Sri Lanka Cultural View With Upcountry And Wildlife

<p>Arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, meet & greet by "Seerendipity Tours" Representatives and proceed to Beach hotel in Colombo. Later Colombo sightseeing tour, </p><p></p><p>COLOMBO </p><p>Colombo city had been a well-known city in the region among the Arabian, Chinese, Indian, Persian, and Roman traders as early as the pre-Christian era. Sri Lanka is located in the East-West sea route and visited by traders in order to exchange their goods with the local traders. Even though Colombo was a well-known city among the ancient traders 2,000 years ago, the capital city of the country had been Anuradhapura. There was an Arabian settlement in the city of Colombo at the mouth of Kelani River. Arab traders were exporting the goods from the port of Colombo. Goods such as Cinnamon, ivory, gems, elephants were exported by the king of Kotte with the help of Arabs. With the beginning of the British colonial period, Colombo city received a prominent place as the capital of Ceylon. Colombo was the capital of the island from 1815 to 1978 until the administrative capital was moved to Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte.</p><p></p><p>GALLE FACE</p><p>This had been a well-known Racecourse during the British colonial period in the country. This racecourse which located bordering the Indian Ocean had to be abandoned later on due to the Sea crabs, which are making holes in the track. Afterwards it was developed as a promenade for the city dwellers and named as Galle face green. Today Galle face green contains an open theatre, spacious open space for a picnic, sports and walking.</p><p></p><p>BUDDHIST TEMPLE GANGARAMA</p><p>It is considered to be one of the most sacred places in the country. Temple is one of the three places where Buddha visited in the 6th century B.C. well known Kelaniya dagoba is located within the border of the temple. Kalyani River, which flows next to the temple, adds more value for the scenic beauty of the temple. This temple holds a reputation for its attractive wall, which considered being the best painting of the modern Era.</p><p></p><p>VIHARAMAHADEVI PARK</p><p>Viharamahadevi is located in the Colombo 7 or Cinnamon gardens. It is the largest and most popular park in the city. It is believed that there had been a twenty square kilometre cinnamon plantation in the area. Today most of the palaces of wealthy people can be seen in the area and Colombo 7 is the most picturesque part of the city.</p><p></p><p>WOLFENDAAL CHURCH</p><p>The Wolvendaal Church is located In Fort and walking distance from the centre of the city. It has a large collection of tombstones of important Dutch personalities. Fort is made in the highest point of the city and dates back to 1813. The church is built in the Doric style of the period. In the form of Greek cross, with five feet thick walls and the gables raised over. The transepts are roofed with brick barrel arches and a centre dome.</p><p></p><p>AUKANA BUDDHA STATUE / INDEPENDENCE HALL / BMICH</p><p>Facing the Bandaranayke Memorial International Conference Hall stands a beautifully executed statue of the Buddha in the standing posture. The statue is 36 feet tall and is the largest Buddha statue in the city of Colombo. It is a replica of the Avukana Statue on the banks of the Kalawewa Anuradhapura.</p><p></p><p>CITY & SHOPPING</p><p>The City Tour will also include places of Tourist interest such as </p><p>• Old parliament</p><p>• Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall</p><p>• Buddhist Hindu Temple and Town Hall. </p><p>• Devatagaha mosque</p><p>• Galle face green</p><p>• Cinnamon garden</p><p>• Beira lake</p><p> </p><p>Shopping at </p><p>• Odel</p><p>• Ananda Premadasa</p><p>• Barefoot and etc</p><p> </p><p>Overnight stay at Hotel in Colombo</p><p></p>

