13-Day Sri Lanka Wildlife Adventure by Aaliya Tours

Day 1: Negambo

1. Negombo Beach
   30m
   After arrival proceeds to Negambo just 15 mints drive from Bandaranayke International Airport Colombo. Check in to your hotel and relax.

Day 2: Negambo to Kalpitiya

1. Dutch Fort Of Kalpitiya
   3h 10m · Admission ticket not included
   After breakfast proceed to Kalpitiya.
   Kalpitya is located in the North Western Province, Puttalam, of Sri Lanka. The city consists of a total 14 islands that are a crown for its stunning natural beauty.
   Kalpitya is also famous for its oceanic beauty. It is definitely showing its true potential under great refinement and development, which is ultimately leading it to become a relentless tourist attraction.
   Its history is rich and dating back many centuries. It was once under the rule of Portuguese. The city has suffered its share of tragedies over the decades but still stands erect and proud. Kalpitya is famous for its wide range of water sports.
   People fond of such activities will love this city and enjoy it immensely. Most of the residents of Kalpitya are fishers. The sea food is so good that it melts in your mouth. Above all, the setting and landscapes give it a serene beauty not many can even imagine.
   
   Kite surfing, Scuba diving and relax in the beach hotel in Kalpitiya.

Day 3: On this day, early morning dolphin watching tour

1. Dutch Fort Of Kalpitiya
   6h · Admission ticket not included
   On this day, early morning dolphin watching tour.
   The breathtaking view of these enigmatic creatures submerging and reemerging from the sparkling water, a real life experience of watching nature's beauty strut about is a offer no one should refuse. Dolphin shows are one of Kalpitya's many wonders and tourists love their fair-priced deals and packages.
   Kite surfing, Scuba diving and relax in the beach hotel in Kalpitiya

Day 4: Early morning visit Wilpathu national park and proceed to Dambulla/Sigiriya

1. Wilpattu National Park
   4h · Admission ticket not included
   Wilpathu national park located along the north-west coast 26km from Puttalam, famous for its unique lakes called Villus. The park covers 425 sq.ft. Of the coastal area. This is generally a dry zone but still is able to accommodate an impressive number of wildlife. It is also one of the largest and oldest national parks of the country. Since the park is located in a dry zone the average temperature is about 27 degrees. Despite its climate and location the park is covered with very dense shrubbery, a large expanse of grasslands, and an abundant amount of water for a park located in a dry area. The major attractions in the park are the endemic sloth bears, leopards, barking deer’s and elephants. This is yet another bird-watching paradise where endemic birds are most common such as the jungle fowl (the national bird of Sri Lanka). Mammals are not the only attractions here, reptiles, amphibians and insects such as butterflies , the Great Egg Fly and Common Rose just to name a few, also claim popularity among the visitors. Crocodiles and a wide range of snakes also make Wilpattu National Park their home.
   On completion of the day relax in the Sigiriya/Dambulla Hotel.

Day 5: Early morning climbing the Sigiriya Rock and Minneriya/Koudulla national park

1. Sigiriya Lion Rock
   2h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Sigiriya is an ancient rock fortress. Sigiriya today is a UNESCO listed World Heritage Site. It is one of the best preserved examples of ancient urban planning. This is also known as King Kasyapa’s “palace in the sky”. Fifth century creativity and skill produced a luxurious royal citadel with ramparts, moats, gateways, and a well laid out city, inclusive with bathing pools and gardens. The Mirror Wall, which still produces a glass-like reflection 1500 years after it was first created.
2. Minneriya National Park
   3h 20m · Admission ticket not included
   In the afternoon, Visit the Minneriya or Kaudulla National Parks the Minneriya and Kaudulla National Parks offer an excellent chance of seeing elephants and other animals.
   On completion of the day relax in the Sigiriya/Dambulla Hotel.

Day 6: Sigiriya to Kandy

1. Golden Temple of Dambulla
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   After a very good night’s sleep and an early breakfast visit Dambulla cave temple and leave for Kandy
   It's glory is recognized and that is why it holds the title of a world heritage site, Dambulla Cave Temple lies in the central part of the country and is also known as the Golden Temple. People from faraway places come to see the cultural beauty with their own eyes.
   Inside the caves around the golden temple there are paintings and statues strewn all over, all related to the life of Gautama Buddha, his life and the events that took place in it. Vishnu, Ganesha and Demon—Mara are historic gods and goddesses that also have some paintings and structures sculpted for them, situated in the caves.
   It's predicted that the site has 2700 human skeletons buried underneath it.
2. Sri Muthumari Amman Kovil
   2h · Admission ticket not included
   On the way to Kandy visit Herbal village, Matale Hindu temple.
   The temple was severely damaged during the anti-Tamil riots in July 1983 but has been subsequently restored. One of the most visually dominant features of this temple is its 55 m (180 ft) high Gopuram (‘Raja Koburum’), a large decorated tower located above the main northern gateway (‘Vadakku Veli Veedi’) to the temple. The Raja Koburum is one of the largest Gopurams in Sri Lanka. The 1008 statues of Hindu deities are the work of South Indian sculptor, Nagalingam and his son Ramanathan, with the help of about 100 designers, painters and architects from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. The Raja Koburum was completed in 2007 at the cost of approximately Rs 150M.
3. Kandy Lake Club Cultural Show
   1h · Admission ticket not included
   Reach kandy,in the evening enjoying Kandy cultural show .Sri Lanka, a country rich with culture & tradition offers a very vibrant and unique show of Sri Lankan traditional dances, in the form of Kandy cultural show. After the show relax in the Kandy Hotel.

