Colombo – Kandy

Upon arrival at the Colombo airport our local representative will meet you and transfer you to Kandy. Check in at hotel. Rest of the day at leisure. In the evening visit the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. Thereafter witness a cultural show. Overnight stay in Kandy.

Kandy / Nuwara Eliya

This morning after breakfast at the hotel checkout from the hotel. Transfer to Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage. The Pinnawela Elephant Orphanage was established in 1975, commenced with seven orphans. Today some of these orphans enjoy the fortune of seeing their grand children born in the same location. The original objective of establishing the orphanage inclined more towards tourism, but is soon became a conservation and educational centre. With the help of local and foreign elephant experts, Pinnawela started a scientific captive-breeding programme for elephants. The free movement of the herd enhanced the chances for respective individuals of both sexes to get together and mate. The nearby river played a dominant role in this regard, and in 1984, the first baby of Pinnawela was born.

The success story of Pinnawela has drawn the attention of scientists from all over the world. A considerable number of books and research articles on Pinnawela have been published in several languages. The members of the Pinnawela herd have been filmed, videoed and photographed thousands of times by professionals. Later in the afternoon , proceed for a city tour of Kandy. Kandy – the last capital of the Sri Lankan Kings. The name Kandy conjures visions of a storied past, splendour, legend, folklore, mystery and traditions lovingly kept alive for countless years. Visit a Gem museum and a lapidary. Transfer to Nuwara Eliya and check in at the hotel in Nuwara Eliya. Overnight at Nuwara Eliya.

Nuwara Eliya

Breakfast at the hotel. ?Visit a Tea Plantation and a Tea Factory. ?Visit the following sites which signifies higher historical, religious and cultural values; _ The one-and-only temple in the world dedicated for princess ‘Seetha’ (Rama-Seetha): the Sitha Amman Kovil/temple _ Temple dedicated for ‘Hanuman’ _ Hakgala Botanical Gardens Sita Eliya and Seetha Amman Kovil/temple (only of it’s kind in the world) Sita Amman Temple is located about 1km away from the Hakgala Gardens. According to legend the temple is believed to mark the spot where Sita, was held captive by her abductor, King Ravana. Though an average visitor might feel that the location and its surrounded green land has nothing much to offer, archeologists have discovered giant foot steps – believed to be of “Hanuman” and more ruins to look around. This temple/kovil is dedicated to “Seetha” the captive princess for her love, believe, faith, determination, honesty and loyalty towards Prince “Rama”. A believer, can still hear the silent mourns of Prince Seetha with a closer eavesdrop to the free flow of the water stream which flows next to the temple. The crystal water stream which flows next to the temple is believed to be where ‘Sita’ bathe. Still worshippers do believe that the water at one point of the stream is ‘taste-less’ where prince ‘Sita’ had cursed ‘Demon King Ravana’ on her captivity.

The epic continue with an undiscovered tale of an underground tunnel network even below water levels in this area. There is also a shrine to worship lord Hanuman with in the kovil. Hakgala Gardens The Hakgala Botanical Gardens situated at the base of the Hakgala Peak south of Nuwara Eliya. Established in 1860, the garden is famous for its roses, ferns, the orchid house and the summerhouse. The rock of Hakgala rises 450 m above the gardens. The ‘Rama-Seetha’ epic also raises very concrete evidence that “Sita” while in Ravana’s” custody has often used this garden to spend most of her leisure time while longing for her husband and home. “Hanuman” the official spy of the king Rama had also seen Seetha for the first time in this garden area. According to the local believing, this garden have been the “Sita” longing ??Overnight stay at your hotel in Nuwara Eliya

Nuwara Eliya / Colombo

After breakfast, transfer from Nuwara to Colombo,. Enroute visit St Claire & Devan Water falls. Check in at hotel. After noon , you will go for city & shopping tour of Colombo, where like many other capital cities in developing countries, you will see that Colombo is also fast changing its face. Almost overnight, skyscrapers arise from where old buildings once stood. Yet in some parts, the old world charm is retained with several British built colonial buildings. Other places of interest are a Hindu and a Buddhist temple, residential areas where you find the stately homes of the affluent, the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall and the old parliament. Also visit House of Fashions, ODEL, Noritake ceramic shop & a local souvenir shop. Evening free at leisure.

Returm

After Breakfast transfer to Airport to connect the departure flight to India.