Sri Lanka Attractions

The first point of the program will be a visit to the elephant orphanage.

Pinnawala

During the visit, we will also see the elephants crossing to their watering hole, the nearby Ma oya stream . There, the elephants take their daily bath, and the young ones have fun while bathing, engaging in endless and amusing arguments, trunk fights, and wrestling.

The center also has a free range for elephants, where the only border between humans and giants are stone boulders.

In total, there are approximately 80 Elephas Maximus Maximus individuals of various ages and sexes in the center . The center plays an important role in research on these largest land mammals on earth, in particular it contributes to reproduction, which later results in an increase in the number of individuals living in Sri Lanka. It is the largest center of this type on Earth. It is worth taking a closer look and assessing the daily rigor and actions of the staff rather than relying on the often contradictory opinions of Internet users.

Optionally, outside the center you can also take advantage of the opportunity to bathe with an elephant, wash the elephant in a coconut shell stream, walk with an elephant and feed the elephant.

After visiting Pinnawala , we will go to Sigiriya – free time, relaxation at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we will go to visit Sigiria (UNESCO) – a metamorphic monolith towering over the plateau, where in the 5th century King Kassiapa , an erotic man who built a fortress for his concubines, taking into account all the whims of women, made his headquarters.

After the climb (approx. 2 hours there and back), there will be time for some local atmosphere – small restaurants offering Sri Lankan delicacies, small craft shops or just relaxing in the hotel.

For those interested ( optional ) – Ayurvedic massages , a safari in a ladder cart drawn by draft oxen, a catamaran cruise on the lake, a visit to a local farm on illegal chena plantations with tasting the delicacies of local rural cuisine, cooking lessons, a tractor or rickshaw ride.

In the afternoon, a jeep safari in Minneria National Park . Here you can meet the world’s largest herds of Asian elephants in beautiful scenery. Minneria Park is a place where you can see the largest concentrations of Asian elephants, Elehanus maximus maximus, in the world.

https://elephantcountry.org/article/beautiful-elephants-minneria-national-park

After breakfast at the hotel, we will go to Kandy, the former capital of Sri Lanka.

Dambulla

On the way, we plan to visit a Buddhist rock temple located in the caves in Dambulla . The facility is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The golden Buddhist temple, which dates back to the 1st century AD, is our next point on the agenda. You will be able to see a complex of five temples located in rock caves. It is worth noting that this temple houses one of the least elaborately made Buddha statues as well as one of the most beautiful statuettes on the island. In total, there are 150 Buddha statues, several statues of Hindu gods, inscriptions, monkeys and a Bodhi tree .

On the way, we will stop at Ayurvedic gardens to learn something about Ayurveda , a unique medical system still used today in India and Sri Lanka,

Ayurveda came to Sri Lanka from India. In parallel with the Ayurvedic medicine system, a trend of folk medicine was created in Sri Lanka. Both of them are intertwined in everyday practice, often solving problems that cannot be solved from the point of view of conventional medicine. A visit to Ayurvedic gardens will allow you to observe the multitude of flora available in Sri Lanka and the ways in which it is used for treatment. During a walk through the gardens, you will be able to see how pepper, coffee, cinnamon, cardamom, cocoa, turmeric, vanilla, nutmeg, etc. grow. You will be able to learn how individual plants affect our body and try a demonstration arm or leg massage using Siddartha oil.

On the way to Kandy, you can see various plantations of trees such as mahogany, teak, rosewood, ebony, etc.

Kandy

A holy city for the Buddhist inhabitants of Sri Lanka where the Temple of the Buddha’s Tooth Relic is located. In Kandy we will visit the Temple of the Buddha’s Tooth – Sri Dalada Maligawa . The temple, built in the 16th century, is currently protected by a golden roof donated by the Japanese in the 1990s.

Depending on the time, we will be able to participate in active gift rituals called ” pudzia ” or visit the facility in peace , see the mummified elephant Raja, which carried the Buddha’s Tooth during religious processions that are still held in Kandy today , called Esala Perahera . During our visit to Kandy, we will also visit the temples of Hindu gods and goddesses located in the immediate vicinity of the Temple of the Buddha’s Tooth Relic (UNESCO).

We will see the temples of the goddess Pattini , the god Natta and Gamidar . You will be able to observe everyday religious activities in this temple complex , the most popular among Buddhist followers on the island .

Optional: On the way to Kandy you can visit Sri Muthumuriaman . This extraordinary temple is characterized by a soaring dome towering over the city’s buildings, and is also an important place of worship for the followers of Hinduism.

In Kandy you can look for sapphires, rubies and other gemstones. There are many jewelry factories here that process stones purchased from the stone mines in Rathnapura .

You can also visit factories producing batiks – fabrics dyed using the waxing method. Carving workshops and outlets selling branded clothing from Sri Lankan sewing factories at favorable prices are also included in the tour program.

In the evening, there will be regional dance shows and walking on hot coals. (Approx. 1 hour)

Dinner and overnight stay in Kandy: www.mahaweli.com Mahaweli Reach is a neo-colonial hotel located on Sri Lanka’s longest river .

Nuwara Eliya

On this day we will go to the picturesque regions of Sri Lanka, to Nuwara Eliya . We will admire wonderful waterfalls, endless tea plantations, visit a tea factory, where we will not only look at the production process of this most popular drink in the world after water , but we will also be able to taste various types of teas produced in Ceylon.

For those interested, swim in the fresh Ramboda waterfall .

In the afternoon, a visit to the Victorian town of Nuwara Eliya, picturesquely situated in the valley where Gregory’s Lake is located, is also planned . You can visit local markets and bazaars, including the famous Muslim Baal Bazaar . In the evening, dinner and overnight stay at the hotel by arrangement. You can stay in Nuwara Elliya or go overnight to Ella, which is much more interesting at night.

After breakfast, we set off along a picturesque route to Ella (optional train ride), an atmospheric town located in a mountain town with countless hiking trails. On this day, we can visit Mały Szczyt Adama and go to the 9 Arch Bridge, a historic stone railway bridge from World War I, on which trains still run today, zipline over the valley or see a multitude of other attractions, including waterfalls or local clubs, or explore the multitude of shops offering unique souvenirs. Ella is a favorite place for tourists from all over the world due to the unique climate prevailing at this height above sea level , but also due to the specificity of the small town itself, bustling with life until the morning.

Ravana Waterfalls on the way to the hotel on the beach is one of the attractions on the way to the hotel on the beach, where the tour of Sri Lanka will end.