Day 7: Kandy-City tour

1. 15h · Admission ticket not included
   These stunning gardens were once reserved exclusively for Kandyan royalty. Today, even commoners are allowed in to enjoy the most impressive and largest (60 hectares) botanic gardens in Sri Lanka.
   
   Highlights include a fine collection of orchids, a stately avenue of royal palms, the extraordinary, aptly named cannonball fruit tree and 40m-high Burma bamboo. Another big hit is the giant Javan fig tree on the great lawn, with its colossal central trunk and umbrella-like canopy of branches. Peradeniya is 6km from central Kandy.
2. 30m · Admission ticket not included
   Rising from a hill adjoining the holy city of Kandy is the giant Buddha statue of Bahirawa Kanda. The statue is a mere 2km from the Temple of The Tooth Relic and was built in 1972. The Bahirawakanda Buddha Statue is located alongside the Sri Maha Bodhi Temple which is on the top of the Bahirawa Kanda hill. This beautifully sculpted white statue displays Buddha in the seated Nirvana pose and can be seen from the entire city of Kandy that sprawls out before it. It stands at 88 feet in height and is one of the biggest Buddha statues in Sri Lanka
3. Kandy War Cemetery
   30m
   There are six war cemeteries in Sri Lanka, four in Colombo, one in the hill capital Kandy and one in the Trincomale.Kandy War Cemetery is a British military cemetery in Kandy, Sri Lanka, for soldiers of the British Empire who were killed during World War II as well as a soldier who died during War I. There are 203 buried consisting of: 107 British, 35 East Africans, 26 Sri Lankans, 23 Indians, 6 Canadians, 3 Italians, 1 Frenchman and 2 unidentified persons, Of the 203 dead, 151 were army, 32 were air force, 16 were navy, 2 were unidentified, 1 was merchant navy and 1 was from the national fire service.
4. Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic
   10h · Admission ticket not included
   The golden-roofed Temple of the Sacred Tooth houses Sri Lanka’s most important Buddhist relic – a tooth of the Buddha. During puja (offerings or prayers), the heavily guarded room housing the tooth is open to devotees and tourists. However, you don’t actually see the tooth. It’s kept in a gold casket shaped like a dagoba (stupa), which contains a series of six dagoba caskets of diminishing size.

Day 8: Kandy-Ella

1. Ramboda Waterfall
   1h 30m · Admission ticket not included
   On the way discover the view of Tea bush view point, Ramboda waterfalls and tea factory with garden. On this day, after lunch proceeds Nanu Oya station to Ella by train.
   Rivers, as they flow over uneven ground or down mountains, often split into tributaries or form waterfalls. Sometimes two tributaries of the same river may form twin waterfalls very close to each other as the water spills down cliffs and rocks. However, it is quite uncommon for the tributaries to combine after forming the waterfalls making a Y shape.Ramboda Falls is 109 m (358 ft) high[ and 11th highest waterfall in Sri Lanka and 729th highest waterfall in the world.It is situated in Pussellawa area, on the A5 highway at Ramboda Pass. It formed by Panna Oya which is a tributary of Kothmale Oya. Altitude of the falls is 945 m (3,100 ft) above sea level.
2. Blue Field Tea Factory
   5h · Admission ticket not included
   To see where your morning cuppa originates, head to the Blue Field Tea Estate, on the way to Nuwara. You can take a 20-minute guided tour of the factory,.However, due to the type of tea produced here (a very light tea), processing only takes place at night when it’s colder, so you’re unlikely to see much action. Bluefield includes the Estate, Tea Factory, Tea Center and Restaurant. The area belong to Bluefield is 100 actors. With the average populations of 1000. R175 families are living in the plantation area. They are provided with all the facilities such as … Housing, Electricity, and School & Health care etc.
   
   On this day, after lunch proceeds Nanu Oya station to Ella by train.
   
