Arrive and Enjoy Negombo beach

On behalf of all the citizens of our country, you are warmly welcome at the airport. Afterwards you will be accompanied to a hotel along the Negambo beach where you will relax your travel fatigue. Negambo is the closest tourist destination to the travellers arriving from the Bandaranayaka International Airport. We can have a friendly chat having a cup of tea where we come to know each other while enjoying the bliss of blowing wind of the ocean without getting disturbed with the sound of the noisy waves.

During the evening I am waiting to give you an account on the basic background of our country while taking you for a walk along the ashore. Followed by a luxurious meal prepared with a Sri Lanka recipe you will enjoy a clam goodnight sleep. As you wake up you will get ready to set off a journey full of happiness and excitement.

Overnight stay at Heritance Negombo

Heading to ancient Kingdom Anuradhapura

We will get to the beach in the morning and feel the sun rays with little bit of exercises. Back at the room following the breakfast we will be getting ready to leave the west coast. We will be travelling the North Central Province of Sri Lanka, which is also the first capital of ancient Ceylon. Following several hours of journey passing through few small towns, thickets and waterways, we will be heading to the hotel where we hope to stay for the next two days. I will make it a point to give you a simple idea on the places of significance in the North Central Province.

Following the lunch, we will be heading towards the Mihintale Rock, about 3.30 pm. The Mihintale Rock which is venerated by the Buddhists is few kilometres away from Anuradhapura, a World Heritage City. I will explain you the historical background of the Mihintale Rock on which the ‘Arahath Mahinda’ preached the doctrine of Buddhism to the then King of ancient Ceylon. ‘Arahath Mahinda’ brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka where he had ascended on the mountain summit with his psychic power. Mihinthalaya is considered as the world's first declared sanctuary and also the place where the world's first test of intelligence was conducted.

The other most interesting stories surrounded by Mihinthalaya can be shared during the night. We will have dinner at the hotel where we stay. Following dinner, we will have a discussion about the places which we visited today. Also, you may raise any question about those places and get a further clarification which we can have for some 30 minutes. The topic of our discussion is ‘Buddhism and Ceylon’.

Overnight stay at The Lake Forest

Explore the North central Capital

We wake up and will enjoy running few rounds around the lake we won’t forget doing some exercises. Following breakfast taken at hotel we will visit the Anuradhapura archaeological Museum. As you get to the museum you can see a large number of artefacts found in archaeological excavations. Afterwards we will be at the Abayagiriya Temple Complex, where you get the world’s tallest brick building and you called it the ‘Abhayagiriya Stupa’.

You will get the opportunity of having a look at moonstone, the watchtower and the ‘Kuttam Pokuna’ carved on the hard stones by the artists of ancient Sri Lanka. In this very same evening we will be visiting the ‘Maha Viharaya’ of which history spans into more than 2000 years. You find that ‘Maha Viharaya’ is situated within the ambience of the World’s Heritage city. You can see the sapling of the scared ‘Bo tree’ under which the ascetic ‘Siduhath’ attained the enlightenment. The scared ‘Bo tree’ is the oldest living plant in the world which is worshiped by the Buddhists around the world for more than 2000 years.

We will pay the homage at the ‘Ruwanweli Stupa’ which is enshrined with the scared relics of the enlightened one situated in the World Heritage City of Anuradhapura. We will also be visiting the seventh story place constructed on the 1600 stone pillars while expecting to enjoy the beautiful night surrounding of the World Heritage City. Today too we will have a discussion and the topic is ‘The way of life Sri Lanka’.

Overnight stay at The Lake Forest

Shifting to the second Capital

Following breakfast, we will leave Anuradhapura and will be travelling to Polonnaruwa which is another World Heritage city. Anuradhapura as the kingdom was abandoned by the ancient kings of Sri Lanka and moved to Polonnaruwa as a form of a war strategy to face with the impending risk of invasion by neighbouring India, which formed the second capital of ancient Ceylon.

Following a drive of two hours, we will visit the Archaeological Museum adjoining the bund of the ‘Parakrama Samudraya’, the largest lake in Polonnaruwa, where you will get an insight account of the history of the ancient city. A large number of antiquities, unearthed during the archaeological excavations will also be there. Afterwards we will be at lunch and following which we will visit the colossal Buddha statue with lotus flowers, incense sticks and a bottle of oil which a Buddhist carries as the Buddha statues are worshiped. The old Buddhist University, the Royal Palace and the nearby shrines will also be visited. We will leave the hotel and set off on the journey to reach at our next destination where we will stay for the next two days. On this day as well, once we have dinner, we can have our usual meeting where we will have a powwow on the ‘Irrigation Technology and the Lake in Ancient Ceylon’.