<p>After breakfast leave for Kandy via Pinnawala, en-route visit elephant orphanage and spice garden. </p><p></p><p>PINNAWALA ELEPHANT ORPHANAGE</p><p>Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, the foster – home of elephants of different age and size feeding, bathing, playing together and even mating. These have been found injured or left abandoned in the wilderness. There are even little baby calves born in captivity.</p><p>Next,</p><p></p><p>SPICE GARDEN </p><p>Just 25 km from the hill capital of Kandy, the Mawanella spice gardens are among the best on the island. Gardens are open to visitors, a delightful place to stroll in fragrant greenery and learn about nutmeg, pepper vines, clove trees and curry, cinnamon and the precious cardamom. Visitors may buy spices, traditional remedies and cosmetics, taste a herbal brew and in some venues, enjoy the full flavours of Sri Lankan spices over lunch or an Ayurveda massage based on natural products from the garden.</p><p></p><p>ELEPHANT RIDE </p><p>The Elephant that was the limousine, Bulldozer, War Tank, Status Symbol, Wealth Asset and Domestic pet in the past is today an element that adds colour to pageants or the gentle Giant that gives pleasure rides.</p><p>The Elephant Safari Pinnawala (At Village) has become a highlight event to tourist for its excitement and adventure or even for the "Chance of a Life Time" of riding an Elephant. </p><p></p><p>The Elephant Safari is a ride on an Elephant with a safely secured seat that takes around two hours. The ride takes you on a bund of an ancient lake built for irrigation then through the jungle and even crosses a part of the canal where you could get your feet wet whilst seated on Elephant Back. This is fun never to be missed when in Sri Lanka.</p><p></p><p>KANDY</p><p>A ruled in Kandy up to 1815 although the rest of the island was under the British regime. Finally, it was ceded to them by the Chieftains of Kandy who were disappointed over the king’s cruel deeds. Today Kandy is one of the most important cities owing to the presence of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth of the Buddha.</p><p></p><p>Visit Temple of Tooth Relic in Kandy enjoy a typical Sri Lankan Cultural Show of Drumming Dancing music and fire walking.</p><p></p><p>TEMPLE OF THE TOOTH</p><p>Sri Dalada Maligawa (Sinhala) or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is believed that whoever holds the relic holds the governance of the country. Kandy was the last capital of the Sinhalese kings and is a world heritage site partly due to the temple.</p><p></p><p>THE CULTURAL DANCE SHOW</p><p>The Cultural Dance Show. Sri Lanka's culture is so closely connected to dance and drama and no function will be complete without displaying a dance or even a drama. As a multi-ethnic land Sri Lanka boasts of a rich conflux of dance and drama. The two main ethnic groups share two spectacular dance and drama traditions which enrich the fame Sri Lanka has gained in this sphere.</p><p></p><p>CITY & SHOPPING </p><p>The City Tour will include places of Tourist interest such as </p><p>• Kandy lake</p><p>• Historical church</p><p>• Buddhist Hindu Temple </p><p>• Batik factory</p><p> </p><p>Shopping at </p><p>• Silk garden</p><p>• Hemachjandra jewellery</p><p>• Barefoot and etc</p><p></p><p>Overnight stay at Hotel in Kandy.</p><p></p>

<p>Breakfast at the hotel and leave for Nuwara Eliya. En-route visit Peradeniya botanical garden, Sita Amman Kovil, tea factory, tea estate and waterfall. </p><p></p><p>NUWARA ELIYA</p><p>The Hill country of Sri Lanka is a sight to behold. After the heat of the low lands of Sri Lanka, the diversity of temperature and scenery of the high lands is incredible.</p><p></p><p>Kandy, Nuwara Eliya and Bandarawela, are three popular hill stations of Sri Lanka. Nuwara Eliya is the highest, situated over 6000 feet above sea level is also called “Little England”. As this is where the British built themselves a home away from home.</p><p></p><p>The winding road that leads to the hill country through tea plantations that carpet the hills to extents beyond sight, the waterfalls that meander cascading down the hills, the misty valleys and scenery are certainly awe-inspiring. </p><p></p><p>TEA FACTORY </p><p>Visit a Tea Plantation and a Tea Factory en-route. Sri Lanka is famous for its “Ceylon Tea” has added cheers to many the world over for more than a century.</p><p></p><p>SITA AMMAN KOVIL </p><p>The place, where Sita stayed in India was similar to Nuwara Eliya with a cool climate and beautiful surroundings. Therefore king Ravana took her to Nuwara Eliya, where she was permitted to go about freely. The place she stayed came to be known as Seethaeliya. A beautiful Hindu temple was built at a later period where Queen Seetha was held. Earlier the temple was known as “Seetha” kovil and it is called “Seedai Amman” at present. The Hindus make vows at the temple since they believe that there is a miraculous power in it.</p><p></p><p>BOTANICAL GARDEN </p><p>The Botanical Garden of Peradeniya was a pleasure garden of a Kandyan King of the 16th Century and later made into a Botanical Garden during the British regime. This gardens; one of the best in Asia is a place of beauty and site for bird watchers.</p><p>Next, </p><p></p><p>Sightseeing of Kandy including Upper Lake Drive and visit Art and Craft Centers, Udawattakele sanctuary and then proceed to Kandy lake for a boat ride.</p><p></p><p>Overnight stay at Hotel in Nuwara Eliya.</p><p></p>

