Custom tour in Sri Lanka: Culture and beach of Habarana in Galle

Early breakfast at the hotel and departure in the early morning for the visit of Pirivena located near Isurumuniya. (journey time: around 1h15). Pirivena is a monastic college dedicated to the education of Buddhist priests in Sri Lanka. Young priests attend classes in these pirivenas before their Ordination.

We can organize a meeting with these young priests by making a prior request.
Depart Anuradhaprura for the visit of the first capital of Sri Lanka.

Anuradhapura has vestiges which intrigue scholars by their mathematical similarity with the Egyptian pyramids. Founded in the 1th century BC. AD, Anuradhapura was the capital of the island for 400 years. Placed under the patronage of three large Buddhist monasteries, it grows around immense reliquary buildings, the dagoba, built in memory of the Buddha. Their large brick domes are nowadays the object of the devotion of Buddhists from all over the world: the Thuparama, ancestor of all the dagoba of the island, the immaculate Ruvanveliseya, the most revered, and two giants, named Jetavanarama and Abhayagiriya.
Holy city, Anuradhapura is also custodian of the Bo tree, the tree under which the Buddha experienced Enlightenment. City of the past, the royal capital has still kept many treasures: the royal gardens Ran Masu Uyana, the delicately carved half-moon threshold stone of the Mahasena Palace, the sculptures of Ratna Prasada or the Isurumuniya rock temple. The whole was registered as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1982.
Don't forget to visit Eth Pokuna or Elephant Pond. This gigantic man-made pond can be found near Lankaramaya. It is 159 meters long and 9,5 meters deep with a holding capacity of 75 cubic meters of water. The water from this pond was supplied to the Periyamkulama Reservoir through a network of underground canals, and you can still see the parts of the water pipes made of boulders. These underground canals are still functioning after hundreds of years and after a very heavy rainy season you will be able to see water flowing from these entrances to the Periyamkulama reservoir.

Then visit Mihintale (journey time: about 30 minutes).

Mihintale is a site in northern Sri Lanka, near Anuradhapura, where the famous meeting took place between Devanampiya Tissa and the emissaries of Ashoka (Mahinda and Sanghamita) who would have imported the Buddhism in the island. The site would have been born from the commemoration of this meeting; the oldest stupa on the island was founded there. Mihintale has since become a Mecca of Buddhism. According to Faxian, nearly 2000 monks resided there at the end of the XNUMXth century. Today, a pilgrimage still takes place on the rock where the founding meeting of the Sinhalese king and Indian emissaries took place.

Return to the hotel and possibility of taking advantage of the services provided by the hotel (journey time: approximately 1h20).
Dinner and overnight at the Cinnamon Lodge 4 * hotel, Habarana.

THE POINTS OF THE 2 DAY
Introduction to Buddhism
Visit of the first capital of Sri Lanka. You will discover the sacred tree of Bo - The oldest tree according to historical records. (To Sri Maha Bodhiya). Visit of Mihintale, the cradle of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Suggestions: Please wear clothes that cover your shoulders and knees. It is more appropriate to wear light colored clothes. Obligation to take off shoes and remove hats before entering religious sites.

Relaxation: you could be tempted. What could be better than a relaxing massage. Visit Azmaara Spa and we guarantee you an unforgettable experience. The Azmaara Spa reflects the tones of traditional Bali. Everything about the spa from the moment you walk in, until you leave is resonant with relaxation.

After breakfast departure in the early morning to Sigiriya, for the visit of Lion Rock (travel time: about 30 minutes).

Citadel of Sigiriya, Also called "Lion's Rock", romantic and grandiose ancient site with the world famous frescoes of the "Ladies of Sigiriya". It is one of the most surprising sites in Ceylon, considered to be the 8th wonder of the world. It is a colossal rock of red stones dominating the thick forest that it overlooks by nearly 150 m. On this inaccessible rock remain the ruins of a grandiose palace, built in the XNUMXth century by King Kashyapa. The rock evokes the silhouette of this wild animal, the entrance to the staircase which goes up to the top opens between the clawed legs made of bricks and stones. This aerial palace dominated a city of rare beauty, as evidenced by the ruins of a fortified "garden palace", surrounded by walls and ditches. One of the greatest curiosities of the rock are the paintings of ' Ladies of Sigiriya ”, Splendid and perfectly preserved, in a crevice of rock: 18 women are represented on these frescoes, but no one knows who these attractive creatures are. The ascent of the rock will be considered easy for those accustomed to hiking, more complicated by others…. If the foot of the rock with its enormous lion claws is already spectacular in itself, what a fantastic sight will again be offered to the bravest who will have reached its summit.

Depart Polonnaruwa and visit to a local school along the way.
Please note that schools are closed during weekends and public holidays. In some cases we can bring customers to Jayanthipura, a very famous place for growing rice. In some cases you can see the villagers bathing or washing their clothes at the edge of small rivers.

Then departure to Polonnaruwa (journey time: about 1 time).

Visit of the archaeological site of Polonnaruwa where the Kings of Ceylon settled in the 8th century after having abandoned the capital Anuradhapura. At the edge of the romantic lake of Parakrama and in a green park populated by monkeys, one can discover the statue of King Parakramabhu, his Palace, the Audience room, the Royal Bath, the Chamber of Relics, the Galpotha (stone book measuring 4 meters), the Temple dedicated to Shiva and the famous cave temple of Gal-Vihare and its XNUMX statues of Buddha. Return to the hotel.

Optional: weather permitting, possibility of 4 x 4 safari at Minneriya National Park, one of the best national parks in the country for elephants. The dry season, preferably from June to September, is the best time to visit the 8 hectare park. Dinner and overnight at the Cinnamon Lodge 890 * hotel, Habarana.

After breakfast departure to Passikudah, one of the best beaches in Sri Lanka, located in the east of the country. (journey time: around 2h30). Free evening at the beach. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

4 DAY POINTS
A well deserved rest in one of the best beaches in Sri Lanka Lanka.

Breakfast at the hotel. Full day of relaxation by the beach. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Free day. Night at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.
Departure to Kandy and en-route visit of Ena De Silva's Batik workshop. (journey time: around 3h30)
Visit of Ena De Silva's Batik factory located near Matale. Ena De Silva is a pioneering artist from an elite Kandyan family. She is a beloved cultural icon, who introduced the art of batik to Sri Lanka in the 1960s. She remains the undisputed master of traditional batik, Kandy embroidery and Sri Lankan aesthetics. His incomparable batik creations are inspired by ancient Sinhalese flags with traditional patterns but made with originality. His finest work is carried out on a monumental scale.

Then continuation to Kandy, the mountainous capital of Sri Lanka. (travel time: about 1h30)

Kandy is beautifully situated 350 meters above sea level and bordered by hills, naturally ordered around the lake. Cultural center of the country, the city fell into English hands in 1815. Nestled in a green valley (between the last rice fields and the first tea plantations), surrounded by low hills and closed by the Mahaweli, the largest river in Sri Lanka , Kandy remains a center of crafts, music and dance. Charm, splendor of the past and serenity describe the city in a few words.

Afternoon: Visit of the city of Kandy. Possibility to visit the house of “Ena De Silva”, the famous Batik artist in Sri Lanka. End of day free.

Dinner and overnight at the Cinnamon Citadel 4 * hotel, Kandy

After breakfast, departure for the visit of Kandy and the Peradeniya Botanical Garden. (journey time: about 30 minutes)

Royal Botanic Gardens:

Peradeniya Botanical Garden or Royal Botanical Garden is a botanical garden located in Peradeniya in the nearby suburb of Kandy. It is renowned for its impressive collection of orchids. It also has a garden of spices and medicinal plants as well as many palm trees. The garden is located in a loop of the Mahaweli River.

Return to the hotel (journey time: approximately 30 minutes).

If time permits and with prior authorization, optional visit to a local artist in Kandy (travel time: about 30 minutes).

An interaction with the "Rahju" is an experience in itself, with its very strong convictions on the values ​​and principles of Buddhism and Hindus. He is of Sri Lankan and Norwegian descent; born in Sri Lanka, he spent most of his teenage life in Norway before loving Sri Lanka. His home in Kandy is located away from the city on top of a hill overlooking the magnificent mountain range which, he explains, helped create this work of art comprised of more than 130 paintings. George Keyt was a famous Sri Lankan artist in the 1930s.
Note: Rahju's work is highly regarded by intellectuals and artists and those who intend to visit him should have a genuine interest in his work.
End of the afternoon: transfer to the Temple of the Tooth, in Touk Touk, to attend the 'Pooja' ceremony at 18 p.m.

Temple of the Tooth: 

Pink building surrounded by a ditch, prominent and almost solitary, on the edge of the lake. Since the tooth of the Buddha was brought into the hair of a princess of Orissa in the XNUMXth century AD to protect it from sacrilegious hands, the relic has become a renowned object of piety and sacred. It has become not only Sri Lanka's most prized treasure, but also the seal of sovereignty.

Please note: when visiting this temple, it is requested to wear clothes that cover the shoulders and knees. The visit is done barefoot. Return to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at the Cinnamon Citadel 4 * hotel, Kandy.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure from the hotel in the morning and boarding a train to Peradeniya and to Nanu Oya. (journey time: around 3h30). 

Your train ride is one of the best in Sri Lanka. Visit of a plantation and a tea factory in the mountainous capital.
The scenic train ride will be with Expo Rail. Lunch will be served during the journey accompanied by tea / coffee.

Do you know: the best tea in the world is exported from Sri Lanka under the name of "The Ceylon Tea".

Descent to Nanu Oya Station and en route to Nuwara Eliya.

Installation at the hotel in Nuawar Eliya and free afternoon to rest. Afternoon: visit of this ancient city of Nuwara Eliya.

Dinner and overnight at St Andrews 4 *, Nuwara Eliya.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure in the early morning to Kataragama with a stop in the famous Sri Lanka National Park, Yala. (Journey time: around 4h30)

In the afternoon, 4 x 4 safari in Yala National Park.

Yala National Park: 

The second largest and most visited national park in Sri Lanka, this park located in the southeastern region of the country covers 979 km² and is located approximately 300 km from Colombo. It was originally designated as a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, and along with Wilpattu National Park it was one of the first two national parks to be established in Sri Lanka, being elevated to that rank in 1938. The park is best known. for its richness in wild animals and plays an important role in the conservation of the Elephant and water birds. There are six national parks and three wildlife sanctuaries near Yala Park. The park is located in the semi-arid climate region and the precipitation falls mainly during the monsoon period. The national park is home to a variety of ecosystems ranging from humid monsoon forests to marine and freshwater wetlands. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami caused severe damage to Yala National Park, where 250 people were killed. Continue to Kataragama.
Journey time: About 1h30.

Installation at the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the Mandara Rosen 4 * hotel, Kataragama.

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure to Galle. (journey time: about 4 hours)

Galle is a superb example of fortified city built by Europeans in South and Southeast Asia, well illustrating the interactions between European architectural styles and South Asian traditions. The old town of Galle, with its fort and its fortifications protecting alleys where one can still see some old Dutch houses, is classified with the world heritage. Indeed, it represents the largest fortress built in Asia by European settlers. Among other remarkable monuments, we can mention the Cathedral of Saint Mary built at the end of the 100th century by the first bishop of Galle, Joseph Van Reeth and his Jesuit colleagues. Galle is the main town in the south of the island, with a population of around 000. It is connected by rail to the capital, Colombo, as well as to Matara.

End of the afternoon visit of the city of Galle. Return to the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at Tamarind Hill, Galle.

Breakfast at the hotel.

We will first observe the unique Sri Lankan fishermen on stilts, along the southern coast of the country.
Stilt fishing is a unique way to fish and it can be seen in the southern coastal town of Galle, Unawatuna, Koggala and Weligama. The fishermen sit on small benches on the poles stuck in the water, a few meters offshore and fish for small fish called "Antoine" and "Koramburuwo".

Visit of the Handunugoda estate, where spices grow. It produces the world-renowned virgin white tea, untouched by the hands and said to be the purest of all. This 140 hectare property is respectful of the environment and rich in flora and fauna. Birds and wild animals, countless reservoir ponds and colorful fish give it a special atmosphere.

The famous author and planter Herman Gunaratne meets us in the “Writers” Bungalow and takes us around his organic plantations of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, turmeric, vanilla, rubber, coconut, tea and other varieties of spices . We will do a tea tasting and a tour of the factory with its old machines.

Return to the hotel after visiting the Martin Wickramasinghe Folk Museum.
The house where Martin Wickramasinghe was born inspired the Martin Wickramasinghe Trust which created a folk museum, surrounded by a restored ecosystem, planted with hundreds of varieties of trees and shrubs in which birds abound. The house and the surroundings give life to a small part of the Koggala which is so well represented in the writings of Wickramasinghe. The House of Wickramasinghe miraculously escaped the fate of others in its village. It is said that this simple house with its discreet architecture attracted the attention of a woman, an Air Force officer; it resided there during the military occupation and ensured its preservation. The Folklore Museum has long been a desire of the author who wanted to take back the technological and cultural vestiges, which were part of his familiar environment. The various objects of popular culture that he acquired during his life were the starting point for the opening of this museum in 1981.

Please note that the museum is open daily from 9h00 to 17h00.

Return to the hotel.

Dinner and overnight at Tamarind Hill, Galle.

Breakfast at the hotel. Depending on flight schedules, transfer to the airport (journey time: about 3 hours).

End of your custom tour in Sri Lanka.