Sri Lanka Culture Compact

This morning you will experience the "lively" Sri Lanka. After breakfast we go on a village tour, by ox cart and by boat you 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, learn how to prepare a delicious curry. The results of the mini cooking course are eaten together with your hosts. Return to the hotel. In the afternoon you go on a jeep safari in Minneriya/Kaudulla National Park, depending on where the elephant herds are. The parks are known for the large herds of elephants, but also for other animals such as the giant squirrel, crocodiles, deer, wild boars and many species of birds. Return to the hotel.

You set off very early to climb the Lion Rock of Sigiriya, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. Once at the top there is a wonderful 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 you continue to Polonnaruwa, the second royal city of Sri Lanka and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1982. 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 you will also see the large Buddha images of the Gal Vihara. Return to the hotel.

Early in the morning we go to the last Sinhalese royal city of Kandy. 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 Temple of the Tooth, 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 and then visit the famous Kandy Botanical Gardens near Peradeniya. In the evening there is another highlight on your agenda, a visit to a show by the Kandy Dancers with their colorful costumes, traditional drummers and dances. Overnight in Kandy.

Up Country and in Nuwara Eliya, the former summer residence of the British colonial rulers and meeting place of the tea barons. Immerse yourself in a bygone era that lives on here with a slightly morbid charm. A short city tour/walk for you past the scenes of this time. In Nanu Oya you then board the train to Hatton. On one of the most beautiful train routes on the island you can enjoy the view of mountains, tea plantations and the small train stations of the highlands one last time. Your tour guide will pick you up again in Hatton and you will drive back to the west coast to the airport (arriving in the early evening) or to your connecting hotel for your beach days.