Sri Lanka in 10 days
Sri Lanka in 10 days - The Elephant route
-
3/4 * HOTELS with ACCOMMODATION, BREAKFAST and DINNER
-
All visits and safaris on the tour are included
-
4-person group reference rate: 1105 USD per person
-
2-person group reference rate: 1330 USD per person
Sri Lanka in 10 days - The Elephant route
We will admire herds of elephants from their habitat to the Elephant Orphanage
Read more...
Activities with animals and nature
The activities are specially chosen for them, with many animals and an exuberant nature.
Children will be delighted by elephants and other animals, such as leopards and turtles, without neglecting the safety of the whole family.
A unique experience
To make the route interesting for everyone, the cultural visits are very short, not to bore the little ones and so that they can share the journey with their parents.
So you have here what will be a unique experience for children and adults during the 10 days of the circuit that we describe below.
day 1. Airport - Negambo
(Approximate transfer duration: 20 min)
Welcoming at the airport by our representative and transfer to the accommodation in Negambo, locality that remains close to the airport.
Rest of the day free or rest at the hotel.
If you want, in this coastal city you can walk along the beach where you will find several kiosks, bars, shops …
or go and observe how they fish in the traditional way in the sea of this part of the country.
It is also very interesting to see the local fish market.
day 2. Negambo - Kurunegala - Safari: Minneriya National Park - Sigiriya
(Negambo - Kurunegala - Sigiriya: Approximate transfer duration: 3 hours and a half)
It’s always nice to get out of the car, observing, feeling and start absorbing the smells and colours of a new country.
For this reason, on the way to the Hotel, we will make the first stop in Kurunegala.
We will stretch out with a walk and a snack along the lake shores, just like the Sinhalese do.
In the afternoon mounted on a four wheel drive, we will participate to this amusing Safari,
famous for the large herds of elephants that inhabit it.
Sometimes you can admire up to 300 elephant specimens
day 3. Sigiriya - Sigiriya Rock - Excursion: Rural village - Sigiriya
(30 minutes as a maximum of the different transfers)
We will claim to Sigiriya fortress
This huge magma rock hides the ruins of noble buildings and a breathtaking view on the top
We will pass through the Lions Gate and admire the state of conservation of the frescoes on the walls of the cave
Also, if you want, participate in a fun activity especially for the little ones, we propose the the rural village.
To reach this enclave we will take a fun tuk-tuk and we will cross a lake in a canoe.
We will return on a cart pulled by oxen as it was done until recently. Also, in this small town we will learn how they cook by participating in a small tasting of Sri Lankan food.
day 4. Sigiriya - Dambulla Golden Temple - Matale Hindu Temple - Kandy
(Sigiriya - Kandy: 2 hours and a half)
In the morning we will visit the Golden Temple of Dambulla
This complex of caves converted into a temple where inside we will encounter a rich decoration of statues and frescoes on the life of Buddha, of ancient Sinhalese kings and of Hindu Sinhalese deities still revered today with flowers, incense and oil lamps …
Then we will have the opportunity to get to know a Spice Garden on the way to Kandy.
On this visit we will get to know the plants and trees with which the different spices are produced and we will discover their use in cooking and in the ancient natural medicine of Ayurveda
Note Spice Garden :
This visit is optional and free, we will find an attached shop that no one is obliged to buy
Sri Lanka Eden Travels does not endorse purchases in this or any shop.
Later we will see, only from the outside, the Hindu temple Sri Muthumariamman in Matale (1852).
Hindu temples are so different from Buddhist temples!
The latter are immaculate white.
On the other hand, Hindus are of thousands of colors, which is more amazing!
Thousands of figures decorate these temples called “kovil”.
Kandy, called the capital of the mountains, was the last kings capital of Sri Lanka and is the second most important city, after Colombo.
For the rest of the day, we will discover the city of Kandy with its bustling centre and its market.
day 5. Kandy - Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage - Peradeniya Botanical Garden - Kandy
(Kandy - Pinnawela: 1 hour and 15 min : Pinnawela - Peradeniya: 1 hour; Peradeniya - Kandy: 20 min)
We will arrive at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage early in the morning.
This centre was created to house injured or orphaned puppies found in the jungle.
It is the largest captive elephant reserve in the world.
Kids and adults alike will enjoy seeing dozens of elephants walk the city streets and bathe in the river!
In the afternoon we will walk through the the Royal Gardens.
The Botanical Garden of Peradeniya (14th century) is considered one of the best visits to mythical Ceylon.