<p>Leisurely breakfast at the hotel and leave for Ebilipitiya, En-route safari at Udawalawe national park. </p><p></p><p>UDAWALAWE NATIONAL PARK</p><p></p><p>Udawalawe National Park lies on the boundary of Sabaragamuwa and Uva Provinces, in Sri Lanka. The national park was created to provide a sanctuary for wild animals displaced by the construction of the Udawalawe Reservoir on the Walawe River, as well as to protect the catchment of the reservoir.</p><p></p><p>The reserve covers 30,821 hectares (119.00 sq mi) of land area and was established on 30 June 1972. Before the designation of the national park, the area was used for shifting cultivation (chena farming). The farmers were gradually removed once the national park was declared. The park is 165 kilometres (103 mi) from Colombo. Udawalawe is an important habitat for water birds and Sri Lankan elephants. It is a popular tourist destination and the third most visited park in the country.</p><p></p><p>Overnight stay at Hotel in Embilipitiya.</p><p></p>

<p>After leisurely breakfast leave for Colombo, Enroute-sightseeing in Bentota.</p><p></p><p>TURTLE HATCHERY </p><p>Projects have been launched to conserve the population of turtles that are reaching extinction and such projects are found along the southern coast of Sri Lanka where turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. The turtle digs a hole on the Beach, Lays her eggs and covers it with sand where it is supposed to, incubate by the heat of the sun. What often happens is, the eggs are dug out by fisherman and sold to people who consume them.</p><p></p><p>But now the eggs are bought up by the conservation projects and are hatched the Natural way in enclosed areas where the Birds don’t have a chance of picking them up and the babies are let into the sea after two days at night time which offers them a better chance of survival.</p><p></p><p>MADU GANGA BOAT RIDE </p><p>A cruise on a modern motorboat is the best way to exploring the natural wealth of Madu Ganga, the islands in the wetland are largely inaccessible by road. The inhabitants are also using the boats and more often paddle boats as the means of transport. </p><p>Seerendipity tours offer particularly appealing boat trips around Madu Ganga. This Ramsa Wetland is one of the most visited natural attractions of Sri Lanka’s west coast, with riverscapes to quiet thick grown islands and mangrove forests with sites of immense natural interest. There is plenty of opportunities to spot fascinating wildlife based on the aquatic environment, throughout the tour.</p><p></p><p>MOONSTONE MINES </p><p>A moonstone is grey in colour and feels cool and smooth to the touch. When polished it has a glow like of the moon. Have you ever wondered where that pretty little moonstone on your finger actually comes from?</p><p></p><p>Moonstones are in the semi-precious category and are an important component of the Sri Lankan gem industry. The finest are bluish in colour and are found in high concentrations in heading inland 7km to Mitiyagoda, between Ambalangoda and Hikkaduwa.</p><p>Moonstone has been mined in these sweltering forests forever and the moonstone mines, little more than muddy rabbit holes, 6m or 7m long, are fascinating as is the process of filtering out the precious stones, cutting them up and polishing them up ready for sale. At the Moonstone Factory, you can see or even go down into a narrow shaft where the stones are mined.</p><p></p><p> End of the tour</p>