Today and tomorrow is dedicated to making the most of festival celebrations and indulging in the Sri Lankan culture by joining the hundreds of locals and devotees who walk around in parades.

The Kandy Esala Perahera is a spectacular event that showcases the rich traditions of Sri Lanka. With traditional dancers, mesmerizing fire performers, skilled drummers, majestic elephants adorned in beautiful attire, and intricately decorated floats, this grand procession is a sight to behold. Spanning across 10 consecutive nights, each procession grows in magnificence, leaving spectators in awe, and so will we be for two consecutive days and nights.

Our local driver and guide will be with us throughout and throw in visits to nearby attractions like botanical/spice garden, temple visits, and so on. If you would like to do your own thing and wander the streets of Kandy, you are free to do so.

• Included meals: Breakfast (B)
• Accommodation:  Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Kandy Perahera Festival

Knuckles Mountain Range is Sri Lanka's one of the most stunning and overlooked natural wonders. There are several trails to choose from easy to strenuous, and we will regroup ourselves depending on fitness level. You can expect to see tea plantations, waterfalls, viewpoints, butterflies and endemic animals.

Overnight will be in the area to be able to enjoy the nature to the fullest.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Guesthouse (ensuite)
• Included activities: Guided hiking in Knuckles Mountain Range

It will be hard to leave this beautiful place, but after a hearty breakfast, we will proceed to Dambulla Cave Temple, the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka.

The Dambulla Cave Temple is a living Buddhist site that is focused on a series of five cave shrines. Inhabited by forest-dwelling Buddhist monks since the 3rd century BCE, these natural caves have been transformed continuously throughout the historical period into one of the largest and most outstanding Buddhist complexes in the Southern and Southeastern Asian region, showcasing innovative approaches to interior layout and decoration.

After visiting the cave temple, another famous landmark Sigiriya, the ancient rock fortress is on agenda.

The 5th century rock fortress, Lion Rock is a citadel of unusual beauty rising 200 meters from the scrub jungle. Visit the world-renowned frescoes of the ‘Heavenly Maidens’ of Sigiriya, which are in a sheltered pocket of the rock approached by a spiral stairway. These frescoes are painted in earth pigments on plaster.

Overnight in a nice hotel in the so-called Cultural Triangle of Sri Lanka.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Dambulla Cave Temple, Sigiriya Rock

At this time of  year, elephants generally gather around "The Tank" in Minneriya National Park. There are three national parks in this area where elephants can roam freely. To ensure the best encounter, we will select the one based on current information and go on a half-day guided safari (National Park fee to be paid cash at the entrance, safari guide and jeep included).

We will then visit a local village for lunch, and proceed to Pidurangala Rock to enjoy the sunset and the best view of Sigiriya Rock.

• Included meals: B, L
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Half-day guided safari, local village visit, Pidurangala Rock

Today after breakfast, we will head to Polonnaruwa Ancient City, the second capital of Sri Lanka after the destruction of Anuradhapura in 993.

Polonnaruwa boasts well-preserved ruins set in a meticulously planned park. The compact layout makes it perfect for a leisurely exploration not only on foot but on a bicycle, too. Numerous temples, monuments, and stupas are conveniently located close to each other, linked by charming tree-lined streets.

After the guided visit of Polonnaruwa, we will transfer to Trincomalee (about 3 hours by road) on the east coast, one of the best waters to swim in Sri Lanka.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Polonnaruwa Ancient City tour (optional by bike)

We are halfway through our epic trip around Sri Lanka and the next two days are free to relax by the beach, join a snorkeling or diving trip in Pigeon Island, or go on a (blue) whale watching safari. There are also Hindu Temples, and natural hot springs to visit in close proximity.

Our local guide and driver will be happy to assist us upon request.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: None

Today after breakfast we will head to Jaffna, the northernmost city and cultural center in Sri Lanka. The journey by road will take about 5 hours.

Here we will be joining some of the Nallur Temple festival events, which lasts 25 days in total!

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Jaffna City tour (time permitting)

We will spend the next two days exploring Jaffna and surroundings.

One day we will visit Delft & Nagadeepa Islands by local ferry, two differently unique islands off the coast of Jaffna peninsula.

Delft is a remote island with rich history from the Chola Dynasty, Portuguese, Dutch and the British colonial period and Nagadeepa island is home to the historic Nagadeepa Viharaya complex and the elaborate Nagapooshani Amman Kovil shrines. Certainly off-the-beaten-path surprising destinations that should not be missed by anyone visiting Jaffna. Apart from historical sites, a large baobab tree, various birds and wild horses can also be observed.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Delft & Nagadeepa Islands day tour, Jaffna city tour

If you thought, we would leave Sri Lanka without riding a train, wrong!

We will hop on the 10:30 am train direct to Anuradhapura and enjoy the scenery passing by on  a 3-hour journey by Sri Lankan Flextime :)

After settling in and freshening up, we will visit the Mihintale mountain and temple for sunset, the birthplace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Mihintale

Today is an exciting day as we will go on a half day safari in Wilpattu National Park, some 35 km away from Anuradhapura.

The Wilpattu National Park is one of the most important elephant habitats in the country and is also a great place to observe the elusive Sri Lankan leopard and the sloth bear.

This park has a denser forest cover unlike many other National Parks in Sri Lanka. WNPs landscape comprises of dry zone forests and thorny scrub interspersed with extensive open plains, sand dunes and the unique Villu wetlands. Bare reddish cliffs rising abruptly from narrow beaches of the Portugal Bay and Dutch Bay are another striking feature of its landscape.

After the safari we will transfer to Negombo, the beach town near Colombo to catch the sunset one last time, and perhaps munch on delicious seafood to end an epic trip in style.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: Hotel (ensuite)
• Included activities: Wilpattu NP half-day safari (park entrance fee excluded)

Today our one-of-a-kind tour sadly comes to an end. After breakfast you will be transferred to the airport. Depending on your flight departure time, you may want to do last minute souvenir shopping, or take a dip in the Indian Ocean, or even stay a couple of nights longer if you can.

• Included meals: B
• Accommodation: None
• Included activities: Airport transfer

Please note: If you need any support with you pre-/post-tour arrangements, please get in touch with us.