Overnight stay at Heritance Kandalama

Lion Rock and Village tour

Following our breakfast, we will be heading to the ‘Sigiriya Rock’, which is a citadel with enormous architectural and engineering excellence facilitated by king ‘Kashapa’, a fratricide who used Sigiriya as his fortress. Sigiriya has also been declared as a World Heritage site.

I am personally so impressed by Sigiriya with its historical significance. Words fail to describe the gravity of sense of adventure as you start climbing up to the mountain summit and you never lose the same feeling and ever maintain the same even when you climbed down. As you climb up there is a place where your eyes stand still and that is where you can see the beautiful frescoes which are unique to Sri Lanka. Also you will enjoy the beauty of the ponds to which it is recorded that more than 500 queens had been for bathing. There are also beautiful gardens where the king used to roam about during his leisure times. Before you climb down I will not forget to show you the ruins of the ancient palaces of that era. I save some interesting information about Sigiriya to be told you during the tour.

Once you reach the summit and look down your eyes will be captivated by the beauty of the extended lush green canopies, beautiful lakes full of blue waters, thickly grown green undergrowth and the tiny mountains scattered at a distance. Once we climb down we will have lunch at the hotel. Following a short nap or a bit of rest time, you will be accompanied to a typical village with the true Sri Lankan traditional identity towards the evening.

I know for sure that being in the village premises you will experience the way of living of the orthodox typical Sri Lankan. Also you will feel the simplicity and the hospitality of the village folk. You will have a thrilling and exciting experience travelling on a bullock cart dragged by a bull which takes you into the village and from there you will find yourself on an ordinary boat which you can paddle to the other end of the lake. And from there you get to the village house where you will be the most distinguished guest of the in mates of the village house. Meanwhile, your tongue would urge you to taste the delicacy of traditional Sri Lankan food which can also be little spicy. You may get to the cooking area of the traditional house where you find a pot of spicy food cooked in the traditional hearth supported by the firewood which is in abundance in the village garden. You can also experience the art of cooking by the traditional Sri Lankan woman. As we return our mode of transport will be nothing but a three-wheeler which is the most popular mode of transport which is used by the majority of the village folk. No doubt this evening will be so memorable in your life with a vast of memorable snaps getting loaded on your private gallery.

Overnight stay at Heritance Kandalama

Temples and Kandy

You find that the hotel where we are staying for these two days are located in a picturesque environment. Therefore, please make it a point to rise up at the track of dawn and experience the bit of relaxation with some yoga done in the outskirts of the beautiful surrounding. Have time for your breakfast and leisurely get ready to leave for the Dambulla Cave Temple, which is another World Heritage site.

While you picking up a pot full of flowers from the village damsels who are a frequent sight selling flowers along the way side to the temple, let me tell you a little bit about the glorious history of this unique temple which is located inside a cave guarded by a giant rock. I wonder whether you have seen around 158 Buddha statues, the statues of the royals, gods and goddesses crafted by the Sri Lankan artists during different eras of the tenure of different kings. Ancient paintings which are of 2000 square feet are a source of inspiration for the upcoming artists.

Today our lunch will be at a world famous Sri Lankan spice garden in the central province where there remains a pleasant climate right throughout the year. Following lunch let me take you on a short tour of this park where you will see what a lot of spices are grown over here which you of course add with your daily recipes. You may have heard that the spices in abundance were also one of the central reasons for the invasion of Sri Lanka by colonialist. If you wish you may buy those spices. Thereafter we will make our way to Kandy which is the second largest city in the present day Sri Lanka and also the last capital of the ancient Ceylon. Kandy has also been declared as a World Heritage City. Our first place of visit will be the temple of the sacred Tooth Relic which is of uttermost significance to all the Buddhists around the world and it is the pinnacle of the Buddhists of the island.

We will have a walk across the beautiful city of Kandy while saving little time for a walk along the Kandy Lake and at night being in the hotel you will listen to the beautiful melodies of the local music.

Overnight stay at Amaya Hills Kandy

Go to Central Highlands

You find that the hotel where we are is at the top of the hill. Early in the morning following the breakfast we will checkout with the expectation of having a close view on the heavy mist seen below.

Your next destination will give you a first-hand experience on the gems and jewellery craftsmanship in the island where you can hear a sound account of the history of gems and jewellery industry in the island. If you are interested you too can buy the gems of your desire. Afterwards we will be travelling further to the central hills of the island where your eye would catch the beauty of lush tea plantations grown either side of the road whereby we are taken to the Ceylon Tea Factory which is quite popular around the world. I will not forget to take you to the tea estates where you can touch and feel the softness of the tiny tea leaves which can also be a pleasing experience. You will for sure see the gradual process of tea making and have the taste of a cup of satisfying and hearty fresh tea.

