9 Day Tour

This morning you're heading north. The cave temples, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991, await you in Dambulla. The paintings from different centuries will delight you. And countless statues decorate the five main caves that can be visited. Afterwards you will immerse yourself in “lively” Sri Lanka. On our Habarana village tour, by ox cart, boat and TucTuc, you will learn more about the fauna and flora of our island before stopping at a farm and learning a lot about rural life, work, crafts and, last but not least, how to Prepared a delicious curry dish, experienced. The results of the mini cooking course are eaten together with your hosts. Drive to your hotel near Sigiriya today, where you will stay for 3 nights.

After breakfast, drive to Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka's first royal city. You have plenty of time to visit the huge excavation area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982, the Dagobas, the sacred Bodhi tree, one of the most important Buddhist shrines, and the pretty Isurumuniya Temple. Your tour guide will resurrect Anuradhapura's golden age from the ruins for you. At lunchtime we stop for Sri Lankan delicacies - sweet and spicy roti - freshly baked. A day to experience Sri Lanka with all your senses. Return to the hotel.

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site (since 1982) awaits you early, the ruined city of Polonnaruwa, the kingdom's second royal city, which was overgrown by jungle for 500 years. There you will first visit the museum with the documentation of the excavations and impressive miniature reconstructions of the historical buildings, before you visit the remains of the temples and palaces on the excavation site. Of course, the large Buddha statues of the Gal Vihara are also on your to-see list. Return to the hotel and afternoon at leisure.

You set off very early to climb the Lion Rock of Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. Once at the top you have a fantastic view of the landscape. Let yourself be enchanted by the stories and tales of King Kassapha and the cloud girls. After the descent you can relax a little in the bus as we continue to the last Sinhalese royal city of Kandy. On the way in Matala you will make a short stop to visit the famous Hindu temple Sri Muthumariamman Thevasthanam with its many gods and receive a short excursion into Hinduism. In Kandy you will then visit the Sri Dalada Maligawa Tooth Temple, which is Sri Lanka's largest shrine and houses one of Buddha's molars. Enjoy the atmosphere of worship from the many pilgrims at this place and learn more about Buddhism. Transfer to your hotel in Kandy. In the evening you will attend a performance by the famous Kandy Dancers with traditional dances and instruments.

Enjoy your breakfast. Your day begins with a walk through Kandy's market. Here you can discover not only the many, often unknown vegetables and fruits, but also Sri Lanka's variety of spices. It's not for nothing that our island is also called the spice island, because with us you are "where the pepper grows" ... and nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and much more. Afterwards we go to the famous botanical garden of Peradeniya (Kandy). The former royal pleasure garden is home to native as well as many rare, exotic plants. Later you drive to the highlands. The first tea plantations soon line the street. Here, on ever-higher mountains, Sri Lanka's "black gold" grows. You can watch the pickers harvest the tea or try picking it yourself, then visit a tea factory. Here you will learn a lot about the secrets of the famous Ceylon tea during a guided tour. The journey continues to the Ramboda Waterfalls, where your hotel is located today. Enjoy the coolness of the mountains and the sunset in the hotel's garden or terrace.

In the morning you drive a little further up into the mountains up to 2000 meters above sea level. N. to Nuwara Eliya, the meeting place of the former British tea planters. On a city tour/walk you will pass contemporary witnesses of this era. Some of the cottages with their rose gardens are reminiscent of English country life. A special highlight of the day will certainly be the train ride through the magnificent mountains of the Upper Glenn and the Central Highlands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010. From Nanu Oya we go past small villages and train stations, including Pattipola - Sri Lanka's highest train station (1891 m), extensive tea plantations and impressive waterfalls. Buy some “Kadele” or chili-spiced fruits from the hawkers who come along every now and then for a few stops. Enjoy the view and the lively hustle and bustle on the train and at the stations. The final stop is the mountain town of Ella. There you will visit the Demodara Nine Arch Bridge before heading to the hotel. Overnight stay in Ella.

Early on, you'll go on a beautiful, easy hike to Little Adams Peak, where you can enjoy the breakfast you brought with you. Then you go to the Ravana Waterfalls and continue south and soon you leave the mountains and come to the agricultural UVA province. En route visit Buduruwagala. The rock temple with the large Buddha reliefs is one of the island's mystical places of power. Still rarely visited, you can enjoy the silence and peace here, accompanied by the sounds of nature and some monkeys playing. Enjoy the landscape of the Uva Province along the way. In Tissamaharama you move into your beautiful hotel and enjoy the rest of the day there, for example by the pool or with a nice massage (not included).

Very early in the morning we go on a 4-hour jeep safari to the Yala National Park with its beautiful landscapes. Many elephants, buffaloes, deer, crocodiles and monitor lizards live here, as well as countless birds. With a bit of luck you will also see the Sri Lankan leopard. Return to the hotel. After a hearty breakfast, you drive along the south coast via Weligama with the famous stilt fishermen to Galle. Here you will visit Sri Lanka's always lively colonial city, the Dutch Fort of Galle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. After the tour, you will have a little time to stroll through the alleys or enjoy lassis or tea in one of the cafés. Transfer to the airport (arrival late in the evening**) or to your connecting hotel.