It is a huge park that runs along the Mahawelli River where we will admire the beauty of ancient trees, palm trees with strange shapes, Ayurvedic plants and the famous orchids collection.
day 6. Kandy - choose from: Tooth Relic Temple or tea field excursion - city tour - Traditional dance
(Kandy - Hanthana: 30 min)
Al mattino puoi scegliere tra una delle seguenti due attività:
In the Sri Dalada Maligawa Temple we will find the relic of the Buddha’s tooth.
For this reason we will always meet Buddhist pilgrims with flowers and offerings.
Since ancient times, this relic has played a very important role in the life of Sri Lanka, as it was believed that whoever possessed it wielded power.
We will adapt to the requests of the family / group of the pace of this walk between plantations.
We will visit the school where the the tea pickers children are following the studies, etc.
In the afternoon we will participate to a show of typical Kandy dances.
day 7. Kandy - Ramboda waterfalls - Tea factory - Train from Nuwara Eliya to Bandarawela
(Kandy - Nuwara Eliya: 2 hours and a half + train)
On the way to Nuwara Eliya mountain station (2,000m) we will observe extensive tea plantations and stop for a moment to see Ramboda waterfalls.
Later we will stop at a tea factory.
If you want to know how the famous Ceylon tea is processed, be sure to visit this factory where they will explain how the delicate tea leaves are processed.
Then we’ll take a tour around Lake Gregory and the city to see British-influenced buildings.
Travel by train from Nuwara Eliya Nanu Oya Station to Bandarawela.
It is more than 3 hours of a winding walk in the mountains of the tea plantations.
The Sri Lankan railway network started operating in 1864 and the old trains from that time are still preserved and run perfectly.
The train is subject to availability
day 8. Bandarawela - Safari: Yala National Park - Yala
(Bandarawella - Yala: 2 hours)
Yala National Park has the highest concentration of leopards in the world, as they have no predators.
In addition, you will be able to observe many elephants, crocodiles, buffaloes, black bears and many other animals.
day 9. Yala - Turtle nursery - Galle Fort - Unawatuna
(Tissa - Galle: 2 hours)
We will visit a turtle hatchery.
Once again the children will have fun and learn about the varied fauna that this country has, but this time, with the friendly turtles.
In Ceylon we have 4 species of sea turtles: Green, Loggerhead, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley.
Galle is the third most important city after Colombo and Kandy.
It was a Portuguese city in the 16th century and a Dutch city in the 18th century, the British also lived in the 19th and 20th centuries.
All these colonisers left an imprint, which is why it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Transfer to Unawatuna.
Free time in the coastal city of Unawatuna, where you can enjoy a more mundane life with the presence of various restaurants, cafes, hotels, shops, beach bars …
day 10. Unawatuna - Colombo - Airport
(Unawatuna - Colombo: 2 hours; Colombo - Airport: 45 min)
Today you can choose between Unawatuna beach or a visit to the capital
In Colombo you could make the following visits:
- the colonial area of Fort Colombo where the Duch Hospital is located. It is believed to be the oldest building as it dates back to the Dutch colonial era in Sri Lanka.
It is estimated to date back to around 1681. - Galle Face: we will delight in a walk at the edge of the Indian ocean where children and adults play with their kites.
Transfer to Bandaranaike International Airport at the appointed time, where we will arrive 3 hours before our departure flight
- Share this Tour
- Breakfast and dinner in the selected Hotels
- Private transport with guide/driver english speaking
- Welcoming at the Airport on arrival and escorting service in all Tour till departure
- All the tickets to entry monuments, temples and safari of the itinerary
- Customer support 24/7 for all the Tour duration
- Soft drinks water and lunches
- Visits or activities not covered in the Tour
- The International flight
- Travel insurance and PCR
- Visa entry fees for Sri Lanka ETA
to obtain it follow the link and the steps described in our article in Travel Guide > Visa and Passport
Payment methods:
- Payment is 10% or 20% depending on the season (low or high), by bank transfer.
- The remaining 90% or 80% is always paid in cash or by credit card upon arrival in Sri Lanka or by bank transfer.
Cancellation policy:
Up to 30 days before the start of the trip, 100% of the deposit is refunded if a trip cancellation occurs,
withholding the amount of $100 per person for agency fees.Between 29 days and 15 days before the start of the trip there is a penalty of 50% of the deposit amount.
In case of cancellations in the 14 days preceding the trip, no deposit will be refunded.
Note on cancellations:
- All cancellations have an additional administrative cost of 100 USD per person.
- In case of cancellation due to COVID-19, cancellations will not suffer any penalty.