Thereafter you will set your foot on the picturesque city of ‘Nuwara Eliya’ which is popularly known as the Little England. Nuwara Eliya is fondly called by the little England due to its cooler climatic conditions, specially preferred by the then British colonialists. The city is unique with its beautiful old buildings of which architecture has a direct semblance with that of the British. We will walk to the Grand Hotel built during the colonial period. Following an enjoyable dinner, amidst the coldness of the surrounding we can walk to the Gegari Lake.

Overnight stay at Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya

Horton National Park to World’s End

Before the sunrise we start our day. I will arrange your breakfast packed and you can eat along the way. Our destination will be the Horton National Park in the Central Highlands, a natural world heritage site in Sri Lanka. It would take some 45 minutes for us to reach at the entrance of the park and from there onwards we will have to walk. As you continue to walk through the park, a unique set of flora and fauna will be seen elsewhere in the vicinity. You will never be exhausted in the journey instead you will be much more flanked by the sight of beautiful waterways flowing in silence and the cool breeze ripping through the small mountains on which you hear the rhythmic sound of a flock of birds. In around 04 kilometres you find that you are there at the World’s End from where you can see an ample of beautiful of sceneries even at the far distance from your eye sight. On our way back we will see the Baker’s falls and will be back at the main entrance. Back in the hotel we will have lunch. In the evening we will meet over a cup of tea in the hotel courtyard. Dinner too will be here at the hotel. Today our topic of discussion will be ‘The unique geographical location of Sri Lanka’.

Overnight stay at Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya

Go home by scenic train

In the morning we will get into the train from the ‘Nanu Oya’ station where you will start to experience the most beautiful train journey in the world. Peeping through the window as if you are trying to touch the fresh waters flowing through the waterfalls in lush green vegetation, you arrive at the beautiful ‘Ella’ town where you have your lunch. And afterwards on our way back we will see the ‘Ravana Falls’ and following a journey of about two and a half hours you reach at my village where I was born and bred. We will be staying at a hotel nearby my home for two days. This night your dinner will be at mine. My mom would be delighted to see you and I believe that she cannot hide her sense of enthusiasm very especially to serve you with a delicious meal which she herself made.

Overnight stay at Hotel near by My Village

One day in my Village

You will enjoy relaxing in my abode where my mom would be eagerly waiting to demonstrate the cooking of a local recipe with which you too can join. In the evening we shall go for a walk and get to my alma mater. When I was a child I can still remember how I rush to the lake to see the sun setting at the horizon. Only a cross section may have this type of a thrilling experience during their childhood. Therefore, I would rather love to facilitate the others where they themselves can also have an experience of this kind which would be unforgettable.

Overnight stay at Hotel near by My Village

Heading to Forest

This morning we will be leaving our house and entering the Sinharaja Forest, a World Heritage. Today our journey can be little long. We will stop for meals at the way side. We will be there at the hotel where we take a short break. Tonight we will stay at the hotel adjoining the forest and I will speak to you about the ‘Forests in Sri Lanka’.

Overnight stay at The Rainforest Ecolodge

Rain forest to South coast

Following the breakfast, we will be able to feel the beauty of a tropical rainforest where we will set foot on to the Sinharaja Forest, a World Heritage site. There will be a various kinds of birds, butterflies and animals roaming through the greenery of the virgin forests. Following lunch we will be heading towards the South coast of Sri Lanka where our stay will be at a beautiful hotel nearby a southern beach for two days.

Overnight stay at Angel Beach Unawatuna

Through beach to Galle fort

In the morning we will feel so relaxed at the hotel. But in the evening, we will have to take a break and to get to the last destination of our journey which is the Galle Fort, the Eighth World Heritage Site. There are stories behind the construction of the Galle Fort by the Dutch, who invaded Sri Lanka especially for their lust for the priceless treasures, precious pearls and gems. The recorded history says that the Dutch built a small township where they brought their architectural identity into the island with the construction of the Dutch Fort which is unique in its very own style of archaeological, technological and European characteristics. Being on the Dutch Fort, we should not forget to view the golden sun setting over the blood red sky in the beautiful evening. The night will give you the thrilling experience of an eventful evening get together which would give you an array of unforgettable memories of this splendid island of beautiful Sri Lanka.

Overnight stay at Angel Beach Unawatuna

Back to capital city and departure

Early in the morning we will get to Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, where you will be able to see some unique places which include the independence square, the town hall, the ‘Viharamaha Devi Park’ and many other places. In the evening we will be getting to the main trade centers in the city from where you can buy gifts or souvenir for your loved once. Afterwards we will be leaving Colombo for the Katunayake International Air Port. With a deep sense of thankfulness, I appreciate your time spent in Sri Lanka. With the expectation of meeting you once again I remain here.