   The train journey takes you on scenic ride through some of the most beautiful highland countryside areas in Sri Lanka. Watch the brilliant greens carpets of the tea plantations. See the picturesque villages with misty mountain backdrops pass by. Peer through drizzle and mist to look at the magical landscapes of hill country. Enjoy the amazing sights of intimidating mountains, deep and dark woodlands, and magnificent waterfalls as they go by your windows. This the best part of train journey ever in Sri Lanka.

Day 9: Ella

1. Little Adam's Peak View Point
   15h
   on’t defiance the beautiful tourism site in Sri Lanka, Little Adams Peak whether considering the word ‘Little’,it is named after the sacred Adams Peak (Sri Pada –where the foot print of Lord Buddha is preserved) regarding the similarity between the two mountains. Therefore the mountain was called as Little Adams Peak
2. Nine Arches Bridge
   2h
   Walk over the history seeped Nine Arches Bridge and listen to the story of its construction. Ending your hike at the Demodara Railway station with its unique loop-over track design.
3. Ravana Ella Falls
   10h
   This tour gives you the chance to see the best sights of Sri Lanka.Ravana falls gushes down a height of 82 feet falling from an oval concave rock. It takes the form of a drooping areca flower during the peak season of its water flow, but its size is reduced dramatically during the dry season. Located in the Ravana Ella Wildlife Sanctuary in Ella, this waterfall is the source of many legends and secrets.
   On completion of the day, overnight relax and stay in Ella Hotel

Day 10: Ella-Mirissa

1. Udawalawe National Park
   3h · Admission ticket not included
   After breakfast proceed to Mirissa via Udawalawa national park
   Located on the boundary of Sri Lanka's wet and dry zones, Udawalawe National Park, is one of the best places in the world to see wild elephants. With approximately 400 elephants residing within the area of 31,000 hectares, it is not unusual to see big herds gathering to feed and bath by the waterholes.
   In addition to this main attraction, Udawalawe is home to many water buffalo, water monitor lizards, sambar deer and monkeys. The bird enthusiasts shall be in their own winged paradise with not only the variety, but the quantity of bird species in the park.
   Udawalawe, with its fascinating wildlife, history and culture, offers an array of historical sites and natural wonders, guaranteed to satisfy even the most seasoned traveler.
   Originally, the national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir in 1972. The reservoir, surrounded by open plains and foothills, is continuously replenished by River Walawe that draws its waters from the central highlands. The fringes of the reservoir and its creeks are filled with weather-bleached skeletons of thousands of jungle trees, and the area is about to become an important breeding place for aquatic birds.
   On completion of the day, overnight relax and stay in Mirissa Hotel

Day 11: Whale watching tour Galle city tour.

1. Mirissa Beach
   3h · Admission ticket not included
   Early morning proceed to Mirissa Whale watching tour Galle city tour.
   The Whale Watching Tour in Mirissa, this five-hour tour gives you an opportunity to see the biggest mammals on earth, the whales, in their natural habitat. Get a chance to see blue whales, sperm whales, and fin whales as they swim in the waters to the south of Sri Lanka. Gain more knowledge about the whales as a species from a qualified naturalist and learn to identify them. This tour gives you a responsible whale watching experience with a minimal imprint on nature.
2. Galle Dutch Fort
   1.3 days
   The Galle is a jewel. A Unesco World Heritage Site, this historic city is a delight to explore on foot, an endlessly exotic old trading port blessed with imposing Dutch-colonial buildings, ancient mosques and churches, grand mansions and museums
   On completion of the day, overnight relax and stay in Mirissa Hotel

Day 12: Mirissa-Bentota

1. 1.3 days · Admission ticket not included
   After Breakfast at the hotel proceed to Balapitiya and go on lovely Boat safari in Madu River. Go on a wonderful boat ride down the Madu River with its flourishing ecosystem. Pass through the secretive passages created by the mangroves. See the basking crocodiles and water monitors. Visit one of the small islands with its cinnamon harvesting natives. Enjoy the restorative qualities of the famous fish massage. Observe the water birds in their natural habitats.
2. Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project
   1h · Admission ticket not included
   After enjoying the Madu River Visit the Kosgoda Turtle Hatchery on the Southwestern coast of Sri Lanka. Learn more about the five endangered sea turtle species that come to the shores of Sri Lanka to nest. Learn how the Kosgoda Turtle Care Program helps protect the nests until they hatch and increases the chances of survival for the babies. Get a chance to see the injured adult turtles that the Turtle Hatchery cares for.
   On completion of the day back to the hotel, relax and enjoy the amazing Bentota beach Hotel.

Day 13: Depature (Bentota to Airport or next city)

1. 1 day
   After breakfast at the hotel on your final day, proceed to the Colombo International Airport (CMB) and get ready for your departure after spending a memorable time on the Beautiful little Island and you dream come true

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Specialized infant seats are available
• Not recommended for pregnant travelers
• Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness