sri Lanka! After having completed the immigration and custom formalities at Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, you'll exit the airport and meet one of our representative at the arrival area. Transfer to the hotel in Negombo, where you'll spend the following two days at leisure.

Negombo is just located 15 km from the international airport and it's the ideal place where to start your relaxing holiday. Here you can enjoy the wide beaches, excellent restaurants and well stocked supermarkets as well as exciting watersport facilities.

Early breakfast at the hotel and then you'll move to Sri Lanka's cultural triangle. Upon arrival check-in to the hotel.

Today you'll explore the ancient ruins of the Sigiriya Fortress built in the 5^th century by King Kassapa. At the site, you'll admire the ruins of the fortress upon the huge rock, the wall frescoes, and the symmetrical royal gardens. Furthermore, you don't have to miss the visit to the Dambulla Cave Temple. Its ceiling is covered by several colourful frescos, some dating back to over 2,000 years. The cave also boasts the largest number of Buddha statues all housed in one place and a huge figure of the reclining Buddha carved out of the rock.

The morning will be spent travelling to Kandy, a small lakeside city. En route you'll stop in Matale to visit the ancient Aluvihare rock temple. Here, the oral teachings of the Buddha were committed to be written, in the Tripitaka, for the first time.

You'll spend your following two nights in Kandy to enjoy all it has to offer as better as you can. Visit the Temple of the Tooth where a sacred tooth relic of the Lord Buddha is enshrined since the 4^th century A.D. The temple shows painted and decorated walls, a golden roof and polished woodworks. Here you can also take part in pooja, a religious service with traditional music and drumming, that is held daily at dawn, midday and in the evening. During August, this wonderful city amazes its visitors with the sounds and lights of the Kandy Perahera, an extraordinary procession where the sacred tooth relic of Lord Buddha is accurately put on an elephant back to move along the streets of Kandy.

Kandy also hosts several other ancient temples, among which are the unmissable temples of Gadaladeniya, Lankathillake, and Embekke. Those who love nature can enjoy a walk through the Peradeniya Botanical Gardens with its 600 acres of tropical trees, landscaped gardens, and orchid collection.

You'll enjoy your trip to the southern highlands, characterized by wonderful landscapes composed by tea plantations, high peaks and imposing waterfalls. Travel by train, one of the most impressing rail journeys in the world, you'll reach Ella.

In this part of Sri Lanka it is possible to enjoy several treks to reach, for example, Adam's Peak, the old Dova Temple, Ravana caves and the Ravana Falls featured in the epic Ramayana tales. Furthermore, during your stay in Ella you have the chance to visit a nearby tea estate and tea factory. Explore the towns of Bandarawela and Haputale to admire many wonderful and scenic waterfalls, such as Dunhinda and Diyaluma. Finally, you'll also have the opportunity to move to Haputale to discover Adisham, a Benedictine Monastery, dating back to the colonial period.

Moving to the southeastern part of Sri Lanka, you'll visit the tallest rock-cut Buddha statue in Buduruwagala and then arrive in Tissamaharama, where you'll spend the following two nights.

Tissamaharama was the capital during the ancient Ruhunu Kingdom in the 2^nd century B.C. This town is characterized by the presence of numerous lakes and huge semi-circle design Buddhist Dagobas (temples). Near Tissamaharama it is possible to find the holy shrine of Kataragama, as well as many other ancient Buddhist temples and archaeological museums providings glimpses into the ancient Ruhunu kingdom.

During these days, you'll also visit the jungle of Yala, an impressive National Park boasting a wide variety of Sri Lankan wildlife: wild elephants, leopard, sloth bear, sambar, spotted deer, wild boar, crocodiles, monkeys and numerous species of birds.

Today you'll move southwards again to Tangalle, where you'll spend the following three nights. Tangalle is an idyllic place providing beautiful beaches and cultural heritage.

The lagoon hosts different marine birds, that can be spotted between the mangroves. In Rekawa, a small village located a short walk along the beach, is developing an amazing Marine Turtle Conservation project in order to help and save this endangered species. Tangalle also offers plenty of opportunity for those who love watersport: at Mirissa Water Sports you'll find everything you need.

Finally, the south coast of Sri Lanka it is also considered one of the best sites to spot blue whales, sperm whales and spinner dolphins.

Today you'll reach your final destination: the historical town of Galle. Here you can spend your hours visiting the narrows streets studded by Dutch and British buildings still in use and the famous Fort de Galle with strong ramparts looking out to the sea.

In Galle it is also possible to visit the natural harbours, the National Maritime Museum, St. Mary's Cathedral founded by Jesuit priests and one of the main Shiva temples on the island. The town also boasts important natural landmarks such as Rumassala in Unawatuna, a large mound-like hill, which defines the eastern protective barrier to the Galle harbor, and Gin River, the major river in the area.